Friday Mar 3, we were in the French overseas department of Reunion Island.. It is vert modern and has many expensive houses. Major exports are sugar, rum and molasses, perfume essences and lobsters,
Our excursion was "Piton Maido". This takes us up to the top of one of the extinct volcano cones. This is the highest point that an automobile can drive on the island. drive takes through forests of highland Tamarin trees. The peak is 7185 feet high. Unfortunately, the clouds had moved in just as we were getting there so we did not see the view to the west but being up in the clouds as they rolled up the escarpment was interesting to see. They rolled straight up past the peak.
** The bad news for the day ****
Late in the afternoon, the captain announced th.at because Cyclone Freddy (they use cyclone instead of hurricane in this part of the world) is re-intensifying and headed towards Madagascar, that our stop in Tolanaro, Madagascar has been cancelled and we will sail to Maputo, Mozambique. Kathy is sad because she will not get to see the lemurs that we planed to visit. I added a map at end of this post. Mozambique has been getting a lot of rain but I thank is was further north that where Maputo is. The storm was moving south-east over the south end of Madagascar. This is where we were to stop on the south-east coast.
We passed the capital city of St. Denis on our way to the port of La Possession.
The Commune of La Possession
headed in to the harbor
Pilot coming out to meet us
A narrow entrance to the harbor
this is a busy port
where we will dock
On the road for our excursion
trees getting shorter as we head up to the peak of Piton Maido. It is over 7000 feet high
narrow twisting roads
another bus following us up.
the view to the north coastline
the peak is a little higher that the parking lot we stopped at
clouds rolling in from the west
the road near the summit
Clouds rolling up the 3000 ft cliff we were at the edge of.
looking over the edge of the vertical cliff
The viewpoit at the edge of the cliff the looks to the west
The sun in the clouds
A friend looking over the edge.
the ground 3000 feet down into the volcano's cauldron before the clouds covered it. There is a remote village down there. I saw a few buildings for the clouds moved in further.
people looking over the edge
Not an easy climb up to the highest viewing point
The clouds rolled up the cliff
back to the buses for the ride back down the narrow twisting road.
We stoffed at a place they extract the oils from geraniums
flowers in the gardens there
There was a restaurant where I had a local beer. that is a Dodo bird on it, The Dodo was native to this island but went extinct in 1662
Our group getting an explanation of the geranium oil extraction process.
A hang glider
Back to the ship
The commune of La Possession
a busy port.
Getting reday to sail out of the harbor
a tug accompanies us.
Part of the islands new coastal road. It is touted as France's most expensive road project.
out of the harbor
The pilot being picked up
Sunset approaching.
a sail away party out on the back deck
Not much of a sunset tonight
Reflection of sunset in a ship window
On a cabin door down the hall. I am guessing they will be off on a safari in a few days
As of Saturday, This was our new planned route (red boat with blue line). The original route is shown (yellow boat), the storm is headed south-east over the south end of Madagascar
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