Madagascar Map

 

 

 

         Map of the Indian Ocean

latest picture: October 17, 2011

• click a picture to see details

076  We approach Morondava at the

West coast: Cylindrically shaped Baobab

trees, also called bottle trees, (Adansonia grandidieri) loom already on the horizon

077  How insignificant are the almost

30 years of our LandCruiser compared

to the age of this majestic tree. A

Baobab can get as old as 1’200 years

078  A landscape like off the picture

book: Blooming hyacinths and Baobabs.

In Malagasy, the giant tree is called

“Reniala” (Mother of the Forest)

 

Miandrivazo-Morondava = 160 miles; 6.3 hours
At 8.40am we cleave our way through the already crowded village street back to the main road. For some miles we follow now the Tsiribihina River with fertile banks. But only a few hundred meters away from the river, the hills are bone-dry and we drive now for miles through an arid landscape. It reminds us very much to the African Sahel zone. Herdsmen guide their zebus (Malagasy cows) and goats along the street or dried-up river beds. Often they ask us to fill up their water bottles and thank us with a bright smile. Life is hard on them.

Village life in Morondava

079  Two women are on their way

home with a big fish. There is close to

nothing that is not carried on the head!

080  A woman has rubbed her face

with a paste of the Masonjoany plant.

This mask protects not only against the

sun, but is said to clean also the skin

081  Playing cards is a popular

pastime for young and old

 

After an 8 miles long road construction site, we reach Morondava on the West coast mid-afternoon and check in for the night at the Hotel Renala lying at a wide sandy beach. Shacks line the sea shore, where people are cooking outside, playing cards or simply gather and chat. Morondava is the starting point to the place Emil is longing the most for: The famous Baobab alley.

082  At the tire works barrack

in Morondava: The tube cannot

be repaired anymore.

We buy a new one for US$15

083  Hand drawn rickshaws are common

in Madagascar (in the capital Antananarivo

all rickshaws are prohibited). We are

amazed at what speed rickshaw men often

maneuver bare feet through the traffic

084  A canoe with set sail glides

soundlessly over the water

as the sun sets

 

Next morning we are on our way to it. 8½ miles Northeast of Morondava, we take a dusty and sandy track – the RN8 – which leads North to the Tsiribihina River through typical African bush. Creaking antique oxcarts, loaded with people, goods and goats are crossing us unhurriedly. We encounter women with bags, pots and baskets on their heads walking from somewhere to somewhere. A single cyclist and two elderly men with a pushcart wave at us. We are the only vehicle. It is a scene like from another world.

085  Crossing of two “antique”

means of transport on the way to

the baobab alley near Morondava

086  Baobabs near Morondava (about

10 miles North): Every part of the baobab

is useful: Its bark is used for roofs, its

fiber for ropes and its fruit is edible

087  In the region around Morondava

often dozens of these giant baobab

trees pop up on the horizon

 

All of a sudden the first groups of the cylindrically shaped Baobab come into view. Some are framed by newly planted lush paddies, some by a compact carpet of flowering lilac water hyacinths – it always is a very beautiful sight. But these are only the “forerunners” of the majestic Baobab alley with its trees, which can get as old as 1’200 years.

088  Behind a newly planted rice paddy

a new “forest” of Baobab is looming

089  Looking for fish in the swamps?

090  A giant baobab surrounded by

banana bushes and water hyacinths

 

When they are appearing in front of us, it’s really a “wow”-experience. In Malagasy language, this giant Baobab is called “Renala” – mother of the forest. “The souls of the ancestors live in this tree and protect us” people tell us. Every part of the Baobab is useful: Its bark is used for building roofs, its fiber for ropes, its pits produce oil and the fruit is edible. There are about 25 65-80 ft. tall trees along an 850 ft. long stretch down the track, with another 25 standing in the surrounding meadows; its circumference is up to 33 ft. respectively 10 ft. wide. Like the lemurs the Baobabs are also marked on the red list as an endangered species – which doesn’t mean much in Madagascar.

091  We are coming closer to the center

of the Baobabs near Morondava: Our

LandCruiser rolls past the first giants

092  The access to the famous

Baobab alley near Morondava

leads through typical African bush

093  These giant trees are so impressive

that again and again we are tempted

to take a picture

 

People, who are sitting right across in front of their primitive huts cooking a meal on their fireplace, miraculously leave us in peace also here, also when we set up our camping table in the middle of the road – due to the lack of a tripod – to make a picture with the self-timer. Not even children come hurrying along. In this quiet corner it seems to be (still) unspoiled land. However, along the main tourist path in the South it is a different thing. Begging children asking for bonbons, biscuits, T-shirts and money are never far away.

094  There is no car traffic. Our encounters

on the lonely dusty sand track are an oxcart

on its way to the village …..

095  .…. a herdsman with his wife,

his dog and his goats …..

096  ….. and another oxcart

The famous baobab alley near Morondava

The belief of the Malagasy people is that their ancestor’s souls live in this tree and protect them

097

098

099

 

Richer by a beautiful experience, we leave Morondava next morning at 9am and drive East again – on the same route we came, with the same two tiring transit legs and with the same sticky night in Miandrivazo and the following freezing one in Antsirabe. There is only this East-West-Connection. The direct road via Ambatofinandrahana to Ambositra is interrupted since a long time. It has anyway little traffic, hence our road has to be sufficient for the people. We are blessed with a blue sky and it is a pleasure to roll through the highland with its golden shining grass and scattered mountain villages and browsing through the little markets on the way.

100  On the dry bushes miraculously

bright yellow flowers are blooming

101  The three of us pose for a picture at

the famous Baobab Alley near Morondava

102  Two Madagascar pied crows

(Corvus albus) croak in complete harmony

103  A family is sitting in front of their

bush hut, gathering around a radio

104  The little boy asks us shyly to

buy bananas. Who can say no?

105  Zebu’s are flocking to

a new grazing area

 

Thereby we always hope just one thing: To reach our next target without any break-down still by daylight. Again and again we are warned by locals not to drive at night. At least, our only spare tire is on standby again. The tube was torn beyond repair, but in Morondava we found new ones for US$ 14 a piece and bought two of them.

106  In Miandrivazo, said to be the

hottest place in Madagascar, the sun

is setting with a beautiful red glow

107  On the RN 34 between Miandrivazo

and Antsirabe we drive through a hilly

highland covered with golden shining grass

108  The moon is rising beautifully

and serene behind a tree where

birds settled down for the night

109  A home from the colonial French

time in Analaivo before Morondava.

Remaining from that era are also the

French language, the fresh baguettes, the

cheese boxes “La Vache Qui Rit”, the ball

game “Pétanque” and the liqueur “Pastis”

110  People in the hot coastal areas

live in simple airy straw huts. The

“kitchen” is always outside. Most of

the life takes place anyway outdoor

111  A Catholic church built in a

modern architecture – here in Mahabo

– is rather seldom in Madagascar. The

old traditional architecture prevails

 

Antsirabe-Fianarantsoa = 144 miles; 7.4 hours
In Antsirabe it’s pouring down buckets when we arrive. We check into a modest guesthouse and due to the persistent rain leave our room only next morning at 8am. From here we will hit new land again. We take the important North-South route RN7 towards the South through the highland of the Betsileo, the third biggest island tribe with its artfully laid out rice terraces. Their planting skills allow three harvest a year instead of only two.

112  We stop at the village market in

Mahabo besides the parking place of the

oxcarts that carried the goods to the market

113  Trading and bargaining is going

on at the market square. But it

is also a place for socializing

114  Everywhere smiling faces: Waiting

for the market to end in Mahabo

115  A viewpoint between Malaimbandy

and Morondava is just perfect

for our picnic

116  The arid grassland in the West

is dotted with the lush green of the

Bismarckia nobilis palms. They

are endemic to Madagascar

117  The Tsiribihina River with its green

islets near Miandrivazo looks like an

oasis in the arid landscape. Canoe river

trips are offered from Miandrivazo

to Belo before the West coast

 

Despite that the sun is hiding persistently behind dark skies it does not affect the beauty of the landscape we are passing through with its typical picturesque mountain villages. The clusters of the two storey huts of red bricks blend perfectly with the brown and beige of the soil. Some refreshing green dots are the newly planted rice fields.

118  Solitude as far as our eyes reach:

Between Miandrivazo and Antsirabe the

black ribbon of the asphalt meanders through

the mountains of the Central Highland

119  Scattered trees in the arid Central

Highland near Antsirabe are pleasant green

dots in the landscape. The most pleasant

dot however is our LandCruiser!

120  A work of art in the arid

Central Highlands: A “spider net” of

rice paddies surrounded by grassland

121  Obviously no washing line

is needed to dry the clothes

122  A motif off the picture book

for a painter: A small hamlet in

the Central Highland between

Miandrivazo and Antsirabe

123  Busy life in Betafo, lying 14 miles

East of Antsirabe along the nearly

370 miles long RN 34/35 via

Miandrivazo to Morondava

 

It is a Sunday and people have gathered everywhere in small groups – herdsmen with their typical hats and woolen “ponchos” and women with long black braids, pleated skirts and straw hats, holding their small children by the hand or tied to their back. Inevitably it recalls memories of the Bolivian highland.

124  A rural scene like on the African

continent: A family steps out of their

thatched hut and admires our

LandCruiser while we take pictures

125  Herdsmen have a hard life

in the highlands. In Southern

winter time it can get pretty

cold and humid

126  The hearty smile of this girl

symbolizes the nation’s spirit.

Despite of great poverty people

show a joy for life

127  Who can probably keep in mind all

those complicated and long village and

city names. Like on this battered “road

sign” on RN7 – the only road to the South

– the majority starts with the letter “A”

128  Potholes in the tarmac are

repaired by hand the old fashioned

way. Often also women do the

roadwork to earn a few cents

129  Crossing villages are always a

challenge as they are exotic and

crowded. People come from far to

sell fruits and vegetables and

buy the necessities of daily life

 

Further to the South the view is much bleaker: Burnt down forests, smoking brick factories, loads of bags with charcoal waiting to be hauled away at each corner and people pushing piles of wood on self-made carts. How long will it take until the last tree is lost? Apparently five acres of forest are disappearing daily only to heat the brick factories, not to mention the firewood for heating and cooking or the one needed for the luxury furniture for the foreign customers.

130  The long anticipated rain finally

fell. The rice crops are planted, each

single one by hand – it’s hard work

131  Golden glistening cornfields

are framed by rice paddies in

different growing stages

132  We are driving across the

picturesque highland of the “Betsileo”,

the third biggest tribe of the country.

Their planting skills allow three

harvests a year instead of only two

 

Will Madagascar become a desert island within the 20 years to come? It is a dilemma. How can the poorest of the people survive without this questionable income? Many families cannot even afford to pay the yearly school fee of US$ 27 per child. Their children will never be able to read and write. The illiterate rate is said to be around 23%.

133  It is a Sunday: Families are on

their way home from the church …..

134  ….. many are waking towards us;

others are heading in our direction, often

for long distances. For the majority, feet

are the only “way of transport”

135  A group of people make a little

break at a roadside kiosk where also

big bottles of “Three Horses Beer”

(THB) are sold. After all it is a Sunday!

 

Fianarantsoa-Ranohira (Isalo NP) = 168 miles, 7.1 hours
In Fianarantsoa, the second biggest city of the island, we stop for a night at the Greek hotel Cotsoyannis and continue next morning towards the West, to the Isalo National Park. But we don’t make it that far. After 30 miles, in Ambalavao, we spontaneously decide to visit the small Anja Lemur Reserve lying eight miles further South – a village project to protect these animals found only in Madagascar and nowhere else in the world. It won’t be a long time until these primates might be also listed on the red endangered list.

Some villages along the RN7 between Ambositra and Fianarantsoa

136  Adapted to the surroundings

137  Sandwiched between

granite rocks and rice paddies

138  Typical two-storey brick

houses of the “Betsileo” tribe

 

It happens to be October 18th, 2011, our 27th anniversary of our epic journey around the world. Is there a lovelier jubilee gift as our first encounter with these cute ringtail lemurs with their bushy white-black tails that are two third of their body size? My heart is “leapfrogging”! We enjoy dozens – sitting on trees, on rocks and on the ground; adults, youngsters, a baby riding piggyback on her mother, four one month old babies trying their first climbing skills.

139  Ambalavao, situated on the

tableland between Fianarantsoa

and Tuléar (Toliara) is one of the

most attractive highland villages

with neat wooden balconies

decorating their houses

140  In Ambalavao a family pushes its

full yellow jerry cans from the local water

supply through the village street. Their

little daughter sits proudly on the top.

This scene is quite familiar, because there

is no private water system in rural areas

141  The cathedral built of red

bricks is the centerpiece of the

highland village of Ambalavao

and a special sight during the

flowering of the Jacaranda trees

 

Our guide tells us that this reserve is currently home to around 300 of these primates, divided into 15 families, living in different territories. We also spot a camouflaged young Malagasy giant chameleon, tiny pink butterflies hanging like blossoms on branches and a Persian lilac bush with delicate white-pink blossoms.

142  In the small Anja Reserve, 8 miles

West of Ambalavao, we discover this

lizard, a young Giant Malagasy

Chameleon (Furcifer oustaleti), which

in its camouflage is hard to see …..

143  ….. also this blooming Persian

Lilac bush (or also called Syringa)

(Melia azedarach) is growing there …..

144  ….. and then we see them,

high up in the trees – the ringtail

lemurs (Lemur catta) with their

black and white bushy tails that

are two third of their body size

 

In the friendly small restaurant nearby with a stunning view over the huge granite boulders we treat ourselves to a delicious local noodle dish and toast to our 27th travel anniversary with a couple of “Three Horses Beer’s”. A few days later we read that since our departure in 1984 the world population has grown by 2.2 billions (!), or 45.8%, with Africa as the leader. Also during our long journey we noticed the population explosion. Nowadays there are also many more people traveling, be it due to the political openings or because they have more money at their disposal.

The small Anja Reserve, 8 miles South of Ambalavao, is a village project

to protect these cute lemurs found only in Madagascar and nowhere else in the world

145  What a fascinating sight!

Determined the first two primates

come around the corner

146  What is so exiting higher up?

A mother with her two cubs

147  The youngster makes it

comfortable on a tree branch and

looks what happens below

 

The next day we roll through the endless prairie of the Horombe Plateau with its golden shining grass towards the Isalo National Park in the “wild west” of Madagascar. A couple of herdsmen are also today on their way. They guide big flocks of cattle in the middle of the road to the abattoir, sometimes as far as the capital Antananarivo. These “Malagasy cows” are one of the most identifiable symbols of Madagascar. They belong to the “Bara” tribe. The assessment of a Bara man is measured by the number of zebus he possesses. For him the zebu symbolizes beauty, strength, pride, fame, prestige, health, happiness and security. Often they are valued higher than one’s wife.

Divided in 15 lemur families that live in different territories, the Anja Reserve harbors 300 of these primates. By chance,

our visit falls on October 18th, 2011 – the day of our 27th anniversary of our epic journey. Is there a lovelier place to celebrate?

148  “I don’t let me disturb!”

149  “Riding on my mother’s

back is really comfortable”

150  “Oh boy! - two more

tourists are coming”

• Madagascar part 1: Tamatave-Andasibe (Lemurs)-Antananarivo-Antsirabe-Miandrivazo
• Madagascar part 3: Ambalavao-Isalo N.P.-Tuléar-Ranomafana (Lemurs)-R.N.7-Antananarivo
• Madagascar part 4: Antananarivo-Ankadibe (Lemurs)-Andasibe-Manambato-Foulpointe-Tamatave