sábado, 3 de diciembre de 2022

Dreaming of living in Mauritius, the safest country in Africa


Mythic Suites and Villas


Hello, back to continue my story about Mauritius. We continued the second part of the trip from the south to the north of the island, from April 8 to 11, 2022.

We leave the Hotel Shanti Mauritius to travel to the Grand Gaube region. The journey lasted about an hour and a half from Saint Felix. We arrived at the Mythic Suites and Villas in the Riviere Du Rempart area. We didn't have a sea view, but we had a very large pool with very hot water, just the way we like it. We would be there for 4 days, which we combine with walks in that part of the island.




Our Villa


In Shopping as Local at the Bo'Valon Mall and other stores



Shopping time


My husband and I have taken it into our heads to live in Mauritius when he retires. To get to know the Island better, we decided to spend half of this trip in this villa and have the opportunity to live the experience of being a local up close.

Well, now it was time to visit the local shops.

For this reason, our first visit to the north of the island was the Bo'Valon Mall.


We loved this shopping center because it is outdoors. The shops are on the first floor and in the surroundings we can find beautiful places to rest and contemplate their gardens. We were hungry so we decided to have pizza at Panarottis, a restaurant originating from South Africa.


Regarding the stores, I can tell you that they are the same as in South Africa and France. The prices are a little higher, contemplating the great effort of bringing the products from Europe and the neighboring country.


Super U



After visiting this mall, we went to the Super U store in Grand Brie to buy groceries.

There we found everything we needed for our vacation days. From shampoo to ham. We liked it and we realized that you can live very well on this island, although the prices are relatively high, as I mentioned.


We used the second day to visit the La Crosiette Shopping Center, also in Grand Baie. There we could find the most famous commercial chains in France and the rest of Europe, as well as the best-known restaurants in South Africa.

My husband had a client meeting at this location, so our daughters and I had a great time at this location.

To eat, we took a break in the Mall at Vida e Caffe, also of South African origin.


After shopping we drive back to Grand Gaube, to the Mythic Villas. That night we had a delicious dinner al fresco, in front of the pool.

d the option to eat in the Mythic restaurant. But we decided to cook. And for that we went to visit the nearest supermarket located in

Grand Baie.



Returning to the Pamplemousses Garden and the most seductive beaches

Beautiful garden


On our first trip to Mauritius, this famous botanical garden, whose official name is Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, in honor of the country's prime minister. That's why we came back, to show them to our daughters. In addition, it was not very far from our villa and we had the facility to go with the car that we had rented.




Just for us!!!!


The place was very empty. It was Covid times. Mauritian residents did wear face masks when outdoors. We do not. But what we did love was that we had the park to ourselves and a few tourists.

There we enjoyed an hour and a half of tranquility under the midday sun.


The tourist in this garden can appreciate the famous giant waterlilies, known in all postcards and in any publication on the island. The grapefruit trees have also given the name to this garden. The Dutch introduced them from the island of Java.


Cape Malhereoux


After the garden, it was time to visit Cape Malheroux again, a very famous beach on the island for its exceptional views of the sea and for its Notre Dame Auxiliatrice church.


It was Sunday and people were in church. We parked to contemplate the sea and a saleswoman approached us to invite us to see her stand. I was selling jewelry. Our eldest daughter bought a jade necklace and I bought a very special bracelet made with volcanic stone found on the seashore.


Notre Dame Auxiliatrice


Sunday to rest and the locals were enjoying the day at picnics or simply chatting in front of the sea.


La Pizzeria Margarita


For lunch we decided to visit La Pizzeria Margarita, in Calodyne, very close to Grand Baie. The owner is a true Italian and the pizzas were delicious.


And well, then Villa Mythic was waiting for us with our pool. Thus ended the third day north of the island.


Eating like a local at Chez Tino


Flacq


We started our fourth day by having breakfast in front of the pool. The day's program consisted of continuing touring the island. Our next stop would be the Flacq beach to admire its turquoise Mauritius waters.


We put on our summer clothes and went exploring.



The Sagar Shiv Mandir




But before going to the beach, we made a detour to visit a Hindu temple, the Sagar Shiv Mandir, in Flacq.

The change in climate on the island is truly incredible. We left Grand Baie in dazzling sunshine and when we arrived at Flacq we were surprised by the rain. The temple is surrounded by water, it is built on a river. To get to it, you have to cross a cement path almost covered by water.


Too much rain!

I think I've seen too many horror movies and just imagining that the water would reach us made me very nervous. So I asked my husband to leave the place. But at least we saw it from the outside.



Flaq

We left the temple fleeing from the rain and when we arrived at Flacq, surprise, the sun was shining. The beach was deserted, which we enjoyed the most.



At Chez Tino



View from Chez Tino


The tour ended with a meal at Chez Tino, an authentic Mauritius restaurant.

It was full, but nobody was sitting on the terrace, because we knew the reason immediately, the rain. Of course, the place was made up of two rooms, one for locals and the other for tourists. In this second we were, a Swiss-Mexican family, with other French families and a table of local ladies. And well, I can tell you that the food was delicious.


Our Villa


And time in Mauritius was running out for us. The fifth day would be the next day. Time to fly back to Cape Town.

From this trip we had the experience of having spent one of the last vacations together with our daughters. They will soon take flight alone in their academic and social destinations. We also loved the experience of getting to know the island a little more thoroughly, since we had the experience of living outside of an all-inclusive hotel.




Adiós Maurice!

And the best of all was returning to a tourist destination from our first years of marriage and of course, having realized the dream of traveling to this island, which was interrupted by the Corona Virus!

Thanks for reading and in the next entry, I will bring you our adventure through the Kruger Park, in South Africa.

miércoles, 12 de octubre de 2022

Mauritius, a trip canceled due to the Pandemic, come true




Hello, I'm back with my blog. Today I want to tell you about the trip I took with my family in April 2022. This trip was planned for April 2020, which we canceled due to the Corona Virus.


Virus free and ready to board


My family and I arrived in Cape Town in July 2019, for my husband's work. In December before Christmas, my husband came with the proposal to visit Mauritius again. We had done it before in 1999. After settling into our new house, as we previously lived in Switzerland, and having visited some places in South Africa like the Garden Route, we were ready for an adventure in South Africa's neighbouring country, Mauritius.






We celebrated Christmas, our first in Cape Town and started 2020 visiting new places in our new country. The date for the Easter holidays was approaching, but the pandemic arrived and with it all our travel dreams vanished. We already know the rest, because we all live the same reality.

Air Mauritius did not return the money for the flight and the two hotels with which we had reserved if they returned the advance payment, although one took a year to pay us.





But in April 2022, the miracle happened and the borders were opened for travellers. Mauritius, here we come! On April 4 we flew from Cape Town to Johannesburg and from there to the wonderful island. Air Mauritius allowed us to use our flights that we had booked. And my husband and I went in Business class, what better way to celebrate!


The Covid test at Hotel Shanti


And we arrived at Hotel Shanti, in the south of the island. At the reception they gave us a Covid test. If someone in my family tested positive, it meant we couldn't stay in this hotel. Fortunately, no one tested positive, or so the hotel employee told us.






The fun started, enjoying the Hotel Shanti. There were few tourists in the hotel: English, French and us, Swiss-Mexicans. We really enjoyed two days off. On the third day we traveled by taxi to the airport to pick up the car we had booked as we wanted to explore the island.


We were very struck by the response of the Mauritians, because even on the beach they wore masks. Very obedient to government rules.


Baie du Cap, Morne Brabant and le Chamarel





We left the hotel to tour the south of the island. Our first stop was to go up to the small mountain of Maconde view point in the town of Baie du Cap. It was wonderful to see this little town from the top. And there were no tourists!





One of the most famous places on the island is the Morne Brabant. And we went there. Mont Brabant Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island.

There we were walked enjoying the turquoise blue water of the Indian Ocean.




The trip would continue by looking for one of the most famous restaurants on the island: La Varangue sur Morne. There we tasted authentic dishes of the island. Like mine with shrimp and a rice.




After this culinary break, we travel to the next attraction which would be Chamarel.

This place is known as the Terre du 7 couleurs. We payed our entrance tickets and arrived at the viewpoint in front of the Cascada de Chamarel.





This place is made up of dunes of 7 colors in the middle of a forest. The giant tortoises of Seychelles are also one of the attractions of this place in addition to the layers of these dunes formed by the erosive activity of the soil and the combination of minerals from the rain. Red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple and yellow are the predominant colors.




I highly recommend this experience, because you get to know more than just the island's beaches. Chamarel has a mythical charm. Mountains close to the beaches and that wonderful waterfall. The tourist should not hesitate to visit this attraction.




Back to the Shanti Hotel. That night a sunset on the beach and a delicious dinner awaited us. The next day would be the last in the hotel, since we would change residence to the north of the island, since we had rented a villa for the next few days of our vacation. I will tell you about this in the next Landing. Thanks for reading me!


sábado, 6 de agosto de 2022

Visiting the Kruger Park in 2021


Our flight from Cape Town


Hello, I am back in this blog to tell you about an adventure that has been one of the most important in our lives as expats in South Africa: the Kruger Park.

Almost six months have passed since our visit to this mythical place. Since we came to live in Cape Town in July 2019, it had always been in our dreams to visit it.

We only knew Kruger Park from tourist stories and television reports. But finally, the dream was about to be fulfilled. And obviously, as always, my husband was very excited telling us all the details of our journey through the park.




At the Tintswalo Terrace



The adventure began by plane: to Mpumalanga!!!!!


Our house for this days: Grant


We traveled from Cape Town to the province of Mpumalanga. We landed at Hoedspruit Airport. Arriving here was like landing in the middle of the African jungle. Not far from the landing strip were the most coveted animals for photographers and tourists.


The adventure begins


Stepping off the plane, we were greeted by the warmth of the African savannah. It was cloudy luckily. It had rained a lot in the last few weeks and when we were traveling in the hotel transport, our driver told us that when the vegetation was thick, you couldn't see the animals very well because they hid in the tall bushes. According to him, the best time to see the animals in Kruger Park was during the South African winter.


I can't deny, that at that moment, the only thing that came to my mind was, well, it would be nice to see even one little animal that rises from its hiding place. To our good luck, the driver-guide-ranger had been completely wrong.


African Sunset



The Elephant in the tree's water intake


We arrive at the lodge. The Tintswalo Safari Lodge. As normal in these hotels, we were received by almost the entire team. From the doorman, the receptionist, the manager, the chef and our butler.


The manager explained to us that in the Manyeleti area, where we were staying, it was not a place where the malaria-transmitting mosquito was established. The malaria problem was further north of Kruger Park. In any case, we always use mosquito repellent, pants and long-sleeved shirts to avoid any bite.

After having our welcome cocktail, we arrived at the room. The Lodge Grant, named so'i in honour of an English colonizer. The manager told us that a few days ago they had seen a cheetah in front of our lodge.




Lonely hyena


But what we saw was a family of elephants. The manager told us that a couple of years ago an elephant had broken the pool in our room, so now the entire lodge is protected with an electric fence. Luckily the elephants could no longer approach any room. But he did not rule out that the lodge was not visited by carnivorous inhabitants or other types of wild animals dangerous to humans such as a rhinoceros, buffalo. Any animal from the savannah could approach.


The first safari drive of the trip, but with rain


The first adventure of that afternoon was about to begin. After our afternoon snack in the lobby-restaurant area, our ranger picked us up and drove us to the Jeep. We were ready for the first Safari.

We learned a lot about African nature. Especially from temperature changes. From one second to another, the rain surprised us, but it was no problem, because our ranger gave us our raincoats. Despite the rain, we saw many animals on our first tour, such as lions and rhinos.



You will see many zebras and Wildebeest
 in every safari trip


Back at the Lodge, we were greeted with hot chocolate. Delicious dinner awaited us. Soon we would go to sleep to continue with the morning safari.



Meeting the Cheetah brothers, the vultures and the lion brothers



The first adventure of that second day in the Kruger was the miracle of seeing a family of Cheetah brothers eating an antelope. The ranger explained their behaviour to us, because the Cheetahs are animals that have to watch while they devour their prey in a group. Who are your enemies? The lions and the leopards. If neglected, these animals can steal their prey.




Cheetah brothers


Not far from them are also hyenas and vultures, who will seize the skeleton of the antelope when the cheetahs are satisfied and retire to digest their food.


I can't deny that seeing the vultures waiting for the cheetahs to finish was not scary. Luckily they were focused on the cadaver. Seeing the vultures waiting in the 'trees to come closer to eat, gave me chills. Especially since they are approaching the group of cheetahs, jumping.


Lions family

In that round, we saw a family of a lion with several lionesses. Tired, saving energy to hunt for the next dinner after dark. We saw a hyena walking alone in the last rays of the sun before the rain surprised us again.


Eat, sleep, repeat! See you tomorrow!

Eat, sleep, repeat. We arrived at the Lodge with our welcome drink before dinner. That night we slept like little angels, happy to have experienced so much African wonder. But the state of admiration did not end that night, the next morning we would get ready for the next safari in Kruger Park.