A week of "festivities"

   For Valentine, each hotel has its special evening and it was the case for us. An excellent meal by the pool with floating lights and hearts on the plates (bottom left)...

  Close to 21h, the activities team danced to several songs. During the preparation, I saw a young man with tattered clothes go past and seeing as we’re in Africa, I thought that it would be a dance with as its subject a lion who is trying to eat the guy. Nope, ‘Michael’ arrived on scene with a lady, Thriller began and zombies came out from every corner and went around the table before dancing together. Tip Top!

  At the end, there were some magnificent “Chinese” lanterns which make our eyes sparkle and light the sky. Due to the outside temperature (23˚), they didn’t rise as quickly as on New Year’s Day in the middle of the Vercors snow at 0˚ but they managed nonetheless… and my was it beautiful! 

   2^nd celebration of the week, the 47^th anniversary of independence on 22^nd of July Square. That is also where the cricket team practises.

  We were warned that on time is not always on time and that things are always late. Well they were right. Guests were asked to arrive at 08h, but we had been warned so we followed the lines of diplomats (08h20 – 08h40) to scrape some time off. Well it was really a small scrape of time as ministers and other dignitaries arrived sporadically as the minutes wore on… hours should I say. On paper, the mayor’s 08h55 arrival (bottom left) happened at… wait for it… 11h. 2h20 we had been waiting there, and still, we were part of the privileged in the shade of the official gallery… Normal, we were sat on our seats LOL. Thankfully I had brought my magazine and time seemed shorter☺

  The military personnel were already at work from 9h and among the pieces of music played, there were even some bagpipes. A griot (bottom centre) spoke and seemed to apostrophise the crowd. We don’t know what he was saying but it made our neighbours laugh. Then, it was him who spoke during the ceremony between the dignitaries (religious, military, mayor). 

    Finally, near 11h20, the parades began. Military followed by schools (Albion top left) and groups of all shapes and sizes such as scouts or fish smokers. The most bizarre was probably the orange “disco truck” (bottom left). It seemed slightly out of place amidst all this decorum. There were also characters of … erm … actually I’m not too sure, let’s say of their traditions and beliefs

  It was past 13h when we finally went home. A very interesting discovery but a bit long especially because after such a long time, you get a pressing need and there is nothing around … only people ☺.

  We celebrated Mauritius’s independence and now we have done The Gambia’s. Cool no? We’re proud and honoured to have been invited.