Malawi – Cape Maclear 马拉维 – 麦克莱尔角 11/2018 Stop 13 站

29-30/11/2018. After two nights at Kande beach on Nkhata Bay, I was on my way again. At 6 a.m., I walked 3 kilometers to the bus stop, caught a pickup truck to Golomoti, then another taxi to Monkey Bay, and after an hour’s wait there, I finally arrived at nightfall in the fishing village of Cape Maclear.

Despite its reputation as one of the most popular tourist spots on Lake Malawi, do not expect it to be packed with action, lined with big hotels, and noisy with partying tourists This was a beautiful lake in a fishing village setting; it is a laid-back, hippie-like holiday haven. There were several restaurants on the lakefront where tourists drank and dined, watched the calm sea to find inner peace, or admired the sunset to spark romances.

Surrounding it was Chembe Village. Villagers dry anchovies, repair nets, wash dishes, clothes, and themselves in the water; their lives revolve around the lake. Their thatched-roof houses sitting on the bare earthy ground were the most down-to-earth African village life. The main street connecting the tourist area to the village was a broad dirt road, with no trace of rubbish and spotlessly brown. The odd baobab trees, with a stout body but hilariously precious little hair, standing almost in the middle of the road like a roadblock. Thirsting for water, villagers of young and mature age, boys and girls, crowded around a big hand pump on an open field, taking turns to draw water from underground. I walked around the village, children barely able to speak yelled out “hello, hello,” the villagers called “how are you,” “where are you from,” “what’s your name.” I felt like a returning village chief that was badly missed.

As I ended my tour of Malawi, I couldn’t help thinking about the children clambering up a moving truck to get a lift, and the young, able-bodied men peddling sweets, pens, baked corn, etc., from bus to bus for next to nothing. I have met a few adorable Malawians with God-fearing names: Provider, Innocent … I felt sorry that their prayers were yet to be answered.

Africa had been full of adventure. Those were the highlights. I do not regard easing up here at Cape MaClear as the lowlights. Going into the villages was going to the heart of Africa, seeing Africa from the inside. Some studies suggest that we originated from Africa; I wasn’t crazy looking for my root here.

29-30/11/2018 在恩卡塔贝的康德海滩 (Kande Beach) 两天后我又上路了。凌晨六点我拖着行李步行三公里泥路走出村庄。小孩正好去上学，多位赤着脚。到大道后拦了辆小货车往南走，晚上七八点才到目的地麦克莱尔角 (Cape Maclear) – 马拉维闻名的湖光山色渔村。村民依山傍水生活，湖边洗衣洗碗碟，洗漱，晒鱼，补网，游客则湖边赏湖观景，胡扯胡闹。我走进村里溜达，村民友善打招呼， 哈喽， 你好吗， 哪里来的， 什么名。跟大家寒暄之际，一辆卡车路过，小孩们穷追着卡车狼狈攀上， 好像在演危险特技， 听说这是他们回家的便车。

马来维湖占全国三份之一的面积，要认识马来维， 要游湖景，更要走入村里。看来似不起眼的落后地方， 却感受不少温暖。他们在贫穷中等着希望。