 |
| A hazy view while on our way to Grand Etang |
All good things must some to an end. After spending 10 exciting/steamy days on
Finesse it was time to get back to reality (back to Barbados actually). After a breakfast of mushroom omelets and a quick trip for ice, we were on our way. We made a quick detour into Prickly Bay - looked around and decided it was time to head back to the Marina for our last night. Our last evening was spent in quiet reflection - not really - the girls watched the final episodes of Misfits Season 4, while the boys chatted topside.
The next morning, early rise, breakfast at the marina restaurant and a pick-up for an island tour. The next 4 hours were spent touring the island. We visited a quaint spice shop and learned some medicinal uses for many of the spices that locals use everyday. Some of the ones we sampled: fresh turmeric, mace, nutmeg, bay leaves. Sometimes I forget how different fresh spices can be compared to the ones that have fallen to the back of the spice cupboard and forgotten. It does always help however, to purchase whole spices as possible. A fresh grind on them and they are amazing.
 |
| Some of the many spices available. |
Next stop was the Annandale Waterfall. A great tourist stop (with clean bathrooms). We made our way down the gentle incline then stairs, to the waterfall. Crystal clear water and full of fish. There were cliff divers in colourful garb who were jumping for dollars (if you felt so inclined to make a donation). On our way out, there were many tables selling an assortment of souvenirs.
Back in the taxi with our driver Winston and we headed to the Grand Etang Natural Reserve. At this elevation (about 1800') the air is much cooler. Still humid, but cooler. Quite a busy little place. A $2 charge gets you inside where there is a building showing flora and fauna of the island - including a very informative and friendly guide. It was nice that we weren't coaxed out of any more money as she finished her speech. There are a few souvenir shops here, a couple of bars and places to buy things to eat. A mini tourist trap, but not too bad. Worth the visit. There was even a local band playing some good music. People were dancing - it was a nice break from the heat and sitting in the van.
We stopped at Grand Etang lake and had a look. This extinct volcanic crater is connected to Kick 'Em Jenny, which we sailed past on our way down.
Kick 'Em Jenny is an active submarine volcano which is marked on the charts and best avoided. The water at Grand Etang lake was a little murky, but if you threw some breadcrumbs over the railing, it sprang to life with lots of fish.
Our next stop was Grenville - which was on the other side of the island to where we were staying. We parked and roamed the streets for a while, staying mostly to the shady side of the street. We stumbled across a roti shop and got some roti, brought it back to the car park and had our lunch. Admittedly, it was not very comfortable - standing in the hot sun, four of us trying to share the shade of a billboard, a vagrant skillfully balance a bottle of booze while relieving himself in the parking lot, picking chicken bones out of our roti - not very comfortable at all. The roti was good, but you should be aware that down here, you rarely get a boneless roti. My father says it is a tradition from long ago so you could ensure the type of meat you were getting. Who knows. I do know that having the meat on the bone does add lots of flavour, even if it is a hot mess to eat standing up.
We found Winston, who had disappeared momentarily - I spotted his hat and tracked him down. It was time to get these pale Northerners back in the shade (myself excluded, obviously - although, I was craving some conditioned air). We made the final leg back to the marina, picked up our luggage and headed over to our last stop of our Grenada adventure.
Part 2 - True Blue Bay Resort, Grenada
