Almost everything on Rodrigues arrives by boat from big sister Mauritius. The "Trochetia", named after the national flower of Mauritius, arrives in Port Mathurin on a Saturday morning, after navigating the zig-zaggy pass through the coral reef. Merv made us sit and watch it for almost an hour when we should really have been eating lunch, but it did give me the chance to take some nice photos.
Saturday is also market day in Port Mathurin giving the locals a chance to buy their fruit and veg and catch up on the local gossip, and giving tourists the opportunity to stock up on local specialities before the flight home. A trip to Rodrigues isn't complete unless you've bought some jars of "achards" and "piments", and some baskets or trays woven from vacoa plants.
Aside from the market, there isn't really a lot to see in Port Mathurin, though it's worth going up to the statue of the Virgin Mary who keeps a protective eye on the capital and the incoming boats.
We also saw a pretty cool statue near the port. It was designed for the Millennium and represents the artist's dreams for the future of Rodrigues:
The base of the statue shows people holding hands, symbolising unity and the importance of working together towards a better future. The second level represents sustainable development and use of machinery, while the third level highlights the importance of new technologies and means of communication to connect to the rest of the world. At the top of the statue is a "solitaire", a bird similar to a dodo but endemic to Rodrigues. On the statue it represents the dove, sign of peace and hope.
One of my favourite things in Port Mathurin was this wall, which they built around the tree instead of chopping it down!
