May 14, 2018 - The Beach

Our tour officially ended at a beach resort near the town of Tulear. I’ve had two days to relax in a beautiful setting on the Indian Ocean and all the little pleasures that involves, like sipping a cold beer under a palm tree. The coral reef off the coast of Tulear is the fifth largest in the world. Four of us hired an outrigger canoe with a sail for the day and the boat owner and his assistant took us out to the reef where we were able to snorkel. Along the way we stopped out on the water and bought four fish and four lobsters from some...

May 14, 2018 - The Third and Final Hike

Our final hike of the trip was a day hike through yet a third type of terrain. Our first trek provided the lush green of the forest and rice paddies; the second hike was through rugged mountain-like terrain; and this last hike was through an area that reminded many of us of the desert canyons of the American Southwest. It came complete with sandstone cliffs, slot canyons, scorpions, cactus and the strange-looking baobab tree which can live more than 1,000 years!

May 13, 2018 - The Animals of Madagascar

Madagascar is home to many types of animals that are found nowhere else on earth. However, there are probably many misconceptions about what types of animals one might see. There are none of the large animals that are commonly associated with Africa, like lions and giraffes. Hippos were once at home here but long ago became instinct because of human hunting. Today one is most likely to see reptiles, unusual insects (like the hissing cockroach) and the occasional lemur. We have been quite lucky in seeing three different species of lemurs...

May 12, 2018 - River Trip

After our first trek we had a couple of leisurely days at a nice hotel to rest, get our clothes washed, etc. This all in preparation for another three-day trek which would immediately follow. One of the optional activities during that hiatus was a pirouge (dugout canoe) river trip. The canoes are made of hollowed-out eucalyptus trunks and in many cases at least 40 or 50 years old. The unfortunate reason for that is the deforestation that plagues Madagascar. The canoe owners hold onto them because, quite frankly, it is becoming more and more...

May 12, 2018 - The Second Trek

Our second trek involved the most challenging hiking of the trip. We visited a national park found in the Andringrita mountain range with the goal of hiking to the summit of the second highest peak in Madagascar at 2658 meters (8720 feet). The entire trek took 2-1/2 days with two nights in tents and a third night in the park’s lodge which once again gave us a chance to rest after a tough hike.

May 10, 2018 - Zebu

It is interesting to note that even though Madagascar lies directly off the coast of Africa it remained uninhabited until approximately 400 A.D. This despite the fact that the oldest humanoids ever discovered called the continent of Africa home. When the first settlers arrived they brought their livestock with them and none were as important as the zebu, the name of the cattle that play an integral part in Malagasy life even today. One encounters zebu everywhere. They play a large role in Malagasy culture and are more important in defining...

May 10, 2018 - The Rice Harvest

The rice harvest is taking place so we regularly encounter people involved with what is the most important crop in Madagascar. Amazingly, it is all done by hand. On our treks we see zebu pulling plows. We’ve passed people singing in the fields while cutting the rice stalks by hand. This is in line with a Malagasy saying that roughly translates as “Work done while singing is no work at all.” After the stalks are cut, young men beat the stalks against a stone to separate the rice grains. The grains are left to dry for several days and then...

May 5, 2018 - The Kids

More photos of the kids!! It’s so cool how they come running out to greet us. It seems the city kids oftentimes are looking for a small present but the rural kids just seem to want to say hello and to pose for pictures. There biggest joy seems to be seeing pictures of themselves after we take them.

May 5, 2018 - Our First Big Excursion

The “active” part of our vacation kicked off with an approximately 15-mile bike ride through the countryside surrounding Antsirabe. Antsirabe itself is a medium-sized city with all of the noise and commotion one finds in larger African towns. Outside of town things become much more peaceful, but one always encounters the rural people going about their daily lives. Surprisingly, our group was outfitted with some really nice, new mountain bikes from a shop in Antsirabe. We quickly made our way through the urban traffic and then followed the...

May 5, 2018 - Unusual Profession

Although agriculture plays a big role in the economy of Madagascar there are many people trying to make a living any way they can, e.g. salvaging scrap metal, as shop keepers, etc. The most unusual profession I’ve seen so far in Madagascar was at an aluminum recycling yard in the city of Antsirabe. Here a group of 6-8 men were melting down recycled aluminum over coal fires. The scrap metal came from automobiles, trash, etc. These guys were repurposing the scrap by making molds and turning the molten metal into new aluminum pots and...

May 5, 2018 - A Great Trek

The people of Madagascar can be divided into 19 distinct tribes. There are regional dialects but all tribes speak Malagasy. On the first of two camping excursions scheduled for this trip, we hiked out into the forest east of the town of Ambositra. This is the area that the Zafimaniry people, one of the smaller tribes, call home. Their cluster of small remote villages deep in the forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our first day of hiking proved to be be rainy and overcast which certainly made for some challenges. Not only did we get...

May 1, 2018 - A Little Info On Madagascar

Madagascar is the 4th largest island in the world, measuring approximately 1,000 miles in length and 360 miles in width at it’s widest point. It has a population of about 24 million and only Greenland, Papua New Guinea and Borneo are larger in size. Much like Australia, its size and isolation have resulted in the development of plants and animals that are unique to Madagascar. It is estimated that 70% of all animals and 90% of all plants on the island are found nowhere else on earth. We are a group of 12, accompanied by a guide, a driver...