To escape today's heat we drove up into the mountains to Chamarel ,this time to visit the immaculate rummery. A short tour and explanation of the process before a tasting session of all their rums and flavoured liqueurs,delicious. After all that booze we needed a good lunch and thankfully the local shop and cafe in the village was up to the mark. No menu,just what they had cooked that day. Instead of bread and water they brought you some rum punch! It was real creole cuisine; chicken and fish curry accompanied by 5 veg(all from their own garden) with rice,followed by caramelised banana and ice cream.
After lunch we carried on up the the highest mountain to Alexandra falls,not as impressive as the one in Chamarel by the 7 earths but a stunning view towards the southern coast a few miles away . Carrying on along the mountain we suddenly found the widest road in Mauritius which led to the holiest site for the Hindus on the island. A giant statue with another in construction and the Grand Bassin temple complex which is the Hindus "Ganges" here.Eddie Izzard could utter his immortal line because as we walked around the Bassin we encountered some monkeys ,who at first seemed quite tame and then the alpha male bared his teeth and hissed so we made a hasty retreat.
Upon our return home we went for a walk on La Preneuse beach,where we met Agnes and enjoyed a sundowner in the Bay Hotel. She told us an extraordinary story how one diner at the Outrigger hotel had thrown their food at one of her partner's chefs shouting "this isn't a beef burger!"Sometimes the customer is not always right!