Ambatoharanana Travel Guide

  Which style is this ?
by Norali
 
  • Which style is this ?
      Which style is this ?
    by Norali
  • Dusty, for sure
      Dusty, for sure
    by Norali
  • Typical in Merina region
      Typical in Merina region
    by Norali
  • Cascade ricefields, plains, mountains, what else ?
      Cascade ricefields, plains, mountains,...
    by Norali
  • The St Paul chapel
      The St Paul chapel
    by Norali
 

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The “trip”

The “trip”, Ambatoharanana

 Norali Says:  Since I don’t know exactly when, a “trip” to Ambatoharanana has been on my mental list. Cannot even talk about a trip, rather about a walk. It is about 2 hour-walk from my home. For this first visit (first in my “adulthood trips” books although there were many visits to this... 

A proper Mathilda for the pioneers !

A proper Mathilda for the pioneers !, Ambatoharanana

 Norali Says:  Certainly an interesting one, this museum. If not for its size, it should be for its off beat track content, also out of historical, sentimental interest. As I entered the room that served as a museum, the closest item was this “waltzing mathilda”, leaning against the wall,... 

Told you !

Told you !, Ambatoharanana

 Norali Says:  Look at the car under the arch… See ? wasn’t I right about the “English flair” ? For me, not any other car sounded more English than this. There is Mini Cooper, there is Jaguar, there is Aston Martin. Still, under those skies, it’s the Land Rover. Too solid to be a SUV, very... 

The Palissandre interior

The Palissandre interior, Ambatoharanana

 Norali Says:  Not that everything is in palissandre there but still, everything is in palissandre. J Most valuable items in the room I could visit within the Bishop Palace were the period furniture; the staircase, the mantelpiece… all in palissandre wood or voambona. It was dark in those... 

Ringing the bell at the Bishop Palace

Ringing the bell at the Bishop Palace, Ambatoharanana

 Norali Says:  At the entry of the Anglican compound, I heard some voices coming from the yard. Decided to give it a second chance. I entered and saw three men removing wild herbs from the patches of the garden. They saw me and one guy greeted me. Responded. Got closer to them, first to... 

A real turning-off, for sure !

A real turning-off, for sure !, Ambatoharanana

 Norali Says:  Or two… Standing somewhere before entering the compound, it was ricefields plains and that tip of land where lies Merimandroso 9844 at my left and the UK at my right… Amazing, isn't it ?Ricefields patchwork use to be “unfamiliar”, “amazing” to many tourists to my country as... 

Library building

Library building, Ambatoharanana

 Norali Says:  After visiting the Bishop palace, we headed to the Library building. It holds the bell, the Library Hall, a small Museum and classrooms at the basement. Couldn’t see all of these as he hadn’t all the keys with him. Another person used to keep those keys & he/she was absent... 

Saint Paul chapel

Saint Paul chapel, Ambatoharanana

 Norali Says:  Only the exterior of the Saint Paul chapel I could see that day. 53, 54. Anyway, it was great to make a yard all mine. For a long time, I was there alone, enjoying the serenity of the place, either sitting on a bench nearby, al fresco under the shade of eucalyptus trees,... 

Hide-and-seek

Hide-and-seek, Ambatoharanana

 Norali Says:  After some stroll, I could see Ambatoharanana nestled in a valley, below the road I walked. Kind of saw the tip of an iceberg. Not the whole village, only the rooftops of the Chapel, the spire of the Library building surrounded by the tall trees around. There is the compound... 

Tentative illustrations of typical Merina country

Tentative illustrations of typical Merina country, Ambatoharanana

 Norali Says:  Just look what I saw nearby. Nothing special, just some landscape up there, with a small valley, cascade ricefields, the grass, tips of land surrounded by the ricefields plains, sparse villages, pinetrees, eucalyptus trees (guess who may have imported them from Australia…),... 

The village feel

The village feel, Ambatoharanana

 Norali Says:  Afterwards, I decided to walk down the dormitory area, to see what the rest of the compound looked like. It was made of a dozen of small bungalows for those among the Theological College students which are married. [Later on, just before leaving Ambatoharanana, I was told by... 

Goodbye Ambatoharanana

Goodbye Ambatoharanana, Ambatoharanana

 Norali Says:  On my way to returning, 9888, 78 it was past 4pm, time to see the Sun setting Westwards with those rays of lights playing on the earth surface, on houses walls, on ricefields plains that may appear either gold, yellow, light green, dark green according to maturation. Also,... 

The English buildings…

The English buildings…, Ambatoharanana

 Norali Says:  Classical as a title. As classical as when there is nothing enthralling to tell about. That’s right, I don’t have anything exciting to write about the buildings, except that I really really love this style! So rare under those skies. Architect(s): unknown to me, still have... 

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 Classical as a title. As classical as when there is nothing enthralling to tell about. That’s right, I don’t have anything exciting to write about the... 

 

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 Look at the picture. What does it remember you of ? Is it one of ideas you could make of a village in the Merina countryside ? I guess most of you guys don’t have any faintest idea about that is... 

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