Back in Nosy Be

I am now back in Nosy Be and staying at a hotel in a village called Ambatoloaka. For some reasons nearly every town in Madagascar starts with the letters either Am or An. I have tried to find out why, but no luck. Believe it or not this village is famous the world over - for sex tourism. Both Ross Kemp and Louis Theroux have done exposes on the place as it is frequented by middle aged to elderly French, German or Italian men who pick up young and often under aged prostitutes. Sleazy at night, but not too bad during the day. The prostitution has been tamed somewhat and the authorities have cracked down on it, but what seems to have happened instead is that the same sleazy guys seem to have moved here and purchased property and that way all they have to do is arrive with a designer copy Hermes handbag and they can get their pick of young girls for the time they stay here. They cruise around on their quad bikes to go in and out of Hellville with the young girls on the bike with them in a sarong and carrying their handbag in pride of place. Very sad! Below is a shot of the main street in the village and the most permanent new building I have seen so far with an architect designed staircase in the shape of a baobab tree. Then I just walk back along the beach to the hotel at the end of the sand.