Sunday, November 11, 2007

Spice Garden

Today we had a trip to the Spice Garden. Until the middle of the last century spices were a big industry in the Seychelles. This place was set by an English family to grow vanilla, pepper and various other spices to be exported to Europe. The great grand children of that English family now run the resturant and museum....
The first thing we found was a Cocoa Tree (Chocolate Tree!)
These are the pods that contain the chocolate beans...
Vanilla. This was the main (and most valuable) crop at the Spice Garden. There used to be a 24 guard on these vanilla plants. It is said that pirates would attack the ships carrying the vanilla and let the ones carrying gold go.
Karen and Lisa on the path through the gardens..
Meeting the giant tortoises.
Lisa with a leaf?
Karen examining a bread fruit.
We stayed for lunch at the Spice Garden. Creole style buffet. Grilled snapper, meat curry, chicken curry, rice, lentils and an assortment of salads from the Spice Garden including banana with coconut, spicey orange, paw paw, melon, red apple. It was quite a feast...
We stopped at Anse Royale on the way home for a swim and a spot of snorkelling.