Seemed to be a slight case of internal bleeding and we would stop at a pharmacy to stock up on medical supplies on our way out today (everything would heal up nicely, no worries).
Legs are also a bit banged up.
Today’s plan would be to make for the Sentier Scout trailhead back in Cirque Salazie. We would return towards Hell-Bourg to reach this new destination which is supposed to offer spectacular views into the Cirque. About an hour’s hike down the trail leads to even better vantage points, so it sounded like a winner. But first, breakfast.
I confess to finding the French culture somewhat lacking when it comes to breakfast. Petit dejeuner is pretty much a non-event and when we were walking about Saint-Denis yesterday I learned why that McDonalds we stopped at during our first day was closed. They don’t even open up until 10AM - no Egg McMuffins here! In fact, doesn’t seem likely there is any chance whatsoever of scoring eggs for your first meal. Bread appears to be the sole option for breaking your fast.
But break it we did, with buttery croissants from a boulangerie discovered during yesterday’s inaugural jaunt.
Then we were off, journeying through the indescribably beautiful Cirque Salazie. Waterfalls stud the walls of mighty canyons and you will inevitably drive past a cluster of perhaps six or eight. These are big waterfalls, each magnificent as a solo act, but when your senses are assaulted by so many at once it just blows you away. Accenting nature’s beauty is the occasional village, populated with small creole homes, each painted in striking, vivid colors. A splendid, astonishing and comfortable area.
Alas, the clouds thickened as we ascended into the heavens and it was clearly a no-go when we reached the trailhead. Heavy cloud cover and spitting rain easily trumped any desire to hike since there would no views, just plenty of wet and mud. The drive had chewed up a lot of time (it is slow going trying to conquer all the switchbacks), so during our retreat we stopped at Chez Sergio’s in Grand Ilet for lunch.
New fans of rougail saucisses, spotting that on the lunch board made ordering easy. This preparation was somewhat different from what we had at Chez Alex. It was still tasty, but not as premium as the first pass. In addition, there was some buyer’s remorse because the lunch board indicated 5.5 euro and we wound up being billed 11. I suspect our ignorance of French was the culprit and we wound up ordering an “all you can eat” version rather than the single serving advertised on the board. Our order was served with copious side dishes and Sergio came out to ask if we wanted more, so I’m disinclined to think he was just out to stick it to the tourists.
After we returned to the hotel I tried to get back to the Saint-Denis stadium for closing ceremonies of the run, but traffic was a nightmare and I gave up when it appeared I wouldn’t get there until it was forty minutes past the starting time (mainly because I didn’t think it would last too long). It was Jeff’s last night on Reunion and you’d think we would go out to a nicer place, but the community spirit of La Barachois had us both happily in its clutches and it was back to the food court for the bon voyage supper.
Jeff ordered a small pizza with a Dodo chaser, and it was a cheese steak (gratine stec) sandwich for moi. YUM! We reminisced over the adventures from an all-too-brief introduction to Reunion, happily nestled amidst the good natured chatter of locals. To wind up the celebration, it was back to Bar Zen in the Best Western for a Dodo nightcap. Sitting outside by the sea with a warm breeze wafting over us – ahh, quite satisfying.
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