Time is a relentless river. It rages on, respecter of no one. This is the only way to slow time: When I fully enter time’s swift current, enter into the current moment with the weight of all my attention, I slow the torrent by being all here. I only live the full life when I live fully in the moment—Paraphrased from “A Thousand Gifts—Ann Voskamp
Arriving in Mauritius at the end of October brought an unexpected pleasure—the Hindu Diwali Festival. Clay lamps flickered nightly, creating a mystical ambience to the aptly named, Festival of Lights. Dancers and singers entertained for 5 days. Even the Mauritius Police Band got in on the act, performing a mixture of traditional, American pop, and jazz. There was even tap-dancing and a little Sega—indigenous music, singing, and hip-swaying dances, derived from African slave days.
This capital and main port buzzed with traffic and people like a disturbed bee hive. But on the plus side, there were several charming 18th century French colonial buildings and a huge Central Market offered scrumptious fresh veggies and fruits. You just had to tolerate loud, obnoxious vendors jockeying to sell their wares. Within the chaos women wove through the hordes of shoppers balancing full baskets on their heads. One day of wandering led us past a strolling Indian wedding party. Attractive women dressed in gorgeous vibrant saris smiled shyly while their beautiful children stared inquisitively with humongous dark eyes. Men shook our hands, greeting us in French Creole and a smattering of heavily accented English, treating us like old friends, then passed out small individually-wrapped cakes.
Although nights were pleasantly cool, days were hot and humid. We rented a car with cruising friends to explore the island. A layer of soot had covered our boat since arrival. Along our route we discovered the reason—burning sugarcane fields, preparing for harvest. The leaves and tops would be removed and only the stalk harvested. This island country, encompassed by spectacular coral, teemed with sea life within the reef and was a deep-sea fisherman’s paradise outside. Three rugged mountain ranges exhibited fascinating basalt formations, while a central plateau , crisscrossed by rivers, streams, and waterfalls, held an extinct volcano. There were also several nature parks, including Black River Gorges National Park for varied hikes and birdwatching.
Keep your eyes sharp for Mauritian pink pigeons, kestrels, and especially the rare Echo parakeets. Their vibrant emerald-green can blend into the foliage of the eucalyptus, palms, and pandanus. There’s also Pamplemousses, with world-renowned gardens of indigenous and exotic plants, including giant Victoria Amazonica water lilies and the Talipot palm which only flowers and fruits once in about 60 years…then dies!
Sprawling communities and plantations dotted the landscape with a mix of wealthy and poor, modern and traditional. Textiles were one of the main industries, but sugar, tea, vanilla, and flower plantations also provided jobs and goods for export. At Le Domaine de l’ Ylang Ylang in Vieux Grand Port, canaga trees produced yellow, star-shaped flowers which they distilled into perfumes and essential oils. Ylang ylang’s sweet floral fragrance had hints of custard, bananas, jasmine, neroli, honey, and earthy, and is used to combat depression, anxiety, and high blood pressure, plus stimulate hair growth and repel insects.
We toured this prolific tea plantation, including its museum and factory, to observe the step-by-step process of tea-making. Afterwards we savored tea and biscuits atop a mountain over-looking the plantation and its lovely lake.
Stopping at a few of the many scenic lookouts, we were greeted by hordes of long-tailed macaques. These intelligent monkeys foraged among the trash cans, emitting high-pitched squeals when we didn’t contribute to their next meal. Not a good place for a picnic as they can get a bit aggressive!
We also passed vanilla plantations and anthurium greenhouses that thrived in the tropical climate. This gorgeous plant has bright-red glorified leaves with a yellow spadix. The spike is the actual flower. Who’d guess?
Grand Bassin—A Hindu holy place of pilgrimage. This natural lake, largest in the country, lays within a volcanic crater. Scattered among the paved walkways were elaborate shrines and glowing golden statues.
Last stop of the day was at Chamarel where we followed pathways among the Colored Earths, reminiscent of Arizona’s Painted Desert. The undulating layers of red, yellow,blue, and brown cast a subtle magic over the area. A nearby waterfall emerged amidst the moors and primeval vegetation. As the sun slowly sank, colors of the earth melted into purplish hues. A perfect ending to an amazing day in this little-known country afloat in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
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