In which continent are the Seychelles?

One of the few bits of public art on the islands is three intersecting arcs, as you enter the capital Victoria. These represent the three pretenders: Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Europeans were the first to settle the islands, generously sharing their language and religion, but it’s really rather a long way away. Slightly nearer is Asia, and in fact it may have been arab sailors who first set foot on the islands.

But officially the Seychelles are in Africa. I can sort-of see it: there’s a bit of music and dance, and a lot of corrugated iron roofing on the shacks, though they are still a good thousand kilometres from the mainland.

Which is probably a good thing at the moment, as their nearest mainland neighbours are Somalia and Kenya, not happy places right now.

This window in the little church in the tiny capital (grandly called St Paul’s Cathedral!) caught my eye – lespwar in Creole, l’espoir in French, hope in English – whatever the continent, whatever the language, we could all do with some.