Monday 14 April 2014

Saturday, April 12th, 2014

La Vallee de Ferney, Mauritius


Sea, Mountains and Folks

Well, what a day!  It began with a few young men going for a power walk with me by the ocean shore, past Bleu Bay, then a loop back to Mahebourg, and then by car and bus down a rickety road in La Vallee de Ferney.  At one point we pulled out of the bus to experience this gorgeous conservation area of endemic, indigenous and exotic trees.  The names will strike a funny bone of curiosity.  Our guide pointed out some of the official names of trees – the cinnamon of course, but there were also the black and white ebony trees.  Never heard of a rat tree?  Neither have I.  Its leaves, when gathered and put in a draw after three days, start reeking like a decomposing rat.  There, a cyclone tree gives a resemblance of the swirling dynamic that mother nature sends around now and then.  Finally our group of 23 also viewed the nail tree from the strong hard wood variety, pieces of the trunk were crafted in the shape of nails and used for construction.

We saw little wildlife but for the kestrel bird, a tiny hawk-like bird that almost went extinct.  Not but four decades ago only four existed.  They were native to Mauritius, but conservationists did their work and bread the few alive.  Now they are making a return.

To their merit, activist nature lovers fought to keep a proposed highway from penetrating through the fragile eco system.  What a delight it was to be here!  And as one Swiss devotee said, “We (meaning Krishna devotees) need to do more of these type of outings.”  I couldn’t agree more.  When you see those creeks and waterfalls you know that there is a kinder, softer world upstairs and this is a mere reflection of it.

The Dutch have been blamed for poaching the last of the dodo birds, but more recent research indicates that a famine the country experienced destroyed this huge feathered guy forever.  Anyways!  Whatever! We must endeavour to preserve all that is precious.

A dive in the blue ocean and picnic marked the middle of the afternoon.  Then the evening was topped with a turnout of 300 folks eager for kirtan, philosophy and a feast to not forget.

That’s why I say, “What a day!”

May the Source be with you!

14 KM

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