In the photos, look for Paul doing a pretty good job of playing a tubular Malagasy guitar equivalent with about 20 strings.  

Yesterday we started the day touring a wood carving shop. It’s interesting to see the home made tools that are used to produce beautifully carved and intricately done inlaid wooden boxes and wallhangings. Some really beautiful work.

After we stopped at a shop that had wood carvings and also numerous kitchen utensils made out of Zebu horn.

We passed a meat stand, Lynn bought some ground meat to give to the dog you’ll see in the picture, the one with the goofy ears. Animal lover it seems… We all commented that many of the people walking by were probably saying hey, why the hell don’t you buy us some food?

The van ride for two hours after was brutal, it is so much harder riding in a van than it is just riding a bike even if it’s all uphill!

As we passed through the villages, you could really notice everyone in their best clothes for Sunday church. Catholic and Literian are the main religions, but also Adventist, Muslim, Apoctalyptus, Jehova are common. 

We heard the story of how marriage culture works here, women tend to be available for marriage at an average much younger age than most Americans. 

Our co-guide is Sulufuu, and his name means replacement boy. The first family son died and his mom wanted another son, thus his name. 

Great riding today through the countryside and very small farming villages today. We were definitely off the main road through very small villages, it looked as if the road we were on might’ve been an original Road many years ago but since replaced by National Highway, #7 which consistently is just a barely turn lane road in generally OK condition in most places.

Uphills, downhills, mud, views; today had it all!

As you look through the photos, you will see one with a group of 10 men circled around something. After our lunch break, it is the practice to get the remaining food to the local villagers, they were very prescient it love it and it didn’t last long!

Also saw men playing bocce ball, called Petang here. And in France…

This is a very very poor country, most people live on about dollars per day. Some families are wealthier but I have business or property, but the vast majority he is very very poor. There is a public university system but it is generally considered to be corrupt in that only rich family kids get into it. Anybody can get into the private university, but it cost money which is hard to come by here.

The previous government was overthrown by a French supported coup in 2009, since then the lmited infrastructure has deteriorated even more and generally the people are not happy with their current government.

A few of us stopped to watch a soccer game with a couple hundred villagers watching. While I cannot post videos to the blog, I got a couple great short videos of kids jumping and laughing and generally acting goofy. It was really a nice biking day and to see the village soccer game was really cool.

Eventually we completed our 10 mile downhill into the national Park. Had a nice dinner and to bed very early as is the common practice for me on these trips. Next morning we hiked several hours in Ranamafana National Park. 

The hike through the thick rain forest this morning was somewhat productive, we saw three Lemur species however because they’re always in trees, any photos that you take are looking up towards the sky so it is pretty much impossible to get a good picture of them. But we did see three species! We also saw a blue Koa bird and a pygmy kingfisher bird. 

Probably more interestingly, Lucien got a leech in his sock, that was interesting to see. Two others had leeches fall on us as we walked through the jungle, thankfully I didn’t have one! I will say, cycling is more fun to me than hiking through the rain forest! Especially for my poor broken toe!

The remainder of today should be a relaxing time hanging around at the hotel in the town at the national Park. It is a beautiful blue sky day with a few clouds, a light breeze, probably mid 80s and very very pleasant. A nap may be on the agenda after lunch…

Here are the official summaries for yesterday and today:

Day 5 – Ambositra – Ranomafana National Park A two-hour van transfer takes us to the small village of Camp Robin where we start our ride through fields and end at a lush rainforest. On a rural road we pedal through a spectacular valley with towering granite boulders all the way to Ambohimahasoa, a small district with a quiltwork of fields and terraced rice paddies. After two climbs on a short tar section we ride 20 kms off road through more villages and eucalyptus forests until we reach the dense rainforest of Ranomafana National Park, with the last 10 kilometres being a downhill to our lodge on the river. Le Grenat. Ride 65 km/Ascend 980 m. B L D 

Day 6 – Ranomafana National Park Hike Today we switch modes from biking to hiking and explore Madagascar’s most spectacular natural treasure, Ranomafana National Park, which is home to the golden bamboo lemur and more than 100 bird species, 30 of which alone are endemic to the country. Trekking through the dense rainforest we will come across interesting, bizarre animals and plants found nowhere else in the world. We will also be drawn by rare birds and many species of lemur, and if lucky we might spot one or two golden bamboo lemurs now threatened to extinction. Depending on where the lemurs are our hike will vary from 4 to 6 hours and between 10-12 kms. We stop for lunch at a local restaurant and then the afternoon is free for you to visit the peaceful village of Ranomafana or relax your muscles in the nearby thermal springs. In the evening we take an easy night walk in the park to spot nocturnal animals such as the mouse lemur and the striped civet. Le Grenat. Hike 10-12 km. B L D