The Colors of Water

As you might imagine, then, we woke next morning to a glorious light and sublime view.

Such a space shifts my perspective on the world in a wonderful way...

Though I must confess there was a bit too much morning beach traffic:

All too soon, we had to rouse ourselves and get ready for another adventure, this time distinctly of the island variety, as we began with another drive across the lush landscapes of Nosy Be:

Soon, we were boarding a boat and setting sail for two nearby islands for some exploring, entertainment, and a picnic. Of course, on our way we hit more traffic...

Our first destination for the day was Nosy Komba (noh_SEE KOHM-bah), seen here on approach:

Keep in mind, now, that our transportation for the day was boarded in the water, which was wonderfully warm. We simply removed our shoes and sandals and waded out, or waded in and then donned our footwear before wandering off. One of our first encounters on Nosy Komba was groups of children with painted faces and singing songs. This photo cost me about a thousand ariary (or roughly fifty cents U.S.), as that is how these singers make their living:

Nosy Komba is perhaps most famous for its lemur denizens, and there was certainly no shortage of them.

Some were friendlier than others, as this young South African discovered:

And as did my adventurous and beautiful wife:

Me, I stuck with the more stoic and staid chameleons:

Though the lemurs certainly continued to make certain we knew who was supposed to be the center of attention:

We did take some time out to visit with some of the islands most venerable inhabitants, who made the chameleons look like absolute speed demons:

Then we found a woman sporting a boa. No, I mean a real, live boa, not a feather necklace!

That, we just had to try... (Kathy and I are nothing if not true fashionistas!)

Our South African friend decided to try a slightly more cumbersome accessory:

And we did, of course, take the time to stop and admire our seascape surroundings.

Soon, though, we set off for Nosy Tany Kely (only ever saw it written and never heard it pronounced), where we settled into this spot:

The water was warm to make immersion an act of instant relaxation. We went in and Kathy went snorkeling - the predominant activity - while I just sat in closer to shore. Eventually, though, curiosity got the better of me and I put on a mask and took a look at the under water view. Even close in to shore, the colorful fish and coral formations made me feel as if I was inside a National Geographic special or one of Jacques Cousteau's adventures. Just incredible!

Of course, the shades of blue achieved by the water there were equally mesmerizing...

Eventually, lunch time arrived, and our picnic took shape. Very definitely not your average picnic. Everyone else dined on fish and crab and piles of rice while I stuffed myself with a special meal prepared for me by Roger.

Here we are, savouring the fruits of the sea (or in my case the fruit):

It was actually during this meal that the subject of our car came back. We were chatting with a young South African couple (one of whom is pictured above with her animal friends), who told us that during the course of just one year they had had four cars stolen. Their advise was to spend more on insuring the car than on the car itself... Knowing that locals had such troubles with cars thieves, while also a sad commentary, seemed somehow to make us feel better.

But then again, maybe it was really the view as we were departing that did that:

Or more likely still, the view from our bungalow back on Nosy Be, whence we returned to spend the remainder of the in our romantic paradise...

... where the sunsets are always long and luscious.

In fact, I think this was the evening we went for a sunset swim in the infinity pool before sauntering over to the outdoor dining area to taste what Roger had prepared for us. Did I mention Anjiamarango Resort has an infinity pool? Or that the dining area was mere meters from the shore line and that we were serenaded by the surf at every meal? It does, and we were...