Mauritius

My earliest memories of Mauritius are those of the vast stretches of sugarcane plantations on both sides of the road. We were driving to the resort we booked, our home in Mauritius for a few days. I was thrilled to be there, at the island nation in the Indian Ocean. I was excited and looking forward to experience the lure of seaside coupled with the liveliness of the city. We drove on roads surrounded by endless sugarcane fields. Winds ruffling in my hair, I managed to catch glimpses of the deep blue sea stretching into the horizon. The place screamed rosy romance and lazy leisure. At the resort, we were greeted with a glass of cool drink. We chatted with a few people as we waited at the reception for our check in. Tired as we were after the long flight, we sunk into the bed after a quick shower, immediately going into deep slumber. That evening we had time free on our hands which we utilized by exploring around and enjoying some folk dances. We relaxed because we had full days of touring starting the next day.

The first site that we visited was the “Dormant volcano of Trou aux Cerfs”. It’s located about 1 km from the town of Curepipe. As we stood there, I was transported to a different world. I mean it’s not every day that we get to see a volcano! It was an amazing feeling as we peered down the crater. Also known as the “Murr’s Volcano” it is situated around 605 m above sea level. It is believed that the Trou aux cerfs erupted only once and has been dormant since for the last 700 000 years. We chilled, hanging around, enjoying the spectacular view that the crater offered, of the major part of the island. Standing at the view point, we admired the lush green forests that surrounded the crater.

Next we visited the Le Port Ship Model factory. We had planned on taking a tour to understand the details of making a ship model. They make beautiful ship models. We watched the craftsmen as they worked with deftness. They were generous enough to explain to us in detail how they first carve out the base out of solid wood after which the base is sent to a set of artisans who create finer details like carving out designs, windows etc. Then the model is sent to another set of artisans who paint and polish. We were amazed at the amount of skill and precision that went into this whole process.

Enjoying the pleasant weather and reveling how life had magically slowed down, we set out for our next destination – The Chamarel seven coloured Earth. We found it to be an area of sand dunes, comprising sand of seven distinct colours – red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple and yellow. It’s a unique, geological formation. We stood there watching the colours dancing, vibrant and vivid in the sunshine. The colours, we were told, are formed due to decomposition of volcanic rock and the presence of aluminium and iron.

We made a quick stop at the nearby Tortoise Park, where we fed the gentle creatures and watched them move slowly. We spent some time there, basking in the sun and the warmth of the local people.

Our search for beauty and wonder took us to “The Chamarel Waterfall”. Located in a midst of a beautiful canyon that dates back to millions of years, the Chamarel waterfall is the highest waterfall in Mauritius. Cascading from a height of 83 m, the Chamarel waterfalls are formed by the river St. Denis. We stood there, loving the sounds of the flowing waters. Listening to the birds and winds sing brought solace to us.

We were tired like hell by that time, but we geared ourselves for the last stop of the day, Le Morne Brabant Peninsula. It’s located at the extreme south western tip of the island. The ocean calmed us down, the cool breeze blew away our fatigue. Refreshed, we marveled at the fact that we were standing at a UNESCO World heritage site. We stood at the summit’s viewing platform and watched the ocean waters shining in the late afternoon sun. I kissed the waters with my eyes.

Ile aux cerfs – We had planned to spend a full day on Ile aux cerfs. It’s a picturesque island, located off the east coast of Mauritius.

The Ile aux Cerfs day tour started with a boat transfer to the island. We first drove to the embarkation point at Trou d’ Eau Douce. From there we took a speed boat to the island. The boat trip took a total of 15 minutes. As we approached the island, we were mesmerized by the pure white beaches framed by vivid turquoise waters. We spent the whole day exploring the beaches, having refreshing strolls by the seaside, enjoying the lovely beach and stunning views, the nippy winds and the quiet chatter of waves. I loved walking barefoot on the soft, white sand, stopping occasionally to pick up a few seashells. Our lunch we had at a local restaurant. The food was delicious; it’s flavor and freshness shining through. In the evening we ordered a cup of coffee and a slice of cake and watched the unrivalled sunset, soaking in the last few rays of the sun.

We had set aside a separate day for the North island tour. We intended on visiting Fort Adelaide and The Caudan waterfront in Port Louis the capital city of Mauritius. We thought of doing Chapel and shrine of Marie Reine de la Paix at the end. The Caudan waterfront is a very pretty waterfront. At this bustling, lively seafront one can find numerous restaurants serving a wide range of cuisines. It’s a modern waterfront shopping and entertainment complex. We then made a 45 minute stopover at Fort Adelaide. It has a pretty location on a hill overlooking the city. It’s a 19^th century military fortress offering stunning views of the Port Louis waterfront and harbor.

Chapel and shrine of Marie Reine de la Paix – It’s a beautiful, open church. The ornamental gardens offer panoramic views over the city. And as I was standing there looking around, something moved, something happened to me that made me sing and dance. The sky and the sunshine did some magic to me there. I danced and laughed, celebrated life,feeling more connected to life and myself. Love can happen at strange places in strange ways. And yes love it was in its truest form. The romance of the beach city had come alive there.