There was a full day ahead since Jeff’s departing flight was 8:10PM and I didn’t need to drop him off at the airport until 6PM. Roland Garros Airport lies on the east side of Saint-Denis, so we thought striking out that direction made sense. Especially since the first day we lost due to the delayed flight was supposed to have been devoted to exploring this side of the island. Embedded with the locals over coffee and croissants, a plan took shape. After returning to the hotel and checking out, we headed east.
Our itinerary had evolved into idle rambling along the eastern coast for Jeff’s last hurrah. The true spur had been a desire to check out a lighthouse we had spotted along the shore at Sainte-Suzanne. As we headed towards the lighthouse Jeff impulsively punched up local attractions on the GPS and we detoured towards an appealing waterfall which popped up, Cascade Niagara.
Heading for Cascade Niagara we passed by some field workers cutting sugar cane with machetes (in just a few hours we would learn that 80% of all sugar cane on the island is still harvested by hand), and it was a good thing. The road was pretty much a single track and almost grown shut by cane stalks!
Cascade Niagara was terrific, a real gusher emptying into a pool that doubled as a swimming hole. Several visitors went for a dip while we were there and it was tempting to join them. They emerged looking quite refreshed and I recommend this as a brilliant stop.
The Savanna rum distillery, located just outside of Saint-Andre, was next up on our east coast hit parade. Another fun stop, particularly because they offer tours in English (and very well spoken at that). It was interesting that our little group consisted of Jeff, me and a German couple – there seemed to be quite a few German tourists and because the husband and wife were more comfortable speaking English than French, they accompanied us.
It was an interesting tour, combined with Sucrerie de Bois-Rouge, the adjacent sugar refinery where Savanna gains essential ingredients. I was surprised to learn that sugar is far away the leading industry for the island, and that 80% of cane is still cut by hand. I suppose the best part, however, was the rum tasting session back at the gift shop to conclude the tour. They certainly take their business seriously here and wouldn’t allow Jeff to buy any rum until after he had completed the tour and enjoyed the free samples. We both learned quite a lot and the additional knowledge can clearly influence purchasing decisions.
It was nearing lunch time when we departed Savanna, so we dropped in on a place touted by the Lonely Planet guide. La Bocage was worthy of the recommendation. An oriental buffet that was dynamite and set in a beautiful spot. Although there was plenty of indoor seating, most guests (including us) opted to sit outside in their tropical garden on a lovely stream. It was hard to beat the warm gentle breeze, palm trees and exotic bird chatter as the setting for your meal.
After lunch we circled back to Sainte-Suzanne and got to the lighthouse. Not an impressive lighthouse, but we noticed a stairway beyond the fence heading down to the sea and exited to reach it. The steps reached down to the ocean, a rocky shore and soothing wave action. Alas, no place to comfortably sit and savor the scene, so it was back to the vehicle. We started back to Saint-Denis, but returned to Cascade Niagara where Jeff stretched out on the lawn for a nap and I scribbled a bit in my journal.
Touring was done for the day, but we returned to Saint-Denis and I checked in to my first solo lodging, Les Loges du Park. But of course I was not solo yet, and Jeff came up to my room to plug his PC in. Once he left I would be ‘dark’ with no PC and no phone, so a last check-in with Kim via Skype. Unless I could scrounge an internet connection somewhere over the next few days I would be incognito from the world until getting back into the US next Saturday afternoon.
Time was dwindling for Jeff and we hit the streets to check out the latest neighborhood. Jeff led the way and I think he was heading for a place where there was a cluster of retail stores, so I simply tagged along and took in the sights. The hotel was in a seedier section of town so there wasn’t anything glamorous, except for the people.
We passed several more women with faces splashed by this yellowish mud. I had noticed one or two of these ladies each time we walked about in Saint-Denis (though nowhere else on the island) and vainly searched my brain to recognize the culture this was associated with. There was no artistry involved - their faces were simply splattered and I have a dim recollection of this being tied to an ethnic group from Madagascar? If you have any inkling please leave me a comment!
Perhaps the sole architecture of note was an ornate Hindu temple we walked past. I’m pretty sure this had been referenced in the guide book, but much of it was covered by scaffolding and plastic, with plenty of signs suggesting you don’t enter. Beyond this and an Off-Track Betting joint (sadly packed on a Monday afternoon), there wasn’t much worth reporting on and after abandoning the hope of reaching the retail mecca we returned to the hotel.
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