Why Port Louis?
Most people bypass the capital of Mauritius to enjoy the tropical island’s sun and sand, but scratch the surface, and the city’s many charms come to the fore. Developed by the French from the mid-18th century, Port Louis boasts eclectic architecture, including French colonial buildings, and historical monuments such as the 19th-century Jummah Mosque and the St James Cathedral. With Victorian warehouses and Creole bungalows with low verandas, houses of worship for every major religion, and busy markets, the city has character stamped all over it. In the past two decades, this sleepy Indian Ocean backwater has spruced up many of its colonial buildings, and its waterfront offers shopping and restaurants.
A comfortable bed
The most opulent option is the recently refurbished Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel (www.labourdonnais.com), with great waterfront views, plus three restaurants and a bar. Rooms cost from US$300 (Dh1,102) per night.
A waterfront alternative is the family-friendly Le Suffren Hotel & Marina. www.lesuffrenhotel.com. Its 102 rooms are inspired by nature, in shades of green and ivory. This trendy hotel has three restaurants and a bar offering fine dining, as well as a spa. Rooms cost from $190 (Dh698) per night.
You can also stay at a luxury resort in other parts of the island, and explore Port Louis by car from there. The Paradis Hotel & Golf Club (www.beachcomber-hotels.com), has luxurious suites and villas fringed by white sands and the island's largest lagoon. Double rooms cost from $500 per night (Dh1,836), including breakfast.
Find your feet
The best way to get your bearings is to drive to the Moorish-looking Fort Adelaide, also known as the Citadel, which was built out of black rock by the British, to counter any invasion by the French. From its vantage point, take in views of the dramatic Moka Mountains, the Champs de Mars racecourse (the oldest horse-racing track in the southern hemisphere) and the city’s high-rise buildings. Back in the city, start at Place d’Armes, the historical centre, which links the port to the 19th-century Government House through a grand esplanade lined with palm trees and statues.
Walk to the Natural History Museum, which houses exhibits of the country’s fauna, with a gallery devoted to the dodo, the Mauritian bird that was hunted to extinction during the Dutch occupation. Entrance is free.
www.aapravasighat.org) is a simple, rough-stone building that was the immigration depot where the first labourers from India arrived. It's now a Unesco site, a symbol of the connection between India and Mauritius – more than 70 per cent of Mauritians are of Indian origin.
Meet the locals
Soak up the hustle and bustle at the noisy Central Market on Farquhar Street, in the heart of the old town, with its Victorian arcades. The air is scented with the smell of chillies and overripe pineapples. From here walk to the Jummah Mosque, with intricately carved teak doors and green windows. Built in the 1850s, it’s a harmonious blend of Creole, Indian and Islamic architecture. Spend some time at the shady Jardin de la Compagnie, a public park with beautiful banyan trees and statues of local leaders. This is where locals catch up on gossip and eat packed lunches.
Book a table
To sample simple, tasty street food, head to the area around the Central Market, where Indian, Chinese and Creole cooks dish up spicy lentil wraps, dhal poori, noodles doused in chilli sauce, and Alouda, a local drink made with Indian basil, milk and vanilla ice cream.
For classy dining, The Courtyard, on Rue Chevreau, serves French cuisine in a beautiful al fresco space. A meal for two costs about Dh185.
For local food in a casual ambience, La Bonne Marmite, on Sir William Newton Street, in the heart of town, offers Indian, European and Creole staples such as rougaille, poisson sale and heart of palm tree. A meal for two costs about Dh200.
Café de Vieux Conseil, on Rue de Vieux Conseil, has a colonial ambience, with a paved garden and a tree-shaded courtyard hidden on a side street. The menu offers a variety from crêpes and Creole salads through to smoked marlin. A meal for two costs about Dh250.
Shopper’s paradise
Le Caudan Waterfront complex (www.caudan.com is a gentrified area that boasts a promenade with cinemas, a craft market and air-conditioned shopping malls. Shop for beach wraps, wooden sculptures, designer clothing, paintings, glassware and Mauritian spices at the Le Caudan Waterfront Craft Market, which has more than 30 stalls painted in bright colours, including Mast, where you can pick up wooden replica ships crafted in Mauritius.
Shop for local souvenirs at the Central Market, where stalls sell woven baskets and table mats in rainbow colours and dodo figurines. The Citadel has exclusive boutiques, including Tresor, a jewellery and diamond shop. And the upmarket Bagatelle mall (www.mallofmauritius.com), on the outskirts of Port Louis, offers more than 150 shops and a food court, with the widest selection of speciality shops in Mauritius.
Don’t miss
The Blue Penny Museum is home to old postage stamps, including the rare orange-red one penny and deep-blue two pence bearing the profile head of Queen Victoria. The ground-floor is devoted to the lovers Paul and Virginia from Bernardin de Saint-Pierre's novel. The museum also displays old marine maps, engravings, paintings and documents that portray Mauritian history and culture. Entrance is Dh23.
What to avoid
Local taxi drivers often work with commercial outlets such as galleries and shops. Rent a car and hire a local guide.
Getting there
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Port Louis, from about Dh3,450.on
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
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if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.