Posted
on July 14, 2014
Actually,
it's Bastille Day everywhere, especially in France (you know, where
the Bastille was actually located!). But this national holiday is
celebrated by places that are very far from Paris...
Reunion
is an “overseas department” of France made up of one island. So
it IS a part of France – just a part that is in the opposite
hemisphere, in another ocean, about 5,400 miles away as the crow
flies! 
This island is located in the Indian Ocean, off the eastern
coast of Madagascar, which in turn is off the eastern coast of
Africa.
It is located in the
Caribbean Sea, which basically is a part of the Atlantic Ocean; and
like France, it is in the Northern Hemisphere. And it's a mere 4,000
miles as the crow flies!
 |
| Guadeloupe after a hurricane |
These
far-flung islands are both tropical and have lovely beaches... But
both are a bit too prone to disaster to make me want to live there!
Reunion has an active volcano that has erupted more than 100 times
since 1640 – the last time in 2010! – and Guadeloupe has been
devastated by several hurricanes in modern times, including Hurricane
Hugo (1989), which destroyed 10,000 homes, all the banana crops, and
a majority of the sugar cane crops!
 |
| Reunion is a hot spot for volcanic action. |
Isn't
it interesting that African languages have a bigger influence in the
far-off Caribbean island than in the much-closer Reunion? Actually,
it's also sad, because of course it speaks to the widespread practice
of bringing African slaves to the New World.
Another
interesting point about the creole languages spoken commonly in
Reunion and Guadeloupe is that neither creole is often written.
French is the language used in schools, not the creoles, and neither
language has standardized spellings.
Reunion
celebrates Bastille Day with fireworks and partying. Guadeloupeans
add pageants and parades to the fireworks and festivities.
Also
on this date:
Plan
ahead:
Check
out my Pinterest boards for:
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