It just happened that various towns around the island were celebrating Carnival. The temptation of home made coconut icecream took us to Lamenton where various street traders were selling it as well as cakes, crepes, peanuts, popcorn etc. Despite the continuing tropical showers, most the town had turned out to line the streets for the parade. Whilst waiting for it to start Lizzie and I chatted with Lola, a young Creole lady who happily told us about local dishes, education, the carnival and her life. The Carnival consisted of a procession of screeching dancing girls and women, men drumming out rhythms on plastic 205 litre drums and banner carriers bursting their lungs on conch shells. During the drive home across the top of the mountains on Route de la Traversee there are French rural vistas and tall rainforest and rocky rivers.