 |
| Male'
is the busiest place for shopping, given the choice
and variety of goods available in this centre of commercial
activity |
 |
| Male'
offers a great choice of restaurants to choose from |
 |
| Male'
the capital offers a wide choice of interesting places
to see, including a beautiful old mosque which
boasts some of the most intricate and oldest coral carvings
in the world. |
|
Male'
- the capital
Male? would certainly
count as one of the smallest capitals in the world in terms
of its physical size. A third of the country's population,
about 75,000 live in Male'. Different from any other island
in the country, Male' is a city of high-rise buildings and
paved roads. While the government offices are located in one
area, the main streets are lined with shops and offices. In
the old bazaar area which still houses the country's hub of
wholesale and retail trade, the lanes are so narrow that a
single vehicle would find it difficult to navigate through,
especially with its throngs of busy people.
There are no beaches
on Male'; instead seawalls surround all its sides. However,
a newly landscaped artificial beach area and adjoining breakwater
stretching all the way round to the harbour in the southwest
of the island provide a pleasant jogging route, especially
popular in the evenings when it is cooler.
Male? is still relatively
green and pleasant. The streets in the residential areas
are shaded with trees, at places forming an arch overhead.
A fair number of main streets are lined with big trees providing
shade on both sides. Even a stroll around it would offer
interesting sites and shots for the memories; the fish market
and the local market at the northern waterfront, the new
harbour in the south-west corner and the 400-year old Friday
Mosque, to name a few. A stroll around the residential areas
or shopping streets would provide an insight into the life
and livelihood of the residents of the capital. Or simply
sit down and relax at one of the small parks dotted around
the capital and just observe the pace of life.
You may be surprised
at the large number of motorised vehicles in Male'. If you
prefer, you could make a tour of the capital by taxi. Many
taxi centres operate a number of comfortable, well-maintained
taxis. The maximum rates that can be charged are set by
the government; the basic fare for a single journey for
four persons or less, from one point to another is MRf.15.00,
luggage carried in the trunk is charged at the rate of MRf.5.00
per item, the basic charge increases to MRf.20.00, from
12.00 midnight to 06.00 in the morning and charters cost
MRf.85.00 per hour.
|
