!!!Impressions of La Réunion

%%lang,german
Die Insel[{GoogleMap location='La reunion'}] ist vor etwa drei Millionen durch den Aufstieg des Vulkans Piton des Neiges aus dem Indischen Ozean entstanden. Der noch aktive Piton de la Fournaise (2631 m) (letzer großer Ausbruch 2017, der die Straße zwischen St. Phillipe und Bois Blanc unterbrach) ist im Osten der Insel, so dass diese fast zweigeteilt aussieht, siehe erstes Bild.  Im Inneren von La Réunion befinden sich außerdem drei Talkessel mit Siedlungen auf den Gipeln, die nur zu Fuß oder per Hubschrauber zu erreichen sind.

Die Insel bietet einige wenige typische Südseestrände, aber seher viel mehr (Lava)steilküsten, eine sehr interessnate Berglandschaft (deren Erschließung durch die regelmäßigen Regen am Nachmittag nicht erleichert wird). Umgekehrt hat dadurch die  Insel unzählige Wasserfälle, und je nach Niederschlag mit klaren Tümpeln oder reißendem Wasser unter beeindruckenden Wassserfällen. Die Orte haben haben typischen franzöisch-kreolischen Flair.

Neben einer intereressanten Tier- und Pflanzenwelt beeindruckt die Insel durch die häufigen Zeugen eines einfachen christlichen Glaubens, toruistsich aber vorallem druch die unglaublich gewundenen engen Bergstraßen, wie etwa jne nach Cilaos. Es steht dafür die [Open Stree View Karte|https:/www.openstreetmap.org/search?query=reunion#map=12/-21.1370/55.5235] von das untenstehenden Bild zwei nur einen Überblick zeigt, genauer zu erforschen. Damit wird die Lage von Cilaos, die Kraterlandschaft des aktiven Vulkans, aber auch die stärker besiedelte Nordküste (mit der Universitätsstadt St. Denis) und der Westküste deutlich, und dass die Südosthälfte verkehrstechnisch fast vom nördlichen Teil der Insel  abgeschnitten ist. 
%%
    
%%lang,english
The Piton des Neiges volcanoe, the highest point on the island [{GoogleMap location='La reunion'}] at 3,070 m  above sea level, is north west of the still active volcanoe Piton de la Fournaise. Collapsed calderas and canyons are south west of the mountain. Piton des Neiges is extinct. Despite its name, snow (French: neige) practically never falls on the summit. The slopes of both volcanoes are heavily forested. Cultivated land and cities like the capital city (and university town) of Saint-Denis are concentrated on the surrounding coastal lowlands, mainly in the N and W. 

Offshore, part of the west coast is characterised by a coral reef system with just a few typical "South sea pradise" beaches here and there. SCUBA diving is different, since basically divers explore lava stratas and caves under water.
 
Réunion also has three calderas, deep collapsed volcanic areas with peaks still standign, many of them inhabited and only eachabl efb foot or helicopter. The wdingi road to Cilaos with many top viewpoints is a must. It is wothwhile to examien in detzail the [Open Stree View Map|https:/www.openstreetmap.org/search?query=reunion#map=12/-21.1370/55.5235] that shows Piton Neige near Cilaos, and also the active caldera of the Southen volcanoe and how it separates the nothern part of the island from the  southern part, als clear from pictures one below.

> Note: All pictures with no photo-credit come from B. and S. Sauer, U. and H. Maurer and can be used freely (public domain). A few few public domain pictures are from pixabay.com. Except for the latter all date back to trips after staying on the island of  [Mauritius|Geography/Africa/Mauritius/Pictures/Impressions_of_Mauritius] in 2002 and 2003. 
%%

%%center
[{Image src='NASA pic.jpg' caption='Reunion form the SE. Foto: NASA, Public domain. ' alt='La Reuion' height='360' class='image_block' width='600'}]
[{Image src='Karte, open Streetrview.jpg' caption='Map from [Open Street View|https://www.openstreetmap.org/search?query=reunion#map=12/-21.1370/55.5235], Public domain' alt='La Reuion' height='360' class='image_block' width='396'}]
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!Hikes in the mountains

%%center
[{Image src='01.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion. Picture form Pixabay com showing Piko Maido ' alt='La Reuion' height='300' class='image_block' width='450'}]
[{Image src='02.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='242'}]
[{Image src='03.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='195'}]
[{Image src='04.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='226'}]
[{Image src='05.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='400'}]
[{Image src='06.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='461'}]
[{Image src='07.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='461'}]
[{Image src='08.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='262'}]
[{Image src='09.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='227'}]
[{Image src='10.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='254'}]
[{Image src='11.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='400'}]
[{Image src='12.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='210'}]
[{Image src='13.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='236'}]
[{Image src='14.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion. Trails are well marked? ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='403'}]
[{Image src='15 .jpg' caption='Have you made it here by car or foot? ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='288'}]
[{Image src='16.jpg' caption='Hiking in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='405'}]
%%

!Waterfalls
%%center
[{Image src='w01.jpg' caption='Waterfalls in Reunion.' alt='La Reuion' height='300' class='image_block' width='236'}]
[{Image src='w02.jpg' caption='Waterfalls in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='255'}]
[{Image src='w03.jpg' caption='Waterfalls in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='350'}]
[{Image src='w04.jpg' caption='Waterfalls in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='382'}]
[{Image src='w05.jpg' caption='Waterfalls in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='209'}]
[{Image src='w06.jpg' caption='Waterfalls in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='242'}]
[{Image src='w07.jpg' caption='Waterfalls in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='239'}]
[{Image src='w08.jpg' caption='Waterfalls in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='256'}]
[{Image src='w09.jpg' caption='Waterfalls in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='263'}]
[{Image src='w10.jpg' caption='Waterfalls in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='296'}]
[{Image src='w11.jpg' caption='Waterfalls in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='461'}]
[{Image src='w12.jpg' caption='Waterfall in Reunion after heavy rain ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='241'}]
[{Image src='w13.jpg' caption='Waterfall in Reunion as the creek reaches the ocean ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='466'}]
%%

!Beaches
%%center
[{Image src='b01.jpg' caption='Beaches in Reunion.' alt='La Reuion' height='300' class='image_block' width='461'}]
[{Image src='b02.jpg' caption='Beaches in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='400'}]
[{Image src='b03.jpg' caption='Beaches in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='400'}]
[{Image src='b04.jpg' caption='Beaches in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='234'}]
[{Image src='b05.jpg' caption='Beaches in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='400'}]
[{Image src='b06.jpg' caption='Beaches in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='237'}]
[{Image src='b07.jpg' caption='Beaches in Reunion ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='400'}]
[{Image src='b08.jpg' caption='Start of a fishfing trip ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='413'}]
[{Image src='b09.jpg' caption='Excitement! ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='461'}]
[{Image src='b10.jpg' caption='We wanted a tuna, not a dolphin, so this was justt a nice interruption. Picture from Pixabay.com ' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='484'}]
%%

!Flowers and animals

%%center
[{Image src='f01.jpg' caption='Nature in Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='450'}]
[{Image src='f02.jpg' caption='Nature in Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='297'}]
[{Image src='f03.jpg' caption='Nature in Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='317'}]
[{Image src='f04.jpg' caption='Nature in Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='400'}]
[{Image src='f05.jpg' caption='Nature in Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='400'}]
[{Image src='f06.jpg' caption='Christ thorn/ Christus Krome' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='289'}]
[{Image src='f07.jpg' caption='Nature in Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='360'}]
[{Image src='f08.jpg' caption='Nature in Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='400'}]
[{Image src='f09.jpg' caption='Cocoa bean' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='393'}]
[{Image src='f10.jpg' caption='Turtle' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='420'}]
[{Image src='f11.jpg' caption='Lizard' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='406'}]
%%

!Near or at south crater Piton de la Fournaise 
%%center
[{Image src='c01.jpg' caption='South crater.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='244'}]
[{Image src='c02.jpg' caption='South crater.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='461'}]
[{Image src='c03.jpg' caption='South crater.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='461'}]
[{Image src='c04.jpg' caption='South crater.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='461'}]
[{Image src='c05.jpg' caption='South crater.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='461'}]
[{Image src='c06.jpg' caption='South crater.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='461'}]
[{Image src='c07.jpg' caption='South crater.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='222'}]
[{Image src='c08.jpg' caption='South crater.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='534'}]
%%

!Spiritual life and life
%%center
[{Image src='o01.jpg' caption='Other aspects of Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='400'}]
[{Image src='o02.jpg' caption='Other aspects of Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='267'}]
[{Image src='o03.jpg' caption='Other aspects of Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='251'}]
[{Image src='o04.jpg' caption='Other aspects of Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='324'}]
[{Image src='o05.jpg' caption='Other aspects of Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='469'}]
[{Image src='o06.jpg' caption='Other aspects of Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='408'}]
[{Image src='o07.jpg' caption='Other aspects of Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='400'}]
[{Image src='o08.jpg' caption='Other aspects of Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='400'}]
[{Image src='o09.jpg' caption='Other aspects of Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='549'}]
[{Image src='o10.jpg' caption='Other aspects of Reunion.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='461'}]
[{Image src='o11.jpg' caption='Moon-cake for August Festival.' alt='La Reunion' height='300' class='image_block' width='450'}]
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