DAYS 7 TO 10 - WEST COAST and THREE NIGHTS IN GRAND GAUB

Following the west-coast road to a beautiful beach at Balaclava, we admire the view at a perfect coffee spot (although, further along, the number of large hotels increases and muscles in on public access).

The next few nights are at the far-north point seaside hamlet of Grand Gaube (obviously, their sports team is the Pirates!)

 

where we're renting what turns out to be a rather smart little house

complete with a charming housekeeper, Chlorinda ('Florinda'), who's already made us a tasty chicken curry for lunch

Full of curry, it's off 10 miles to 'Pamplemousses', the excellent Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens

A little zoo-like

but also filed with avenues of different types of trees

Some with a little fellow hiding away 

and birds - this chap looked as though he'd taken on more than he could swallow, let alone chew

but down it goes - fins and all

In the amazing pond, the Amazonius Victoria lily pads aren't even at full strength this time of year (when they are, a child can allegedly step from pad to pad)

and the other lily species, and lotus flowers, are also beautiful

Next morning, after breakfast

we take a walk around the bay to shake it down 

and, as it's Sunday, head to where the locals meet for lunch. Cap Malheureux doesn't sound promising (it's the site of a bad shipwreck or three)

but it's very pretty and the splendid Notre Dame Auxiliatrice church attracts locals for wedding-style photos (even if they're already married)

A small parking area is turned over to petanque competitors

and kiosks sell food; by now, they're running low so we queue up for fish curry on rice with side order of octopus mix (much better than it sounds)

On the way back, we revisit two of the nicest beaches to watch the kitesurfing with the locals

 

 

Our hostess, Geraldine, has left instructions on where to find her home-made rum.  No more invitation needed...

We've booked an outing tomorrow - hopefully snorkelling though it's a bit vague.  Wesley and crewman Jean-Baptiste are on time, with a German couple.

                      

Into a peaceful mangrove area, part of reserve, for a stop and a lovely swim

 

  

A few beers are shared around as we stop on little L'îlot Bernache, and on to Ile d'Ambre

Lunch is an excellent mix of BBQ tuna, chicken, pork, with salad, all washed down with beer or rum, and Jean-Baptiste whips out his guitar.  

Time for a walk around the island, and a swim in clear, clear water.

 

Dry and clean, and back on dry land, we're out of Grand Gaub and heading for La Hacienda in Mahébourg (700m up v steep straight concreted road into the hills, passing by the odd weaver-bird). 

A nice chap shows us to our 'cottage', a self-contained studio on stilts, built into the hillside.