French
   GUADELOUPE    DIARY  4

In an effort to see something new on the way, I head through Pointe-à-Pitre. Here is a bit of traffic, but it moves. 
Then I find a patchwork of minor roads through the central hills. It is a real nice area, with so much green nature, but below 100 meters height. I pullover at Moulin de Surgy once more, and fail to get a good picture of this intact and nice looking windmill, once more. 

I reach Pointe de la Saline at nine, and start with some of the beaches. Some have coral rocks, some white sand. All look great. 

Then I find the large leisure port, with a bit of fishing as well. The fish-market is open, but the guy in a shelter, have most of the customers. Most of the town is fairly modern, and not that interesting to me. The market is big and new, with only things for tourists. I make a huge loop in the town, just to be sure I don’t miss anything. I get a black coffee and a Guava cake at the bakery, but despite my efforts, I fail to share it with the hens. Daft little buggers. 

I stop at Pointe- and Plage de la Saline, which is another type if beach. It is made up by bright white, fist-sized coral rocks, and it is the surfers stronghold. 

Sainte-Anne is still a nice town, and I pull over, as I pass, and it is lunchtime. Due to the towns long and perfect beach, it is packed as usual. I park a bit in the back, and walk through the cosy alleys, then through the tourist marked to the beachfront. I find half a baguette with cheese but no vegetables, at a bakery. These baguette-shops are without any doubt the most popular shops in Guadeloupe and Martinique. Always full, most with a dedicated entrance and exit.

I walk part of the beach, and have my swimsuit on, and although I don’t feel like leaving my belongings unattended – and the car is to far away, I go for a swim. This blue lagoon is just too tempting. 

Next stop is at another beach; Les Deux Oursins. I follow a trail on the cliffs to Plage de Petit-Havre. Some of the way is in the forest with huge Bursera trees, other on an exposed grassland. Here is a single local family, a few local iguana, and I’m pretty sure, I see a small skink among the coral rocks on the beach. 

On the other side, Anse Patate is another perfect white beach with two local families. They have to share with me, although I’m pretty sure, I got sun enough for one day. 

That won’t stop me from stopping at the next beach; Saints Felix with both beach, port and mangrove. I stick to hiking this time, starting at the fishing port, passing one of several beaches and then limestone cliffs. 

The trail continues into the grassland with cattle and the most beautiful little lake. A big old tree, the sea and green grass allied the pond with water-lilies and a few floating plants. Then I get to the mangrove and yet one more beach. Great walk in nice surroundings. 

The traffic is a bit slow around PaP, but I make it home before dusk. My anole have a visit from a girlfriend this evening. Highlights   All the better photos.

Day 10. I have made up some points, to fill the day. Some are new and wild guesses, other favourites from earlier on, in the north of Basse-Terre. I start in the big town of Baie-Mahault. Or rather; large village. Here is a modern church and the usual centenary. Then a harbour with a few small fishing vessels. I zigzag up through town, but the motives are far apart. 

Then I try nearby Lamentin. It is pretty much the same, except I drive down to the harbour, which might be Blachon. It is tiny, squeezed into the mangrove. I get close to one on the islands many mongooses and a blue hummingbird, but fail to get a proper photo – again. I soon head on, but make a stop at Grande Riviere ‘a Goyaves. It is a huge river, aliened with large trees. 

The next town is Sainte-Rose, and it have more of everything, including a three kilometres line of hardly-moving cars, going out of town. I park central, and start at the bakery. For once, I get quite some coffee and milk in the cup, and with a large raisin-roll, I still have to pay only €3,70, less than many of the coffee-shots I have bought. 

It is a fairly new town, but nice. The shops are mixed with domestic houses, the streets real wide, the buildings low and here are large king-palms and some huge trees in the light-filled streets. 

The large harbour is found some distance out of town. It is mainly small fishing vessels, but a lot of them. Some can be chartered for fishing trips. A bit inland, a long line of fish- and lobster restaurants are found. Along the pier, fish and lobsters are cleaned and sold, the brown pelicans well fed. 

Back in town, I see some parts again, and the huge cane- tractors, crossing town within the centre. I find a bowl of salad and pasta at a bakery for lunch. The sun have vanished, and a few wind-tears drops. After a cup of coffee at the first bakery, I head on, although I doubt the weather will improve. Well, I get to leave the rain behind the 230 meter mountains, but the sun is still absent.

I have explored the entire northern part of Basse-Terre, but return to two favourites places on the west-coast – this time with swimming gear. The first is La Plage de Grande Anse, with its golden beach and forest – and a lot of cars, this Friday afternoon. I just head on to the quite little but cosy Deshaies town. Today, the Le Madras restaurant is open, and I get a coffee and a photo at the TV-series scene. Somehow, they have managed to do absolutely nothing about it. It is just one of several restaurants along the waterfront. Like the others, their terrace covers some of the else so fine, light grey sand. I feel a bit odd, going swimming under dining costumes, and skip it.  

I try another beach, but then settle for little Plage de Leroux. Perfect sandy beach, and some huge swells from time to time. I got sand everywhere, when I leave after an hour and a half. 

I kind of knew I would fail to talk myself into the drive back through the intense traffic to Le Gosier town, night-market or not. But I have a night-market right at my roundabout at the main road. Plenty of vegetables and fruits, spiced rhum, plants, spices and slightly cremated animal parts. I get home in time to the big anole show, taking place at dusk on my porch.   Highlights   All the better photos.

Day 11. I shift around on the days for good weather – although the forecasts are unreliable at best. The southern heights if Basse-Terre should be dry until one, then get a tiny bit of drizzle. 

It is sunny all the way up to the entrance of Chute du Carbet 2&1. I really enjoy the drive in the open farmland and then through the forest. I get an easy introduction in German, pay my entrance and start the two hour trail. After half an hour and a few hundreds photos, a branch leads of to fall number two. It is really impressive, and I’m game for number one. The rain is too, it seems, and that does make the rough trail somewhat more challenging. I still make way too many photos, but it is some fantastic nature. 

When I finally reach fall number one, after 2,5 km in 850 meters height, the top is covered in clouds. I wait quite some time, and get a few glimpses. Then the rain returns, and I swim down again. I start meeting young people on the track, none more then half my age. 

It have been a hard three hours track, and I so much deserve the heavily overpriced coffee and chocolate croissant. It take some effort to keep it to myself, as the local starlings and finches are spoiled. 

I still try to figure this French logic: The first fall you meet, is The Second, and it contains of one fall. The second fall you reach is The First, and it contains two falls. Did not make more sense, explained in German. 

A shower passes down here at 600 meters height, and my next planned sight: La Grande Soufriére, a three hour mountain hike, don’t seem that attractive at present. Nor does Les Chutes du Carbet, a 100 meter fall, three hours out in the rainforest. 

Instead, I try my luck in Trois-Rivieres, a coastal town, which had rain last I was there. Well, when the rain stops. I have just dried up, and like to keep that way. 

Trois-Rivieres still look like trash, despite the sun. I get stubborn, and find a place to park “near” the harbour. I have passes 1000s of parked cars, and the pier have a 1000 more. I figure it must be something amazing, but here are three empty restaurants, four boats and a boulder pier. Guess everyone have gone somewhere else by one of the many small ferries, like the two small islands in the bay.

I grab a sandwich and a coffee, before I give up.

I check the beach in Bananier, as I pass it. It is still  a nice black sand beach, but the waves bring in a lot of sand. I try Plage de Roseau, and it is way more like it. Several coves, made by boulders, make some clear water, and I enjoy it for an hour, along with four locals. 

Then I head home to Petit-Bourg, which I must see one day anyway. It is small and really not that interesting. They have a huge snail-encasing on the square, a few shops and some old houses. I get home a bit early.  Highlights   All the better photos.
               And then into the next page; Diary 5.