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!
