The ship docked in Colombo, Sri Lanka on March 15th. Shortly after leaving dock area, I hired a driver to take me around Columbo. We visited several Hindu and Buddhist Temples and the Red Mosque, as well as a Dutch church and St Lucia’s Cathedral. We ate lunch in a local restaurant where one easts with the fingers instead of utensils. At the end of the day I wanted to stop a the recommended “Galled Face Green Hotel for afternoon tea, but my driver insisted I go to his home for tea because his wife “could make better tea than that served in the hotel”. After tea it was back to the ship and on to the Seychelles.
March 19th, marked our arrival to Victoria, Seychelles. Mid morning I took a long walk into downtown looking for an ATM and a place for possible lunch and to plan out how to visit the published “things to See” list. First I found the Clock Tower, a replica of Little Ben in London’s Vauxhall clock tower. I found an ATM, the proceeded to The Pirate Arms –a pub and restaurant serving Seychelles specialties. Had the Pepper Beef Steak and the local brew along with the Cocktail of the day – Victoria –a fruity rum drink.
More walking around town the next day looking for the Cathedral and the Hindu Mosque. Found the Marie Antoinette Restaurant where the explorer Henry Stanley lived after spending time in Africa, and wrote “Searching for Livingston”. Had only a Coke there because they only had a large fixed price lunch. I later walked to the Bodamer Café Bar, which I had passed earlier, and I had a fish wrap and sampled another local beer. I ran into a friend from the ship and we decided to see the botanical gardens. Spend an hour or so in the gardens and then headed back to the ship. Feeling thirsty we stopped in to an Irish Pub near the entrance to the terminal.
From here we sailed to Mauritius..