Hotel Polana is located on a low cliff overlooking the Indian ocean. The most popular, prestigious and historic hotel in Maputo, Mozambique. The hotel is also considered as one of the most elegant and well-run hotels in Africa continent. The hotel was build in 1922 by renowned architect Sir Herbert Baker who also created Cape Town's Mount Nelson Hotel and the union Building in Pretoria, where Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as president of South Africa in 1994.
Hotel Polana is a beautiful Portuguese style huge building(U shaped, overlooking to the sea). The huge lagoon style swimming pool is the middle of the building and the tea & Coffee room is just next to the pool. I had a meeting here before and had a cup of wonderful coffee but today I went there for a cup of tea. The tea room is beautifully decorated with many African antiques and modern soft stone curving. They infuse the Portuguese style(tall wooden windows, European style table and chair, tropical color long curtain, cigar and cigarette corner, all waiters are dressed up with colonial Portuguese style etc. etc.) with African arts and crafts. I have been to many beautiful hotels all around the world but I never seen such a wonderful blend of two different cultures in the same tea room. They care a lot about Tea, Coffee and smoking(what I love) that the bar is located in another side of the hotel. The tea room has many beautiful tea pots from around the world(not for sale), and colonial Mozambique paint and landscape all around the tea & Coffee room. You can easily enjoy 18th and 21st century in the same time. The other part of the tea room is on a long, wide balcony which is just next to the swimming pool and ocean view. I am a collector of statue and cross-cultural art and crafts so I was lost in the tea room for a while.
I was drinking a cup of English Breakfast tea(the quality was standard but not my cup of tea). I was sitting outside- drinking and enjoying the view of Indian ocean. I was day dreaming suddenly a native English accent woke me up- "excuse me sir, can I borrow your lighter please". I looked at this man- tanned skin, 72-75 years, blonde, his looking and eyes had the sign of experience and hardwork. Wearing tropical dress(British India brand type). Anyway he light-up his cigar and went back to his table. There are some people who attract others with strong personality, he was on of them. While I was thinking, how can I start a conversation with him- again my favorite tea came to save me. He was brewing something from a small pouch in his tea pot and I straight went to his table and asked- "Sir, are you drinking your own tea? May I ask, what type of tea is that?" He just gave a wonderful, big smile and say-"Certainly Sir. I knew the whole time, you were interested to talk to me." Well, then I start talking about tea and he realized about my tea passion. His tea was blended by himself. He call it- "Mount Kilimanjaro blend"- blend of Tanzanian Orthodox and Malawi CTC. The tea wasn't so fresh but had wonderful robust, malty taste with slight fruity aroma. Then our Sunday morning start with his wonderful life story. He was a former British naval officer who retired after he fallen love with Africa. He was a hunter and hunted many animals around entire African continent from Cheetah, elephant, impala, reedbuck, steenbok, python, hyena, Zebra etc.etc. When I was a young boy, I read Jim Corbett's hunting story but never thought will meet a real hunter in my life. The man is full of knowledge about African wildlife, as well as politics. He saw many political change in the entire region. He also told me how dangerous it is to kill a tiger because once a tiger loose his or her lover- they hunt the hunter. That means if a hunter kill one, he has to killed the other partner. His wife divorced him because he never wanted to leave Africa. Now he can't hunt like before for new wildlife regulation and his age but he is a proud hunter for his past hunting record. He lives in Kenya but travel around the region. He always travel around African countries because he just love to do it. He made his fortune by selling cobalt and African gems. He has retired and counting his final day. He consider himself as African and he believe- Africa is his home. We both found out that though we have different profession but we believe in borderless world. I invited him to my house to have BBQ rabbit and to enjoy my own creation- "Lord Ripon's blend." I also accepted his invitation to his home-Kenya. I can't wait to visit his house which is decorated with full of African treasure. What a interesting man.
Why tea is so important in my life? One of the reason is this- meeting new, interesting people. While I was talking and drinking his "Mount Kilimanjaro blend", I was lost in space and day dreaming of the snow-capped peak. I was enjoying my meta-physical feeling. Ripon Maputo, Mozambique