- 2023 World Cruise – The Adventure Begins (Post #1)
- The Adventure Begins! – Fort Lauderdale (Post #3)
- At Sea – en route to Falmouth, Jamaica (Post #4)
- Falmouth, Jamaica (Post #5)
- The Tuxedo Junction at Sea (Post #6)
- Puerto Limón (Post#7)
- Zuiderdam and Volendam – side by side – Panama Canal Transit (Post #8)
- Two Faces of Panama (Post #9)
- Library Grand Opening – At Sea (Post #10)
- The Graveyard of Good Intentions (Post #11)
- Something Old and Something New (Post #12)
- The Captain’s Dinner and Zuiderdam Ball (Post #13)
- Mike West “The Ship Guy”- At Sea (Post #14)
- Sunday Brunch – At Sea (Post #15)
- Taming the Towel Animals – At Sea (Post #16)
- The Final Day of our 8th Consecutive Sea Days (Post #17)
- GLAMPING IN NUKU HIVA (Post # 18)
- Sailing the South Pacific (Post #19)
- Island Joy presents Ukuleles in Concert (Post #20)
- Flowers, Pearls and Roulottes in Papeete (Post #21, 21 Jan 2023)
- Moorea Photo Safari (Post #22)
- Snorkeling in the Rain in Raiatea (Post #23)
- Late Sleepers in Uturoa, Raiatea (Post #24)
- Sea Day Brunch and Coloring for Adults (Post #25)
- Horse Racing on the High Seas – Derby Night (Post #26)
- Fashion Show on the High Seas (Post #27)
- 2025 Grand World Voyage – Sneak Peak (Post #28)
- Blow Holes on Tonga (Post #29)
- When is a world cruise a world cruise? (Post #30)
- At Sea – Dr. Karen Woodman, Linguist, Guest Lecturer (Post #31)
- Auckland Yarn Crawl (Post #32)
- Tauranga and a Visit to Hobbiton (Post #33)
- Gisborne Wine Tour (Post #34)
- Windy Wellington (Post #35)
- Let them eat cake on the Tasman Sea (Post #36)
- Sailing the Tasman Sea (Post #37)
- Two Days in Sydney (Post #38)
- Port Arthur, Tasmania (Post #39)
- Hobart, Tasmania (Post #40)
- Valentine’s Day at Sea (Post #41)
- Adelaide, Fringe Festival (Post #42)
- Adelaide – Kangaroos and Germany in South Australia (Post #43)
- Remarkable Rocks on Kangaroo Island (Post #44)
- Fremantle Fat Tuesday and Yarn (Post #45)
- Perth – Swan Valley Wine Tour (Post #46)
- 2020 Grand World Cruise Reflection and Reunion Party (Post #47)
- Slot Pull at Sea (Post #48)
- A valid claim of Bingo (Post #49)
- Indian Ocean Highlights (Post #50)
- Song Writing at Sea with Trevor Knight (Post #51)
- Port Louis, Mauritius (Post #52)
- La Possession, Reunion (Post #53)
- Formal Night Surprise (Post #54)
- Maputo – Hump Port – (Post #55)
- Our Overland Safari Begins!
- Safari Day #1 – Durban, South Africa (Post #56)
- Safari Day #2, Thanda Safari Lodge (Post #57)
- Safari Day #3, Thanda Safari Lodge (Post #58)
- Safari Day #4, Thanda Safari Lodge – Cape Town (Post #59)
- Cape Town – Table Mountain (Post #60)
- Cooking in Cape Town (Post #61)
- Lüderitz, Namibia (Post #62)
- Walvis Bay, Namibia (Post #63)
- At Sea – Enroute to Angola (Post #64)
- Luanda, Angola (Post #65)
- Crossing the Equator at the Prime Meridian (Post #66)
- Abidjan, Ivory Coast – Côte d’Ivoire, (Post #68)
- Banjul, The Gambia (Post #69)
- SNOW DAY IN DAKAR, SENEGAL (Post #70)
- Aprils Fools’ Day at Sea (Post #71)
- Santa Cruz, Tenerife (Post #72)
- Arrecife, Lanzarote, Canarias (Post #73)
- Riding a Camel in Agadir, Morocco (Post #74)
- Casablanca to Marrakech, Morocco (Post #75)
- Tangier, Morocco (Post #76) 7 April 2023
- Malaga, Spain (Post #77) 8 April 2023
- Lisbon, Portugal (Post #79) – 10 April 2023
- A Coruna Spain (Post #80) 12 April 2023
- Holland America Line 150th Anniversary Party in Amsterdam
- Bergen, Norway: Snow, Rain and Sun (26 April 2023)
- Praia da Vitória, Azores (5 May 2023)
We have the Best Juice in the World and see really old animals
After seven days at sea, we arrived at our first port near Africa: Port Louis, Mauritius. Mauritius, an island nation, is about 700 miles east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean and is known for its beaches, lagoons, and reefs. It was uninhabited until discovered by the Portuguese in the 1600s then occupied by the Dutch, French, and British until their independence in 1968.
We moored in an industrial area and shuttle buses were available that would take us to Le Caudan Waterfront, about 1.5 miles away. With traffic, it took about 15-20 minutes. We were allowed to walk out of the port, but there wasn’t anything nearby, and the streets into town were busy with traffic and didn’t look very inviting.
We were given copies of our passports to carry ashore, and one person in our group was stopped as we passed thru a small tent and asked to produce this passport copy.
Ten of us arranged for a private tour with Across Africa. We were told the driver would meet us at the port gate, a few hundred yards away. As it turned out, our van was already inside the port, and we walked right by and didn’t inspect the signs in the bus windows closely enough. After we called the tour operator, he called the driver and drove out to the gate where we were waiting.
THE CITADEL (FORT ADELAIDE)
Our first stop was the Citadel (Fort Adelaide) which sits 240 feet above the harbor. Built by the French and British in the 1830’s it was never used in any hostilities. Besides a few canons, there isn’t much to see inside. The real attraction is the views from the walkway around the top of the perimeter. We were here for twenty minutes which was plenty of time.
After slavery was abolished in 1834, Mauritius sugar plantation owners started to import Indian citizens as indentured workers. These indentured servants arrived at Aapravasi Ghat, which translates from Hindi as “Immigration Depot”. Over 70% of current Mauritian residents can trace their ancestors to being processed thru this facility when it was in use between 1849 and 1923. Aapravasi Ghat is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and this was our second stop on today’s tour. You can read more about Aapravasi Ghat HERE and HERE
The museum is very well done, and we spent 30 minutes exploring but you could easily spend an hour. Aapravasi Ghat is about a 1/2 mile walk from the Shuttle Bus stop if you want to visit on your own. After finishing our tour, many in our group said Aapravasi Ghat was the day’s highlight.
Our next stop was the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Garden or Pampelmousse Garden, 15 minutes away. As we approached the entrance, I spotted a fruit stand with the sign “Best Juice in the World” – Of course, I had to try it – the price was $4 USD. The vendor had to find his power cord to get his blender working – then he cut up a variety of fruit – and everything went into the blender – husks, skin, and all. I ended up with about a twelve-ounce paper cup full of delicious juice – clearly the BEST JUICE IN THE WORLD.
It was hot, so we moved slowly through the garden, spending about 90 minutes admiring various plants, giant water lilies, bats, and Aldabra giant tortoises, which weigh over 500 lbs. and can live over 200 years. You could easily spend most of your day here if this garden is particularly interesting.
LUNCH AT CHEZ TANTE ATHALIE
Our tour included lunch at Chez Tante Athalie, an authentic Mauritius restaurant in a family orchard that serves traditional Mauritian food. Out in front were several classic sports cars and a derelict Cessna 150 airplane. We were here for about 90 minutes
Here is the menu
Château de Labourdonnais
The Château de Labourdonnais, a beautifully restored grand mansion built in 1859. was our next stop. We walked from the parking lot a few hundred yards to the entrance, following an old driveway. A Mauritian family has lived here for over 150 years. There are several restored rooms over two floors and a small museum with photographs of the people who used to live here.
After 30 minutes of touring the mansion, we headed to another building for Rum tasting. There was also a small gift shop.
Kaylasson Temple
On our way back to the ship we stopped at the Arulmigu Sockalingum Meenatchee Ammen Tirukkovil, better known as the Kaylasson Temple, for about 30 minutes. This is the oldest Hindu temple in Mauritius. This spiritual place has a beautiful traditional architecture with 6 stations symbolizing the organs of the human body. The idea is that the worshipper who enters these places must respect the place as if the temple was his own body.
BACK ON THE SHIP
We returned to the ship at 3:30 and headed back to our cabin. All aboard was not until 6:30 pm, so we headed back out to take the shuttle bus for the twenty-minute ride Le Caudan Waterfront.
LE CAUDAN WATERFRONT
Le Caudan Waterfront has something for everyone. You will find a variety of shops selling high-end brands, local crafts, souvenirs, and other products. The mall’s modern and spacious design makes it easy to navigate. In addition to the shops, there is also a casino, cinema, and bowling alley located within the complex. Umbrella Square is in the center of the complex and features dozens of colorful umbrellas hanging from above. It’s irresistible to photographers, and the challenge is to take an interesting photo unlike the other thousand you will find online.
We spent about 45 minutes here checking out the shops – but many were already closed this late. We missed a lot, so if you have nothing else scheduled, come here earlier in the day. I walked through the casino, but it was nothing but slot machines, and I didn’t stay long.
The Blue Penny Museum is located here and is dedicated to the history of Mauritius. The museum houses some of the rarest stamps in the world, including the famous 1847 “Post Office” stamps of Mauritius, which are considered some of the most valuable in the world.
The Port Louis Central Market and the Aapravasi Ghat museum are both about 1/2 mile away and the Citadel is a little over a mile (but 240 feet uphill). If you have nothing else planned, you could make a loop from the Le Caudan shuttle stop to the Citadel, back down to the Central Market, swing by the Aapravasi Ghat museum, and then back to Le Caudan.
On returning to the shuttle stop, we spotted this shop selling chocolate-dipped churros and ordered one. We didn’t realize until our order was delivered that “one” meant “one bag” of churros – not a single churro. Fortunately, a few fellow World Cruisers wandered by, and we were able to share our churro windfall.
We were back on the ship at about 5:30 pm – taking about 90 minutes for the quick round trip.
No live entertainment on the World Stage this evening. A movie was shown instead: The Banshees of Inisherin.
Very Interesting–especially liked the Botanic gardens.. great tour..Many thanks ,