Mayotte

Map

January 14–15, 2012

One of the Comoros Islands—Mayotte—did not adopt Islam or become a part of the Union of the Comoros, instead choosing to remain independent (or, more precisely, to remain dependent on the French).

Half the women on the island wear facial masks for protection from the sun (like in Burma).

The men sit around idly.

Water and electricity meters.

Electrical boxes are covered with special anti-poster nubs, although there aren’t really any posters in the country to speak of.

Graffiti culture is also only beginning to develop.

The post boxes are French.

Residential mailboxes are exactly like the ones in Réunion.

The trash cans all consist of a plastic bag on a stick (see Paris).

The only detail on the island that’s unique is the phone booths.

Well, I suppose the “use the other sidewalk” sign is a local creation as well.

Street name signs.

All the sidewalk railings consist of modules like these.

Caution, children.

A taxi stand.

A lane divider.

There are meeting point signs everywhere you look. This is something from the realm of civil defense. I have a hard time believing that people would actually go and gather at these signs in the case of an emergency or mass mobilization.

Garbage dumpsters come in either gray or blue.

A year ago, Mayotte became the 101st overseas department of France. In other words, it is technically now a part of France, not a separate state. Yet a separate visa is still required to travel here, even though all the license plates already say “F” on them.