Friday 5 July 2013

RODRIUGES-GIANT TORTOISES,SCOOTER,SAINT GABRIEL-5july2013





we picked up our hire scooter at 8,and went along the pretty north coastal road, stopping to look at drying octopus on racks,then up steep road with tight curves ,over top of island, rural and sea views everywhere, and down to giant tortoise sanctuary.
Rodrigues used to have several hundred thousand giant tortoises ,of 2 species, but all eaten, and now extinct. This sanctuary covers 19 hectares, and they now have several thousand tortoises.
the 1st ones we met were very friendly and came up to get their soft dry leathery wrinkly necks scratched.
the really big tortoises live in the bottom of a canyon.to get there we went through a 500m long limestone cave.
the giant tortoises were so big, so impressive, and also so friendly
nice lunch there-octopus salad again.
time for an afternoon walk-carte verte number 6,from la Ferme to coast. down a ravine, to dry coastal meadows with cattle. had a lovely cold non-alcoholic beer and pastry awaiting bus back to la Ferme we
scooted along spine of island, great views, to saint Gabriel church. big and roughly, built by islanders in 1939.now getting pleasantly cool in late pm.as started descending, great sunset views over port Mathurin, and haven still safely at anchor.
refuelled scooter, and will return it tomorrow, a great way to see Rodrigues island, and a lovely day.
the hard hat was for cave tour we also did there
 

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