So long and thanks for all the fish...

Today I decided to say goodbye to Facebook.  It is a scary and yet completely freeing feeling at the same time.  I eagerly await to see what I will be able to do with all the time that I used to scroll down posts of people who are really not my friends, but somehow through virtual reality we know way too much of each other's lives (this is not saying that some of my best friends are not on Facebook, but we actually have real conversations in the real world).

Here are some of the reasons that fueled my decision:  

• First thing in the morning I used to wake up and think about the new day and what it will hold for me and thank God.  Now I scroll through posts to see what is new in other people's lives. 
• I used to love reading and writing poetry, now I watch videos of dogs and cats and other ridiculous things.  
• I hear way too many opinions of people who really don't understand things or care to understand things, but Facebook gives them a voice, so why not use it. 
• I started linking my self-worth to the amount of likes my photos of posts get instead of finding it in the right places (again, in the real world).  
• I am really tired of this "virtual fairytale" many people potrait their lives to be (me included I am sure).  We are not real enough on Facebook, because we are scared to be judged.  And in this very judgy world, I can't blame people.  But life is not always happy even though we only share the happy moments on Facebook.  And I think I can find more joy around me than trying to find it in other people's "happy moments".  
• I am so scared that someday something wonderful will happen (or perhaps already happened) and I missed it, because I was looking at my phone instead of the world around me...

Port Louis

I am finding more and more that the things that bring me real joy has nothing to do with money... And I admit that often I am more fortunate than others in many ways, but I think that if I wasn't able to find joy in the small things, then the big things would not have impressed me.

Port Louis is  not for the faint-hearted, or for those who prefer luxury and comfort. And I am in love with this crazy and energetic city that is the heart of Mauritius.  Find some more information about it here.

So with my sister visiting, and her being stuck at home with me and a tiny baby on her previous visit, we decided to tackle this crazy city.

Things you need when you are going to Port Louis:

• Comfortable shoes 
• A ton of energy 
• Your camera to capture the craziness 
• Negotiating skills (or a very good escape plan) for the market
• Time to explore 
• An adventurous appetite 
• Probably some sun-tan lotion on a normal summer day (as Port Louis always feel  a few degrees hotter than the rest of the island).

We took the local red-devil Triolet bus (the signs on the road doesn't say "Drive like hell and you will end up there" for nothing) to make the experience more authentic, although to be perfectly honest, the express bus is not as adventurous as the normal bus would have been (but does save about an hour on travelling time).  

We got of at the bus station and found our way out of there with some help (it is a very big bus station) and instantly discovered a market I didn't even know of before (and I've been to Port Louis quite a few times).  

I loved this market, being much more chilled than the regular (bigger) market and the people much less forceful in trying to sell their goods to you.  

First, I bought a few quail eggs from this old lady.  I had no idea what to do with them, but there she was sitting and selling only her handful off eggs for 5 rupees each. So having a soft spot for older people I bought a few. Thank goodness she put them in a plastic bag because they got crushed in my bag.  I do plan to buy them again in the future and then I will find a recipe to use them as I have heard they are actually quite healthy and nutritious. 

Next up I bought some Chinese potatoes (allegedly - I cannot find any pictures of these specific ones on the internet, so maybe I misunderstood what I was buying) which you can apparently peal and eat raw.  I did not like the taste - a bit like raw potato.  But I am sure one of my local friends will be able to tell me what to do with it.  I did buy three for 8 rupees, so it is a bargain I guess.  

My sister being a bit of an apple-addict immediately spotted some delicious apples which served as our snacks and which were much cheaper than the ones I usually find in the supermarkets in Grand Baie.

Here are some more pics of this beautiful little market we discovered...

Market days can be tiring

Yummy veggies 

And in case you run out of underwear... 

The lastest fashion - Baymax Bags and with me and my husband's favourite line from the movie... 

(fist bump - ba lala lala)

So tiny market done and dusted, we moved on to the big market.  The one where you need the following skills: 

• The ability to negotiate for a price, usually on a calculator. 
• The ability to say no (sometimes it might be necessary to say this a hundred times, sometimes you just need to start walking away from the too-eager seller) 
• Patience... Walk around a bit, compare prices at different shops and mostly smile and wave at all the people trying to convince you their shop is better.  

This time I didn't go to buy anything from the food or anything-you-can-think-of-to-buy section. We went to the food court where the smells are like everything in Port Louis - overwhelming, but inviting you to come in and have a taste... I always stop here to have a glass of this delicious drink called Alouda Pillay (which is like the Mauritian version of a milkshake I guess).  I never drink milkshake, so this is probably my diary intake for the next few months.  It consists of milk and Basil seeds and some flavouring, and often a scoop of ice-cream (you can read more about it here).  Again the competition is wild and there are many "Pillay Sellers" trying to convince you there mix is the best, but my personal favourite is just around the corner of the seller actually voted best in Mauritius (according t the certificate above their stand ) which taste like condensed milk and a sip of heaven.  

This guy took his job very seriously and he looked like a professional cocktail mixer, which just added to the excitement of the tasting to come.  

Delicious!! 

After this we made a quick stop at the veggie section, mostly for admiring the vegetable art works and the wonderful explosion of colours and scents...  

One of the things that I love most about Port Louis is the "old city" feeling you get while walking and driving through the streets.  There are all these beautiful buildings, which other people might see as dirty and run-down, but that I find just beautiful and vintage enough to make me wander back in time with every step I take.  And then combined with this rustic look, colourful splashes catch your eye everywhere,  with brightly painted walls and grafitti, and people selling their goods on all the street corners.

Beautiful in blue...

 (contrasted with beauty is unfortunately a lot of rubble) 

Colourful shoes hanging from a stand... 

These colourful notes were hanging on a tree branch inside a little Catholic church.  The writing was in French/Kreole, but what I could figure out with my limited  French is that it was notes of happiness/thankfulness...

Some interesting graffiti can be found in these streets... 

Love this shop's name and the colour blocking  (pun intended)... 

Some touches of yellow to brighten grey days...

One of my favourite photos of the day:  the old together with the new in the back and then the beautiful sky adding some colour... 

There are enough coloured walls in Port Louis to match any outfit of the day... 

My other favourite thing to do in Port Louis is people watching.  The variety (and quantity!) of people seen in the city can provide you with hours of entertainment and if you are like me, musings about the lives and  the joys and sorrows of those souls around us... 

This guy was playing some music and we sat on the stairs and listened to him for a bit.  

This gentleman was not happy about the change I put in the musician's hat and the fact that I then didn't have any change left for him... 

This little guy seems to have it all figured out at a very young age :) He also looks like he might be the lost Mauritian Beckham child.  

Chilling over lunchtime on the steps of the Postal Museum... 

(by the way the Postal Museum is apparently really worth a visit, but was unfortunately closed when we arrived.  We also discovered a Shell Museum  which looked very interesting, but was also already closed... So if you are into museums, check out the links before you visit. 

This photo doesn't do enough justice off the craziness of the streets of Port Louis, so just take my word... It is crazy!

Bus drivers taking a break at the main bus terminal.

Even though we did not sit down for lunch on this trip (had a big brunch at home and packed lots of snacks) there are plenty of spots to find tasty lunch.  Besides the street food, which come in little cabinets (think mini fridges) and includes all the classics like Roti, a very tasty pancake like snack filled with the filling of your choice (I love the veggie filling with butter beans and a tomato or pumpkin sauce), or Dal Puri which is very similar to Roti, but with the added taste of split peas in the flour.  Or you can find a filled sandwich at the vendors where they cook the meat in a kebab style (the smells are amazing) or the smaller snacks like gateau piment (little chilli cakes), samosas etc.  There is just so much variety.  For a bigger meal, the Biryani cafe at the back of the big market (ask around and you will be pointed in the right direction) is amazing and if you feel brave you can sit inside the cafe (at the smallest table with two or three chairs) for a real authentic experience.  Remember to then drink water out of a bottle with your lunch like all the Mauritians do. If this is not your scene, China Town is filled with lots of restaurants selling amazing Chinese food at real affordable prices.  

After hours of exploring the city, usually with no coffee (it is very hot in Port Louis and there are not a huge variety of coffee shops - well not in the traditional sense of the word), I usually like to feel "civilised" again and have a coffee at the definitely overpriced waterfront. The view is amazing and you can sip on your cup of coffee while thinking back on your adventures and looking at all your cheap finds of the day...  

Beautiful views at the Waterfront 

Love how this juice bar uses the fresh fruit as decoration...

One of my favourite things of the Waterfront... walking under these colourful umbrellas.

We ended off the day with coffee and macaroons at Arabia Gourmet Cafe and then headed back to the North. (Be sure to get an instant souvenir pic at Makadam Phylozophy, with his little stand at the beginning of the umbrella street.  And check out his work on Facebook here.)

That's all on our Port Louis adventures for now.  What a crazy, colourful place indeed... 

Finding inspiration...

The other night my husband and I were talking about people who inspire us (occasionally we talk about things other than our toddler). I loved my husband's answers and I love that we can still surprise each other, even though we know one other so well. But our conversation made me want to write a tribute to a special lady.  

Obviously the normal names came to my mind... Martin Luther Jr King for his ability to lead (especially after watching Selma recently), Nelson Mandela for his ability to forgive, my mom for her ability to love and Jesus for His love, grace, and changing the world.  But then I thought of someone else who has been an inspiration to me.  She is not known by many people and she never will be, but I think she is an inspirational woman and she touches our family's lives in many ways.

Sunita first came to our house about 3 years ago.  I just had an interview with another cleaning lady with really strict eyes and I was supposed to talk to her about her salary (which I am horrible at), and she convinced me what I was offering (more than the recommended salary) was not good enough for her.  I was about to give in and offer her more money because somehow I always feel guilty about everything (like being more fortunate than some people and actually being able to have someone who can help me clean), but my husband kindly reminded me that we had agreed on the salary for a reason.  Then I met Sunita and I immediately knew she was the right person.  She had such kind eyes and she was so happy to find someone to work for as she has been struggling for a while to get a job. 

So for the past three years I have gotten to know this remarkable woman.  Someone who is so much less fortunate than me but always comes to work with a beautiful smile, caring about what is going on in my life, worrying if I look tired, or if I am eating enough, always asking how each and every member of my (very large) family is doing, and since a year ago always ecstatically happy to see Xander and singing to him and chatting to him as if he is the only person in the room. 

She has so little and yet once a week she brings something for us, from her garden or that she found at the market and that she knows Xander will enjoy.  She buys little gifts for my family when they come and visit and she loves to surprise me and my husband with a thoughtful gift for Christmas, or just because.  

I know her life is not easy, and she has shared some of her problems with me and I have seen her tears.  But never once has it effected her joyful nature at work, her (almost too loud) singing, which Xander loves and how she cares about me and Jaco and wanting to help us in any way possible.  

She cleans our home and she helps me take care of my little boy every now and then, and she is so proud of her work and she does it to the best of her abilities.  Her skills might not be valued enough in this screwed up world and its estimation of success and rankings of people.  But to me she is a real inspiration of someone who is making the most of the life God has given to her, who can stay joyful no matter what the circumstances are and who always put others' needs in front of her own.  

I hope to be more like her when I grow up...