French
 MARTINIQUE   DIARY  3

                From Diary 2.
Day 7: It is  a gloomy morning, but I head back to the south-western peninsular, this time to see another mangrove. To avoid the traffic jam at the airport, I do it by minor roads, in the hills. It might take the same time, but it is through beautiful nature all the way.

Well, the drizzle is persisting, and I only get a few glimpse of sun, before I reach La mangrove de la Baie de Génipa. It is way out in the cane fields, by a real bad farmer’s road. The drizzle is back, but I do a walk on the beekeeper’s trail. It is mangrove, but besides from the hundreds of beehives, I see nothing interesting. Well, a few minute toads, resembling raindrops, and just as fast.  

Then I try Rivière-Salée, just to see it. It is a cosy little town, with with some shops, of which far the better part are selling women’s colourful dresses. I manages to find coffee, and settles for that. 
Like so many other places, here are a mix of the old wooden houses and newer concrete ones, lacking half the paint. The shops are scattered around a large area, and I see most, as the sun has returned. 

Then I head on to the nearby Village de la Poterie. It is a old and huge brick factory, made into a real nice tourist trap. Here are actually several artists, working with clay. But also colourful soap, clothing, jewellery, cocks and restaurants. It is at the mangrove, which look perfect here. I see it all, and head on. 

A pit stop at a Carrefour, for bananas and pastries, then out on the peninsular, once more. I find a spot for the car, right next to Anse Dufour. I really can’t figure why people park a kilometre away. Well, might be caused by the lack of talent and insurance?

I start with lunch in the car, before I hit the beach. It is a golden beach without any shells, but clear blue water and quite some guests. Then I walk the 160 meters to Anse Noire, which have black sand, and only a few guests. 

I head back to Les Trois-Îlets, which has a huge old town centre, with so many wooden houses. I find a cup of coffee, on the way to the harbour.
My last planned site is Sainte-Luce, just to see it. It have a white beach with fishermen and a street with their bars. Not that exiting at all. 

I set the GPS for the route home, through the central: 40 kilometres, three hours. That must be interesting! Well, after 10 kilometres on a ridge among scattered houses, I chose the slightly bigger road home.  Highlights   All photos

Day 8: It seems like I have prepared an easy day for myself. Only the nearby peninsula: Presqu'Île Caravelle, for some tracking. We got some real heavy rain during the night, and lighter ones in the morning: I get a slow start. 
The peninsular I live on, has quite some cane and hilly cattle-land, with scattered trees. I find the lovely golden beach Plage du Ponton in Tartane, and make a stroll. Here are small fishing boats, but hardly any people. Well, the rain starts, my flip-flop dies after so many tours since South Korea in 2023:197 days of travelling and misuse, and I figure, it might be the right day for the capital after all.
The rain almost don’t make over the mountains, but the roads are still wet. 

Fort-de-France is absolutely adorable! I park in the centre of the old town, and it is a true treat. I slowly find my way to the large market; Grand Marché, based on tourists these days. But here are just so many motives on the way – although I could do without the cars in front of these lovely old houses. 

Catthédrale St-Louis is real nice and might be made of wood as well, with an iron skeleton? A light drizzle starts, as I reach the large park – or lake; La Savane, and I get a coffee. 

Then I pass Bibliothéque Schoelcher, a great looking building, and it still holds books. Unfortunately, the sky opens, and I get an early lunch, right next to it. A foot of baguette with vegetables and cheese. The sun is back, long before I have finished it.
Close by, Fort St-Louis sits at the beach. A cats&dogs minute, and I seek back into the old town. 

A friendly shopkeeper, selling crappy thongs, direct me to the Havaianas shop, and then I'm ready for new adventures. I do some interesting loops on my way to Marche aux Fruits et Légumes, the nearly closed fish-market. 

Centre des Métiers d'Art is nothing interesting, but a few cafes. The old town, on the other hand, keep on revealing new motives. I sit out another drizzle at a café/women’s wear/liquor shop. 

It is only two o'clock, but I am afraid, I got photos enough. I pass Plage de Madiana, a nice little grey beach. Strangely enough, here are only a handful visitors. Well, and more greenish iguanas on the sunny lawn. I hope it is the native Lesser Antillean Iguana; Iguana delicatissima.

I still have hours of daylight, and those the mountain roads home, through Gros-Morne, just to see it. The GPS has a shortcut , which is by some minor roads. And a large river actually. The huge fig trees, aliening the river have aerial roots, and it is such a great location. 

Gros-Morne is a fast experience, and I doubt the sun would have helped. It seems to consist of only two streets, despite the name. The name actually indicates it is found on a big pointy hill, not that the town is large. I shop in their supermarket, among champagne and chicken pills, and head home in a light drizzle. 

After dark, the lightning bugs and an even bigger Tokay gecko share our kitchen.
  Highlights   All photos

Day 9: Once again, I head out the little mountain road D1. The first few kilometres are through scattered settlement, the it turns into nature. The narrow road is a tunnel through the greenery, made up by so many species. Orchids, flowering trees, a wide range of ferns, bromeliads and countless other plant species. 

Time and time again, the road crosses a ravine, and the view to the lowlands are fantastic. I hear a lot of birds, but only see a few. Here are some anoles and orange butterflies. 
I ditch the car many times, and do walks along the road. A single trail leads way in through the jungle, but it suddenly turns dark due to the clouds. I just make it back to the car, just before the heavy rain starts. This is around 650 meters height, and the weather changes often and fast. 

I get close to Le Domaine d'Emeraude, a flower reserve, and have to check it out. The rain and entrance fee for an area like the one I have driven all day, leave me with a cup of coffee. I get company by the female finch from the black Bullfinch, I share breakfast with. 

Then it is back to D1, with a stop in every possible dry place. Once at Cascade Saut-Gendarme, a nice little waterfall. The fish are hand size, the orchids thumb-sized. 

Close by, a little road leads into the greenery and right through the same creek. Unfortunately, the sky opens, and I get to have a banana-break for some minutes.
Then I give up, and unfold the umbrella. The trail (or creek) leads way into the jungle, and I follow it for a long time, rain or not. It is a great walk, despite the lack of photo-options. 

I then follow D1 all the way out to the coast at Saint-Pierre and it’s Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral. A real impressive church, considered the shags and old buildings it is found among.
I see the area and the perfect and total vacant beach. Then I do the rest of the town. There are a few tourists along the beach promenade in the centre, that’s all.

Next up, and close by, is ZOO Martinique found among old ruins. It is actually a nice park with a few, green cages and a few animals, I have seen in the wild. I just enjoy the setting among the old ruins, the plants and peace. I think, we are less than ten guests here this afternoon. 

I cross over the mountains near Mount Pelee, but despite it looked so sunny from below, it is covered in clouds and rain, where I wanted to explore it. It head in towards the north-eastern coast, and do some photo stops at rivers and beaches. Back at home at five, after yet another great day. 
 Highlights.     All photos

Day 10: My original plan have slided a bit, and I only have a few new sights left. Newer the less, I get the real pleasant company of German Carolina, for the day. We start in little cosy town of Le Robert, just to see it. We make some loops in the old part, which is enjoyable. 

We have been recommend the Distillery of Clément, and we give it a chance. Besides from a huge amount of old brewery tanks, steam engines and copper distillery machinery, here is a large, real nice park with name-tags on everything.
Caroline is a gardener, and appreciate it too. There are sculptures scattered around the park, and an impressive collection of art in a modern museum – less appropriate by both of us. The old mansion is complete, with furniture and all, and so cosy on the hilltop, under huge trees from around the world.

At the exit, there is a waste sent library, with drink recipes to each sent. And an real impressive rhum taste-bar, with good explanations by our personal bartender. Despite we prefer the 15 year old dark rum, I only buy a punch. Their Amaretto was great as well, where some of the casks disappointed. 

Next target is Saint-Esprit, way up in the hills, as it looked nice, when I passed it the other day. The market is closed, the church rather new, but the steep central alleys still have some charming huts. We find the huge and colourful caterpillar of a Pseudosphinx tetrio; a large moph.
We find lunch, and I get a delicious large mixed salad with three eggs.

Then we try the larger city of Le Vauclin, with a nice beach with surprisingly many and interesting shells. 

We pass a peninsula on the way home, but besides for the interesting drive there, here are only two donkeys, some hermit-crabs and a bit of mangrove. Back at dusk, after a real nice day, although not that many photos. 

A huge hawk-moth joins us in the kitchen; the Triangle Hawk Moth; Coequosa australasiae. I think this have been the first day without any wind tears or rain. The following days should be quite dry as well. I look forward for it, and the photos will improve for sure.
 Highlights.     All photos
       And then into the last page; Diary 4.