Since the French rule till the British Colony there has been quite some very strong and exemplary Churches built throughout the island, and these structures, till now, are as dominantly eye-catching in wherever region they are found. We have wandered around the island to archive them where possible. This article is NOT MEANT FOR ANY …
Built in 1934, the Tamarin steel Bridge is inevitable for anyone trying to reach the village of Tamarin from the north entrance. This iconic bridge crosses the Tamarin River and is approximately 50 meters in length. The bridge is quite narrow somehow and vehicles above 10 tons are not permitted over it. Quite similar to …
Nearly completely disappeared, the ox-cart was once very much used in Mauritius for the transport of sugar cane from the fields to the factories during the cane harvest seasons. Whilst motorised vehicles wasn’t yet available, the few alternatives remained the ox-cart and the railways back in the days. Farmers raised oxes and the animals were …
This part of history is somewhat unfamiliar, but during the second World War (1939 – 1945), the No. 174 (Mauritius) Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a fighter-bomber unit in World War II. The squadron formed on the 2nd March 1942 at RAF Manston and equipped with Hurricanes and then rocket armed Typhoons in April 1943. It was involved in attacks on shipping and V-1 flying …
Desforges Street in Port Louis, named after Governor Antoine Marie Desforges Boucher (1759 – 1767) who opened this road to traffic somewhere around 1765, is now mostly known as SSR (Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam) Street, named after the father of the nation. Somehow, even this change of name, old habits remain and the street is still very much …
Most of us must have certainly heard about ‘Canal Dayot’ at Grand River North West, and this region at the suburb of Port Louis became even more popular during the flash flood of the 30th March 2013 where the water level rose so fast and high in only a few hours that many surrounding habitants …
It is quite rare to see such a scene where most of this part of Quatre Bornes isn’t much occupied, noticing the right part being most of bushes and trees, and this same view today will be all concrete everywhere. The wall on the left still exist and is very often sponsored by Paint Companies …
For those who have been able to enjoy Port Louis in the 1970s will certainly remember this scene, when a lot of those old buildings still stood. On the bottom right we have the Port Louis Town Hall (the new one actually) and the Municipal Theatre on the bottom left. In front of the Town …
The history of Champ de Mars goes back since the times of Mahé de La Bourdonnais during which the french were still occupying the island, Isle de France, then. Mahé de La Bourdonnais chose this area as a training ground for field manoeuvres for his soldiers. The training exercises were performed each Sunday, and each …
The Merven Building, from the Merven Brothers, laid its first stone in April 1950. Back in 1939, due to the success of similar apartment buildings being constructed (one opposite the Ritz Cinema, and the other near the St Therese Church) the Merven brothers seized the opportunity and purchased this plot of land from the property …
Found in the very heart of Mauritius, in Moka, Eureka is the ideal place to enjoy the inland beauty of the island. Behind ‘La Maison Créole’, colonial house converted into a museum and the picturesque green surroundings. The house was built by Mr. Carr, a british notable who wanted to be nearer to ‘Le Réduit’ …
The Port Louis Municipal Theatre is one of the oldest theatres and playhouses of the southern hemisphere. Talking about the history behind, Joseph Laglaine, health officer on board a french warship, was the first who thought of bringing a troupe to perform in Mauritius, at that time, Isle de France. The troupe landed in Port …
Found at the suburb of Port Louis and at the foot of the Port Louis/Moka Mountain Range, Vallée des Prêtres is a residential area which has evolved quite a lot. It is a well surrounded area and is englobed by the Pieter Both mountain, Le Pouce mountain, the Paul & Virginie mountain, and ‘la montagne …
Around the years 1860, the transport of passengers as well as goods was undertaken by some 2000 horses, 4000 mules and 4500 carriages. With the increasing population and the higher necessity for inland transport, the railways were introduced and in 1864 the first line serving Port Louis towards the north of the island to the …
When talking about the Special Mobile Force (SMF) of Mauritius, the first picture that comes to our mind is the Mauritian Army and the Mauritius Police, and their roles? Defend the country primarily and provide support in any activity deemed helpful towards the society. Well, this social and patriotic duty was not only meant to …
This year (2014) Eid-Ul-Fitr (Eid) in Mauritius is being celebrated on the 29th of July, marking the end of the Ramadan period. Normally this depends on the visibility of the moon but since the visibility and celebration was already confirmed in Saudi Arabia, it is automatically confirmed for the others as well. This can be …
This is somewhat rare to see the Plaisance Airport but rather its surroundings instead of just the main building or with the planes. At that time there wasn’t yet a cafeteria at the Airport and hawkers found a good way to earn a living by offering snacks for sale in its close vicinity. A first …
Back in March 1972, Mauritius received the visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. While this was indeed a very special event, everything was highly organized that this 3-days tour of Her Majesty was memorable. The Queen was accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh and arrived from their previous visit, the Seychelles. The Royal Yatch …
Dealing with narcotics is a serious offence nearly everywhere in the world, even though some of its milder category have been legalized in some countries. In Mauritius, illegal cultivation of these plants are still being practised secretly and very often we hear in the news how the Police or Special Mobile Force (SMF) have uprooted …
As written about quite recently, the months of June to December are the Sugar Cane Harvest season in Mauritius and around the island we will certainly spot both mechanical and manual harvesting of cane. Depending on the owners and facilities at their disposition, some would still employ manual workers who will be present very early …