Reunion, such a close neighbour to Mauritius, is in fact completely different. More mountainous, less beaches, less people, more wealth. Whereas Mauritius is a republic, Reunion is a department of France, and as such is well looked after. Of the 800,000 people who live here, 37% of them are under the age of 20. Reunion has one of the biggest and most active volcanoes in the world and the island is constantly growing as a result of its many eruptions. Today we took a tour up to Piton Maido, a viewpoint at 2200m of the Mafate cirque, a crater if you like. Millions of years ago a giant crater collapsed and left within it 3 smaller craters. They are still huge, and inside these smaller craters are tiny villages accessible only by foot or helicopter. The whole thing is spectacular on a Grand Canyon scale. Simply breath-taking, and my photos do not do it justice as I can only show one portion of the entire vista.
We also visited a distillery for geranium oil. The island used to produce 40% of the world’s supply but this has declined as more profitable sugar cane has taken over, and geranium oil is produced elsewhere. The flora at this altitude was similar to New Zealand. They had several ponga (which the Americans called Australian fir trees!) and tamarillos. There was even a bird very similar to a fantail. As is the island way, we were treated to a rum sampling at the end of the distillery tour. Not sure what that had to do with geraniums but I wasn’t complaining, and it was 11:05am. Anyway, I needed to calm my nerves for the hair-raising ride down the mountain. Going up was bad enough. Think Crown Range road times ten....
By noon we were dropped in the popular beach town of St Giles. It has been a stunning day with clear skies and 25C with gentle breeze. I felt the need for a waterside lunch of seafood and beer. Dad went back to the ship. Why pay for lunch when it’s free on the ship, right? I found a little bistro down in the marina and ordered fresh sea bass fried in butter with aioli on the side, pomme frites, and a simple but delicious green salad. I sampled the local beer, officially called Bourbon (after the former French royal dynasty) but referred to as Dodo, as per the picture on the label (Dodos lived here too, once upon a time).
I will be sorry to leave Reunion. It’s definitely a place worth spending more time in, even if just to go tramping in the mountains. But the beaches are beautiful too, if you don’t mind sharks.
Three days at sea now, and then Durban where I’m going on safari!
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