Hanga Roa church. Easter Island.

Hanga Roa

Worth visiting during Sunday Mass, the Church of Hanga Roa, located in the streets Te Pito o Te Tu’u Henua and Koihu. Inside are intricate wooden sculptures that illustrate the adaptation of the Rapa Nui to Catholicism.

Caleta Hanga Roa

The moai are found across the island, but the two overlooking Caleta Hanga Roa, the Ahu Tautira probably will be your first encounter with them. The small bay is used by local fishermen, and in the mornings you can buy fresh fish.
Nearby you will find Pea Beach, near the port, which has a rock pool ideal for swimming. Beside, the area is the best for surfing, diving and snorkeling.

The Tahai Complex

The ceremonial complex of Tahai, famous for its sunsets, is located beyond the small cemetery of Hanga Roa. On a small accessible slope covered by grass, the visitors will discover many restored ahu, as well as numerous remains of houses, the well-known boathouses where the family of the notable islanders lived. The only things left of these buildings are the stone foundations and the pavement of the ground with the holes to receive the wooden skeleton.

When talking about Tahai, it is necessary to make a distinction between the Vai Uri ahu and its five statues, the Tahai ahu with its unique statue, and the Ko Te Riku ahu. To the north, over the Hanga Ki’oe ahu is located the Moai A Kapu. Not far from there, slightly dominating Tahai, was built the Easter Island museum, initially financed by Japan. The Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum exposes a very small part of the island’s lithic utensils, a collection of old fishing hooks, the first coral eye discovered in Anakena, and many other valuable pieces such as the splendid Kava Kava moai. In the warehouse remain other 20,000 pieces, which were inventoried thanks to a private foundation’s financing. However, due to the lack of bigger resources, it is difficult for the museum to expose more objects in their showcases because, like in other places, great vigilance and expensive security measures are needed in order to prevent the theft of antiques, which makes it difficult to expand the exhibition rooms.

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Map of Easter Island

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Martirius Deep Sea Fishing

Mauritius is a paradise for deep sea fishing. Species include the blue or black marlin, all types of sharks, yellow tuna, the Bonitos, the ‘emperor’, the ‘pélerin’, the ‘bécune’ or the barracuda.
Huge fishes like the Blue Marlin roam our seas and hunt around the island from November to April, and very often until May. The ocean is 70 metres deep one kilometre away from the coast. Mauritius holds several world fishing records (IGFA), including that of the mako shark of 1115 pounds, the blue shark of 400 pounds, a bonito of 41.5 pounds, a white tuna of 224 pounds and a ‘bécune’ of 125 pounds. African records (GFUA) mention a yellow tuna of 212 pounds and a white tuna of 224 pounds. Other specimens recently caught include blue marlins of 1430 and 1355 pounds. Fishing boats can be hired from almost all hotels. The most prestigious deep sea fishing competition is the Marlin World Cup which is hosted in December by La Pirogue Hotel.

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Mauritius is a blend of diverse cultures and religions which our immigrant population brought from their ancestral countries. Their festivities are celebrated in a spirit of peace and harmony throughout the year.

Cavadi
This festival is celebrated in January/February. Bodies are pierced with needles, tongues and cheeks with pins, devotees in a trance carry the ‘Cavadi’ on their shoulders as a penitence. The ‘Cavadi’ is a wooden arch, covered with flowers and with a pot of milk at each end.

Divali
The Festival of Lights is celebrated in a spirit of pure joy, in the month of October or November. Small clay lamps line the walls, balconies and yards. They are lit at sunset. Their golden light, which is believed to guide the Goddess of wealth and good fortune, can be seen everywhere. Divali represents the victory of truth (light) over ignorance (darkness). The Festival of Lights, Divali, is a celebration of joy, happiness and for many Mauritians, a time for sharing.

Father Laval
Every September 9, Mauritians of all faiths walk or drive towards the tomb of the Blessed Jacques Désiré Laval, the «Apostle of the Black People» at Ste-Croix, Port-Louis. The belief in Père Laval, to whom powers of healing are attributed, reminds us of the Lourdes Pilgrimage in France.

Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on the 4th day of the lunar month of August/September by Hindus in honour of the birth of Ganesha, God of wisdom.

Holi
This Hindu festival is as colourful as the many legends from which it
originates. It is above all a festival of joy during which men and women throw coloured water and powder on each other and wish one another good luck.

Id-El-Fitr
The Id-El-Fitr festival signals the end of the Ramadan - the fasting
period for Muslim people. Prayers are said in mosques all day long.

Ougadi
Ougadi is the Telugu New Year and is usually celebrated in March.

Spring Festival
The Chinese New Year is celebrated each year on a different date, owing to the differences between the lunar and the solar calendars. Houses are thoroughly cleaned before the festival. No knife or scissors are used on the actual day of the festival. Red, a symbol of happiness is the main colour of the day. Food offerings are made to ensure that the following year will be plentiful and traditional ‘Wax’ cakes are distributed to parents and
friends.Firecrackers are set off to drive away the evil spirits.

Whether in your hotel or on the beach, the sega, a dance invented by mauritians of african origin, has become synonymous with «joie de vivre». The sega, its music and dance form, is specific to Mauritius. The sega, mainly based on African music originating with slaves, is nowadays played with modern instruments and features contemporary musical influences.

The rubbing of feet, the swaying of hips and Creole lyrics are part and parcel of the music. The slaves obviously began dancing the sega to forget their miserable existence. There are now several types of sega in Mauritius. Standard sega (where the instruments are the ravanne, the maravanne and the triangle) has its own disciples and devotees.

This «type of sega» had its own poet: Ti Frère, who died at the age of 92 and left us with a fantastic legacy.
«Ti Frère’s segas, said Mauritian writer Jean-Marie Leclézio, are never dull, he cannot be bothered producing holiday songs. They are tough and authentic, sensual and pagan. He knows how to tell us about Anita’s and Angeline’s love lives, and scoff at politicians who eat for the people’s sake».,
Young people and hotel entertainers now favour a more modern version of sega, which is no less attractive.

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City of Zagreb. Croatia.

Zagreb is the capital of the Republic of Croatia, its almost a million strong political and diplomatic, cultural, economic, mercantile, transport & communication and sports centre. It is a town of contrasts – young and old at the same time, dedicated to business in the morning, relaxed and fun loving in the evening, a typical European metropolis in many ways but at the same time it is city its guests remember for the charm of its centre and hospitality of its citizens.

Zagreb, Croatia’s capital and the largest city in the country, is a typical Central European town. It grew out of two medieval settlements that flourished for centuries on neighbouring hills. Zagreb’s written history dates to the year 1094, when a diocese was established there. The classicist and secessionist facades of its historical nucleus exude the lofty spirit of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but here and there one can also discern the contours of the panoramas of Prague. Almost all of the main sites of the city and cultural venues are located in the very centre, which teems with charming coffee houses, fine restaurants, garden restaurants, and lovingly tended parks like, for instance, Ribnjak, which lies beneath the walls of Kaptol. The pivotal point of the city is the magnificent Gothic cathedral with its filigree spires. Zrinjevac, a park located only a few steps away from the main square, also forms part of the Lenuci green horseshoe that encompasses some of the most beautiful buildings in town. Zagreb, indeed, is a city tailored to the human scale.

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Martirius Honeymoon

If you are looking for a very special place to spend your honeymoon, Mauritius is definitely the place for you. Every hotel on the island offers extensive wedding and honeymoon packages. They can also help you in organising every single detail of the ceremony.
Everything is possible. You can choose to have an intimate, private occasion or a more adventurous way of exchanging vows.
On a sunny beachside, under the sea or in the sky, Mauritius will transform your wedding or your honeymoon into an unforgettable moment.

GETTING MARRIED IN MAURITIUS
> The «Marital Status Act» specifies that non-residents can get married the day following the posting of the marriage banns.

> However, the couple must obtain a certificate that the Prime Minister’s Office issues to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages stating that they are not


Mauritian citizens or Mauritian residents.
This certificate can be obtained beforehand by sending a request to the
Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, 7th Floor, Emmanuel Anquetil Building, Port-Louis. Tel: (230) 201 1727, Fax: (230) 211 2420. The document must be accompanied by 2 birth certificate copies of both spouses and of their passports (first three pages), as well as any other document relating to cases of divorce or widowhood.

> A request for a non-resident certificate must reach the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages at least 10 days before the date set for the marriage. A Marriage can take place in the presence of a Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages or at the hotel.

>Catholics wishing to get married in Mauritius are requested to contact the Port-Louis Diocese to obtain the necessary information. Tel: (230) 208 3068
Fax: (230) 208 6607

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Slavonia. Croatia

Come the harvest time this song reverberates through the air, precious folks costumes are taken out of old wooden chests and age-old customs brought to life – all in order to preserve the Slavonia as it used to be for the future of Slavonia. Take a walk through the Old Town of Osijek, visit the traditional villages of Baranja and the Kopački rit Nature Park, go mountaineering, enjoy the many rich thermal spring. And wherever you find yourself, you are going to be met with a warm welcome and friendship so typical of Slavonia and its people.

Shaped by the force of the mighty rivers Drava, Danube, Sava and Ilova, Slavonia is a mythical region that for centuries has guarded its treasures. It is characterised by the wide, endless expanse of the golden Pannonia plains, and by rivers that gave birth to the flood areas, which, in turn, provide an ideal habitat for the now centuries-old forestsof common oak (Quercus robur) as well as for more than 2000 biological species. The soil of Slavonia has been tilled by human hand for over 8000 years. Ever since this part of the continent rose from the Pannonian Sea some 370 million years ago - the geological history of which is best told through the eruptive rocks of the bulky Papuk mountain that sits like a crown upon this noble land - the fertile Slavonian plains have been a promised land.

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Central Croatia

Central Croatia is the area lying in the valleys of the rivers Sava, Drava and Mura. Visiting it means getting to know the continental character of the country, see the lowlands that are so ideally complemented with mellow hills and mounts the slopes of which are mostly covered with vineyards, walk the forests of oak, beech and other deciduous trees, visit medieval burgs, castles and manor houses.

Have you always longed for a holiday away from the summer heat and the vibrant atmosphere of the Mediterranean in an idyllic, green and hilly environment with ancient woodlands, vineyards and rivers? Do you favour the tranquil and soothing atmosphere of the mainland, where romantic medieval towns, summer homes and manors dot the countryside? where thermal springs, health spas and places of pilgrimage beckon? In that case, you should set out to the north of Zagreb and enjoy the blessings offered by Central Croatia.

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Kvarner. Croatia.

Here the littoral landscape is practically in the immediate vicinity of the mountainous and forested region of Gorski kotar, the Mediterranean clime and way of life are first neighbours with the harsh mountain climate, while the world of a fashionable tourist resort boasting a150 year long tradition is so vastly different from the simple rhythm of the island life. Kvarner is a place where those seeking the glitter of trendy summer resort - like the lovely Opatija whose tourist tradition, parks replete with lush greenery and elegant villas, combined with the 12 km long promenade by the sea, attract guests throughout the year.

Perhaps you imagine an ideal holiday, one where you can set off from the shore towards sunny islands, and then sail back to seek the peace and quiet of a mountain peak. In the process you dream of a sun-bathed Riviera that can, should you so wish, be replaced within a span of 10 km by ascetic peace and fresh mountain air where you are in the company of eagles, wolves and bears, and where your lungs are filled with forest scented air. If that is indeed the case, then you are looking for Kvarner and Gorski kotar - separate parts of this small country that differ significantly one from the other.

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Dalmatia - Split. Croatia.

Olives, indigenous aromatic plants, brilliancy of white stone against the verdant vegetation and the towering mountain massif of Biokovo whose spurs reach all the way to the sea – yes, this is indeed an exceptional part of the country, and its beauty is made all the more enchanting by numerous historic events and monuments, and cultural manifestations. In short, this is an ever interesting region full of attractions which draws a great many visitors.

When, in the year 305, the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruled the entire world at that time, decided to build his leisure time abode - in which he intended to spend the rest of his life - he had no doubt as to exactly where build to it. In the very heart of Dalmatia, in the bay of Aspalathos (Split), well protected from the sea by the islands of the Split archipelago, and defended on its landward side by high mountains, Diocletian created a special point on the map of the Adriatic: the future city of Split.

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Dalmatia - Šibenik. Croatia.

Set amid the wild beauty of white karstic rock and the azure sea, the Šibenik aquatorium is a yachting paradise, boasting as many as 240 isles and reefs, each of which holds an interesting feature or two. If you want to meet the best known coral hunters in the Adriatic, set sail for Zlarin. If you wish to see the centre of sea sponge harvesting, then Krapanj is your destination. On the other hand, if you seek an experience like no other, then venture into the open sea and discover the Kornati Archipelago.

Two national parks with only 50km between them could not be more different. The Kornati National Park is an archipelago of 89 islands, isles and reefs (numbering in total 152 units) of incomparable beauty which offers the boaters the pleasure of sailing, the formidable sheer cliffs filling them with delight and awe in the same breath. Enchanted with their striking beauty, the famous writer George Bernard Shaw wrote one of the best descriptions of the Kornati: “On the last Day of Creation God wished to crown his work and he created Kornati out of tears, stars and breath”. In contrast, the Krka National Park is full of travertine barriers, waterfalls and lakes the wondrousness of which take one’s breath away. Indeed, they are regarded as one of the favourite tourist picture postcards from Croatia.

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Caves of Easter Island

The Te Pahu network

Located below the Akivi ahu in an area called Roiho. It is a long tunnel of lava, the biggest one in the island, where people could take shelter from the raids conducted by slave drivers. It is easy to access the tunnel through the collapsed ceiling, and only a flashlight and a pair boots are needed to explore it, since very few parts are flooded. Thanks to several natural skylights, it is easy to find one’s way in the caverns. This lava tube formed by the hardening of a basalt layer during the flow of a lava river is one of the many caverns in the island. It probably solidified less than 10,000 years ago, during the eruption of the Munga Hiva Hiva volcano, the last volcanic manifestation in Rapa Nui. These natural landslides were used as gardens protected from the wind (manavai).

Ana Kai Tangata

A little further from the airport track, on the southern exit of Hanga Roa, we find the cavern of the cannibals (ana = cavern; kai = food, tangata = men.) However, we mustn’t reach any conclusions from a simple translation, since the cavern can be both a place where men ate and a place where men were eaten. This place is worth visiting due to some paintings of birdmen on the ceiling (unfortunately very deteriorated). From a small cornice on the left side of the cavern, the visitor can also admire the power of the waves crashing against the rocks.
Te Peu

Further up to the north of Tahai, between the long cliffs and the slopes of the Tereveka, there is an area not much visited by tourists. Here, the visitor enters the most secret area of the island. After observing the petroglyphs that represent hens and roosters near the old leper colony (the Pu Hakanini Mako’i stone), the first unavoidable attraction is the cavern of the two windows (Ana Kio) in front of the Motu Tautara. A lava tube emerges from the land near the cliff. Sliding through a narrow entrance, one penetrates this double strategic cavity that offers two exits in the middle of the cliff, one towards the sea, and the other towards the Motu Tautara. Shortly before Punta Islote there is another cavern filled with legends, a perfect lava tube with a smooth and decorated floor, as well as lava stalactites in the ceiling. In the center of this cavern named Ana te Pora it appears to be a tomb. Only steps away from this place we find the Ahu te Peu, a notable place located in front of the remains of an old town with a magnificent shiphouse more than 45 m long.

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Map of Pakistan

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Lagoons of a typically tropical sweetness and endless white beaches : Mauritius is a real paradise for those who want to enjoy the sea or just to soak up the sun. Here is a list of the island’s finest public beaches.

Grand Bay
One of the best areas for sailing, windsurfing and water skiing. La Cuvette beach has been recently upgraded.

Pereybere
This remarkable small cove half-way between Grand Bay and Cap Malheureux is one of the finest bathing spots on the island.

Belle Mare
Miles and miles of white and spotless beaches from Belle Mare to Trou-d’Eau Douce

Blue Bay
Blue Bay beach is one of the most popular bathing spots in the South-East of the island. An ideal spot for windsurfing and sailing.

Le Morne & Tamarin
Offer kilometres of beaches for bathing and are very popular for surfing.

Flic en Flac
White beaches fringed with filaos or Casuarina trees.

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