Londry my driver ad guide in the African Island nation had been taking about the Crocodile Farm on the outskirts of Antananarivo. I thought it’d be a great opportunity to see the rural side of the country. Most people reside on farms here and the landscape is agrarian.
After a bit of snacking on Samosas and Beef Sandwiched we marched towards the farm meandering through the dusty mud lanes of rural Africa.
With wooden huts and tin as houses this was real Africa. Kids played around unhindered on the side and I had the good fortune to capture a song and dance party in this rustic land.
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I snapped away at the singer and the audience who where watching the show with intent. A few min drive away was the Crocodile Farm.
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I paid 30,000 Ariary as the entrance fee and was rather enchanted with the various crocodile skulls that were for sale in the local shop.
After this began what one could only call reptilian splendor. There were eggs of Snakes , Chameleons, tortoise on display.
I walked down the park which was rich with the various plants and animals. I for the first time got the opportunity to capture the Lemur in great details I used my power zoom lens for this.
I managed to get a group of four Lemurs hopping and munching leaves together. I was so close to them it was magical .
On the side were ponds where the crocodiles rested , they looked like stone almost as they hardly move.
I clicked away and got some good shot’s. Right at the center of the park is a giant lake. It’s banks are covered with crocodiles resting in the afternoon and on the trees are while gulls. Some flying over the pond the others nesting on the trees. As I moved along the narrow path down towards the pond I got a glimpse to a mighty tortoise strolling towards it shelter and I just clicked away.
All the walking had made me hungry so I sat down at the local bar with in the bar and ordered for some shrimp salad which was served to me with neither fuss nor flurry! A very satisfying visit I thought and the chance to see more of the local flora and fauna where I managed to see animals up close and personal. As the afternoon drew to an end I strolled back up towards the exit but not before buying some Vanilla Perfume from the shop for myself .
I am really liking this continent and slowly sinking into Africa and I know that I must go further and planning to cover another five countries now that I am here. Planning for Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe and they should be exciting places to visit. But now all the focus was on Madagascar it’s people and it’s streets. I also moved into a new hotel, a bit away from the city. It is quieter and less noisy then the previous one which was downtown. As I sip away on my single malt whisky to usher an African Sunset so orange and bright that it matches my drink and perhaps enhance the intoxication and the charms of Africa wild Africa.
