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 MARTINIQUE  DIARY  2

Photos  Map&Plan  Diary 1  2  3  4

               From Diary 1.
Day 4: I get to catch up on much needed sleep, and I am ready to leave the hostel at seven. The day will be spend on the north-western coast. The traffic is real intense, and again; piles up five kilometres outside Fort-de-France. I spend an hour on these five kilometres. 

On the other side, I start with Sacre Cæur de Balata, and its rather impressive basilica, located on a pointy hilltop. The sun comes an goes in seconds. And I get to explore the interesting wilderness, surrounding the area around the church, waiting for it and the camera to be turned on at the same time..

A bit further out the gorgeous N3 mountain road, I find Jardin de Balata – along with a lot others. Here are some great views to the surrounding pointy mountains, and 3000 species of plants - they claim. With the weed perhaps? Well, it is not a botanical garden, as the only name-tags are for the trails, canopy-walk and children's playground. However, it is truly a beautiful park, located on a hillside. I see the sceneries, do the treetop walk, enjoy the ponds and make a few photos of plants and animals. 

Close by, by a little mountain trail, I find the Cascade Absalon, deep down in a narrow gorge. The overgrown bridge and the share amount of greenery make is such a great area, and strangely enough, I have it to myself. Bit odd, after the packed park a kilometre away.

A further out the road, a national reserve is found behind Station Thermale d'Absalon, and it is truly amassing. I follow the creek deep into the jungle – till the sky opens. I think the area is used for gathering drinking water for Fort-de-France.

I head to lower grounds, along the coast, to find the sun. It is a bit drier, with Bursera, a few Agaves and Acacias, but still green. 

The car is thirty, the gasoline price close to Danish, while the car is quite demanding on these twisted and steep mountain roads. 

It is close to lunchtime, and I head for Bellefontaine, just to see it, and find lunch. It is a cosy little fishing hamlet, and I see it all. A large yellow-finned tuna is brought onto the pier, but the town have seen better days. I fail to even find a cup of coffee. 

Further up the coast, the larger Le Carbet is found. I first stop at the large Plage du Coin, which is a long line of palms, sand and fishing shags. 

Closer to Le Carbet, I park at the Reviere du Carbet, a large river. Then I raid the first patisserie I find: Not healthy, but tasty, and I get to share it with the local hen and chicks, patrolling the area under my table. It seems like I can’t shake the drizzle, but the sun is newer fare away. I have nothing special lined up here, and I just make a long loop. It is yet another low-key town, but still cosy. 

This is close to several other planned sights, but I save them for other days. At twelve, I have finished the planned tour for today.

In an effort to avoid the jammed traffic around Fort-de-France – and because I’m sure it will be great, I head home over the central mountains. It is, as anticipated, into the drizzle an rain, but I truly enjoy the drive. Well, till it is blocked, due to renovation. Back to the coast and then up the next, larger mountain road from Saint-Piere. It connect to the lovely D1, which I truly enjoy once again, despite the rather intense rain, from 300 to 660 meters. In Gros-Morne, the little Carrefour have it all, from champagne to chicken food, but I only need milk and breakfast along with some taste for my supper.

I’m home just after four, hoping for better weather forwards. At least Yr.No predicts it, although every day has rain on the program, and the predictions around here are unreliable at best. Yet another el Nino year; the third in row, I hear.
I spend some of the evening drinking supper with Rudolf; local smoothly rhum and mango juice. The numerous lightning bugs lighten up the trees, while several species of bats hunts. Highlights     All photos

Day 5: I share my breakfast with one of the numerous black Lesser Antillean Bullfinch; Loxigilla noctis. The day is all about the south-eastern coast, although I only have three towns as waypoints, no actually sights. This area is slightly drier, but still completely green. The first stop is in Le François, a fairly big town. To judge from the church and hotel, it once was. Well, the church have recently been expanded, and that is a new thing for me to see. 

I follow the main street, doing some alleys as well. In one, I find the iconic photo for these old colonial towns: An old wooden shack without any paint left, and a the biggest BMW, I’ve ever seen. 

I turn around at the mangrove river. Not much is happening anywhere, this early Saturday morning. I find a cup of coffee, but as usually, milk is not an option. I find the coast outside town, at the marina. Or rather; fishing port. It ends at a rocky beach, with a few shells. The rain starts, and I head on.

Further down the coast, Le Vauclin is another bigger old port town. The rain and drizzle is quite persistent, all the way. However, the sun breaks through, as I park the car. Unfortunately not that reliable, and my photos are suffering from the lack of light. 

I follow the low-key main-street down to the water. Besides from sand and seaweed, here are numerous shells and huge conks. 
I follow the baguettes back to the patisserie, and stock lunch. Pass the river mouth and through the back alleys. Then the rain pickup, and due to the wind, I have to seek shelter. When it clears a bit, I seek back to the car. I would have enjoyed the town more, on a sunny day. 

In an effort to find that, I head across the peninsular to Le Marin. Here are quite some Indian oxen, on the way up the 130 meter high hills. And the other side do have glimpses of sun – but everything is still soaked, me included. 

I park at the impressive marina: the biggest in the Caribbean, and walk towards the centre. The first I meet, is the market, although made for the many sailors. I settle for a coffee and a pate banana at the local bakery. 

It is strange, how the town right next to the huge and fancy marina, is worn down. The recent hundreds of years have taken their tow in the paint and plaster. While I wait for the sun, I have an interesting chat with a young boat-hitchhiking English doctor. Another loop around the tree streets that make up the old town, and I have completed the planned sights if the day. 

But now, the sun is really bright, and I head a bit further down to the southern beach, Grande Anse des Salines. The sky open near bye, and I stay put in the car for a few minutes. It is truly a iconic Caribbean beach, with only a few guests on the one kilometre golden sand. I do a walk on the beach and in the mainly flame-tree forest behind. Further in, the cattle land starts. I do see quite some birds all the time; pigeons, mockingbirds, hummingbirds, starlings, finches, cattle egrets, pelicans, falcons, frigate-birds – and the fast and unknown. Here are a few real colourful anoles, but I fail to get a proper photo. 

My last sight in this area is Savanna of Petrifications, which I’ve been looking forward for, as it is desert like – they claim. What I thought was the “entrance”, turns out be be a huge vegetable farm, and they do not appreciate guests. A big loop around town leads me into a real long and shitty rocky and partly flooded road. Just as I’m about to give up, a guy in a little shed, charge me €3 for the last kilometre or so to Anse Trabaud.

From here, a flooded trail leads out through the mangrove, and then the endless white beach. I follow it for some time, then continues in the forest. Here are land-crabs and traps for them, along with large hermit-crabs.
After some muddy kilometres, not saying “desert” at all, I reach some coastal cliffs and Savanna of Petrifications. Then a gravel desert reveals itself, with scattered Cereus cacti. It have gotten quite some rain, but compared to anything else, this, the most southern coast, is actually a desert. 

It is getting late, and I start the long walk back to the car, and then the drive home. I reach it at dusk, a bit worn down.   Highlights     All photos

Day 6: The day will be spend in the north. First through the central mountains. I’ve been looking forward for Route de la Trace, the scenic N3 to Mont Pelee. It is a perfect sunny day, and the first bit is by the lively N4. It is a green tunnel with some awesome views to valleys, banana plantations, rivers and nature in general. I have to control my eager trigger finger! I pass some tiny villages and a single larger town.
At some point, the GPS leads me to the button of a staircase, and it is clear the car and GPS are not in tune. I get to drive a lot on the tiny trails on the mountains, before I connect to N3 at the basilica.

It is a good two lane road, twisting it’s way up the mountains. I do many photo-stops, and a long hike, along some creeks. It is next to Cascades de l'Alma but I don't see them. I walk along the river on the other side, and I actually think; this is the most beautiful rainforest - and even nature in general, I’ve ever walked. It is so lush, way down to the ground. So many species from tiny mosses, to giants trees. I leave, with way too many photos and videos, but also an experience for life. 

I stop to gain strength in little Fond Marie-Reine, where the bar owner share his instant coffee and raisin role. 

I then pass over 500 meters, then head downwards on N2, to the western coast. The landscape is more open, and here is more farming. The GPS has some odd but nice shortcuts, and I just enjoy them - more than the car. 

The beach i reach is made up by small rocks and pebble. Quite some look like pumice stone, but don’t float. I bring back a small one, for my lava aquarium. I make a lunch-break in little Preacher at noon, where the café offers a half delicious baguette with vegetables. I watch the beach and frigate birds, while I eat, and enjoy today’s constantly sun. 

At the end of the real twisted coastal road, a tiny road leads towards Cascade de la rivière Couleuvre. Cars are parked in any possible place, the last two kilometres, but I’m in luck, and wait ten seconds to get the space, next to the trail head. 

But there are still 1600 meters of real challenging rock-hopping, to the falls. It is in a dense forest, but besides from a few huge trees and giant lianas, I don't see much interesting. The forest floor is almost barren, and real muddy. The challenging trail follows, and cross a little creek, multiple times, and that is the fall’s creek. 

After an hour of demanding hopping, the falls reveals themselves. And they are sure the struggle worth. I try to frame them with my camera – and fails. It is after all 120 meters high. Here are quite some locals on this Sunday, and they have set the day off for it. Me, on the other hand, did plan to do a four hour hike at Mont Pelee as well.

It is a great day for it, but the road from this side, is closed. An alternative single lane concrete trail leads five kilometres up the mountain, but I fail to find a trail from here, despite the peak is only a kilometre away. The concrete trail is covered in algae, mosses and vegetation in general. I see two cows, and someone might live up here. I don’t have the time to try from the other side, it will be one of these days. 

I set the GPS for home, and chose the eastern coastal road, instead  of the central mountains. Well, I have to cross the mountains to get there, and the northern mountains are always a treat. Home by five, with 426 photos and quite some videos, to prove what a fantastic day it have been. 
 Highlights     All photos
               Then I continue in Diary 3.

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