Thursday, August 6, 2015

Monday, December 8, 2014 - La Digue, Seychelles Islands


Today we were supposed to be sailing in the Indian Ocean toward Kenya, but due to security reasons we are staying in the Seychelle Islands and visiting La Digue.  A beautiful place and Tim gets to go diving again!!!!

We got up early.  Tim left on the first tender for his 9:30 dive.  I relaxed during the morning and went to the gym and walked 2.5 miles on the treadmill.

I met Grant and George for an early lunch, but George isn’t feeling well so he’s not going on the excursion.  I met Grant in the theatre a little before noon and we got our tender number.  Off to La Digue we went.

On arrival they loaded us up on an open-air truck and took us to L’Union Estate, an old plantation where they grew coconuts, vanilla, and other crops.  They explained that they use all of the coconuts, and showed how they extract the coconut oil from the coconut using an ox.  They explained about the vanilla crop and breadfruit crop.  They had lots of large tortoises and we got to fee them leaves.  Then I had a LONG walk to the beach.  Unfortunately, the tide was out but the large boulders were stunning.  I walked almost as far as one can walk along the beach in between large granite boulders.  It was beautiful in places but the beach wasn’t as pretty with the tide out.  This beach is rated one of the top 10 in the world.
Beautiful La Digue, Seychelles

Pristine beaches - lush foliage

Praslin in the distance

Our guide explaining the operations at the farm

Ox grinding coconuts to get the coconut oil

Round and round and round she goes . . .

Explaining breadfruits

An old cemetery at the farm

Coconuts ready to be processed

The old manor house - one of our Presidents stayed here

The giant tortoises

A field of giant tortoises

Patricia feeding the tortoise

Rows and rows of vanilla plants

Golden Beach

Incredible boulders all along the beach

Some of the boulders were precariously perched on other boulders

Stunning scenery

The path went in and out of the boulders

White sandy beaches for miles and miles

Wide beach

The tide was way, way out

Boulders along the beach

Back to the La Digue Harbor

La Digue Harbor

It was so hot and humid.  Grant left early to go back to the ship.  I walked back to one of the places where a guide was and asked if I could get back to the jetty.  An open-air truck came along shortly and took a load of us back to the jetty.  All of the stores and shops were closed as it is a national holiday on the Seychelles.  We got on a tender and came back to the ship.

Tim was already back as they did only one dive.  He got to see a school of spotted rays that he said was fascinating.

We had drinks with Michael and Velda and then had dinner in Prime 7 and my steak was SO GOOD.  I’ve missed eating steaks.  We walked around a bit and ended up in the nightclub where the “Duo” were doing dance music.  We met Paula (from Canada), Sharon (from Australia) and Robin who was the wife of one of the ship officers.  Patricia and Paul joined us later.  And the cute French couple from Lyon was there.  I started dancing with Paula and Patricia.  It was great fun.  The French couple are excellent dancers.  We closed down the bar at midnight – but it was really only 11 pm as we gain another hour tonight.  Off to bed and to sleep quickly.

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