Mauritius gallery

Dancing girls met us as we pulled into Port Louis, where
 residents are building a new harbor and airport in
hopes of doubling the tourist trade

This huge volcanic crater is 270 feet deep and 600 feet wide, caused
by the Trou aux Cerfs dormant volcano in Curepipe.

Betsy Helfand of Winnetka (a member of my extended SAS family),
Topy and I dipped our toes in the Indian Ocean.

Pristine beaches, open to the public, lacked crowds
probably because of on-and-off rain while we were
in the southwest corner of the island.

A Hindu priest said a few prayers for good health,

prosperity and long life and put his marks on our foreheads at

Grand Basin (also known as the Ganga Talao, 

990 feet above see level).

After blessing me, we visited a magnificent

water fall and the stunning seven colored earth of Chamarel.

The multicolor volcanic ashes (red, brown, violet, green blue, purple and yellow)

form a pattern that not even torrential rain and climate conditions can wipe out.

This photo may not do it justice.

Half a dozen turtles came right up to us, looking for food. 

One even stuck his neck out to be patted.