Thursday 13th April Today didn’t get off to a very auspicious start. We had a university driver booked to take us sightseeing. He arrived early – about 7.30 am. Then it turned out he was actually scheduled to take us into the university. We thought that was not correct, but he was adamant that such was his assignment. He dropped us off outside the Textiles Department, saying something about someone being able to organise a different driver for us. I went to find Souda, but he wasn’t at the university yet; nor was Dharma. Then one of the Textile students chanced to pass by, and he volunteered to try and contact them for us. No luck. Then one of the other members of staff. She couldn’t raise anyone either. Eventually, after many phone calls, we contacted Dharma, who volunteered to come in and help us out. He managed to get Mr Bihari (who had met C & P at the airport) to take us to Pamplemousses in the minibus. He wouldn’t be able to stay though, so we agreed we could easily walk between the sugar museum and the botanical gardens, and then return home by bus; which is what we did.
Of course, I had already been around the sugar museum, but Caroline hadn’t, and found it very interesting. It is so big you can’t easily take in all the information, so I actually discovered a few things I’d missed on the first visit.
Like somewhere comfortable to sit! This is in the main warehouse area, which has been fully decked out as a sugar-loading facility complete with a cut-away transportation vessel.
Later, outside, Pete finds some real sugar cane plants.
Pete with some potted sugar canes at “L'Aventure du Sucre”
By now it is time for lunch, which we have in the very pleasant on-site restaurant.
Waiting for lunch at L'Aventure du Sucre – bon appétit!
After lunch we set off to walk the 15-or-so minutes to the botanical gardens. On the way, Caroline took this shot looking over towards the Moka Range:
Looking towards the Moka Range, from Pamplemousses
It probably isn’t clear from this low-resolution shot, but the peak over to the extreme left has a particularly unusual shape (even more so than the other odd summits on Mauritius!). It is called “Pieter Both”, and is named after the man who was, according to Wikipedia, the first Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies. In 1615 he was shipwrecked, and drowned, off the Mauritian coast.
From every angle – and we have seen it from all sides now – the mountain bears a striking resemblance to a man in a cape, sitting on a chair or throne. His “head” is a large boulder which, from this distance appears to be precariously perched on his “shoulders”.
At Pamplemousses gardens we decided to guide ourselves round. This was possibly a little unwise since it is a very large park, and as yet not very well sign-posted. However, we enjoyed roaming around looking again (for me) at all the beautiful trees, flowers and other inmates.
The ancient baobab tree
Royal Palms truly are regal
Hopefully he hasn't got one foot in the grave!
The centre-piece of the gardens is the giant lily pond, but could we find it? Well, eventually we did:
After all that effort, I think a nice sit down on the biggest bench we can find:
But that doesn’t quench your thirst does it? So, it’s off to a handy café for a well-earned refresher. This one is called “Café des Mascarins”.
That's real pineapple in there
That's real "Sprite" in there
By now it is around 2.30 pm and we need to think about making tracks back to Flic en Flac. There is a handy bus stop just down the road from where we are, and before long we are on our way into Port Louis, where we will change buses.
The bus station in PL is a chaotic place, crowded with commuters, tourists, hawkers and staff; even so, it almost seems there are more buses than people! Believe me - you take your life in your hands attempting to traverse it as there are practically no walkways and these buses take no prisoners. Despite this we managed to find our way in relative safety to an empty bus bound for FeF. Empty that is, apart from a sparrow occupying one of the rear seats. Once the bus gets underway this state of spaciousness soon dissolves as more and more passengers embark. After the first few miles it is definitely standing-room only, and we are in awe of the conductor who is still able to squeeze his way through, collecting fares.
Finally back in FeF, it is time for our customary pre-prandial swim after which, this evening, we return to “La Papayou”. This tiny Créole restaurant gets good reviews in all the guides. It is only about 7.20 pm when we arrive there, but already it is practically full. (How different that is from my early experiences when I was in Mauritius by myself). However, the staff soon accommodate us by pushing two small tables together. And once again we partake of a most enjoyable meal.
FeF is such a small place that I am now beginning to recognise several of the other diners, having seen them at the various eateries I’ve frequented during my nearly-five weeks stay here. So now I really do feel at home.
Night all.
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