Day at the Races

My brother came up with the best idea of his life today (well I'm sure the idea was thought of a while ago but today was the day we were to action it!).....to go to Champs de Mars racetrack in Port Louis!  As sexist as this sounds the girls (mum, Tracey, Charlotte, Sara plus Ethan and Ollie) were going to my cousins hair salon while the boys (me, Dad, Stewart, Jamie and Liam) headed out in the car to Port Louis.  The 1st race was at 12:15pm and we arrived in Port Louis at about 11:30am.  We parked at the waterfront and then set off down one of the roads that runs NE/SW toward the track.  I love this city.  It is mixture of beautiful buildings, which line the main street and contain most of the banks in the city and dirty buildings lining badly paved, smelly market sections.  The different people mix without a care with suited business types wandering through the markets while less than smart locals wander past the old colonial buildings.  It's brilliant.  Anyway, we got to the main entrance, that was right at the end of the long palm tree lined street, with 10 minutes to spare.  Well we thought is was the main entrance.  It certainly looked like it.

Walk up to Champs de Mars

Turns out it was just a crossing into the centre of the track, and because the races were due to start soon the gate was closed!!  So we headed off to the left and around the outside of the track to the pedestrian entrance.  Looking to the right, as we walked around the road, you could see right into the track.  We were walking alongside the grass course, separated by a small fence that people were jumping over to get to the free area in the centre of the track and also leaning on waiting to watch the days races.  Not quite Cheltenham!!  The location of the course is stunning.  The roads in Port Louis run straight, like an American city, and it is at the end of the roads that the track is found.  It's nestled at the foot of the mountains so it is the last thing in Port Louis as there are no roads running past it and no buildings in the mountains.

View of track as you walk up the road to the entrance

We got to the only thing that looked like a turnstile and Stewart went off to buy our tickets to enter the main grandstand.  He came back with a smile on his face announcing that it only cost 125 Rupees per ticket (about £2.50) and we went through the gate into the course.  It basically consists of a large, 3 storey, concrete stand that was filling up quickly, overlooking the track with a packed centre area where the free entry is.  We followed the crowd and walked through an entrance into the area behind the stands and found where the bookies and tote booths were.  And also found thousands more people!!!!  Is was very busy, with everyone trying to get bets on for the 1st race and we joined them.  Going to the nearest of the many Chinese bookmakers, I realised taht waiting politely for the attentions of one of the staff taking the bets was not the way to go!  Eventually I communicated that I wanted to but 200 rupees on Port Albert and got my ticket.  Once we had put our bets on we rushed to the trackside and watched the first race from ground level.  The race set off and the crowds cheered.  A lot!  I had read that the fans here were very passionate and it was worth going to the races just to see their reaction when the races finish.  Well what I read wasn't wrong!!!  The first winner of the day crossed the line and owners of winning tickets went mental!!!  PEople jumping around, cheering and singing and then rushing to the edge of the walkway that the horses are lead down after the race.  There they waited for the winning horse to be lead through last and would scream the jockeys name in celebration.  This happened for every race!!!  It was brilliant to see.

After the first race we got some drinks worked out the tote betting and found the paddock.  We thought we would find a way into the stands and get a better view.  From what we could see the lower level was for normal folk and the top level was for private boxes.  This was blatantly obvious by the dress of the people on the different levels (and colour of the skin).  I stopped to take some painkillers as they all walked off and it turns out I went a different way to them.  Stewart, Dad, Jamie and Liam ended up on the lower area while I went up.  And up.  And up!  Past the private boxes, past the Members Only area and onto the roof.  Each flight of stairs I went up I was expecting to be stopped but no-one did.  The view I was greeted with was spectacular.  I phoned Dad to find out where they were and explained where I was.  They said they would join me after the next race.  With Tote booths up here and drinks stalls we spent the rest of the day up there watching the races.

View from the top of the grandstand with a good looking tourist in the shot :-)

We had to leave before the end as there was to be a large gathering of Owadallys and a big meal in the evening and after putting our last bets on we watched the race from trackside.  I hadn't won all day and was hoping that my lat bet would come in.  After seeing on the big screen that my horse was a long way off at the back of the field I tried to get some pics of the horses as they came up the final straight.  It wasn't until I tracked the group and took a picture that I realised my horse had come from way back and won!!!

My winner!!

We headed back through Port Louis (via the market so Stewart could grab some food!) and then drove back to the apartments.  After a quick change we loaded the cars up with everybody and drove to The Owadally Coachworks.

Upon arrival we were greeted by a lot of people!!  There were at least 50 people here that we were introduced to.  There was no chance of remembering who was who so I just enjoyed the fact that everyone was pleased to see us at last!  The coachworks garage had been cleared of all coach-like-stuff and a long table had been set up down the centre.  It was very apt that one of the coaches that was being worked on was at the end of the table!

The table with coach at the head!

This was a fantastic night.  One thing I noticed, I as looked around the room, was the family resemblance.  There were at least 2 women that looked uncannily like my sister!!  The Owadally nose was in abundance!  Then the huge pot of biryani was revealed and my favourite meal was served!

The huge pot of Biryani!!

There seemed to be a shift system in place for who eats when but I never quite worked it out.  I think the "main" Owadallys (Uncle Ahmed's, Uncle Siad's and Uncle Sharif's households) were the hosts for this evening and doing the serving and making sure everyone was being fed.  I say their households but it was really the wives and children doing it all.  It was a little weird being waited on by the family and I was constantly asking if they needed any help or if they wanted to sit an eat but they always refused and offered me more food!  This was one thing that I couldn't get used to the whole trip.  The family serving us first and the men not helping.  Guess it's a cultural thing.

Anyway the evening started to come to a close and I was struggling to stand up straight due to the alarming amount of biryani I had eaten and then we got called to have photos taken.  The next 30 minutes involved different groups of cousins, uncles, girls, boys.......any combination they could think of having photos taken outside the workshop!

The UK family!

Mum and Dad

The whole evening was amazing.  To finally meet people that I had only heard my Dad mention in passing and speak with them was....well, amazing!  We eventually packed the kids into the cars and headed back to the apartments, all very happy  :-)