Hospitable Harare

One of the ways Zimbabwe can continue rebuilding its economy is by starting colleges for people interested in the service industry. Zimbabwean waiters, bartenders, receptionists and hotel desk staff are friendly, approachable and helpful, without being over-eager, aggressive or desperate to sell.

Take the group that works at the Portuguese establishment Coimbra, who received a group of hungry cricket journalists last night, interested in something more meaty than just a good story. They happily let us in, with no reservation, even though the two rooms were full and when we complained that the table we had was too close to the door, they moved us further inside. They served peri-peri chicken and ice-cream long after everyone else had left and never gave that uneasy feeling that sometimes floats around a room when the restaurateurs want the patrons to leave.

Or the man working at the Bronte Hotel and has been doing so for almost a decade, and has now been promoted to a manager of the breakfast area. He remembered a guest he had served years ago, asked how he was, and personally offered to ensure his hot meal was adequately prepared, because the buffet food may have been too cold. The steaming scrambled eggs arrived a little later, to be enjoyed while taking in the view of the hotel's stunning garden.

It is a large outside area, which has managed to keep its colours in spite of winter. Whatever financial problems have plagued Zimbabwe, this hotel has kept its grandeur, its homeliness and its pride. Its gables announce its authority and the warmth inside confirms it.

One of the drawbacks is the steady decline of hot water through a shower. It starts off as a full shower head and within minutes is down to a limp trickle, leaving no choice but to open the cold tap, hold one's breath and dive in, knowing that if it's done quickly enough, the subsequent walk to the cricket ground should be enough to warm up again.

Once inside the ground, the friendliness is back. The day before it once again becomes a Test venue, Harare Sports Club was hosting an IT conference. One of the organisers proudly reported that they had managed to connect 150 computers to the internet at once and they will now look at putting a booster into the press box so that the journalists (of which there are far fewer than 150) can remain connected throughout the match.

While the conference continued inside, the Zimbabwe and Bangladesh national teams trained outside. They went almost unnoticed, so much so, that at one point, two people pushing a shopping cart ambled across the field, split their practice in half and didn't pause until they reached the other side. While the net bowlers were trying to concentrate on not getting the balls hit back at their heads, the sound check took place and even when it was established that the speakers worked just fine, the music continued. It was a party, no-one was going to stop it.