The Train to Fianarantsoa
Nowadays the only functioning stretch of the French railway system from colonial times is the 160 km between Manakara and Fianarantsoa, normally covered in 12 hours by the old train.
The tracks go through the "brousse" (bush) and pass villages that cannot be reached by road.
As many had told me, the ride is quite an experience, with lots of people gathering around the train at every stop, greeting relatives/acquaintances leaving or passing through, selling snacks and artefacts, loading/unloading crates of bananas and vegetables, or just watching the train pass (it is the highlight of the day in these villages!).
For me there was the extra fun of being able to take lots of pictures of smiling people, not at all annoyed (on the contrary!) by the attention, and exchange a few words with some Malagasy fellow passengers and railway employees.
Due to the National Holidays, there were fewer goods to be loaded on the train, and we made it to Fianar in a sweeping 8 hours!
Leaving Manakara in the morning mist
The train passes through rows of banana trees
Local villagers selling their goods
For more pictures of Madagascar, click below:
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