Author: Lisa

Our fourth Indian Ocean island and final port, Mauritius captured my heart.

Maybe it was the natural beauty.  Maybe having a Hindu tour guide who shared his beliefs, passion, and knowledge.  Maybe the economic development and lack of poverty.

A quick comparison:

Poverty rate (World Bank):

• Madagascar – 80.7%
• Mauritius – 0.1%

GDP per capita (US dollars) (World Bank):

• Madagascar – $506
• Mauritius – $11,613

Access to electricity (World Bank):

• Madagascar – 36.1%
• Mauritius – 100.0%

Corruption Perception Index – Denmark least corrupt and ranked 1/180 countries (Transparency International):

• Madagascar – 145/180 countries
• Mauritius – 55/180 countries

Our first stop on our daylong tour, a botanical garden with a palm tree bent by wind

A cool looking palm tree

Gigantic lily pads

Volcanic hills reminiscent of San Luis Obispo

Mauvilac paint factory in the village of Vale

Historic Marine, a shipbuilding museum with model ships built to scale

Shiva, Grand Bassin Hindu Temple

A couple having their new-to-them car blessed.  From the license plate, one can tell the car was originally sold in 2021 – local info from our local guide!

I also received a blessing, where I received a string bracelet and a tilak on my forehead.  The tilak activates the “Aagya Chakra,” which is related to intellect, mental health, and wisdom.  (Source)

Beware of monkeys

A shrine based on Hindu zodiac signs

Splashing this sacred water on one’s head while saying a prayer may bring good luck, happiness, and health

Over 60,000 Rusa deer, introduced by the Dutch in 1639, roam Mauritius

Our tour concluded with a visit to a sugar plantation and rum distillery, where we tasted ALL of these products – plus more!

Reunion, a department of France, is so very different than Madagascar!

As one of two eurozone countries in the southern hemisphere, Reunion feels much more European and cosmopolitan than its neighbor.  “The French Constitution provides that, in general, French laws and regulations (France’s civil code, penal code, administrative law, social laws, tax laws, etc.) apply to French overseas regions the same as in metropolitan France, but can be adapted as needed to suit the region’s particular needs.” (Wikipedia)

Reunion combines some of the natural beauty of other Indian Ocean islands with the European ambiance of France.

Side story:  Every country has its own laws surrounding immigration and visas.  Before entering the UAE, we surrendered our passports to the Norwegian Dawn crew since the UAE, Seychelles, and Madagascar did not do face-to-face immigration.  After Madagascar, we retrieved our passports, so we could use them when entering Reunion.  In Reunion, immigration officers boarded our bus and reviewed our passports.  Citizens from some countries, such as the US, do not need to have visas to enter Reunion.  On our bus, though, were two Chinese nationals who did not have their required visas.  Our guide spoke to her boss, who negotiated with the immigration officers.  As long as our guide could guarantee that the Chinese citizens would be returned to the ship after the excursion, they could proceed.  If our guide returned without them, she would be imprisoned.  Before leaving the bus for our final stop in the town of Saint-Denis, our guide told us to return to the bus “at four or four o’five.”  The Chinese woman held her phone’s translation button down and interpreted the instructions as being at “five o’clock.”  Everyone was on the bus on time, except this couple.  The tour company had been told to get us all to the ship by 5:00 so we could leave the port on schedule.  Our guide had to search and search for the couple, fearing prison time if she did not bring them back to the ship.  Finally, about a half hour late, she found the couple – angry rather than contrite or apologetic – and we arrived just on time to our ship.

Mountains surrounding the Cirque of Salazie, one of three calderas

Village of Hell-Bourg

Mountain view from Hell-Bourg

Bridal Veil Falls

Buddhist Temple

Vanilla, one of Reunion’s main agricultural crops

Mural at the entrance to Saint-Denis

The pedestrian-only area of Saint-Denis seemed like an outdoor shopping mall

A country of contrasts.

The fourth largest island in the world, after Greenland, New Guinea, and Borneo, Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world (ranked as the fifth poorest country per FocusEconomics).  Over 80% of the population lives on $2.15 per day (WorldBank).  Independent from France since 1960, Madagascar is mired in corruption and political instability, confronts subpar infrastructure, withstands cyclones and other natural disasters, and combats high fertility rates and low education levels (WorldBank).

Along with several hundred fellow passengers, we signed up for the Amber Mountain excursion out of Antsiranana.  Thinking we’d load into several buses or vans, I was surprised to see over a hundred small SUVs lined up ready to take us on our tour.  With room for one driver, four passengers, and a guide (tucked in the back jump-seat), we headed through town up to the national park, seeing urban poverty while bouncing on rutted roads.  With narrow unpaved roads and so many SUVs, often cars could barely pass each other with the possibility – and at times actuality – of a car ending up in the ditch alongside the road.

Madagascar, however, harbors amazing fauna and flora.  The Malagasy people love their animals!  Our driver stopped for snakes crossing the road so as not to harm them.  And the chameleons!  Our driver and guide could spot a little chameleon nestled on a far off tree. We’d stop, often with several other vehicles, hop out of the car, and share our guide’s delight in the colorful creatures.  Although we, the tourists, happily saw two families of Sanford’s brown lemurs, high up in the trees (I wish I had my big zoom lens…), our guide was even more excited by the chameleons!

To arrive on Madagascar, we tendered using the Norwegian Dawn’s lifeboats – at least the water was calmer than when we tendered at the Seychelles

Lemurs!

So many cool chameleons!

Such a tiny guy it was hard to get the photo in focus…

Snake crossing the road

When it’s mating season, these frogs turn YELLOW!

‘Shrooms

Flame trees

A forest hike to a waterfall ❤️

Using his head…

Along the road

Although the photo is not focused well, it tells the story of poverty, tuk-tuks, and Malagasy life (captured through the vehicle window)

NOT shown in this image is the swarm of impoverished children begging us to buy trinkets and fabric from them

For our second stop in the Seychelles, we disembarked directly to the port terminal without needing to tender.  So much easier!

In Port Victoria, we picked the Coral and Spice tour.  Once at the pier, we climbed onto an even bigger catamaran than the previous day and boated to a location where we could snorkel or take a rubber boat to swim or sunbathe.  I, of course, chose snorkeling!

A private yacht – Seychelles, home of the rich and famous!

View of another catamaran from our vessel’s porthole

After everyone from our catamaran was ashore, another group shuttled from the beach to the catamaran so they could snorkel

The second half of our excursion took us to the Jardin du Roi, a spice garden where we walked around and saw amazing flora.  The plantation was originally built by the French.  When a French boat sailed with a British flag, hoping to avoid be shot by the British, the French owners burned down the spice plantation.  It has since been rebuilt and replanted to represent what was present before the fire.

Star fruit

Jack-fruit

Or is this jack-fruit?

A tropical flower I’ve seen before and don’t remember the name…

Plantation house

Steps to view the ocean

The Jardin contains a “tortoise” zoo, with MANY adult, adolescent, and baby tortoises

Before this cruise when thinking about the Seychelles, I thought beautiful tropical island, playground of the rich and famous, and clear turquoise water for viewing sea animals.

With two ports in the Seychelles, I picked a snorkeling excursion for our first stop.  (This is the only time Nanine and I picked different shore excursions.)

For this port, we had to tender.  This meant our crew lowered several lifeboats, each seating 81 passengers, and shuttled us from the ship to the pier – and back again when we were ready to return “home.”  The winds had picked up a bit and the water was moving rapidly, so our ship had to reposition before the tender boats could do their job.  Finally, my excursion started.  We moved from the tender boat onto a large catamaran and headed out to Coco Island, one of the 115 islands in this archipelago.  The water was so rough, we moved to a sister island for snorkeling.

After being outfitted with snorkels, masks, fins, and, for those of us wanting them, life jackets, we scooted down the ladder into the temperate water.  I saw so many fish!  Black and white striped, yellow and black striped, little blue, rainbow, big blue, … lots and lots of fish.  (I so respect people who know the names of various fish – and birds, and plants, and flowers.  I’m not one of those!).  Plus, two manta rays! 

Sadly, I also saw dead coral.  Bleached white.  Looked like little twigs just lying on the ocean floor.  Global warming.

Boating around the island looking for a good place to snorkel

My camera and my phone are not water-proof, so I had someone take a photo of me once I was out of the water

After snorkeling, we went around Coco Island and its sister island on the way back to La Digue

Beautiful white sandy beach as seen from the catamaran

Little island in the big Indian Ocean

Our crew sang and danced for us as we motored back to shore

Where to next?  Before tendering back to the Norwegian Dawn, I took a bit of a walk on the island.  Hot and humid though it was!

Seychelles hosts a unique tortoise found only on these islands

A couple of beach views taken during my stroll

About twenty years ago, leaders in the UAE realized they could not rely solely on the finite reserve of oil for the source of their economic development.  They decided to venture into tourism, medical tourism, and construction, thinking that wealthy retirees and business-people might want to live full- or, perhaps, part-time in the UAE.  Leaders envisioned Abu Dhabi as the locale for families and Dubai as the place for wealthy entrepreneurs and celebrities.

Very quickly, buildings – including the tallest building in the world – sprang up in downtown Dubai, Palm Island, and the Marina District.  Our tour took us to New Dubai, with Faheem as our guide.  Faheem left Pakistan ten years ago when his family wanted him to marry his first cousin, a woman he felt was similar to a sister.  He left Pakistan, wrote his parents that he refused to marry his cousin (who later married his younger brother), and created a life for himself in Dubai.

Built in 1999, the Burj Al Arab is a luxury seven-star hotel

On Palm Island, a completely human-made island reclaimed with sea sand and rocks from the mountains of northern UAE, sits luxury villas – all with waterfront access – and several high class hotels.  This hotel, the Royal Atlantis, boasts over 90 swimming pools.

Dhow Cruise Creek in the Marinia District with newly built and currently being built skyscrapers

Community mosque in the Marina District

Opened in 2010, the 163 story tall Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world.  We did not plan ahead and book tickets to the top (about $200 each).  The line for the elevator, without the VIP tickets, was three hours long.

Another view of Burj Khalifa

Dubai Marina

Dubai Mall Waterfall, 24 meters tall, celebrates the history of pearl diving, important to the founding of Abu Dhabi and Dubai

Oops!  I forgot the name of this building!

Beautiful sunset in the port of Dubai

With two days in Dubai, we decided to explore Old Dubai on our first day and New Dubai on our second day.  Here are photos from our first day’s tour with the incomparable guide, Clyde.  He was quite diligent and careful while walking us around Dubai and keeping close tabs on us.  Such a sweetie!

While walking around, we met a man with two falcons – one on his arm and this one on a perch

A metal wall sculpture depicts a dagger – each emirate has its own shaped dagger

The old buildings have air pipes built in for cooling and are made of natural materials.  Only a few of the old buildings remain, and several of those have been revitalized and turned into museums and restaurants.

An alleyway

A minaret in the old part of the city

The souk

Built in 1787, this fort in Bur Dubai was once the monarch’s base, a fortified residence, a weapons arsenal and a prison, before being renovated during the reign of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum.

“Dubai Creek has been described as a natural saltwater creek, tidal inlet, and watercourse or waterway in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It extends about 9 miles inwards and forms a natural port that has traditionally been used for trade and transport.” (Source:  Wikipedia)

One of many community mosques, which the UAE builds and supports in communities throughout its seven emirates.

Planning ahead, we booked shore excursions at each port.  In Abu Dhabi, though, our “Abu Dhabi at Night” tour didn’t begin until 5:30pm.  On Lonely Planet, I discovered that Abu Dhabi hosts a synagogue at the Abrahamic Family house.  Further research uncovered that the Abrahamic Family House, opened in 2023, hosts a mosque, church, and synagogue.

What a beautiful place!  The history and insight shared by our guide created a warm and reflective experience. 

“The three houses of worship are designed of equal stature, size and materiality to eliminate any sense of hierarchy. The three structures border an elevated landscaped garden that becomes a shared space for gathering and connection.

The Mosque is oriented towards Mecca, the Church towards the East and the Synagogue towards Jerusalem.”

For more information about the site, click on this link.

St. Francis Church – pillars are straight up to the sky with a beautiful wooden ceiling.  “Through modern yet classic design features, the exterior columns emphasise verticality to express the concepts of incarnation (or descent) and resurrection (or ascent).”

Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue – notice the menorahs set for the seven-day week.  The menorah was the symbol for Judaism at the Abrahamic Family House rather than the Star of David.  I wonder if the star is tied too closely with Israel…  “The elegant, timeless design of the Synagogue draws on the symbol of the sukkah, a traditional shelter for prayer.”

Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque – beautiful and simple with gorgeous light and design coming from the windows onto the carpeted floor.  “The Mosque’s elegant and minimalist design is made up of seven arches, reflecting the importance of the number seven in Islam.

Conservative dress with head covering is required when entering the mosque

A fountain with the creeds of all three religions written in Arabic, English, and Hebrew

Several museums are being built in the same neighborhood on Saadiyat Island.  According to one guide, Abu Dhabi is designed and developed for families with lots of open spaces and museums whereas Dubai is for playful adults.  The Guggenheim Museum is under construction.

During our Abu Dhabi at Night tour, we saw the already built Louvre Abu Dhabi

The Palace Hotel

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

A woman and a child at the Wahat Al Karama Memorial.  “Wahat Al Karama is a timeless tribute that honours the Emirati martyrs who sacrificed their lives in service of their country.”

“I’m just a girl who can’t say no!”

When Nanine asked me if I’d like to go with her on a 15-day cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line over the holidays starting in Doha and continuing to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Seychelles, Madagascar, Reunion, and Mauritius, I said, “Yes.”  The timing worked out beautifully and the price was terrific.

My trip began with my driving up to San Francisco, picking Nanine up in Mountain View en route to the airport.  After an uneventful flight from San Francisco to JFK, we faced the gauntlet of misinformation, hurrying to the international terminal, and multiple layers of security to finally arrive at our departure gate.  Only to find out that our flight was delayed two hours.  Ultimately, we had a smooth flight from JFK to Doha, Qatar.  In Doha, Norwegian had arranged transport from the airport to the cruise port.  Since we were scheduled to arrive at 6:35am, we thought we’d figure out how to store our luggage, explore Doha, and embark at our check-in time of 4:00pm.  We did not know that Norwegian had other plans for us!  The shuttle company took us to the Hyatt in downtown Doha, where they stored our luggage and had a delicious buffet laid out for all of the travelers.  Transport from the hotel to the port would begin at 11:45am with five buses moving passengers until the final bus at 12:30pm.  After eating breakfast, we moved our luggage to the concierge, thinking we could NOT embark before 4:00pm and there MUST be enough for us to see until then.  Little did we know that jet lag and lack of sleep would hit us hard.  We wandered through the souk, walked along the Corniche, and looked at the scenery.  Then fatigue hit us hard.  Returning to the hotel and quickly retrieving our luggage, we were the only passengers on the final shuttle to the port.

At the port, we got into the long line of passengers waiting to embark, figuring we might get pulled out of line because we were early.  Wrong.  Nobody mentioned our “official” embarkation time while processing us.

Thus began our journey!

Sunrise through the plane’s window

Walking through the souk

One of many mosques

Views from the Corniche

The Pearl, an homage to pearl diving in the Arabian Gulf

Ah!  The Norwegian Dawn, our floating resort for two weeks!

Doha at night as seen from the Norwegian Dawn as we head out to our next port