Photograp
hy^ Karen^ Edwa
rds110 CalmMoment.com
A
powerful scent of spice fills the air as
I weave my way through the market
aisles. Just ahead of me, in a workspace
of about one square metre, a woman
stands kneading dough into a roti
shape. Her rolling pin goes back and forth several
times before the dough is flat, then she tosses it onto
a sizzling hot plate which hisses as the roti cooks
and crisps. As it browns, she takes it from the pan
and places it into foil, generously dishing large
spoonfuls of garlic chilli sauce and white bean curry
into the middle, creating a steaming, fresh wrap.
“Dahl puri,” she smiles as she places it in my hand.
Street food stalls like this one are common around
the Mauritian capital, Port Louis, and they are a sure
favourite for many who live here. It turns out dahl puri
is a Mauritian staple cooked in households across
the island on a daily basis. Recipes are passed down
through generations and, as with all good food, mum’s
version is always best.
The Indian quarter is a bustling part of the city.
Store entrances are lined with sacks full of colourful
spices. Inside, bags of lentils, rice and white beans
line the shelves. Freshly-fried bajas (known also as
bhajjias or bhajjis) filled with spring onion and chilli
are shared by children on their way to school. Just
around the corner, bright reds and golds decorate the
Chinese neighbourhood and a huge dragon statue made
of plastic bottles perches on a metal gate. The aromatic
smell of hot dumplings drifts out of the bakeries. Older
ladies sit outside shops on plastic chairs, slurping
their steaming broth with friends. Life carries on.I’m absorbed in all this colour, noise and scent
when it strikes me how little we see of this Mauritius
in travel magazines. Located 1,200 miles (2,000km) off
the southeast coast of Africa, you’d be forgiven for
thinking Mauritius is all about idyllic white-sand
beaches, ochre sunsets and warm seas. There is no
doubt this is a paradise island. It is the place to relax
by the pool, drink locally-produced rum cocktails in
a hammock and witness pristine beaches. Service in
the luxury resorts is impeccable, the food is of five-star
quality and the views, stunning. In fact, it’s one of the
few places on the planet that excels its own brochure
images, but Mauritius is so much more than this.
The northern resort towns of Grand Baie and
Pereybere tend to be where tourists gather, thanks
to the lively nightlife. The ‘real’ Mauritius begins
just south of here – and it is just as fascinating and
beautiful as the parts of Mauritius you’ll find in the
brochures, even though, for some reason, the island’s
culture isn’t widely discussed.
Mauritius – spanning 790 square miles – provides
an admirably harmonious home to 1.2 million people,
whose ancestry leads back to western and south
Africa, India, China, France, England and more.
The national language is Mauritian Creole; a French-
based dialect mixed with British, west African and
southeast Asian lingo. It’s as though the Mauritians
have devised a language to represent the abundant
blend of culture at their heart.
At the Bois Cheri tea plantation, I meet the tea
pickers who contribute hugely to the success of the
country’s growing export. They start their day at
4am, so by the time the sizzling mid-morning sun sets
in, they have almost reached their quota. Having piled
the leaves into countless sacks, they transport the
produce, on their heads, back to the factory where
sorting and packaging machines take over. It’s
thought nearly 1,300 tonnes of tea is produced in
Mauritius annually. Having watched the intricate leaf-
picking for myself and wandered around the factory,
I sip my first cup while looking over the lush bushes.
The winning brew for me is a toss-up between vanilla
and coconut teas.
The next day, I join a guided e-bike tour that takes
me through the winding sugarcane villages of the
south. We stop every so often for a break and take in
the stunning cliff-top views overlooking the IndianPort Louis, Mauritius'
capital, is a bustling mix of
cultures. Sample a taste
of them all from street
food stalls like this one.