More on Mauritius – North tour: Day 2

 Port Louise - Citadel Fort – Caudan Waterfront - Marie Reine de la Paix – Bagatella Mall

Mauritius is described as “heaven on earth” and it sure did live up to its name. This incredible island is known for its magnificent beaches sandwiched between the sparkling turquoise Indian ocean and the luscious green cliffs at the opposite end. 

On day 2, we were all set to explore the beautiful landscapes, bustling cities and old colonial buildings. It’s a well-known fact that Mauritius is “the” destination for honeymooners. When the minibus arrived to pick us up, it was already filled with honeymooners and that too all were from India. Now I have to say that Vividh has a wicked sense of humor and his jokes about the sufferings of married life just didn’t stop. Oh man, I wonder how we scared those young couples for life! I am sure they were happy to get off the bus when the tour ended and get away from the middle-aged couples with kids.

Our first stop was a viewpoint for the Pieter Both Mountain – the uniqueness of its appearance and it being the second highest mountain of Mauritius makes it a famous tourist attraction, especially for nature lovers and hikers. After this stop we were in the colorful capital city of Mauritius – Port Louis, where next on the sightseeing agenda was the Citadel Fort, also known as the Adelaide Fort, which is the national monument of Mauritius. Perched on top of a hill, the heritage monument offers breathtaking views of Caudan waterfront and the colossal Indian Ocean. We got beautiful panoramic shots of Port Louis, which is also the largest city in Mauritius. We took loads of pictures of Citadel Fort –one in particular where Aakaash was on the cannon, only wish if the cannon were working and I could use him as a human bomb. Just kidding. 

We roamed around the city, where the kids enjoyed churning out sugar cane juice for themselves. Clicked pictures next to the sculpture of the famous explorer Nicolas Baudin who met his maker in Mauritius. Next, we found ourselves super excited in the umbrella alley at Caudan waterfront. It’s a narrow lane covered with colorful and vibrant floating umbrellas. Its happy aesthetics gives you many photo opportunities. What I didn’t know was that the umbrellas are replaced every month to keep it bright and vibrant. We did make a quick stop at the Prime minister’s office to say hello before we headed to the craft market.

From the craft market I bought few mother of pearl dinning mat sets. Later we headed to Marie Reine de la Paix, which has been a popular destination for filming a lot of Bollywood songs. It is an open church with a beautiful view of Port Louis. After climbing 82 steps, we reached the top and the view was gorgeous. The kids went crazy running, rolling, and falling on the hill slope.

After all the wonderful sightseeing, Neha and I had reached our personal haven – shoppers’ paradise – Bagatella Mall. I think we were to go to a local craft market and China town after that, but it was impossible for others to get Neha and me out of this place, so I think we skipped the other 2 places and enjoyed some retail therapy at the mall. Aakaash and Vividh were with the kids, enjoying fish spa, reflexology and what nots. Till date Aakaash says that he had one of the best head massages there.

We had the perfect end to a hectic day, unwinding back at our resort. There was a live band playing at night and the kids had a blast dancing and performing on a small stage in the dining area. We called it a night, ready to explore more of this island’s natural beauty the next day!