Hi guys, I am back with the 2nd part of my blog on island Guadeloupe! Hope you all enjoy going through this.
With “http://www.talamanca.fr” I am whole day at sea and enjoying the special feeling of being on the sea. At 09:00 am I meet at the pier of the fishing harbor in the beautiful village of Deshaies on Basse-Terre. You should look at this little village one way or another during your stay on the green side of Guadeloupe. It is a very original, picturesque place with beautiful beaches, small market stalls and low traffic. To get some air and to relax a bit this is a truly predestined place. At the pier of the harbor, a captain’s captain takes you with a dingy, a small dinghy, and takes you a few yards out to the catamaran. From Deshaies, drive east to the Jacques Cousteau Reserve, where you can enjoy an excellent lunch. On the way there you have the possibility to dangle your soul in one of the four large nets of the catamaran and to look for sea turtles and flying fish. Maybe you can even see dolphins, who sometimes accompany sail boats stretch-wise. After two or three hours of sailing at the Island Pigdeon Island, you will be anchored and you can search the area around the catamaran for sea turtles with your own snorkel gear provided by the French captain.
For a long time you will not have to search, because sea grass grows everywhere at the anchorages of the boats, at the seabed. Quickly you see the large and quiet sea turtles grazing at the ground. A few meters further, at the edge of the rocks, you will find many corals and colorful coral fish. After the great encounter with the many marine inhabitants, it goes back to Deshaies. The captain and the crew are very nice and will gladly explain how to set the sails or how to maneuver the catamaran through the ocean for a few meters.
On the way back I had to rub my eyes for a moment, as suddenly a humpback whale shot out of the water. A truly sensational encounter, which will remain in my memory for a long time. From January to March, many whales are in front of Guadeloupe, and you are likely to see the giant giants in these months.
The concept includes a museum (indoor and outdoor areas), a gallery and a shop. Artists of Guadeloupe present their works there and some of the exhibits are also sold. The museum costs 2-3 € entrance and is a collection of historical objects. The explanations are in French and English. In the shop you will find works of art in every price class. There are festive and high quality beach towels, colorful wooden signs, jewelery made of paper, glass and other materials, bags and backpacks made of canvas and what else is the heart of the home.
I especially enjoyed the colors there, especially the great street art by the artist Yeswoo Dini, which is found outside the building. Also the building itself with the surrounding planting is a great pleasure for the eye.
Unfortunately, I did not manage to go into this, as I find, very important museum for time reasons. Embarrassed I must say that I really regret this because the history of slavery is illustrated. It is a Caribbean center of expression and remembrance of slavery and slavery, according to the museum about itself.
For fans of architecture, the building from 2015 is, of course, a compulsory visit.
Building:
The black box houses the permanent exhibition and represents the pedestal, which contains the treasure of knowledge of the past. The black granite cladding, traced by quartz chippings, recalls the millions of victims of slavery and slavery. The silver, filigree construction symbolizes root formation, which indicates both a search for the origins as well as a future-oriented dynamics. These roots give the building a puristic, dynamic and decidedly modern form, according to Mémorial ACTe. Cameras and mobile phones are not allowed in the museum, but can be locked at the cash desk in lockers. The compartments are directly in front of the cash desk and are therefore in constant observation.
Entrance fee: 15 €
Family pass: 45 €
– permanent exhibition on 1700 m2
– A room for temporary exhibitions on an area of 700 m2
And many more rooms to learn about the museum. In addition, there are interesting installations in front of the building, which also touch and encourage thought. This work of art is for example by the Dominican artist Tony Capella and is called Mar Invadido.
On Base-Terre, you will find the volcano La Soufrière, 1467 meters high, in the Guadeloupe National Park. It is the highest volcano in the Lesser Antilles and should be on your travel plan. There is a breathtaking landscape with lush green areas, rugged volcanic formations, extreme sulfur smell and many other unforgettable moments high above the clouds.
If you would like to see the volcano and the many fauna without many people, you should start the ascent early in the morning, around 05:00 and 05:30. Another positive side effect is that you can drive quite far with your car and even get a parking lot at the higher nature pool. Next you can not drive by car, it is the last possibility to park the car and from there the volcano to climb. Unfortunately, I did not start at about 11 o’clock at the nature pool, because by an incapable driver – he stayed on the road and refused to make room for other drivers – a very long queue up to the parking lot has formed and no car for a long time more up and down.
The ascent begins relatively harmless in the lush green and slowly increases a little bit more slowly. Even for inexperienced hikers the pensum is good to create. Normally you need about 3 hours for ascent and descent. A break still included. However, I took a lot of time, as I shot numerous photos on the way, recorded moving material and observed animals.
I spent some hours in the large area of La Soufriere. I had the great fortune – from rain over the sun to fog and cold – almost every possible weather. Be sure to pack longer clothing, firm footwear, suncream, hat, bathing for the pool, food and plenty of water and plastic bags for muddy and dirty clothes.
In these altitudes you have to expect weather fluctuations. If you do not want to go alone on the volcano, you can also go on a guided hike. Next, will upload the third and last part of my blog on Guadeloupe. I will start the next one from the cemetery “Morne-à-L’eau”. If you liked my blog, do write back to me. Till then, Have a nice day.