Queen Victoria in the Flacq district of Mauritius on a rainy day will beat out a sunny day on the beach for its warmth. The people are friendly and willing to sit and chat about football and share their hospitality with strangers. The historic sugar mill, the bonsai plants, the picturesque temple, markets, and of course Arsenal FC.
Rose Hill, not the busy section is still very busy, but this does not take away from all it has to offer. The Plaza with its Italian-designed opera house, a church that took a year to build with a spire that touches the sky. Great snack foods, artisanal ice cream, and even bubble tea. Awesome shops and the house of meat, I mean Carne, lol.
Uptown Port Louis has so much history and life it is hard to describe. The huge skyscrapers sharing land with a small wooden house. An old prison next to a fire station with the rare Merryweather clock. One street down is a quiet road filled with old houses and quaint shops. A perfect walking tour.
In the Central North East of Mauritius is a trio of smaller villages that encompass Petite Retraite, Bois d’Oiseaux, and Grand Retraite. Sometimes referred to as “the place that time forgot.” This unassuming area contains under 5000 people, or should I call them the
Forbach sugar estate was built by the Staub brothers from 1815 and utilized a windmill (now a National Heritage Site) to crush the canes. The family suffered many tragedies but one at least managed to find love and happiness.
What a great place, windmills, towers, submarines (might be a boiler), Mapou trees, the evaporation pots and so much more.
This old sugar mill which is currently a nursery for endemic plants has quiet a history, but it wasn’t easy to find!