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"In the central highlands " a Faritanin' Antananarivo Travel Page by Norali

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"In the central highlands " a Faritanin' Antananarivo Travel Page by Norali

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Norali   
Natural Highs Only ;-)


Real Name:
Lives In: Antananarivo, MG
Member Since: Aug 11, 2002
VT Rank: 138

 

Page Views: 5,386            Last Visit to Faritanin' Antananarivo: March, 2005      I Used To Live Here

In the central highlands

by Norali - last update: Mar 10, 2006

Plains, tanety, massif

Stalls of a resourceful Malagasy craftsman
This little page to introduce Faritanin' Antananarivo and its cities.

Well, this province lies in the central highlands (700m-1500m altitude). It is the only one province of the island that does not have access to the sea. It is inhabited by Merina people ("those who live in the heights").

It comprehends capital city, Antananarivo as well as Antsirabe, Mantasoa. Both are areas that are dedicated to industry, Antsirabe for nowadays industry and Mantasoa had hosted past glories. See my pages on Antananarivo and Antsirabe cities. I even have a page on VT about the village where I live: it is Malaza. Malaza Avaradrano (: Malaza North Bank because located North of the Ikopa river).

Apart from that, there are those royal cities that played huge role in Merina and Madagascar histories. The most prestigious one is Ambohimanga. Click to view the page on this city that is located very close to my homeplace. Well, in fact, my village, Malaza, is part of Ambohimanga Rova municipality.

Landscapes are made of those: ricefields plains at the foot of rocky hills. The charm of Imerina region is not in the lush forest neither in desert and canyons. It is rather in mountains and hills (tanety), Ankaratra massif (2700m), plains, steppes, ricefields and the people.

What impresses me most, while tripping in the Highlands, is the view of lunar landscape in Andringitra massif. Mountains are huge and have those grey rocks and menhirs on their sides. See below Tlogues for that.

And rivers run through it! Ikopa is the biggest in Tana province.

Lakes and rivers are common to this area. Volcano lakes, sometimes, esp. in ntsirabe area. Beware of fady (interdicts) near some sacred lakes.
Red earth enclosure walls, red brick-houses: Tana

Red earth enclosure walls

Don't forget, red earth, red-earth-brick houses and enclosure walls.

Enclosure walls, tamboho use to protect hamlets, smallers properties from assaulters.
Hills and cracks

Hills and earth cracks

Highlands are made of those too. At the bottom of cracks run rivers sometimes. Small "villages" of few houses are located in there as well.

This province is the most populated in Madagascar though, outside cities like Tana, Antsirabe, Mantasoa and Ambatolampy, it is quite empty.

> Add to your Custom Travel Guide [What's This?]

Pros:"Amazing landscape, not sticky hot, good culinary trip"
Cons:"..."
In A Nutshell:"A perfect region for roadtrips: plains alternate with hills"
Norali's Faritanin' Antananarivo Travel Tips

OverviewThings to Do
Tips: 5 - Photos: 14
 
Restaurants
Tips: 2 - Photos: 2
Hotels & Accommodations
Tips: 1 - Photos: 1
 
Nightlife
Tips: 1 - Photos: 1
Off The Beaten Path
Tips: 3 - Photos: 12
 
Tourist Traps
Tips: 2 - Photos: 2
Warnings Or Dangers
 
Transportation
Tips: 3 - Photos: 3
Local Customs
Tips: 3 - Photos: 4
 
Packing ListsShopping
Tips: 1 - Photos: 1
 
Sports Travel
Tips: 2 - Photos: 5
General Tips
Tips: 5 - Photos: 14

Norali's Faritanin' Antananarivo Travelogues
Title [Click to view]Travel YearPictures
Walk, Climb ... the Sacred hills of Northern Tana2007 8
Party, Hike, Trip, Diner to Nurture Friendship- 6
Famadihana- 5
Antananarivo- Antsirabe roadtrips: focus I- 8
Antananarivo- Antsirabe roadtrips: focus II- 5

Comments for Norali about Faritanin' Antananarivo
Tinarami Fri Aug 24, 2007 21:30 UTC
 hello ! je crois que je n'ai jamais lu autant de textes in english que ces derniers jours.It's difficult but..I progress..;-) I'm curious : who is R. & who is E. :-)
cadzand Thu Jul 5, 2007 10:43 UTC
 Great things happen at parties...
cokes Wed May 16, 2007 05:23 UTC
 This is really great. I love the Dragonfly pic and the rice fields. You talk about touching it , I had to play with 3 of them...very naughty tigers.
najjia Sat Dec 30, 2006 10:03 UTC
 amazing read. i really enjoyed reading about famadihana. for some reason, i really identify with what u said. in my heart i feel that there is indeed a connection between the 'afterlife' and our living world. thank you so much for your article. :)
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