Grand Africa Cruise Trip Day 53/96 - Antsiranana, Madagascar, or is it Diego Suarez?
We docked this morning in Antsiranana on the northern tip of Madagascar. It used to be known as Diego Suarez, named for Portuguese explorers Diego Diaz and Fernando Suarez who visited in the early 1500s. It was renamed as Antsiranana in 1976 but the locals still call it Diego Suarez.
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| We're at the red star on the north end of Madagascar |
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| Honoring the old name |
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| The back of the lighthouse - it just sits on top of a building, not a traditional lighthouse |
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| This is a cargo port, so not exactly picturesque |
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| The lineup of 4x4 SUVs for our tour today |
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| Dancers greeted us |
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| Our ride for the day - it wasn't designed for four full-sized adults, a guide, and a driver - everyone was cramped for the more than four hours we were in the vehicle |
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| It was a serious off-road vehicle with an altimeter and a pitch and roll indicator |
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| We drove through Antsiranana on our way south and east to visit Red Tsingy |
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| Tuk-tuks were everywhere - it is a common form of taxi here |
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| Fresh pineapples for sale |
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| A drooping Madagascar flag |
All of a sudden, the cars in our group came to a stop on the road. Everyone got out to meet one of the locals.
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| We tried to find out why the chameleon crossed the road, but he wasn't talking |
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| Their independently moving eyes are so interesting |
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| A classic pose |
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| Our guide, helping pose the chameleon |
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| Here's looking at you - well, looking somewhere |
We passed the chameleon to the next vehicle and continued down the "road". Why did I put the word "road" in quotes? Well, Madagascar roads are technically roads - they don't have trees growing in them and were once paved. All that is gone now - well, some of that. The road varies from fully paved to fully paved with potholes to partially paved with four-inch dropoffs to the dirt, to smooth gravel, to potholed-filled gravel, to washboard gravel, to gravel with occasional pavement, to two-foot deep holes filled with water, to...well, you get the idea. Driving down these roads delivers what can only be described as the African Massage. Add six adults crammed into a vehicle designed to fit at most four comfortably and you have a miserable two-hour ride each way.
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| Some homes along the way |
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| A cart pulled by a zebu - a form of Madagascar cattle with curved horns |
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| A section of "road" |
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| Everything was green as it is the rainy season |
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| Our destination, Tsingy Rouge, or Red Tsingy |
Tsingy Rouge is an area full of scraggly peaks of laterite, soil rich in iron oxide. Over time through erosion, peaks formed, rising out of the deep red soil. It is reminiscent of Utah's Bryce Canyon, but the difference in material makes this unique and stunning.
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| The "road" got worse once we entered Tsingy Rouge |
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| A zebu, unimpressed with our 4x4 |
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| Our first look from a viewing platform |
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| Every formation was unique |
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| Next up was a walk down into the valley for a close-up look at the tsingys |
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They are delicate and Madagascar has taken steps to protect the area
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| Trees growing into the hills had their roots pop out down the hill |
Our guide pointed out what I believe is a Madagascar Buzzard on the rocks.
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| What I didn't see until I processed photos was that it had just picked up something for lunch |
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| The Malagasy rat was not having a good day |
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| Check out the tail on the rat |
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| Our friends, Michael and Margaret were on the next viewing platform and sent us this snap |
We climbed up to the next viewing platform.
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| The colors in the rocks and ground were incredible - the photo doesn't do it justice |
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| The view from the platform was gorgeous |
We then climbed back down the valley floor and back up again to the parking area where lunch was waiting for us. They had some type of dense fish, zebu beef, veggies, and fruit. The meal was just OK and neither of us ate much.
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| The view from our lunch spot was lovely |
After lunch, we piled into the 4x4 and bounced out of the park. All of a sudden, our driver slammed to a stop as he spotted another chameleon. We hopped out for photos. This one was less sociable and quickly headed into the brush.
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| I think that is a look of disdain for tourists with cameras |
After bouncing out of the park, we bounced for the next 90 minutes back to Antsiranana.
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| We made a photo stop overlooking Antsiranana Bay - this island is known as Sugarloaf |
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| A less-limp but highly faded Madagascar flag |
We sailed early today - shortly after 3:00. Seabourn held an ice cream social on the pool deck on Deck #8 to get people out and about on this early sailing day.
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| Entertainment Manager Rhys and Cruise Director Nick, scooping up the yum for guests |
We went back to the room and showered the day off. The third Liar's Club on this journey was held before dinner. As usual, it was great fun.
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| Panelists: Hotel Manager, Harry; Entertainment Manager, Rhys; Guest Entertainer, Corlea; Seabourn Six Singer, Ronnie; Host - Cruise Director, Nick |
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| The process of swallowing - we failed on this one |
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| A female demon believed to seduce sleeping men - we got this correct |
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| To stare at people who are eating in the hope that they will offer to share their food - we missed this one |
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| The fetishistic admiration of a specific body part - we missed this one too |
Of course, the lies from the other panelists were outrageous and funny and there were a lot of laughs through the Grand Salon.
After dinner in The Restaurant, we went to tonight's guest entertainer, the second show from magician, Jamie Raven. Like his last show, it wasn't anything we hadn't seen before and I know how several of the illusions are done, but that didn't take away from him being entertaining
Tomorrow, we will anchor off Nosy Be, an island off the northwest coast of Madagascar.
