Lemons. Oranges. Tons and tons of citrus fruit for sale at bargain prices. Some 140 tons were used to decorate huge, elaborate creations in Menton, the French city of lemons. Fruit is attached to metal sculpture frames, some reaching 9 meters or 30 feet in height, with about a million rubber bands.
The town’s annual two-week long lemon festival (Fête du Citron) starring the fruit masterpieces just ended. Usable leftovers can be purchased at a special market.
“Wonders of life” was the theme of the 2026 lemon festival.Above, Mother Earth.
The festival is a windfall for the Mediterranean town of 30,000. Tourists, about 300,000 this year, come from near and far. When the orange and yellow sculptures are dismantled, the parade stands torn down, and inner-city streets open again, locals breathe a huge sigh of relief. Menton is theirs again.
But they too enjoy the festivities. The Fête du Citron is much more than the awesome citrus constructions. Parades, a crafts market, orchard and garden tours, bands – all are on the festival agenda. And, orchids. The Palais de l’Europe, just adjacent to the gardens with the sculptures, houses a lavish orchid exhibit.
Orchids too are offered at reduced prices after the festival. I stood in line outside waiting for the sale to open, then followed the crowd to the long table where the beauties were offered.
Orchid sale and my prize, “Sunshine.”
Too many people. Too few orchids. Many must have been offered to staff before the public sale. Nonetheless I came home with a large specimen. I was told the blossoms won’t last much longer. My challenge – to get my treasure, whom I have named “Sunshine,” to bloom again next year. (Orchid tips welcome)
All manner of orchids, including air orchids, to admire. Those circles are an aquatic plant from the Amazon.
But it’s lemons, nor orchids for which Menton is famous. Not your ordinary grocery store lemons. Menton lemons are a protected, high-quality variety — too valuable and production too limited for display construction. Neighbor Spain is the source.
Mentonlemons and lemonade.
Lemon fame dates back centuries. The town’s mild microclimate made its lemons famous throughout Europe in the 19th century. The fruit was an important addition to the economy. And, since 1933 the yellow fruit has been honored with a Fête du Citron.
“In Menton, the sea is blue, the sun is gold, and the lemons shine like lanterns.”
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Food is a hot topic in travel these days. More and more destinations offer food tours with samplings of tasty street goodies.
Being a dedicated foodie, upon arrival in Madagascar (Mada) last summer, I naively inquired about a food tour. “Not here,” announced Ravi, a guide and driver. “People get sick. They reuse the cooking oil.”
Forget street food, as well as haute cuisine and Michelin star restaurants. I did, however, enjoy some delicious dining during my stay in the country, the fifth poorest in the world.
Food prep starts early in Madagascar
I loved visiting the markets, taking photos of the friendly vendors, and learning about Mada food.
Let’s start with rice. “We must eat rice three times per day,” declared Emanuel, my guide at a market in Antananarivo (Tana), the country capital. We passed numerous rice stands with numerous kinds of rice. “But this is not enough. We also import rice from China and India,” he added.
Hard to believe. During my first excursion in Mada, to a lemur park about 25 kilometers from Tana, we passed miles of rice paddies. However, on another excursion we passed brick factories on the river banks. Bricks replaced rice; I was told. “You can make more money with bricks.”
Zebu
Zebu are to Madagascar what reindeer are to Norway. The island’s domestic cattle originally came from South Asia. They serve as a source of meat, as well as a beast of burden. The humped cattle are a symbol of wealth and status, and play an essential role in ceremonies and sacrificial rituals (see previous post, Madagascar’s Intriguing Ancestor Rituals) Popular souvenirs – jewelry, salad tongs, bowls, decorative objects – are made of zebu horns. The color and grain of the horns vary, so each piece has a distinct pattern.
I am not a hearty meat eater, but twice I savored zebu filet. Exquisite. Filet is not on the menu at market food stalls, but zebu stomach and feet are, both considered delicacies.
Many market stands are “fast food” depots, offering a variety of prepared dishes at reasonable prices. Shoppers stop for a meal at the markets. “We like to eat here. It’s easier than going home to cook,” I was told.
Zebu feet and stomachTempting melange
My guide went for the stomach and feet. I was tempted by a colorful concoction of pasta and veggies.
Cassava leaves are an essential ingredient in many Malagasy dishes, especially the national favorite, ravitoto. Leaves can be purchased pre ground at the market.
I watched as women mixed the leaves with coconut milk, grated coconut, water, and then squeezed it all dry, before mixing it with meat and vegetables for cooking. This was one of many ready-to-eat offerings at the market.
In Nosy Be, the Mada resort town where I spent several days, a brochette stand is a sensation. Customers line up in the evening for take-home brochettes, about 11 US cents each. The tiny stand was started by the mother of some of the workers years ago. It’s grown into a thriving family business, employing daughters, granddaughters and cousins, all at work cutting up 25 kilos of zebu every day, then assembling the brochettes with the meat, green papaya, and more.
As an island nation, Madagascar offers a variety of fish and other sea creatures for the dinner plate. I visited a fishing village where thousands of sardines were drying in the sun.
Fish at the market
My all time favorite seafood in Mada: camarons, a type of large gamba from the waters of nearby Mozambique. To die for, along with zebu filet.
This was my last night treat at the Sakamanga (blue cat) hotel in Tana. The menu selections there were several notches up from restaurant food I had elsewhere. The restaurant was bustling. Reservations a must.
CamaronsZebu filet
The hotel itself could be a tourist attraction, its walls decorated with framed old newspaper front pages and photos, and hallways filled with ancient Malagasy treasures.
Why the hotel name meaning blue cat? No one could tell me. As a childless cat lady, I was delighted to spot two curled up kitties on an office chair, as well as other cats during my travels. Malagasy like felines, I learned.
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Malagasy John Delmas organizes and guides visits to Madgascar. John was my guide/driver for two days. He was super, taught me lots. Contact his company. https://www.mada-discovery-travels.com
I booked my African adventure, South Africa (Kruger) and Madagascar, with Worldwide Quest, http://www.worldwidequest.com
Today’s Taste. No new recipe, but one from the past, CHICKEN MAFE. It’s not a Malagasy recipe, but a West African speciality. I have made it several times for African dinner parties and it’s always a hit. Peanuts are the secret ingredient. For more tasty recipes, click here.
Scroll down for more Mada photos and for Comments. I’d love to know your thoughts.
Zebu is a market favorite.
Mada produces several kinds of bananasSardines drying
Turning of the Bones. Sounds bizarre and morbid. “Famadihana,” exhuming the bones of deceased relatives, is a culturally ingrained ritual in Madagascar (Mada). Five to seven years after death, families exhume the bones of a beloved ancestor, wrap the bones in fresh cloth, and celebrate before reburial. It is a sign of love and respect for the deceased.
Celebrants dancing with the wrapped remains of ancestors
There’s dancing with the wrapped ancestors, eating and lots of drinking – a joyous, festive occasion. The celebrations, which last from one to three days or longer, are a duty, a must for relatives of the dead to host. And, they are expensive, costing up to a year’s earnings.
Ravi Matadeen, who rents self-drive vehicles in Antananarivo, the capital of Mada, told of one of his employees who was under fierce pressure from relatives to host a Famadihana for his mother. The employee was distraught. He could not afford it. “I told him I would pay,” Ravi said.
Family graves are huge, with remains of up to 100 persons. At Famadihana, all the bones in the grave are exhumed.
Young people want to resist the ancient custom, he explained, but they are under so much pressure they often must comply. “We must do it,” a 41-year-old guide told me.
Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the world, has 22 distinct regions and 18 different ethnic groups. Customs differ within the groups, but Famadihana is common with several groups. Half of the population is Christian, but many also practice Turning of the Bones.
I was intrigued, fascinated with Famadihana, and many other spooky Mada customs. I did not attend a bones ceremony, a private, sacred ritual, not an event where tourists are usually welcome. Many fear outsiders will disturb the spirits.
Sacred Banyan tree
But, I was welcome to visit a sacred tree where spirits live. After a lengthy drive down a rutted dirt road through a jungle-like forest, there it was – a huge, tangled mass of roots, the Banyan Sacred Tree, planted in 1836 by the queen of the Sakalava tribe.
Malagasy come here to ask the spirit of the tree to fulfill a wish, grant them a favor, I learned. A woman may ask to find a husband, for example. Some may request a new car.
Whatever, believers must walk around the sacred tree, as well as make offerings, such as food items, to the tree. If their wish is fulfilled, they must return to the tree and sacrifice a cow. (My wish has not been granted. A cow is spared.)
Female visitors must wear a pareo to walk around the tree. The garb can be rented at the site. At right, gifts left under the tree for the spirit.
Cutting or climbing this sacred tree is a fady (taboo), and Madagascar is loaded with fady. Taboos vary with regions, ethnic groups, even within a family. Breaking a fady is said to bring misfortune, bad luck.
Certain food items are a fady for some. A guide told me he does not eat pork. Eels are considered sacred in certain areas and not to be consumed. For many, it is a fady to point at a tomb or grave, to sit on a pillow, to sleep with your head facing north. In some places dogs are a fady.
This statue marks the site where a sacred rock once stood.
I visited Sakatia island where dogs are taboo. The guide explained that many years ago dogs were used on the island to chase and help capture natives who were to become slaves. “That’s why the people here hate dogs,” he explained. “I don’t like dogs either,” he said, “but it depends on your ethnic background.”
Dogs are taboo on Sakatia island. Not so turtles. Giant species swim in surrounding waters where I was thrilled to snorkel with them.
Fady are associated with circumcision, a rite of passage in Mada. It is performed by a traditional circumciser, often using bamboo and medicinal plants, and only on boys – no female circumcision in Mada.
An astrologer must be consulted to set an auspicious date. Rituals, cow sacrifices and feasting are involved. Guides told me as a sign of love the grandfather often eats the foreskin with a banana. In some areas, the foreskin is placed on top of a gun and shot into the air.
There is a movement underway in some parts of the island nation to promote more sanitary circumcision. Signs advertise “American circumcision. No blood.”
Zebu are herded through a lane of baobab trees. Six of the world’s eight species of baobab thrive in Mada. Many of the trees are sacred, associated with ancestral spirits and taboos.
Intriguing, unusual customs are just one of the multitude of wonders of Madagascar. Adventure, wildlife, no crowds, stunning landscapes. Madagascar is mesmerizing. See my previous post, Discovering the Unique Wonders of Madagascar, for more on this stellar destination.
I am a foodie. Madagascar is not the place for Michelin star dining, but its markets and food customs are remarkable. The beef is extraordinary, in my opinion. Twice I treated myself to zebu filet — best steaks ever. More about zebu, the cattle of Madagascar, and Mada cuisine in my next post.
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Malagasy John Delmas organizes and guides visits to Madgascar. John was my guide/driver for two days. He was super, taught me lots. Contact his company. https://www.mada-discovery-travels.com
8 responses to “Madagascar’s Intriguing Ancestor Rituals”
Kate Barker
Salut Leah,
Lovely article for me today as my knee heels and I enjoy a bit of armchair traveler. I’ve not travelled all that much outside of Europe and the states so most of my holy relics have been visited in varies churches and cathedrals. Amusing how many commonalities are found within cultures that we typically think of as vastly different.
I am happy to know you enjoyed the article. It is always interesting to learn about other cultures, and more even interesting, surprising, to see the commonalities as you mentioned.
Hi Leah,
It is quite interesting to read about this ritual, I never read of some similar traditions before.
In Italy it is common to exhume bones of deceased people a few years after the burial, mostly for reorganizing space in the cemetery, but there are no rituals. I can see that they have quite a dedication for the bodies of their families.
It is sad that dogs have such a negative connotation. I would say that it was the men behind those dogs to be blamed for capturing people to become slaves. It sounds like a sort of superstition to me.
When I read the other article about Madascar while I was staying in your home, I then went for a walk to the Parc du Cap Martin and was delighted to see three baobab trees in there 🙂
These customs, rituals are indeed interesting. Thanks for pointing out the baobab trees in my park. I never noticed, but will surely look for them next time I take a walk there.
I’m intrigued, I really would like to travel to Madagascar. I’ve had enough encounters with dogs on my travels to appreciate Sakatia island taboo. The guide’s comment suggesting that the taboo may have had its origins from when dogs were used to chase and help capture natives who were to become slaves, may help explain it. Like many cultural taboos it may have other positive consequences. It’s interesting how many cultures have celebrations to honor the dead. I liked to have a couple of baobab trees in my yard. I’m sorry your wish did not come to pass, but it saved you from having to go back, purchase a cow and sacrifice it. That would have been an expensive ordeal.
Mada would be a great destination for you and Tai. Rent one of those self-drive vehicles for exciting adventure. Not just the expense if my wish had been fulfilled — no way I could have sacrificed a cow.
With wishes that this glorious golden moon (Jan. 3) brings joy, calm, fun and laughter, good food – and most importantly, good health, to all. And, even more important: a peaceful, saner, safer world.
I never tire of full moon shots from my balcony overlooking the Mediterranean, the town of Menton, France, and Italy in the background. The gilded sheen of this moon was special—hopefully a good omen for 2026.
For the third holiday season in a row, I pampered myself at Abano Terme, a spa town in northern Italy known for therapeutic mud treatments.
With friends in Abano. I am with Fatima, our angel waitress from Brazil. In addition to mud, we ate well: four course Italian meals twice a day.
More on Madagascar coming. Future posts will focus on Madagascar’s strange traditions and rituals, markets and food, and more. If not a Tales and Travel follower, please sign up here. Trust me. It’s safe. Your address is not shared.
15 responses to “Happy New Year’s Moon”
Monica
Thank you for posting, Leah.
I can now see where you were while I was staying in your apartment with Simba 🙂
I must go to Abano one day and get one of those treatments.
Looking forward to your next travel diary, I have just signed up!
The views are outstanding, Food OK, but this is not Paris nor Nice. Longing for a good ole
American pot roast, prepared one yesterday for guests. Delicious.
RedTsingy is one of the many wonders of Madagascar.
I was not the typical Madagascar tourist. Visitors come to this island nation to see its unique wildlife and admire dramatic landscapes: rainforests, deserts, canyons, lagoons, coral reefs. They come for adventure: rock climbing, kite surfing, scuba and snorkeling. They trek, backpack, camp. It can be rough and demanding. Distances are vast. Roads are poor. Lodges can be remote with few amenities.
Sadly these activités were beyond me.Photo on right by John Delmas.
I doubt Rick Steves has been to Madagascar. It’s probably not on many bucket lists. So why did I, an old, handicapped woman, come to Madagascar? Folks wondered, and gave me puzzling glances.
Welcoming committee at Nosy Be airport in Madagascar
I wanted to see the lemurs. I wanted to escape mass tourism. I wanted something different, off the beaten-track. Madagascar checked all the boxes.
Because of my age and limited mobility, I had a private chauffeur guide, many different ones, during my visit. I was based at a comfortable hotel just outside of Nosy Be, Madagascar’s (Mada’s) popular beach resort. But I did not come to lounge on the beach. Nor did I come to trek or indulge in rigorous activity — however I did scuba dive. You don’t need the fitness of a marathon runner to enjoy Mada.
Cottages and pool at Nosy Be hotel.
Every day during my 6-day stay, a different adventure awaited: a visit to a lemur park; snorkeling and swimming with huge turtles; visiting a fishing village, a sacred tree, markets, scuba. My driver guides were terrific. They taught me so much about this intriguing country
The island nation has a unique culture, a blend of Africa, Asia, (Indonesia) and the Middle East. Madagascar consists of 22 regions with 18 dialects of the Malagasy language, although people generally understand one another. French (Mada was a French colony until 1960) is spoken by many in the cities, as well as in government, business and education. English is not widely spoken, although it is common in tourist areas. Most of my guides spoke English, but some preferred to speak French, so we did.
More magnificent scenery. Photos by John Delmas
What makes Mada so unparalleled is isolation. It split from India 88 million years ago, and has been isolated ever since, “a living laboratory of evolution.” The island in the Indian Ocean is about 250 miles off Africa’s east coast. Land animals are locked in. Its ecosystem is distinct, with most of its wildlife endemic (found nowhere else).
Including lemurs. The park I visited is a private conservation reserve, home to 61 lemurs representing seven species. Most have been rescued from various parts of the country.
Madagascar is home to 112 species of lemur, guide Femo told me. All are endangered. Their habitat is being destroyed by slash and burn agriculture, logging and mining. People capture them for pets. And, eat them — not just the poor who are hungry, but well-to-do city dwellers who find the meat tasty and good for health.
“It’s a matter of education,” Femo said. “People don’t realize the lemurs are a national treasure.”
Different species live in different parts of the huge country, and, rather than socialize with one another, they fight, Femo explained. In the park, each species hangs out in its own territory. “Lemurs are not as intelligent as monkeys. They don’t steal,” I learned.
I saw dancing lemurs (they side hop), bamboo lemurs, gray mouse lemurs… plus ring-tailed lemurs which are the most common. They have 14 white and 14 black rings on their tails. All are adorable and entertaining — jumping, swinging, dancing, hopping. . During our trek up and down the hills in the park and alongside the Katsaoka River, Femo pointed to a hill on the other side of the river. It’s the site of a royal burial grounds, a place where people come to worship their ancestors and ask favors, he told me.
Beyond the hill at right is a royal burial grounds, a popular place for worshipping the dead.
Mada is a land of spirits and taboos. For Femo, eating onions and pork is taboo. During the following days I learned much more about those spirits and taboos.
Madagascar’s baobab trees are among the most ancient on the planet, some thought to be more than 800 years old . Like much today, they are threatened by climate change and agriculture.Photo by John Delmas
AI labels Mada the “best bang-for-your-buck” destination. It offers “good value.” Another AI quote: “Madagascar isn’t just another destination. It’s one of the last places left where the world still feels bigger than us. Go before the rest of the world figures that out.”
I’m very happy I went to Madagascar. Please, don’t tell Rick Steves about this very special place.
Future posts will focus on Madagascar’s strange traditions and rituals, markets and food, and more. If not a Tales and Travel follower, please sign up here. Trust me. It’s safe. Your address is not shared.
Malagasy John Delmas, above, organizes and guides visits to Madgascar. John was my guide/driver for two days. He was super, taught me lots. Contact his company. https://www.mada-discovery-travels.com
OK, I want to go. The photos are great. It’s harder as you get older, but I’ve always found the best parts of traveling are the people you meet, the unexpected things that happen, and the challenges they present.
So many primate species endangered or on the brink of extinction.
You should go. You’d love Mada — and so would Tai. Most of the photos are by my fabulous guide John. I had fun times with guides, all so knowledgeable, understanding and patient.
I don’t think you will ever stop traveling to exotic adventure destinations, Leah. This one was a “must do” and it turned out to be the fascinating adventure you had hoped for. And, you got to see those adorable lemurs and so much more in Madagascar.
Kudos to you!
Karen
Tales and Travel 
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