Reunion...

Friday, March 3. Docked in La Possession, Reunion. High overcast in afternoon, full sun earlier. 31 C. 

Our clocks were moved back another hour tonight.  Let’s just say that we are now 11 hours AHEAD of West Coast time, that will slowly decrease to only three hours, then we are in Fort Lauderdale, May 12.

ALSO. The Captain announced tonight that we will not be going to Madagascar because of deteriorating weather conditions. So, we now have Four Sea Days ahead of us before we get to mainland Africa in Mozambique on March 8.

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The Island of Reunion is a French Possession [or whatever is the politically correct word for it.], just off the East coast of Madagascar. It is very difficult to get to by air. Best way is from France or Dubai apparently. It is an extremely well run country in what appears to be all ways. Highways are excellent, policing is just like France, tight. Neat and tidy in all respects.

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Again, We Four did not have Tours and we walked off the ship around 9:30 in high hopes of grabbing a cab and doing some touring in the countryside. We overlooked one thing: this is a French Island and things are very expensive, so a cab was out of the question. We settled for a two-way ticket on a shuttle bus from the Ship's Terminal to where All Things Beach are available! We are not really Beach People in the sense of Scuba, Snorkelling, Diving etc. We like to paddle around in the water and sunbathe to some extent, and just relax.

Today was like being on a Mediterranean shore: Nice, Cannes etc. Most people sitting under a cover on a board walk or the like, sucking on a drink or having a coffee. 

There were a few young girls having a grand time doing some modest tries at surfboarding in water that had a little too many rocky outcroppings for my comfort.

 

To be honest, it was a bit of an underwhelming experience for Fellette and I, but, it got us out and about and saw how the young and chic lived in this beautiful vacation area, as part of France.

We had an enjoyable conversation with a young French couple from France, 31 and 36. They had just flown in from Paris, a 14 hour flight. They are here for two weeks vacation and going trekking/climbing in the hills on the island, [10,000 feet.] That 15 minute conversation brought me back to the days when that sort of adventure might have had some appeal to us.

Fellette and I took an earlier shuttle back to the ship as I have a medical appointment in the late afternoon for somebody to look at my tootsie. Jim and Gail stayed on and were able to get some more steps in, coming back later.

I think the highlight of the day, for me, was having a Banana Split and  a Giant Beer for lunch! Carpe Diem Doug!

Four Sea Days Ahead Now...

Most of the buildings had gay colourful paint  jobs.

Shade!

'French Pastry Looking', a favourite hobby of us it seems.

Now that IS a cookie. hard to tell but one would be enough for two or three modest eaters.

Time for an early lunch at a Creperie. [?]

One loses much body fluids in heat and a breeze. You must keep your fluids up!

And of course the Banana Split for energy!

Fellette and Jim chose a French dish for their dinner. [Crepes.]