Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ment slowly caused the Malagasy railway system to fall into disrepair - Mich-
elines included.
It wasn't until the revival of the rail system in the early 2000s that plans to re-
store the pneumatic wagons were hatched. Following restoration by the Mich-
elin Museum in France, one
Micheline
( 034 00 503 57;
www.madarail.mg
;
Gare Soarano), which seats 19 passengers in old-world class, is now back in ser-
vice and chugs its way between Tana and Andasibe (Périnet) or Antsirabe every
weekend (one-way/return Ar90,000/130,000, including breakfast). The Mich-
eline departs Tana at 8am on Saturday and arrives around 12.30pm; it then
leaves around 2pm on Sunday afternoon and is back around 6.30pm (it goes to
Andasibe three times a month and once to Antsirabe). The trip is obviously very
popular with Tana residents, who enjoy the weekend break with family, but it is
also a nice alternative to the taxi-brousse (bush taxi) for travellers. Advanced
booking is essential.
Musée d'Art et d'Archéologie
MUSEUM
(Rue Dok Villette; 9am-5pm Tue-Sat) This small museum in the Haute-Ville gives an
overview of archaeological digs around the island, including displays of grave decorations
from the south (known as
aloalo
), an extensive exhibition of musical instruments and a few
talismans and objects used for in traditional ceremonies. A tip for the guide is customary.
Markets
MARKET
For Shakespeare, all the world was a stage; for Antananarivo it seems that all the world's
a market, which must make at least half the population hawkers. Everywhere you look,
vendors tout their wares from stalls, carts and inverted cardboard boxes, or simply wander
the streets looking hopeful.
The main market is found in the 'pavilions' at
Analakely
; it's a shadow of the former
zoma
(market), for which Tana was legendary, but it's still a packed, teeming place, selling
clothes, household items, dodgy DVDs and every food product you could imagine, plus a
few you probably couldn't.
Another huge market is at
Andravoahangy
, about 1.5km northeast of the northern end
of Ave de l'Indépendance. The smaller
Marché Communal de Petite Vitesse
, west of the
train station, sells more or less the same goods, minus the food.
Forsouvenirs,the
Marché Pochart
isanicealternativetoMarchéArtisanaldelaDigue.
Bargain hard.
