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Seychelles and Mauritius
  • skip's retirement travel
January 2022

Seychelles and Mauritius

A 19-day adventure by skip's retirement travel Read more
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  • Trip start
    January 8, 2022
    skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelSeychelles and Mauritius

    Curieuse Island

    January 9, 2022 on the Seychelles ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    The Seychelles are an archipelago off the east coast of Africa, a few degrees south of the equator. There are more than 100 islands, but I only visited 4. All 4 islands of these islands are granitic. Some of the outer islands are coral atolls.
    The 1st picture is a view of the island from the water. The 2nd picture is of one of the giant tortoises that live here. I'm told that there are more than 500 on the island.
    A large position of the island is mangrove swamp. The 3rd picture looks along the boardwalk at low tide. It would have been good to be here at high tide as I understand that small sharks, mantas, etc. can be seen swimming under the boardwalk.
    The 4th picture is one of the beaches here called Anse St. Joseph. It is amazingly soft white sand.
    For most of the 19th and 20th centuries (until 1965), this island was a leper colony. The 5th picture is the former physician's residence located at Anse St. Joseph. In the last picture you can see through the trees some of remains of bungalows used by the patients.    Read more

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    Cousin Island

    January 10, 2022 on the Seychelles ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    Cousin Island is a nature preserve today. Formerly it had been used as a coconut plantation. Once the young coconuts trees were removed, the native vegetation reestablished, saving some endemic bird species from extinction. In addition to the island, 400 meters of ocean out from the shore is preserved for the coral.
    The 1st picture is of the island which is only about 70 acres. The 2nd picture shows the native forest, and the 3rd picture is of a banyan tree.
    The preserve on the island is primarily for birds. We saw so many species, and I'm not a birder, so I don't recall all the names. I can say that there are no land predators on the island. That is why the juvenile in the last picture is sitting on the ground, hidden from the raptors that may be flying above.    Read more

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    Aride Island

    January 11, 2022 on the Seychelles ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Aride is another small island that is a nature reserve. It is the most northern of the granite islands of the Seychelles. Like Cousin Island, there is a marine reserve surrounding Aride: this one is 200 meters from the shore.
    The 1st 2 pictures are of the local birds of the same species as at Cousin Island. The 3rd picture is of taken from the top of the cliffs that house a large frigate bird colony. Unfortunately, I was unable to catch one of them in flight, and the nesting colony isn't visible from this location. The view is fantastic, though.
    The 4th picture is of a single banyan tree. All those vertical parts have grown down from branches and rooted. So it is one large tree
    The last picture is difficult and new to me. There is a tree here called the bird catcher tree. When birds land on the tree to eat the fruit, a very sticky material attaches to the feathers so the bird can't fly. Eventually, the bird dies and decomposes to feed the tree.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelSeychelles and Mauritius

    Beau Vallon, Mahe

    January 14, 2022 on the Seychelles ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    Mahe Island is the largest of the Seychelles islands and is where the national capital, Victoria (see another post), is located. Beau Vallon is a beach town on the west side of the island and is where I stayed and did some diving.
    The 1st 2 pictures look at a couple different parts of the beach. It a very soft white sand. The 3rd looks up from the beach to the ridge that runs down the center of the island. The 4th picture is of the small pedestrian walkway in the center of town. Everything here is focused on the beach and water sports.
    The last picture is the view from my balcony. It isn't a stretch to use a term like paradise for a place like this.    Read more

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    Victoria, Seychelles

    January 15, 2022 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    The Seychelles has the distinction of having the world's smallest capital city, only about 26,000 people and only 2 traffic lights. It is very laid back and quiet: no neon, nothing flashy, just a quiet reflection of life in this country.
    The 1st picture is of a sculpture in a traffic circle at the edge of town. The 2nd is of the main intersection in the center of the city with it's clock tower. The 3rd looks out to the harbor. That is an island in the harbor that protects a marina and yacht club.
    The last 3 pictures give a sense of the cultural fusion here. There is a Hindu temple, cathedral, rectory and seat of the diocese, and a mosque. My sense is that all faiths live together here comfortably.    Read more

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    Aaprivasi Ghat, Mauritius

    January 19, 2022 in Mauritius ⋅ 🌧 29 °C

    Aaprivasi Ghat in Port Lewis is of major significance in Mauritian history. The term ghat comes from Hindi where it can refer to a series of steps leading down to the water, which is the case here.
    This world heritage site preserves the remains of an immigration depot built in 1849. After the UK outlawed slavery in 1834, they began an experiment of using indentured labor. It all began here. From 1834 to 1920 workers arrived at most British oversea locations, but the largest was here: 420,000 people. Today, 7 out of every 10 people in Mauritius are descended from these indentured laborers
    The 1st picture is of a model of the site when it was active.
    The 2nd picture is of one wall. The windows open into rooms where new arrival's were housed. Typically they remained at the ghat for a couple days for paperwork to be completed.
    The 3rd picture looks over the remains of some of the housing for new arrivals.
    The 4th picture is in the 1st courtyard where new arrivals went when they came off their ships.
    The 5th picture looks at the hospital block. This is the part of the site that remained in the best condition. Some restoration work has been done.
    The last picture looks at some of the restoration work. Most of what you can see is original.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelSeychelles and Mauritius

    Port Lewis, Mauritius

    January 19, 2022 in Mauritius ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Port Lewis is the capital city of Mauritius, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. The 1st Europeans here were the Dutch in the 17th century. They were followed by the French in the 18th century, and the British in the 19th century.
    The 1st picture is of an old windmill and warehouse at the port. The 2nd picture is one view of the harbor.
    A redevelopment of the area around the harbor is called Le Caudan. The 3rd picture looks at one section of this upscale development.
    The 4th picture is in the middle of the city and looks along the Place des Armes, a divided boulevard that ends at the parliament building. It is just visible through the trees.
    The 5th picture is of the central market in Port Lewis. I do love the environment of these places. This one is spread out over several blocks.
    The last picture is of a building in the colonial style. It houses the Mauritius Institute and museum of natural history    Read more

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    Botanical Gardens

    January 20, 2022 in Mauritius ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Named for the 1st Prime Minister of the independent Mauritius, Sir S. Ramgoolam, the national botanical garden is said to be the oldest botanical garden in the southern hemisphere. It dates to either 1735 or 1768, depending on whether the market gardens of the Mon Plaisir Chateau are included. Mon Plaisir is the estate on which the gardens are located.
    This garden is most famous for its giant water lilies that are shown in the 1st picture. The 2nd picture looks across part of the site to the old plantation house or chateau, depending on whether we talk about the French or British period.
    The 3rd picture looks across some of the wetland vegetation preserved here. The 4th picture looks at remains from the agricultural days, when the chateau grew produce to sell to provision ships as well as a place to acclimatize new crops being introduced to the island.
    The 5th picture struck me. It's simply a stream on site with associated stream side plants. The last picture is the largest pond in the garden with its island. It's no surprise to find palms in a tropical garden. What is unique is that there are over 100 species of palm planted here.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelSeychelles and Mauritius

    Le Morne Brabant, Mauritius

    January 21, 2022 in Mauritius ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Le Morne Brabant is a peninsula at the extreme southwest corner of the island. The monolith here that rises more than 550 meters goes by the same name. The site is of great historic importance to the people if Mauritius.
    Le Morne was a place of refuge for escaped slaves. It is said that when slavery was abolished, a police delegation was sent to inform them that they were free, but the former slaves either didn't understand or didn't believe the delegation. So, rather than risk being reenslaved, they jumped to their deaths.
    This World Heritage Site is a memorial to that event and is part of a world wide set of memorials to the horror of slavery.
    The 1st picture takes in Le More as it sits above the memorial site. The memorial is a group of beautifully sculpted rocks that portray something of slaves and slavery. All the rest of the pictures are of those sculptures. I find the artistry most arresting.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelSeychelles and Mauritius

    Southwest Mauritius

    January 21, 2022 in Mauritius ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    These are several sites along the southwestern part of Mauritius. The map point above is at La Prairie on the south coast.. These sites here are to the west of that and northward up the coast.
    The 1st picture is along Flic en Flac beach. The is the 2nd favorite tourist beach on Mauritius. The most popular is Grand Baie on the north coast. I didn't get quite that far.
    The 2nd picture is of active salt pans in Tamarin where they are making salt by evaporating seawater. This is the only remaining place on Mauritius where this is still done.
    The 3rd picture is taken at the crater overlook in Black River Gorges National Park. The view is to the west looking over the route I traveled from Port Lewis. Should I get back to Mauritius, I'll spend more time here.
    The 4th picture is at La Prairie. The road winds along a narrow peninsula, then cuts through the rock just before the end. The picture is taken from the viewpoint at the tip beyond the rock cut.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelSeychelles and Mauritius

    Chamarel & 7 Colored Earth

    January 21, 2022 in Mauritius ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    These are 2 features in a national geopark. The 1st is the Chamarel Waterfalls. This is the highest in Mauritius and one of the most photographed places in the country. The falls drop almost 100 meters down a vertical cliff. I'm told this is an old crater. The part of the island is a volcanic landscape.
    The 2nd feature is called 7 colored earth. This, too, is a result of volcanic activity and weathering. They say there are as many as 40 hues here. The colors are formed by oxidation of mostly iron and aluminum compounds present in the lava. The stripes form by iron and alumina repelling each other so that the materials derived from one move away from the other. The similar chemistry ends up together. The reds, yellows and browns are from iron compounds. The greens, blues, and purples are from alumina compounds.    Read more

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    Grand Bassin

    January 21, 2022 in Mauritius ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Grand Bassin is the most important Hindu shrine in Mauritius. It is located on a crater lake called Ganga Takao that is considered holy. Hindus walk from their homes around Mauritius to Grand Bassin for blessing once s year and carry some of the lake water back home to bless their houses.. The main temple is dedicated to Shiva, and there are temples to other gods, as well.
    The 1st picture is taken at the main approach to the site. Giant statues, one of Ganga and one of Shiva (in the background), are shown here.
    The 2nd and 3rd pictures are views across the holy lake. Each one shows a temple on the far side. That is the main temple in the 2nd picture.
    The remaining 2 pictures are some of the many statues of gods along the lakeshore around the main temple.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelSeychelles and Mauritius

    Ile Aux Aigrettes

    January 22, 2022 in Mauritius ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    The Ile is a coral island in Mahebourg bay less than a mile off shore. It is now a nature reserve. Like much of Mauritius, the island experienced heavy logging and the introduction of non-native species. Once established as a nature reserve, they started a campaign to eliminate the many invasive species, a program that is still operating. And they began a process of reintroducing the native species. Now, this island is the only remaining remnant of the dry coastal forest of Mauritius.
    In the 1st picture you can see the Mauritius fody. This is a male in breeding season colors. The red will fade back to olive green.
    The 2nd picture is a look at the forest along one of the paths.
    The 3rd picture is of native plant species being started in a nursery in the middle of the island. They continue to work with the endemic species, making plants available for the reforestation of the island.
    The 4th picture is a fruit bat, aka a flying fox. These bats in captivity we're injured young and brought in for care. They have become too domesticated to be released.
    The 5th picture is a candle tree. The species is naturally hollow. By filling the center with oil, these were lit and used as torches.
    A significant number of native species have gone extinct from human predation and deforestation. Throughout the island are sculptures of some of those species. The last picture is of the sculpture of what is probably the best known of the extinct species: the dodo.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelSeychelles and Mauritius

    Cruisin'

    January 24, 2022 in Mauritius ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    I took a catamaran cruise in Mahebourg Bay, the very large lagoon surrounded by a coral reef several kilometers off shore. We sailed from Mahebourg to Ile Aux Cerfs with several stops along the way.
    The 1st picture is of a catamaran under sail. I took it from the one we were on.
    The 2nd picture is over one of the coral beds in the lagoon. The stop here was to allow snorkeling. One of these days I suppose I'll break down and get a camera to use under water.
    The next stop took us into a narrow, rock strewn river where we changed to a small boat and wound our way through the rocks to the waterfall in the 3rd picture.
    The last 3 pictures are of Ile Aux Cerfs. This is a popular spot for picnicking and walking in the woods.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelSeychelles and Mauritius

    Mahebourg

    January 25, 2022 in Mauritius ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Now that I'm at the airport waiting for my flight to Tel Aviv (yes, I finally had a negative covid test), I'm posting my last look at Mauritius.
    Mahebourg is the main town in the southeast of Mauritius. It is more a large village than a city, but pretty much all the city amenities are here. This is the town closest to the international airport.
    The 1st picture looks at Mahebourg from the water while I was Cruisin' (see another post). The 2nd picture is of the Malecón or Riva or Esplanade at the waterfront. The 3rd picture is of one of the streets near the guest house where I stayed. It gives a sense of what this tropical village is like.
    The 4th picture is pretty unique. One of the birds we didn't get to see at Ile Aux Aigrettes (see another post) is the pink pigeon. This is an endemic species in Mauritius that nearly went extinct and is still rare. Imagine my surprise to see one on the roof next door.
    The last 2 pictures are taken from my room at the guest house: one during the day and the other at sunrise of basically the same view. If you blow up the daytime picture, you will see a small white line in the distance. Those are waves breaking on the coral reef that encloses the lagoon. This lagoon is far larger than what I had visualized for a lagoon. I guess the pictures I had seen were not fully representative of what coral lagoons can be. And sunrise is beautiful, too, for those who are awake.    Read more

    Trip end
    January 26, 2022
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