Land of the Lemurs

March 30, Nosy Be, Madagascar

Today we are in the land of King Julien the 3^rd.  Our ship stopped at the island of Nosy Be off the coast of the main island of Madagascar.  Madagascar was once part of Africa- near Mozambique.  We took a boat ride on a small boat to the Island named Nosy Komba. 

local boats trying to sell goods to the passengers

 



holding male lemur

We had to wade through the water to get to the beach.  Then we walked through the village into the woods.  This village and the whole island do not have electricity, water and cars.  They have to go the Nosy Be to get groceries.  The ladies  here had painted faces.

 

In the woods we saw lemurs.  I had a black one on my shoulder.  He ate banana from my hands.  The other one we could see was a red brown color- that’s a female.  These are not the ones with striped tales like King Julien- they live in the south part of the country and we are in the North. 

female lemur

 



female chameleon

being eaten by a boa constrictor- not!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the Lemurs we saw a boa constrictor.  Grandpa wrapped it around his neck and I touched it.  Then we saw Chameleons.  I held 2 different ones on my arm.  The male was green and big.  The female was pink and smaller. 

 

holding a male chameleon

 

We also saw turtles and tortoises.  They brought the tortoises from the Seychelles.  I sat on the tortoise.

"riding" a tortoise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we got back to the port, they were unloading a ferry.  There were cars, people and animals on it.  We saw them take of baskets of ducks.  After we left people said they saw them unload 2 cows from it. 

2 very different ships

That night we had a birthday party in the dining room for Oky.  He is our head dining steward.  He was very surprised.  He thought he had missed someone’s birthday.  All his tables brought him presents.