Meeting the Seychellois tortoises left me with a special impression. These remarkable creatures can live up to 200 years, and when you watch them, it feels as if time flows differently for them. I couldn’t help thinking: even when we are gone, they will still move slowly and calmly across the island, grazing on the grass. Of course, giant tortoises can also be found on other Indian Ocean islands, but they originate from the Seychelles and only here continue to live in their natural habitat. That is why they have become a true national symbol: you’ll find their image on the country’s coat of arms and coins. Their homeland is the Aldabra Atoll, one of the most remote places of the archipelago. In colonial times, thousands of tortoises were shipped away on vessels — able to survive for weeks without food or water, they were used as "living provisions." Today, they are carefully protected, and you can meet them on Curieuse or La Digue, where they share their world peacefully with visitors, allowing you to feed them leaves or simply watch their dignified, timeless strolls.