Book Review: Blue Mauritius
By Helen Morgan
Atlantic Books, 2006
320 pages
Mauritius holds great fascination for me due to its unique natural, political, and cultural history. “Blue Mauritius” adds yet another dimension to the story of this unusual island. This book traces the history of the two-pence “Blue Mauritius” postage stamp issued in 1847 when this Indian Ocean island was governed by the British. Today the “Blue Mauritius” is one of the rarest of all stamps and only 13 are known to exist. A pair of these 1847 stamps sold at auction in 1993 for a record $4 million. Helen Morgan’s book explains how these postage stamps became among the most sought-after in the philatelic world.
“Blue Mauritius” is also both a detective story and a historical travel memoir that describes the colorful personalities of collectors in their pursuit of these precious stamps in many different countries. The author writes from the perspective of non-collector and explains the origins of stamp collecting that began in the nineteenth century. She writes with a tenacious yet coherent attention to detail that speaks to her skills as a researcher. The book concludes with a description of how two of the prized stamps were returned to the modern island nation of Mauritius, where they are displayed in a purpose-built museum.
For me, “Blue Mauritius” adds depth to the story of Mauritius, underscoring its importance in world history which is overlooked by many in North America who know little about it. Perhaps most famous as the home of the extinct Dodo bird, Mauritius was an important maritime crossroads from the time of its discovery by the Portuguese in 1507. The island was governed by the Dutch to 1710 when they left, the French from 1715 to 1810, and was an English colony from 1810 until independence in 1968. Mauritius is situated at a unique intersection between Europe, Africa, India, and the rest of Asia which is reflected in its architectural, cultural, and culinary heritage. 
The book explains that “Mauritius was only the fifth country in the world - and the first British colony - to produce postage stamps” when it issued the famous red one penny and blue two penny postage stamps in 1847. These stamps were used to post invitations to a fancy-dress ball hosted by the Governor’s wife. The author does a fine job tracing the circuitous route of these stamps through history while providing insightful details that underscore the depth of both commercial and personal ties that existed between Europe and Mauritius during the nineteenth century.
Today Mauritius is famous for its world-class resort hotels that take advantage of its tropical climate and beautiful beaches. There is much more to Mauritius, however, particularly for those interested in a historical perspective. I had the opportunity to visit Mauritius two years ago and was enchanted with the island and its friendly, welcoming people.
Mauritius is quite remote - about 1200 miles east of Africa in the Indian Ocean, with 1.2 million people living in close proximity on a relatively small island. The population is a veritable melting pot of different cultures dominated by ethnic Indians, with African, European, and Asian descendants well-represented. One can find Catholic churches, Hindu and Tamil temples, and Islamic mosques within sight of one another in Mauritius. The official language is English while the most commonly spoken language is Creole, a patois of French. Other languages are spoken on the island, including Hindi.
During my visit to Mauritius, I visited the Blue Penny Museum (see photo at right) where two of the famous postage stamps are on display. This small museum is a gem, providing a well-organized and carefully documented depiction of both the history of the island and of the “Blue Mauritius” stamps.
Although I’m not a stamp collector, this book captivated my interest as I learned about the philatelic world, one that is much broader in scope than I had imagined. For readers interested in Mauritius, world history, and those who may enjoy a detective story that uncovers the mysteries behind the some of the world’s most famous postage stamps and their collectors, I highly recommend “Blue Mauritius”.
Resources:
Blue Penny Museum, Port Louis, Mauritius
(The Blue Penny Museum website is part of the website for the Mauritius Commercial Bank found at “MCB and the Community”)
The Karen Blixen Museum
Rungstedlund, Denmark
Legendary Danish author Karen Blixen spent most of her life at her family’s estate north of Copenhagen where she wrote “Out of Africa” and other works under the pseudonym Isak Dinesen. The estate known as Rungstedlund was originally acquired by her father in 1879 and the oldest parts date to around 1680 when it was operated as an inn attached to a farm. Today the buildings and 15 hectares of gardens, woodlands, pasture, and wetlands comprise the Karen Blixen Museum which opened to the public in 1991. For travelers with literary or biographical interests, and especially fans of the 1985 Sydney Pollack film, “Out of Africa” featuring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, a visit to the Karen Blixen Museum is well worth the 15 mile trip from Copenhagen.
During her lifetime, Rungstedlund was still in a rural setting. Today, it is surrounded by expensive homes in one of Copenhagen’s prosperous suburbs. Located in the remodeled Blixen family farmhouse, one wing of the museum contains an exhibition room featuring the author’s personal library, photos, and memorabilia, in addition to a café and bookshop. The other wing contains Karen Blixen’s private living quarters, which can be seen only by guided tours, which are conducted at frequent intervals.
The highlight of my visit was the tour of Karen Blixen’s private rooms, which are carefully preserved exactly as when she lived there. Tours are conducted in English and other languages and visitors are required to wear disposable shoe covers to protect the floors of the beautifully furnished rooms. Unlike typical museum tours, I felt like I had been invited to peruse the elegant private home of an aristocratic and exotic Danish lady who still lived there. Furnishings include many family antiques, Danish period pieces from similar country homes, and furniture and other artifacts from Karen Blixen’s farm in Africa.
There are also a number of lovely antique enameled metal stoves used to heat the house. These were given to Karen Blixen by wealthy relatives in the 1950s when they replaced them with modern heating systems. Gorgeous fresh flowers cut from the estate gardens fill the rooms. Karen Blixen did much of writing in a study she called “Ewald’s Room”, named after author Johannes Ewald, which overlooks the Øresund looking towards Sweden. This room is carefully preserved and looks today like the writer had just left her desk for a few minutes.
Karen Blixen was a talented writer who led an unusual, adventurous, and somewhat eccentric life. While most people know her as a distinguished author, she was also a highly accomplished artist and studied at the Royal Academy of Art in Copenhagen and also at a school in Paris in her youth. Her residence is filled with many of her paintings including some small African portraits that are especially interesting.
In 1958, Karen Blixen and her siblings founded the Rungstedlund Foundation which today manages the estate and operates the museum. She is buried on the property near a grove of trees that can be reached by a short walk along well-maintained garden paths. Her original bequest to the foundation specified that the grounds be used as a bird sanctuary and that the buildings be used for a “cultural purpose”. Later the foundation’s board of governors decided to use the main house as a museum. It took many years before the museum became a reality.
At the time of her death in 1962, the foundation was deeply in debt and the property languished for 25 years due to ongoing financial problems and a lack of interest. The Rungstedlund Foundation is the financial beneficiary of all income derived from Karen Blixen’s published works, which fluctuated greatly over the years. The success of the 1985 film, “Out of Africa” generated worldwide interest in her books that in turn provided the funds for the foundation to finally begin planning for the museum in 1987. The Karen Blixen Museum opened in May 1991.
A tour of the museum takes only a few hours but will be more memorable if you acquaint or re-acquaint yourself with the author’s works and biography before your visit. For biographies of Karen Blixen and her life, I recommend the books “Isak Dinesen: Life of a Storyteller” by Judith Thurman, and “Too Close to the Sun: The Audacious Life and Times of Denys Finch Hatton” by Sara Wheeler. These biographies detail Karen Blixen’s fascinating life and fiercely independent personality which is at least partly reflected in the furnishings and decor of her home.
I think that what I admire most about Karen Blixen was her indomitable spirit. When she moved back from Kenya to live with her mother at Rungstedlund in 1931, she had lost virtually everything: her coffee farm, all her money, her marriage, and her health. She returned to Denmark with no formal training or prospects for gainful employment at the height of a worldwide global economic depression. Despite these overwhelming circumstances, she picked up her pen, or more precisely, her small manual typewriter (on display at the museum) and proceeded to write, in flawless English, a series of works that became immediate critical and commercial successes. And the rest is history.
Karen Blixen Museum website: http://www.karen-blixen.dk
Discover Napa Valley’s Historic Past
California’s Napa Valley can at times seem like a wine theme park featuring wineries with multi-million dollar art collections, gondola tram cars, and cutting edge restaurants. Hidden from view and sometimes in plain sight are many fascinating reminders of this valley’s rich history. Two small museums and two unusual landmarks near the towns of St. Helena and Calistoga at the northern end of the Napa Valley make for a memorable and intriguing diversion from a typical day trip of winery hopping.
St. Helena is a picturesque town that retains much of its historical architecture that offer a glimpse into what Napa Valley looked like when it first become a major wine region in the late nineteenth century. These days, however, the stores along the main street are often upscale boutiques and trendy restaurants can be found at every corner.
Next to the St. Helena Public Library on aptly-named Library Lane is the Robert Louis Stevenson Silverado Museum. This small jewel box of a museum is dedicated to the world-famous author legendary books including Kidnapped , Treasure Island, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. A native of Scotland, Stevenson married his wife Fanny in 1880 and spent their honeymoon on Mt. St. Helena. He wrote an account of his experience living in the Napa Valley in The Silverado Squatters which was published in 1883.
The Silverado Museum features a collection of more than 9,000 items of Stevenson memorabilia including books, drawings, sculpture, paintings, photographs, and much more. It is well worth a visit and should appeal to all ages.
A few miles north of St. Helena on Highway 29 is the Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park. To my mind, this is one of the more amazing historical landmarks in Napa Valley: an impeccably restored water-powered grist mill complete with a 36 foot wooden water wheel. The original grist mill was conceived and built on the site in 1840 by Dr. Edward Turner Bale, an English physician and surgeon, who came to California from England and is said to have been shipwrecked off of Monterey in 1837. Bale arranged for a larger and more powerful mill to be built that was completed by 1846 or 1847.
The Bale Grist Mill was built when California still belonged to Mexico and survived the brief period of the “Bear Flag Revolt” when California declared itself to be an independent republic in 1846. The fact that it stands today as a fully-functioning registered historic landmark is truly impressive. The mill and waterwheel are literally steps away from busy Highway 29 but obscured by trees. The entrance to the park itself and the visitor’s parking lot is a short drive from the highway. Don’t miss this remarkable landmark. It’s one of the most unusual sites of its type and millions of visitors to the Napa Valley don’t even know it’s there.
North of St. Helena at the northern end of the valley lies the town of Calistoga, famous for its natural hot springs and thermal geysers. Natural steam hot baths and spas were built in the late nineteenth century by legendary developer Sam Brannan in a failed attempt to make the town a resort destination modeled after New York’s Saratoga Springs. Today the hot spring spas remain but the natural hot springs that dotted this region are not visible. Look closely however, and throughout the town of Calistoga you what appear to be fire hydrants without fire hose valves. These aren’t fire hydrants but caps for thermal vents that literally honeycomb the town.
The Sharpsteen Museum in downtown Calistoga is another jewel box museum that provides a wonderful look at nineteenth century life in the valley. A main feature of the museum is a diorama that shows the layout of the town as it appeared in 1868. Along with numerous artifacts and room displays, the museum also has an early map that shows the location of every thermal vent throughout the town.
Five miles west of Calistoga is another unusual attraction, The Petrified Forest, conveniently located on Petrified Forest Road. This quirky if not somewhat kitschy attraction has been privately owned and operated since 1871 and is considered one of the finest examples of a Pliocene fossil forest in the world. It’s a small park with a collection of petrified trees up to 60 feet or more in length, some with visible bark. These were giant redwood trees that were buried under volcanic ash more than 3 million years ago and have since turned to stone. A walking tour of the Petrified Forest takes about half an hour and should appeal to visitors of all ages.
If you go:
1490 Library Street, St. Helena, CA
Tel. 707-963-3757 Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park
Entrance is 3 miles north of St. Helena (3369 N St.) on Highway 29.
Tel. 707-942-4575
1311 Washington Street, Calistoga, CA
Tel: 707-942-5911
4100 Petrified Forest Road, Calistoga, CA
Tel. 707-942-6667
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