Crazy to say it, but this trip was taking me back to familiar territory: Madagascar. I'd carefully planned to arrive a day early and attend church, but I did not plan on having a leg be so delayed I would miss the connecting flight and be stuck in transit. On the bright side, that meant I was "stuck" in Paris. Just a few weeks before I was diagnosed with a torn ACL so I needed to take it easy, which somehow in my head translated to visiting the Catacombs. What I'd failed to consider was how long I'd need to stand in line or how many stairs you have to take to get
down there, but in a morbid and fascinating way it was worth it. Wouldn't want to be stuck down there alone, though!
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| Making the most of my unexpected layover in Paris by waiting in line for the Catacombs |
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| One of the artistic arrangements of bones in the catacombs. |
And then it was off to Madagascar for my workshop, which went well and allowed me to see my familiar sights and favorite restaurants. It did involve a new experience, though: one night we took a cab back to the hotel only to have a policeman pull us over and demand to see our passports (which were safely back at the hotel). What he really wanted was a bribe, but playing the naive American for a few minutes eventually led to him sending us on our way. I also had a small-world experience while picking up a few souvenirs (i.e. chocolate) before heading to the airport. Foreigners generally stand out in Madagascar, but foreigners in short-sleeved white shirts stick out like a sore thumb. I knew this shop was near the mission home, but didn't expect to meet the mission president and his wife or that they'd be good friends with someone I know in DC. What are the odds?
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| My small-world moment |
While there's still so much in Madagascar I haven't seen, I left immediately for a special event: a coworker's wedding happening in the "neighborhood." By sheer coincidence, the last day of our workshop was the day of Monica's wedding in her husband's native country of Mauritius. I missed the ceremony but arrived in time to head straight to the reception from the airport. I even primped during my layover, which is the classiest I'll ever appear on an international flight. It was a fun night celebrating a wonderful couple .
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| with the bride and groom |
The next day I was fortunate to have Pawan's relatives give me a quick walking tour of downtown Port Louis, the capital.
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| This view captures the diversity of Port Louis--the old and new architecture, a Chinese gate with a mosque behind it, etc. |
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| Sampling some delicious Chinese street food during our walking tour |
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| A quick shot of what I was enjoying |
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| A traditional medicine stall in the marketplace |
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| View of the marketplace |
The next day we were treated to a chartered boat to a nearby island that's a nature reserve. The seas were a little rough (it is their winter, after all) but the weather was gorgeous and so was the island. We snorkeled, picnicked, and explored a bit of the island.
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| Ahoy! |
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| view of Flat Island Nature Reserve |
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| A little bird watching |
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| guarding the nest |
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| Having fun with my new friends |
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| This about sums up my day |
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| Back at the house, Javier and Pawan's mom created some tropical concoctions. |
The next day we were treated to a home-cooked feast by all of Pawan's aunts.
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| Some of the food in prep |
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| The experts at work |
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| my guides, buddies, and food samplers |
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| a sampling of all the goodness |
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| "just a small gathering" |
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| They have a street named after me! (actually a bit surprising, given that no one here speaks German) |
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| Pawan's niece was so thoughtful and created this floral arrangement as a gift to me. |
All too soon it was time to fly home, but I was grateful for the hospitality and all I experienced.
