Baobabs!

Madagascar is known for its baobab trees - there are 8 species of baobab in the world, 7 of which are found in Madagascar, and 6 of which are only found here. These trees can grow to enormous heights, and are so big across that they have provided shelter for families in their often hollow middles. The fruit is an important food source. They also have no leaves most of the year, and have a gorgeous crown of leaves for only a few months each year, leading to the legend that the tree was once extremely conceited, and so was pulled out and stuck back in upside down as a punishment, but allowed to remember its former glory for a short time each year.

Our 4x4 next to a relatively small baobab.

This one is a beauty.A giant in full leafThere are two famous baobab images in Madagascar - one is les baobabs amoureuses (the loving baobabs). These two have become entwined. This isn't a great picture, but here are the famous pair.The other famous image is the avenue des baobabs, a stretch of road lined with concentration of some of the biggest baobabs, all hundreds of years old. Large baobabs typically do not grow this close together. They also usually only grow to the height of the surrounding forest - which means that there was probably once a very impressive forest here, and these baobabs are all that is left.

I feel really small!