Today we were up early so we could leave by 7.15 to ensure we were not doing all our walking in the heat of the day. Today was hiking, landscapes, views and a little wildlife. Sadly due to a canyon fire a couple of years ago all but two of the Verreauxs sifakas have moved further into the park which is an inaccessible place for visitors......we didn't see either but hopefully we will see them tomorrow at our final stop in Zombitsie.
We collected our guide, a man who looked early 20s but was actually 36 with two children 8 & 4 ....... no longer the big families for many like him ...... he was one of 11 but said health and education are now more important than numbers and he is very happy with two, indeed he was only persuaded to go above one by his mother in law who said it wasn't fair on the only child - Malagassy used to aim for 14 (and hoped to have, their lucky number, 7 boys and girls). We then made our way to the car park at the starting point and hiked up to a view point followed by the sight of the Bara tribes graves - they believe in exhumation, first the body goes to a temporary site in a coffin behind stones to decompose - then four or so years later the bones are taken back to the village and washed and coated in honey - they have a big party with rum (70%proof - the stuff they have put on our flambé smells like rocket fuel) and zebu and rice for several days - the bones are then placed in a fissure in the rocks and again covered with stones. How they actually reached the fissure was amazing - they must have needed climbing ropes and probably the rum for courage! We then set off on our walk to the natural swimming pool which was set in oasis of vegetation growing as a result of an active spring. When we arrived several tourists were already there some later went swimming.....but thankfully not before I had taken my pictures ( uncontaminated by humans).
The landscape formed lovely rounded shapes - similar some say to Colorado but I think it is more like areas in Northern Australia - and they were attached once prior to the break up of Gondwanaland.
Our guide was an expert on the endemic plant life - my favourite was elephants foot - it is related to the baobab but much smaller and the bulbous water filled base looked like an elephants foot. He also seemed more alert than other guides who walked straight past - large female and much smaller male stick insects ( just like sticks - and they are not the same as the preying mantis which I thought they were - a different genus) the golden robed spider , spiny tailed lizards and several iguanids. We also got to see kestrels flying and perched. As we came down to the picnic area for lunch - we got to watch a family of ring tailed lemurs in th bushes - they then ran past me taking photos - a baby was left by its mum so ran back to jump on an aunty - mum came back and the youngster (born June/July) transferred backs! After 6 months though it will be on its own!
In the campsite there were some brown lemurs who clearly hang around looking for titbits.
We sat at a camp table,all set up with a table cloth, for our lunch - salad, bread, zebu kebabs and rice for John and omelette, stir fried vegetables chips and rice for me ( far too much I had to leave lots - I think they think I will waste away as a vegetarian - and there was fruit for desert! After lunch we sat by the river for half an hour before walking it off by hiking up to a waterfall and back to the car park - a good 90 minute calorie burn off . Enroute back to the hotel we went to the supermarket to see if I could get some hair conditioner - not in great demand but as this is a town built on tourism I did get some - not unexpectedly, no choice except take it or leave it - we dropped off the guide and enroute back to the hotel and stopped to take a picture of the rock formation which looked like a queen ( in profile like on a postage stamp) and is why the hotel is called Relais de la Reine. Back at the hotel it was chilling time - time for a cold drink and a swim in the pool.
Dinner was interesting - the main course offerings were all meat so as I wasn't very hungry I asked if I could have a starter, desert and coffee - yes that was fine but somehow the execution was lost in translation as I had my coffee when John had his main course, then we were both served with desert! I think the waiter thought I was strange as he said he never knew anyone have coffee for main course before .......that's what a mix of French, English and Malagasy can achieve - an interesting meal combination - probably not to be repeated!
Early start again tomorrow as we drive to the next park and need to start our walk before the sun gets too hot.