Beaches, Ben and St Aubin

Peter, Kate and Jen leave today, and I'm moving apartments. I'm moving to Toun's place in Flic en Flac, but first we've got to get Peter to the airport. I still haven't heard from Siva about working here. Maybe I didn't send to the right address, or maybe it isn't meant to be after all.
We'd come up with a plan to make a trip out of getting to Plaissance where the airport is. A taxi can take us down the West coast, and we can pick up some sights on the way.
It is quite an early start, 8am. We drive through Tamarin, a fairly well to do town where the houses are bigger and the people whiter, and on to La Preneuse. Here is the site of a Martello tower. It is one of a small number dotted around the island. They are placed on the coast and guard the few breeches in the reef where attacking enemy ships might try to land. On top of the tower would have been cannons focusing their fire on that spot. Below are soldiers quarters and below that, stores of ammunition, food and water.
Mauritius is hard to attack because of the reef. We've decided that it has to be volcanic to be able to weather the ferocity of the waves. The coral must grow in gentler waters either side of the breakers.
Next a beach called La Prairie. A beautiful stretch of sandy beach, and virtually empty. There's a man standing in the sea with his head under water and prodding at something. Probably looking for octopus, we decide.
Further down the coast is Maconde rock. We climb it to get a great view of the coast line and the amazing turquoise colour of the sea. I don't think I've ever seen that colour so vividly before. There is also a yellow block of concrete about a foot square, may be bigger. A geo-cache point perhaps?
The next beach is called Gris Gris, literally grey grey. There is no reef here, or if there is it virtually joins the beach. The waves are huge and the Indian ocean crashes down on granite coast sending spray up into the hot air. There's a sign warning us that it's dangerous to swim. No kidding!
Down the coast a little further is Ilot Sancho. You can walk to it at low tide, so we do. Pirates used to stow there treasure here. A real treasure island.
Next it's StAubin. This is a French colonial house and the site of an old sugar factory and rhumary. The house is excellently preserved, with a wide veranda and spacious bedrooms, all in wood. There is a botanical garden with strange plants. One, called a Chorisia tree, has a spiky trunk. There is a Bilimbi tree with it's sour fruit, a cocoa tree and many fabulous flouring plants.
The highlight is the vanilla plants. They need meticulous cultivation and preparation, hence the very high price of the pods in shops. Finally the rhum distillery. We end the tour with rhum tasting, of course.
Eventually we get to blue bay, too late for a swim, then to the airport and we say goodbye. Back to Flic en flac.
In the evening Edwige, Viv's cousin, drives us to the other end of the island, to Grand Baie. Viv's old junior school friend Ruby, lives there. We're going out to dinner at a posh restaurant. Her husband is Ben, and he's a prominent doctor in Port Louis. He seems to know who is who. He says he'd be happy to be my contact and gave me his e-mail address.
It's been a very long day. Tomorrow is going to be a beach day for sure.