Nosy Komba - Isle of Lemurs

Madagascar was the port I was most looking forward to out of all the ports in my contract.  It lived up to and surpassed expectations.  Our day in Madagascar was a day in paradise.  I cannot wait to return on our next cruise, but would love to spend a week here on my own.

We began the day by boarding the first tender to Nosy Be (Nose-ee-Bay).  The locals were outside the ship in their own boats to greet us (and try to sell us souvenirs and fruits):

After arriving at the pier, we boarded a motor boat to Nosy Komba, which is Lemur Island in English.  I was taken aback by the crystal blue waters and unblemished greenery on the islands around us.

As we reached the shore, a number of village children gathered to greet us.  They were singing, dancing, drumming, smiling.  The girls’ faces were coated in brown/orange with decorative flowers painted on their foreheads and cheeks.  They do this both as a statement of beauty and to protect their skin from the sun:

The village we passed through was beautiful in its aboriginal nature.  Plenty of locals were out and about their chores; children washing clothes and bathing, men whittling and carving, women making fine cloths:

Towards the back of the village, just before entering the sanctuary we came across the first family of lemurs:

Once inside the sanctuary, we were surrounded by indigenous species.  Although wild, none of the animals were afraid of humans, and we were able to interact with them freely.  The lemurs in particular enjoyed eating bananas and mangos out of my hand!  They were very soft and gentle.  When one gave me his paw, it was almost as if I was holding a small human hand, with five fingers (opposable thumb included) and (to my surprise) no claws:

After spending some time in the sanctuary, we wound back through the village for some shopping and enjoyed fresh fruit and beverages on the beach.  Whether it was the kind natives, the outgoing animals, our pristine surroundings, or the sweetness of the freshly picked mangos, the trip put everyone in joyous spirits.  I am so thankful to have had this (hopefully more than) once in a lifetime experience.  It ranks up there on the chart of days I will never forget.