Macuti was a compound really, built by Swedish (or was it Norwegian?) gas company to house it’s employees while they were working in the country. Then turned into apartment rentals with a strange Chinese style restaurant inside. We ate there on a few occasions, a rare chance for sweet and sour pork or chicken. We didn’t have a car, but took public transport. I distinctly remember there being children in the parking lot who, for a small fee, would guard your car while you were inside.

Shoprite was the only grocery store in town, a South African chain. I remember how sporadic it’s deliveries of food would be. The first person in our group to go and see cheese always reported it back to us pretty quickly. It became a luxury item, never available. I can’t remember what I bought (most likely juice).

This is from a club that I went to a few time for a swim in Beira. Always ordering something so as to seem helpful to the attentive staff, I always got water.