| "Have you realized that most of the couples around | | | | couples can dance until dawn after a sumptuous |
| here walk around holding hands?" a fellow-journalist | | | | dinner. Then there's shopping and an interesting night |
| asked me during a recent 5-day business trip to | | | | life in Flic en Flac. |
| Mauritius. | | | | While I could appreciate the beautiful setting, excellent |
| We were part of a conference party that had invaded | | | | accommodations, friendly service and good food, most |
| Flic en Flac, a village on the west of coast of Mauritius. | | | | of my concentration was on attending conference |
| Mauritius is an island on the Indian ocean; about a 1000 | | | | sessions, interviewing the speakers, writing and emailing |
| kilometres off the coast of Mozambique. | | | | my stories in time to meet deadlines. |
| Flic en Flac is an hour's drive from the airport and | | | | My colleague's comment opened my eyes to how |
| about 30 minutes from Port Louis, the country's capital | | | | other people were experiencing the island paradise. |
| city. Driving from the airport across the island to Flic en | | | | For the next couple of minutes, we counted the |
| Flac, you will go through Quatre Bornes, a well-known | | | | number of couples holding hands or smooching in |
| market town. | | | | corners. We saw six hand-holding couples within a 500 |
| We stayed at La Pirogue, which bills itself as the most | | | | meter radius. |
| authentic and Mauritian of resorts. The chalets are built | | | | Some of the couples we saw over the next couple of |
| in a semi-circular format and roofed with grass, like | | | | days were newly-weds, the bloom of a new marriage |
| African villages of old. | | | | still visible in their eyes. We also bumped into a few |
| A few meters from the chalets is the beach, and an | | | | couples still dressed in their wedding clothes, including |
| endless expanse of the Indian Ocean. Walking up the | | | | the white dresses with trains. |
| long stream of white beach front, I could see nooks | | | | Other couples we saw were clearly part of a family |
| and crannies where a couple wanting to spend time | | | | group, kids included, or came with friends. La Pirogue is |
| away from the crowds could retreat. Or a couple | | | | also child-friendly, and offers baby-sitting services and |
| could laze on the deck chairs on the beach. | | | | a number of activities aimed at keeping children |
| Every evening the hotel has a musical show, where | | | | occupied while Mom and Dad enjoy their holiday. |