Uptown Port Louis has so much history and life it is hard to describe. The huge skyscrapers sharing land with a small wooden house. An old prison next to a fire station with the rare Merryweather clock. One street down is a quiet road filled with old houses and quaint shops. A perfect walking tour.
The Saint Louis Cathedral is the obvious place to start. A huge dark stone building in its own garden surrounded by tall buildings. A huge structure in its own right with a drinking water fountain, that if rumour is to be believed, hides the burial place of slaves.
Across the street is a beautiful example of Creole architecture, not sure, but it might be the presbytery for the cathedral. On its back wall, two beautifully restored buildings, one in stone, the other made with red brick.
Out onto the ample pavement with benches opposite a KFC and next to the supreme court with a statue of a walking woman. Across the busy road, red lights are not always obeyed, is the commercial court, surprisingly beautiful, with chunks of huge stone used around the windows.
A few old and new structures down the road will steer you to the site of the original market, replaced by a theater in 1816. Following the Malcome De Chazal walkway on cobbled stones leads you to the camera museum. A barricade prevented us from viewing some old houses, but there was a well-placed stone bench to have a quick break.
On to the best surprise of the day, the fire station. The 1908 station is under repair, but inside one of the rooms is a board with the names of the fire chiefs dating back to 1851. The greatest find of the day, and possibly of the year was the extremely rare Merryweather clock, only 3 remain in the world. Too great for words to describe, but a must-see.
Next door is the prison, 300 cells in an old stone building. You can feel the spirits of the people executed here, even in broad daylight. The inside looks like every old prison movie you have seen, not a pleasant place to spend time. Riki's art of the day contrasted this ancient building butting onto a modern skyscraper perfectly.
Downhill to a quieter back road with a presbyterian church from 1840, with a huge retaining wall. It was great to see workmen clearing a tree from the structure. Old wooden houses from over a hundred years ago lead us to Rasool bakery. The owner showed us his mixer and scale, but the highlight was the wood stove and of course the biscuits he made for us.
More old buildings brought us to Saint James cathedral, built on the site of the old powder mill. While we couldn't see it, the 3 meter thick walls are still part of the structure. If I go on about the numerous other old buildings you will probably send me to the prison, so I jump ahead.
Back to our starting point, we came across the piece of street art which is so iconic I think all who have heard of Mauritius know what it looks like. A boy with his head in coloured blocks.
Take a slow walk or a whirlwind tour, this is a piece of Port Louis and perhaps Mauritius that should not be missed.
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