Machambas
We also discovered on sunday that Machamba's, the agricultural plots of land in the peripheries and bairros of Maputo, are also kept behind the high walls we pass every day in Mahotas. It was a bit like opening the door of a tardis, or more fittingly a secret garden when we stepped into this enormous plot of farm land expecting a house. This was a big revelation for me but obviously not for tio Jojo who then told me he could tell from the outside which were machambas. Before than I wondered why some houses went against the grain of Mozambique's quite open and permeable fences and were instead; lined with broken bottles, electric fencing or simply just a lot taller. I still haven't confirmed 100% whether these are ALL for machambas though but it seems the most likely. The only other indicator for myself is the sighting of numerous papaya trees.