LA DIGUE - NO PLANES, NO STRESS!

SEEING THE ROCKS - AUGUST 1994

LA DIGUE is the third most populated island of the Seychelles. It's reachable by boat from Praslin, and that is exactly what we've done to get there. No airfield, no stress, nothing...


"ROCKS - Probably the main reason why one comes to La Digue is to see the famous pink granite boulders of Anse Source d'Argent!"


"ARRIVAL - La Digue lies only six km from Praslin, and the boat trip was perfectly ok. There were very few cars on the island, so we headed for an «ox-taxi» for sightseeing..."




"OX-TAXI - The first was not ready for use. The one we took was comfortable enough for the famous La Digue roads..."



"QUALITY OF LIFE - The local Bank opens Monday to Saturday a few hours per day. The Barclays, however, is much more in line with the traditional pace of the Islands: three days a week, three and a half hours a day..."


"MAIN STREET, as busy as usual!"



"WORSHIP TIME - With so much to do the residents can hardly find time to go to the church. That's probably the reason why they created these altars on the side of the roads..."


"YELLOW HOUSE - Considered to be one of the most attractive in the Seychelles"




"L'UNION ESTATE is a National Heritage Site, and there one can see a traditional copra mill, giant Aldabra tortoises and immense granite boulders. The original settlers of La Digue are also buried here..."


"THE PLANTATION HOUSE is the focal point of the L'Union Estate, and is one of the few plantation houses left in the Seychelles. However, most of its fame derives not from the true architectural quality of the building but from the fact that it housed the adventures of Ms. Sylvia Krystel - as Emmanuelle - with her architect husband. Actually, the Plantation House was the scene for «Goodbye Emmanuelle» in 1977. The film is said to be as boring as it could be, but as all of the other films of the Emmanuelle series was a cause of scandal in the years when hardcore was not just around the corner..."






"BEACH ON THE ROCKS - Fantastic Anse Union, Source d' Argent, etc..."


"HARD TO LEAVE - It's not easy to get away from such a beautiful spot. That's why the ox-taxi driver is urging us to get to the car..."


"GOODBYE LA DIGUE..."

GARDEN OF EDEN

PRASLIN - AUGUST 1984

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UNDERWATER









"FISH - It's not comparable with the Great Barrier Reef but it's nice anyhow!"

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VALLÉE DE MAI



"A NATURAL RESERVE was created in the heart of Praslin, where the Coco de-Mer grows, named Vallée de Mai. The reserve is an absolute must, as Vallée de Mai is actually a wonder of nature"




"COCO DE MER - It seems that many centuries ago, on the beaches of Africa, a strange coconut - several times larger than the largest known coconut and looking as if it were two coconuts joined together - was washed ashore. Its shape resembled the genitals of a female, which immediately contributed to make it into an object of mystical sexual powers. The Coco de Mer grows only on Praslin, and nowhere else"




"ADAM AND EVE - According to the legend, Vallée de Mai is the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve lived, and where Eve gave Adam the forbidden fruit of the tree. When they left the Garden there were probably not that many mosquitoes..."

COUSIN & CURIEUSE

BIRDS AND TURTLES - AUGUST 1994

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COUSIN


"ON THE WAY - Boat trip"



"COUSIN is located just off the southwest coast of Praslin, just next to its island neighbour Cousine. Cousin is a special nature reserve home to some of Seychelles’ rarest birds"





"BIRDS - Cousin has been a nature reserve since 1968 when it was purchased by the Royal Society for Nature Conservation. In 1975 it was declared a special reserve and is now managed by the local environment group Nature Seychelles. Cousin sees every year 250,000 birds nest"

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CURIEUSE

Curieuse is located just off the north-western coast of Praslin and is now a reserve managed by the Seychelles Centre for Marine Technology - Marine Parks Authority.



"CURIEUSE was once home to a leper colony situated at Anse St. Joseph. The resident doctor's house dating back to the 1870's has recently been converted into an eco-museum and visitors centre"




"TURTLES - Curieuse is home to a giant land tortoise rearing project. The island is also an important nesting site for hawksbill turtles"