DAY 2 IN MAHÉ

“Beau Vallon is a bay on the north western coast of Mahé in the Seychelles – a very frequented beach and maybe the most popular on the island.”

My husband and I went off for a swim but in less than 5 minutes, I ran out of the water. Haha.

I love the waves… from afar.

Since I was a kid I had Otitis Media. Both my eardrums have holes in them. I never learned how to swim because I wasn’t allowed to go underwater.

As much as I love the beach, I am scared of the waves. The thoughts of me being dragged under, swallowed by corals or choked by Ursula terrorize me.

I find pleasure just looking at the sea, by day or by night, knowing that not all fears need to be conquered. Some are to be accepted, laughed at and denied the power to define you.

Dinner time

We went the opposite direction of the street we walked last night and entered La Plage Restaurant. They ranked high in Trip Advisor and had a dining terrace overlooking the sea. We wanted to sit outside and enjoy the breeze but the waitress curtly told us the tables outside were reserved for larger groups.

Whaat?! It was just 6 PM and the place was still empty. As if  a bunch of people would appear any time soon. I asked again in a friendlier way. I even volunteered to be seated at the very dark end and promised to eat really fast. She refused and motioned for us to sit inside.

No way. Na-ah. Good bye, la la!

We headed next to the Boat House which was a few steps away. It looked nice and inviting but we were not in the mood for a buffet, nor a heavy meal. We also felt it was way beyond our budget.

My tummy was growling as we walked home. Right on cue, I smelled something familiar…

Street food! It was like finding a hidden treasure!

Who needs to be seated in a fancy restaurant? Not me. See how happy I was…

My husband does not eat street food so he had to buy  his meal from Coral Strand Hotel. My tuna, buried under Creole sauce and fresh salad, was so filling.

See the price difference?

• Fish & chips meal: 160 SCR | 11.9 USD | 11 EUR | 44 AED | 530 PHP
• Street fish tuna:  80 SCR | 6 USD | 5.5 EUR | 22 AED | 265 PHP

Why do I love street food? Aside from the cheaper price, I am all for culinary authenticity that contributes to the local economy. Of course, I don’t delve in blindly. I also observe the preparation, see where the crowd goes and follow my instincts.

A lot of people will disagree with me, but I’m sure I’m not the one missing out here 🙂

I needed all the food fuel to carry out my last wife duty of the day…

Good night day 2!

“In a lot of ways I think food is starting to take the place in culture that rock and roll took 30 years ago, in that eating has become incredibly political. And just as the street has always dictated fashions on music and other things, it’s starting to happen that way in food.” – Jonathan Gold, L.A. Weekly food critic