Mauritius: day one

fruit stand in Grand Baie / Grand Baie boats / mangoes at central market / drinking out of a coconut for the first time / a local bus / cute skirting in Port Louis / Pamplemousses Botanical Garden / bus to Port Louis / Marc trying the coconut / vegetables at central market / alouda, a classic Mauritian drink / posies at the market / architecture of Port Louis / tiles at the Natural History Museum / delicious coconut water / dodo skeleton / local bus stop / bunting outside a mosque / Natural History Museum / giant lily pads at Pamplemousses / stumbled upon this rather suitable graffiti / giant tortoises at Pamplemousses / hundreds of lotus pods at the botanic gardensToday was our first proper day in Mauritius, and what a day it has been! We began with a trip into Grand Baie where we wandered about while drinking out of a green coconut and eating local delights such as dholl puri and gateaux piments. Next we jumped on a bus into Port Louis, the island's capital, and visited Caudan as well as the central markets. While I didn't go shopping mad here, I did leave with a hot pink straw hat to shield me from the sun for the rest of our trip and a huge number of photos from the wonderful displays in the fruit and vegetables part of the market.After taking a brief walk around Port Louis, we sought out the Natural History Museum to learn about the fauna of Mauritius. I was most keen to see dodo specimens as I have always been fascinated by the long-extinct bird but was a little disappointed when I learned that all that remains of the dodo is a few skeletons. Even so, it was interesting to learn the detailed history of these strange creatures.Next we decided to pay the Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens a visit. This is where the famous giant lily pads live, which we learnt can hold up to 20 kilograms, as well as an incredible display of lotus plants. My photos really don't do justice to these amazing sights, they really were breathtaking. We also spotted a J loves M carving in a garden bench, rather apt considering the circumstances. And then it was back to our resort at Mon Choisy for a swim in the pool and dinner at a pirate-themed restaurant. Fun! Looking forward to sharing tomorrow's adventures with you.