Réunion Map

 

 

 

         Map of the Indian Ocean

latest picture: May 31, 2012

• click a picture to see details

151  We are on our way to the

“Cirque de Cilaos”, one of the three

cirques – former volcano craters –

that are considered as the island’s

heart and soul. It is reachable from

Saint-Louis in the South …..

152  ….. narrow valleys, deep gorges

and sheer rock walls (crater walls)

dominate the scenery of the spectacular

climb in and out of the cirque …..

153  ….. we stop once more along

the road, this time to take in the

imposing scenery with the toothed

mountain peaks

154  The mountain scenery of

“Cirque of Cilaos” changes constantly.

So far we have only overcome some

of the more than 400 turns …..

155  ….. little villages – here

“Le Palmiste Rouge” – snuggled

up against the mountains,

come into view …..

156  ….. and scattered small

settlements (here “La Plate Forme”)

appear on the ridges of this

remote mountain region

157  The white church of Cilaos, a town

with a population of 6’000 souls. The city

sits on an altitude of 4’000 ft. and is the

largest of all the settlements within the

famous three cirques (Cirque de Cilaos,

Cirque de Mafate and Cirque de Salazie)

158  We capture the moment with the

three of us at “La Roche Merveilleuse”

– the “Marvellous Rock” -, from

where the enchanting panorama

of Cilaos lies to our feet

159  Within the amphitheater of the

“Cirque de Cilaos” the stunning views

are all over. Cilaos recorded on

March 15th, 1952, the highest rain fall

worldwide within 24 hours: 73 inches

160  Where is the clutch leaking oil?

In Cilaos Emil lies under the

LandCruiser and checks out …..

161  ….. afterwards he deserves his

beer! We make a little break and

watch the advancing white banks of

clouds hat are starting to rise from

the mountain slopes around 10am

162  We enjoy a local dish: “carri-poulet”

with vanilla sauce, lentils and rice. Also

present are Daniel, editor (bluewhite T-shirt)

and Tomas, photographer of the Swiss

magazine “Schweizer Familie” who visited

us for five days to write a story about us

163  It is just stunning and unique:

View over Cilaos’ “amphitheater”

with its vertical walls

164  A lost cloud sails past the

dormant volcano “Piton des Neiges”.

With its 10’069 ft. altitude, it

watches over Cilaos

165  The road of about 400 turns

leads us from the spectacular

mountain region of Cilaos

back to Saint-Louis

166  The Sunday family picnic at “Grande

Anse” beach near Petit Île is very popular.

From the great-grandparents in the rocking

chair to the babies in the crates and the

house cat – everybody is present …..

167  ….. they spare no efforts: Fridges,

generators, tables, chairs, pots, rice

cookers are dragged along – often

even music boxes. Tents are put up

despite the “no camping” sign …..

168  ….. drums and guitar players sit

in groups. There are grills, showers, three

kiosks with food and drinks. No wonder

that this seaside spot is heavily visited over

the weekend or on public holidays

169  Trails with lovely views criss-cross the

forest on the “Piton de Grande Anse” near

Petit Île. They attract many joggers. Liliana

enjoys the view to the rocky South coast

170  From the hill “Piton de Grande

Anse” it is fascinating to watch the

huge waves crashing into the bay

of the same name

171  Emil is enjoying the view to the

Indian Ocean and the refreshing sea

breeze from the hill “Piton de

Grande Anse”

172  We are the first time on our way

to the most famos cirque, the “Cirque

de Mafate” in the West. The steep climb

to 7’235 ft, with many narrow turns

overheats the carburetor. Emil is

cooling it down with wet rags …..

173  ….. we reach the viewpoint at 10am

– too late. Emil is really frustrated. All we

see is fog. As we were told it arrives on

schedule daily between 9 and 10am …..

174  ….. we stay in vane until 4pm

hoping that the fog is clearing. Then

we return very disappointed

175  On our second attempt, we are

standing already at 7.20am at the viewpoint

“Le Maïdo” overlooking the rugged and

still fog free “Cirque de Mafate”

176  Deep ravines, forgotten hamlets

without road access – from every

angle the view is simply dramatic

177  Above this geologic wonder towers

the 9’905 ft. high “Gros Morne” – part of

the tallest mountain “Piton des Neiges”

178  In the middle of these jagged mountains

and peaks lies the village of “La Nouvelle” –

the main village in the “Cirque de Mafate”

– which was named after a Malgache

runaway slave who took refuge from

the slave hunters in a caverne

179  Sightseeing-choppers and -planes

interrupt the absolute serenity of this

isolated place. There are no streets, no

cars, only foot paths within the Cirque.

Time seems to have stood still

180  It is just amazing how tiny hamlets

are sprinkled over this inaccessible

mountainous world

181  On “Le Maïdo“ near the “Cirque de

Mafate” with view to the Northwestern

coastal town of “Le Port” – we take a

souvenir picture with our new friends. From

left: Maridza, Liliana, Cécile and Didier

182  From the ridge “Le Maïdo” of

the alpine “Cirque de Mafate” view-

point, we see as far as “Saint Paul”

at the Westcoast

183  Cécile with her dog Flip – a

French Bulldog – which prefers the

freshness of the mountains to

the heat of the plains

184  The shadows perform always new

magic mountain settings. There is another

viewpoint of the “Cirque de Mafate” at

the far left end of the valley – the

“Dos d'Âne“, which we visited at

the begin of our Réunion trip

185  First wafts of mist appear over the

dramatic scenery. A network of paths

connects the hamlets – a walker’s

paradise. Here the table mountain

“Le Bronchard” and in front of it

the hamlet “Roche Plate”

186  Hiking and crossing the “Cirque de

Mafate” is most popular. Along the way

there are sleeping and eating possibilities.

On the picture the mountain ridge “Crête

des Orangers“ and at the left upper corner

the hamlet “Îlet des Orangers“ are visible

187

188

189

In the untamed alpine wilderness we find a variety of special bushes, heather and flowers.

Especially abundant is the flannelplant (Verbascum thapsus) with its light yellow flowers and silvery rosettes

190  The large tamarind forest on the road

to “Le Maïdo” is a true feast for the eye with

its bent tree trunks, mooses and climbers

191  Hanging wild fuchsia

(Fuchsia boliviana) in different

levels grow on higher altitude

192  Mist meanders through

the tamarind forest giving

it a special glamour

In Saint-Pierre in the South “Tai Poussam Kavadi” is celebrated. It is an impressive Hindu festival of the Tamil’s remembering

the birth of their God Murugan. Devotees are engaging in various types of penances to have their prayers answered:

193  The body of this pilgrim is

pierced with silvery hooks, on

which lemons are hanging

194  The pilgrimage is starting. Many

are carrying a richly decorated altar

weighing up to 33 lb on their shoulders

195  Preparations for the

festival include silence, prayers,

fasting and abstinence

196  This pilgrim has pierced his

lips horizontally through the sides of

his mouth. The greater the pain, the

more is the god-earned merit

197  The devotees take a pilgrimage

through the streets of Saint-Pierre

to the Indian temple

198  In their faith and devotion,

also women are conforming

to these penances

199  When at the Gouffre in

L’Étang-Salé les Bains the waves crash

against the lava rocks, the blowholes

shoot high water fountains into the air

200  Casuarinas, bent by the

Southeastern coastal wind, are

silhouetted against the evening sky

201  Hundreds of cairns of different

sizes adorn the coast between

L’Étang-Salé les Bains and Saint-Louis

202  Vanessa of the bungalows

“Anse des Cocos” at Grande Anse Bay

near Petit- Île serves us a local

good-by-meal.

We really felt comfortable there

203  “Bouboul” the female dog and the

30 years old “Cleopatra” in the garden.

They belong to the eight radiated tortoises

(Astrochelys radiata) and two dogs we

are looking after while doing housesitting

at Saint-Louis in the South of the island

204  Picnic in the forest with Maridza

and Didier’s family. Sitting at the left long

table at the end is Emil talking with

Maridza’s father. Picnic spots are eagerly

coveted. One has to be there early

morning or spend even the night there!

205  A screwpine or also named vacoa

tree (Pandanus utilis) with its exotic hanging

flowers. After deforestation, these trees were

planted as a wind shield on this island …..

206  ….. a new fruit is growing.

It is edible and the leaves are

used to weave baskets …..

207  ….. a male blossom: It

shows its full beauty only for one

single day. Then it slowly wilts

208  We are driving through sugar cane

fields, which still grows in large areas in

the lower regions, to Piton de Mont Vert

– a former volcanic crater, situated in the

heights between Saint-Pierre and Petite-Île

209  An intensive rainbow

starts to form

210  The ash-colored beach at

L’Étang-Salé les Bains in the

Southwest is popular with sunbathers

The region at L’Étang-Salé les Bains is ideal for different forms of sport:

211  A couple is riding with a

nostalgic horse-drawn carriage

through the vast grassland …..

212  A powered paraglider

(paramotoring) shows his

skills above our heads …..

213  ….. a group of

surfers catch a good wave

214  View of Saint-Pierre at the seashore.

This city in the South is also called “the

capital of the South of Réunion”.

(Interestingly it's simultaneously the «capital»

of the “French Southern and Antarctic Lands”

(TAAF Terres australes et antarctiques

françaises) – another French overseas territory

215  From the “Belvédère” viewpoint at

the end of the road D70 at Bois Court

(La Plaine des Cafres) we are looking

down to the hamlet of “Grand Bassin” in

the imposing “Bras de la Plaine“ valley,

also called “the lost valley”. The village

is only accessible by foot …..

216  ….. the picturesque waterfall

“Le Voile de la Mariée“ plunging into

a pool adds to the feeling of paradise

of this isolated spot

217  The vast grassland at “L’Étang

Salé les Bains“ is our favorite area to

keep us fit. Emil is on his way back

from the «highest» point

218  Liliana makes easily friends: Here

with three radiated tortoises (Astrochelys

radiata) in the garden of Léone and Gabi

in Saint-Louis where we did housesitting

219  Was apparently thirsty: The dazzling

green Panther Chameleon (Furcifer

pardalis) made itself comfortable on

the dog’s water bowl in Saint-Louis

220  The beautiful passionflower (Passiflora

serratifolia) has only a very short life span.

It belongs to the Passifloracea family

221  The vivid colors of the torch

lily (Tritoma Kniphofia) attract

bees, butterflies and birds

222  A lovely flower that unfolds its

full beauty bit by bit. Unfortunately

we do not know its name

We were able to celebrate three striking milestones on “La Réunion”:

Febr. 24th, 2012: Emil’s 70th birthday

223  Emil is sitting in front of his birthday

meal on the veranda of our bungalow at

“Anse de Cocos” at Grande Anse

224  Surrounded by a sea of brightly

shining sunflowers in Le Tampon,

we are toasting with a glass of wine

to have reached one more milestone

in our almost 28 years long

journey around the world

225  Emil is lashing our LandCruiser in its

25th container. It starts its long sea journey to

Bintulu in Sarawak on the island of Borneo

on June 2nd, where we can celebrate its 30th

birthday after its arrival on July 21st, 2012.

Afterwards its 2nd «rejuvenation» starts

• Réunion part 1: Saint-Denis & surroundings-West Coast-Salazie-La Paix-North Coast-Takamaka-Dos d'Âne
• Réunion part 2: Les Makes-La Fenêtre-Saint Louis-East Coast-Grande Anse

 

Articles in newspapers about us in Réunion:

Article:  "Vingt-sept ans autour du monde", Daily Newspaper "Le Quotidien" - February 19, 2012