The indulgent ape - a decade long odyssey into ancient maritime trade routes
May 19th 2016 As we bumped along the pockmarked bitumen to Lakobe a truck filled with Ylang Ylang flowers heading for the distillery past us. I closed my eyes and inhaled, the smell of the fonnes of flowers overpowering even the diesel fumes. The hot heavy february madagascan weather expectant with rain seemed to momentarily liven the heavy scent and I realised I had smelled that before. I was in a 2000 year ol
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Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the seco... ... read more 
