Well, this is the third attempt to do this update. The first one I had it typed and didn’t save, oops, second time we were at sea and internet was really bad and now we’re in Fortaleza Brazil. I have now discovered the “save draft” button so hopefully this will go out later today.
We stopped in Ile Royale on Monday, January 13. This is part of a 3 island complex that includes Devils Island and is known as the infamous French penal colony that was in the story Papillon. It closed about 60 years ago and is showing some wear from the climate and the jungle creeping in on the buildings. There were monkey’s, peacocks and a strange little critter called Agouti which is like a really tall rat and big lizards. The only thing we didn’t find were he lizards. We walked around the grounds and were able to see building where the guards and their families lived, a hospital, church and of course the cells. The really odd thing is someone is trying to open a hotel on the island, keep in mind it’s at least an hour trip by boat from the mainland and there are no other restaurants other than the one at the hotel. Rooms seemed to be available.
