Mauritius!

John: It turns out that we did get to disembark in Mauritius after all; after what must have been fraught and complicated calculations, the Captain managed to get us into port in time for everyone to disembark for half a day.  Less than originally planned, but more than we had come to expect after our delay due to rough seas, the half day was a welcome opportunity to get off the ship and explore Port Louis.

We got off and walked around. Port Louis has a lot of contrasts, with decaying colonial buildings and modern waterfront shopping centers reminiscent of the Victoria and Albert waterfront in Cape Town. It's also an incredibly diverse place; you see women dressed in Indian-style saris, others in Muslim hajibs and still others in Western office wear. You hear English, French, and the local creole, a mix of both. Statues of French and British colonial administrators abound in squares on the main streets. Lovely mosques are close to Hindu temples--and also close to a large Chinatown.

Interior of the mosque in Port Louis, with an enormous tree in the central courtyard.

We explored a beautiful mosque with trees in the central courtyard, the gardens planted by the French East India Company, and the market. Then, with time running out, we made it back to the ship via water-taxi across the harbor--a slightly risky experience in loading the children onto a small boat from the pier.

Visual proof that we were allowed off the boat in Mauritius!

Refreshed by getting on to dry land, we're on to India, where we arrive on Monday. Pictures of Mauritius to come if we can get the balky internet connection to work.