Sunday, March 22, 7 am. Sea State: flat. Still no news from Gurb.
[at this point who has not read this masterpiece of literature nice and rowdy, you can open another browser window and be purchased while still in the "glob"]
Today we woke just as it came on the southeast coast of Mauritius. Yesterday I fell down 38, but this time they hurt less, who knows why :-) By the way, very appropriately this year is my birthday falls on Saturday, or that you have one ready! But no, because Eve falls on Thursday but ... In short, according to the plans you will also fall the 38 clubs in Tahiti, so he says he does not mind too much the day of the week, heh!
Today we spent a beautiful day, so Sunday even in our circumstances that we have lacked only the country with his charge to us transferred "in spirit" to one of our Sunday beach in Valencia. Obviously, nothing around us reminded us that, but the feelings they have been very similar to those days when the sun, sea, and tranquility of our "secret beach" on the outskirts of Valencia we reloaded the batteries to overflowing.
Being Sunday, the beach has been encouraging throughout the day, ending up being a true melting pot of people enjoying their day off. Mauritius is plagadito of hotelazos and resorts, with its exclusive beach, and we stayed in one of them would not have to be shared with the mob coconut. But we're going to do, "semos asin", and besides that we like to save some durum for the trip can be extended to 366 Saturday, little more than fill us mingle with the "natives" live a little day as they do, and feel minimally integrated ... even for a little while.
That said, it is true that when the building is stretching and dragging all his paraphernalia until sunday the beach, we have exercised tourists rent a boat a couple of hours diving in the stunning coral reef that had brought us to this particular site. Has been the best we've ever seen, so petadito coral there was not a little bit of sand, past and right next to the shore! After what cost us in time and money, see something that does not reach this level in Mozambique, we both have reaffirmed our view that there should rethink some things.
But then, as had the rest of the day was to dive but not in water but in the environment. The beach has been very lively, and especially entertaining for us, because the mix of ethnic groups living in Mauritius is enormous, predominantly of Indian origin and nearby (Sri Lanka, Bangla Desh), but there is also much Creole (mulatto from Franco-British settlers and African slaves), and many Chinese. You can imagine all that jumble there, harmoniously blended but each enjoying its own way, and we in the midst of all without chocasemos in the landscape. It's hard to describe, but it's been like living a day of utopia in which "world and gueno to'er" and everyone, regardless of color and religion, we get along well. And to finish it, the little walk back to hotel in local bus, all of exoticism in his extreme humility.
not, will it be this time of declining dotage? At the end of the day, 37 years may well have marked the Ecuador of my life, and from here may be in the countdown. It is possible, but has sounded dramatic but just as today I do not feel any vertigo by advancing rapidly over time, because after days like today I realize that it is possible to slow it down. I just hope that I am not sure how.
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Nothing, that today's post I decided to start with this excerpt as a diary I wrote at the end of this hot day. In general, I'm making notes in my notebook on the go, and finally do a rehash to try to give some pace and some consistency to every brick that you loose. But tonight I felt especially eager to capture what I felt immediately, so I have transcribed as is, according to what I wrote in the heat of the moment. And I mean that would not put it but ... Heat that did it!
:-) Well, that reflection of the first day pretty much sums up what we have experienced for 10 in Mauritius, a small but densely populated island with a unique melting pot of races and cultures, and where there are plenty of places that make justice to the pictures of the brochures ...
:-) Well, that reflection of the first day pretty much sums up what we have experienced for 10 in Mauritius, a small but densely populated island with a unique melting pot of races and cultures, and where there are plenty of places that make justice to the pictures of the brochures ...
... but unfortunately many have taken in the exclusive luxury hotels. We are dedicated to passing otherwise, and we can attest that there is "another Mauricio", both in price and experience. Many of these, again, we have been traveling in the extensive network of buses across the island ... that would be cheesy, yes, but more like Mallorca, on par with something patriotic, take public transportation Maurice. But in addition, are the perfect showcase of how the locals live, and how everything is a matter of personal philosophy on life: several routes, buses that theoretically admitted "45 seated and standing 5", but actually had 80-90 seats and snugly up to 30 feet ... because in so many, I say, we have been surprised Descojonado with local comical situations that occur when you travel so, so arrejuntaito, with people who want to lose, others who want to climb (and there is always room for more) and driving with an art collectors from all this incredible mess.
As a curious note, and to delve some more in particular sociology of Mauritius, with its harmonious blend so races and cultures, we read in the guide is a detail that, in my opinion, is to take off his hat twice, separate the short history of Mauritius, people have been so clear he was not happy with the ruling party in elections the following were awarded either a seat! I can not "imagine" something like that happening in any of our Western democracies, with so much history and so established and however I think it would be very healthy.
But back to our Mauritian experience, I can imagine that was chaired by the sea. There is a curious aspect to many of the beaches of Mauritius, very original though not the kind of things mentioned in the guides or tourist brochures. As the island is completely surrounded by a coral reef, which sometimes is closer to the coast and in other little more away (but not much), on the beach there is always a double background noise: the small ripples that break on the coast, a soft sound, but closer, and much more powerful but far more real roar of waves breaking against the reef. Until you identify that is, you have a strange feeling, like that in that beach thing disturbs you ... over time, as always, you get used to the noise and you do not give great importance. But hey, is peculiar. As little "disappointment", I must say that the sunsets in Mauritius are not as colorful as we imagined.
Arrecife Along with the Blue Bay which had in the initial extract, the climax of those days was when we swam with dolphins. We spent about 2 hours and out of the water from the boat to enjoy the various groups that "socialiazaban" at dawn after a night of fishing (the dolphins feed at night). Lost count of how many dolphins were many so close we could almost touch, and even saw a little one nursing and several couples simulating intercourse or training (some bays, these dolphins :-). Although also jellyfish attacked us, as if he did not want the party disfrutasemos so completely. However, it was light compared with those fried us with the whale shark, which I think have happened to me, I would not like because Eva was still healing some of the burns, ouch! All this while most of the island (with the exception of the corner where we were) was poplar in a day of torrential rain. We were lucky, because although it was cloudy and rained some, the time allowed us to enjoy another magical experience.
And after the beach of Mauritius, we returned to South Africa to totally change of scenery.
As a curious note, and to delve some more in particular sociology of Mauritius, with its harmonious blend so races and cultures, we read in the guide is a detail that, in my opinion, is to take off his hat twice, separate the short history of Mauritius, people have been so clear he was not happy with the ruling party in elections the following were awarded either a seat! I can not "imagine" something like that happening in any of our Western democracies, with so much history and so established and however I think it would be very healthy.
But back to our Mauritian experience, I can imagine that was chaired by the sea. There is a curious aspect to many of the beaches of Mauritius, very original though not the kind of things mentioned in the guides or tourist brochures. As the island is completely surrounded by a coral reef, which sometimes is closer to the coast and in other little more away (but not much), on the beach there is always a double background noise: the small ripples that break on the coast, a soft sound, but closer, and much more powerful but far more real roar of waves breaking against the reef. Until you identify that is, you have a strange feeling, like that in that beach thing disturbs you ... over time, as always, you get used to the noise and you do not give great importance. But hey, is peculiar. As little "disappointment", I must say that the sunsets in Mauritius are not as colorful as we imagined.
Arrecife Along with the Blue Bay which had in the initial extract, the climax of those days was when we swam with dolphins. We spent about 2 hours and out of the water from the boat to enjoy the various groups that "socialiazaban" at dawn after a night of fishing (the dolphins feed at night). Lost count of how many dolphins were many so close we could almost touch, and even saw a little one nursing and several couples simulating intercourse or training (some bays, these dolphins :-). Although also jellyfish attacked us, as if he did not want the party disfrutasemos so completely. However, it was light compared with those fried us with the whale shark, which I think have happened to me, I would not like because Eva was still healing some of the burns, ouch! All this while most of the island (with the exception of the corner where we were) was poplar in a day of torrential rain. We were lucky, because although it was cloudy and rained some, the time allowed us to enjoy another magical experience.
And after the beach of Mauritius, we returned to South Africa to totally change of scenery.
mountain The short week (more like 5 days, removing the outward and return), in what we could call "the Pyrenees from South Africa" \u200b\u200bhas been the return of peace, silence, the little people The face to face with nature, and in particular with some impressive mountains. The Drakensberg, which is the name of these mountains (the famous land of Zulus), as I have many similarities with the Piris: a handful of three thousand (26) in no more than 200 km long, the highest peak south Kilimanjaro almost nailed it measures Aneto, and landscapes that have reminded us even specific areas (Ordesa). Posts to compare, but not make much sense, my feeling is that Pyrenees are more varied and more beautiful, in general, but the Drakensberg is more dramatic because the gigantic mountains rising from nothing, is a wild-fold in the middle of vast plains around them. We've enjoyed and have given some straw, as a test for our impending attack on the high peaks of the Himalayas (pffff. ... ha!) I say we are "less bad" than expected, so better prepare Annapurna and company! :-) Overall, what really matters is how we affect the altitude, and that little we can prepare.
we eat (and drink)
If there's one thing in Mauritius have eaten up almost our fill, has been banana flambé for dessert. At dinner, as in many other things (language, without going too far), shows the influence of ex-French colony, but apart from banana flambeau to fine restaurants, we have also tested the "variant Mauritius" more homespun, made barbecues on the beach with the banana split in half lengthwise and without removing the skin (which was black as coal, of course). I did not eat as many bananas in my life, delicious!
A couple of curiosities in Mauritius, the aloe vera yogurt (Eva has been tersisima both internally aloe vera stomach pa'l :-), and a pumpkin called Cristofina and use it a lot, equivalently to squash classical and leaves them very rich.
Who know (worth mentioning)
In Mauritius, we have met with a very peculiar English. Silvia is in Ibiza, and works for Iberia with fixed-intermittent contract work = 6 months of high season on the island, and unemployment is at the other 6. Half a year in which, taking advantage of almost free flights enjoyed as an employee of Iberia, travels the world ... but the last 4 years has spent most of the semester in Mauritius. Is a character cabezita bohemian crazy, totally be hits Ibiza :-). It takes time to trying to bring English to Mauritius and guide on a journey "different" on the island, most authentic, and also more economical. As far had no luck, when we met we immediately "adopted" unilaterally, as if we had brought her and was like a lark to have "his first English in Mauritius." As I say, quite a character, we share a couple of dinners and a night of copying, by Silvia, and good luck!
In Mauritius also agree with Serge, a retired still working very fit one of the sites where we stayed. And I do, it worked, because that night we tralara their labor problems common to any worker anywhere in the world, and the very next day was changed to another job ... Better? Remains to be seen, as usual. I came to mind a phrase I read recently: "Before, when traveling, I noticed that I differed from the others, now I look a lot more on what we look like."
Finally, in the Drakensberg camping met a couple of South Africans of those that will return all hope in man. Ronel and Chris are a couple in their fifties, when we were doing so precarious campsite (we told you "professionals" who are around here :-), immediately offered to lend chairs, table, light and warm cafe whenever we wanted. Not only accept his kind offer, but we spent two very pleasant evenings chatting with them a thousand and one things, the second night after having invited us to a typical South African barbecue (brai, call them). It is wonderful to bump into from time to time with such lovely people, especially so genuinely good. Although all areas were very similar to us (I mean it was not a meeting "exotic"), so people will reconcile with the world.
Oh, and I almost forgot! So this has been in our South African days, that of waiting at the end I almost left James in the inkwell. James is an Australian temporarily living in Johannesburg, with whom we spent 4 nights loose in our comings and goings from the city. Already told us to contact you through CouchSurfing, although we had talked about it. It is basically another one of those people of great heart. In addition if it is not only good guy is, but that puts heart, passion, his life. So that the dinners at home, cooked and enjoyed as a team with such good company and good conversation (and wine, always a good red wine ... or two :-), have been a real pleasure. Yesterday, as deserved, we close our African quarter with a tribute in his home last, culminating with delicious mojitos teach you do to make it properly rum from Mauritius had given him at you, James, thousand thanks for everything!
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Y, peppers and lords, we end Africa :-( I'll try to make a compilation with feelings entry we have left the continent, but writing this from our new destination, Asia, and particularly from India. Nothing to do!, Of course, but not a hair lighter.
Until next time everybody!
Juan & Eva
He burst into tears ... because if elephants cry (including pink), but I know there are hair stand as anchors of emotion: - / 