One&Only Le Saint Géran bar manager Oliver Ramtohul
Dark clouds hang in the air and the rain threatens to drench us on this hot, humid Saturday morning in Mauritius. I’m feeling apprehensive as we approach the Central Market in the bustling capital city, Port Louis. Although this is an ideal way to get a taste of local life, I walk cautiously into the meat section. And there, at the entrance, is justification of my fears: the skinless head of a cow, blood dripping onto the dirty floor like a scene from Game of Thrones. Still, I’m compelled to carry on ‘for journalism’s sake’. I watch a butcher hack through more fresh cuts, vertebrae rocketing to the floor. “I’m a tourist! I’m a tourist!” I declare, in my broken French, whenever he and the others try to sell me their produce, similar to vendors hawking souvenirs. Perhaps, after this, I’ll be vegan.
Freshly ground tea at Bois Chéri factory
Credit: Mariola Biela Photography