Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine January 2020 | Page 99

Travel / Mauritius
1. Marie-Michelle Lindor
prepares lunch, Kot
Marie-Michelle.
2. A table of classic
Mauritius creole dishes at
Kot Marie-Michelle.
5
1
2
senses:
sight
Seven-coloured Earth
E/ Near by Le Morne
UNESCO World
Heritage Site,
‘Seven-coloured Earth’
is a curious collection of
sand dunes located in
the heart of the tropical
forest. The distinctly
hued dunes are formed
from the dust of
different volcanic
rocks. Not so far away,
Chamarel Waterfall is
an impressive sight,
as is the sweeping
panorama from the
nearby viewpoint
which takes in
Le Morne and the
southwestern seaboard.
I/ Dekat dari Situs
Warisan Dunia
UNESCO Le Morne,
"Tanah Tujuh Warna" di
Desa Chamarel adalah
perbukitan pasir di
jantung hutan tropis.
Bukit pasir berwarna
unik ini terbentuk dari
debu beragam batuan
vulkanik. Tak jauh dari
sana, Air Terjun
Chamarel menjadi
pemandangan
menakjubkan, begitu
pula panorama dari titik
pandang di dekat air
terjun, yang menghadap
ke Le Morne dan pesisir
barat daya.
 s ocean blues turn golden with the setting sun, it’s hard to
A
imagine anywhere more enchanting than this place...
Heritage Site Le Morne. It’s the flip side of the
tiny seaside settlements that predominate, but it
is an exciting opportunity to explore the island’s
mingling of African, Indian, Chinese, and
European communities – and in the process its
unique culture and cuisine. If the big city and high-end hotels dominate
the island’s extraordinary coastline, its interior is
evidence of Mauritius’ geological beginnings and
colonial yesteryear, with lush mountains and
steamy valleys, villages and vintage villas,
fruit orchards and sugarcane estates.
A wander through the city’s streets takes in the
merchants of the Central Market district,
Jummah Mosque (a Moorish-style oasis dating
from the mid-19 th century that is painted the
colour of the surrounding seas), and buzzy
Chinatown. You’ll discover rooftop pagodas,
Indian sweet shops, grand Victorian-era
buildings, and the 16 th century Citadel which
looms on a craggy hilltop and offers fine views
across the reassuringly compact city centre. As well as sugarcane, the Bois Cheri
plantation (saintaubinloisirs.com) specialises
in tea and vanilla, and you can get a taste of
both in its Saint Aubin restaurant, evocatively
set in an old-world mansion dating back to 1819.
Alternatively, the antique interior of Maison
Eureka, an elegant villa from the 1830s,
is a snapshot of its era, and the attached
restaurant is a good spot to sample island
creole cookery. There’s even a rather handsome
statue of a dodo, the long-time extinct flightless
bird which was native to Mauritius.
On the north side of the bus station, at the end
of Dr Sun Yat Sen Street, little Trou Fanfaron
food market satisfies commuters’ cravings with
a variety of Mauritian titbits. Look out for
Ameenah’s stall in particular. She handmakes
roti flatbread, which she then tops with chilli
paste (sweetened with apple and orange),
mashed broad bean, brede songe (stewed taro
leaves) and rougaille (the iconic Mauritian spicy
tomato sauce). It’s a superior snack that
exemplifies the island’s fusion cuisine, which is
in turn a manifestation of the mingling of
cultures, languages, and outlooks.
It’s back to the beach at the end of the day,
for a walk through the waves that wash over
the warm sand. As ocean blues turn golden with
the setting sun, it’s hard to imagine anywhere
more enchanting than this place where
land and sea kiss.
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