My excursion today was cancelled due to inclement weather. Bummer. I was scheduled to take a boat from Tortola to Virgin Gorda, where I would be snorkeling and checking out The Baths, a series of gigantic rocks strewn across one of the beaches. And I was looking forward to seeing Bill and Mary Alice, the newlywed couple I’d dined with my first night. They were scheduled to be on the same excursion.
Because the ship was tendered offshore for most of the day, there was a huge line of people waiting to take the smaller boat ashore. I elected to spend my time packing and wrapping up this here blog instead. When the Galaxy finally docked in Tortola, I had less than two hours to explore Roadtown, its capitol city. I think the British Virgin Islands deserve another pass at some point in the future. I saw photographs of the beaches, The Baths, etc., and it all looked very nice. We shall meet again, Virgin Islands.
My day was not a total wash, however. In anticipation of tomorrow, I took the funds from my cancelled excursion and applied them to a special they were having down in the spa called “Top-to-Toe Heaven.” Here’s how it went down:
1. I got brushed down with, well, a brush that was covered in something that smelled like eucalyptus. Apparently my body hair has sufficiently manifested itself enough that I need to be groomed like a horse.
2. My neck, shoulders, and lower back were massaged for a while. I have some serious knots and tension in my shoulders! When I stood up at the end, I felt such a greater range of motion…it was unbelievable.
3. I got some tingly gel rubbed on my back and a hot towel applied over it. Nice.
4. I think I got a facial. All sorts of stuff was rubbed into my skin…some gel-like, some scrubby, some soothing. Now my face is breaking out a bit.
5. My scalp was massaged ever so gently.
6. The masseuse attempted to massage my feet but I kept giggling and squirming, so she decided to massage my calves instead.
All in all, it was great. I’ve only gotten a massage once before, when I was working for Wediko. I need to do it more often.
Regardless of what happens tomorrow, I’m grateful for all I’ve learned up to this point, and for the overwhelming support of friends and family. Plus, it’s like I’ve already been rewarded for my hard work; that’s what this cruise was for. Just think…if I don’t match and I have to go through this whole process again, I get to go on another cruise! Awesome! It’s like the security guard that works the cruise ship always says: “Happy! Happy! Haaaaapy Happyyyyyy.” And I think I’ve found that elusive happiness.
Food of the Day: Yorkie Bars. They're my favorite candy bar and they come all the way from England. How fortunate for me that I happened to be on a British island today! I bought seven.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
St. Kitts
I can’t believe my vacation is drawing to an end. I’ve almost forgotten what my life was like back in Chicago. Cold weather? Huh? I’ve seen that on TV, I think. Graduate school? Hmm. I’m going to have to get back to you on that one. Wait, something crucial to my career path is happening in a few short days? What? Internship matching? I’m sorry, but you need to clarify what you mean by that statement.
My first stop today was at Romney Manor (a 17th century sugar plantation) and its lush botanical gardens. A 300+ year-old salmon tree greeted us as we arrived (okay, it didn’t actually say, “Hello, and welcome to Romney Manor,” but it did open its arms up wide, and I’m pretty sure some of the branches were waving in a very welcoming manner). The site has since been converted into Caribelle Batik, a studio specializing in the creation of…you guessed it…batik. There was a brief demonstration explaining the batik process, which consists of placing wax on cloth, dipping it in dye, removing the wax and applying it to other areas, repeating the process, and so on until you have a beautifully dyed piece of fabric.
Office Plants Gone Wild: Ficus!
Nature’s Soprano
Drip Drop
Wee Flowers
Beloved
Helmi and Enrique
Sleepy St. Kitts Countryside
My first stop today was at Romney Manor (a 17th century sugar plantation) and its lush botanical gardens. A 300+ year-old salmon tree greeted us as we arrived (okay, it didn’t actually say, “Hello, and welcome to Romney Manor,” but it did open its arms up wide, and I’m pretty sure some of the branches were waving in a very welcoming manner). The site has since been converted into Caribelle Batik, a studio specializing in the creation of…you guessed it…batik. There was a brief demonstration explaining the batik process, which consists of placing wax on cloth, dipping it in dye, removing the wax and applying it to other areas, repeating the process, and so on until you have a beautifully dyed piece of fabric.
The Ancient Salmon Tree Says, “Hello!” (Note the park bench at the bottom of the photo to get a sense of the tree’s massive size.)
Romney Manor Botanical Gardens
Caribelle Batik
The bulk of my time on the island was spent hiking through the rainforest above Romney Manor, stopping periodically to listen to the guide discuss some of the local flora and fauna. Many of the plants were (and still are) used by Kittitians for medicinal purposes.
Most of the fruits from the trees were absent, as the island’s monkey residents outnumber the humans on the island, and them’s a bunch of hungry, hungry monkeys.
Soaking wet from a rainstorm during the latter half of the hike, I climbed over giant tree roots and did the limbo under branches overhead, reflecting upon the similarities between these past two weeks of vacation and the two plus weeks of internship interviews. Both took me away from Chicago and my responsibilities there for two weeks or more. Both cost a nice handful of coin. Both involved removing all my metal and going through security scanners nearly every day. Both involved a new (yet increasingly predictable) daily adventure at a new destination. Just like internship sites, some islands wowed me, whereas others are not locations I plan to return to in the future. Both involved some nausea and headaches. Both involved culinary adventures, some good, some not. Both are tied to the same singular event: internship.
Some differences exist between the two. Regrettably, I didn’t have the opportunity to spend time with friends or family during this trip, although I hope to share a slice of it with them through this blog. Although California was really warm, the Caribbean is much warmer. I’m not traveling by plane much on this trip; instead, I sleep while my transport rocks me back and forth across the sea. And, perhaps most unexpected of all, my deep down insides…my soul…grew substantially during the internship process, whereas the only thing that has grown throughout the cruise has been my waistline. Flub. Chub. A-dub-a-dub.
Most of the fruits from the trees were absent, as the island’s monkey residents outnumber the humans on the island, and them’s a bunch of hungry, hungry monkeys.
Soaking wet from a rainstorm during the latter half of the hike, I climbed over giant tree roots and did the limbo under branches overhead, reflecting upon the similarities between these past two weeks of vacation and the two plus weeks of internship interviews. Both took me away from Chicago and my responsibilities there for two weeks or more. Both cost a nice handful of coin. Both involved removing all my metal and going through security scanners nearly every day. Both involved a new (yet increasingly predictable) daily adventure at a new destination. Just like internship sites, some islands wowed me, whereas others are not locations I plan to return to in the future. Both involved some nausea and headaches. Both involved culinary adventures, some good, some not. Both are tied to the same singular event: internship.
Some differences exist between the two. Regrettably, I didn’t have the opportunity to spend time with friends or family during this trip, although I hope to share a slice of it with them through this blog. Although California was really warm, the Caribbean is much warmer. I’m not traveling by plane much on this trip; instead, I sleep while my transport rocks me back and forth across the sea. And, perhaps most unexpected of all, my deep down insides…my soul…grew substantially during the internship process, whereas the only thing that has grown throughout the cruise has been my waistline. Flub. Chub. A-dub-a-dub.
Office Plants Gone Wild: Ficus!
Nature’s Soprano
Drip Drop
Wee Flowers
A quick stroll through Basseterre, the capital of St. Kitts, took me past the Immaculate Conception Cathedral (open), St. George’s Anglican Church (closed), and a hint of the British Commonwealth influence: a red telephone booth. Pip pip, Cheerio!
Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Beloved
Dinner was a special treat tonight. Skip and I ordered frog legs; he because he liked them, I because I’d never had them before. As the saying goes, they “taste like chicken.” A few minutes later, our waiter, Helmi, brought a plate with a metal lid to the table and said, “Some extra frog legs for you all.” The grumpy red-faced German guy (whose name I thought was something like Herman, but Sue says it’s Jack) opened the lid and there was a live frog sitting on the plate. Okay, it wasn’t a live frog, but it sure looked like it with the dim lighting. It gave us all a good laugh.
Toward the end of the evening, Cruise Director John Grantham (who, according to my daily edition of “Celebrity Today!” was a Hollywood stuntman) introduced the kitchen staff and all the waiters paraded around the dining room as the band piped a fanfare and the guests waived their white linen napkins in the air. Each waiter was holding a tray of Baked Alaska and a tin of fire. Then we all held hands and sang “Auld Lang Syne.” It was particularly moving given that many of the crew may not be transferring to other ships when the Galaxy ends its run in a couple of weeks.
Toward the end of the evening, Cruise Director John Grantham (who, according to my daily edition of “Celebrity Today!” was a Hollywood stuntman) introduced the kitchen staff and all the waiters paraded around the dining room as the band piped a fanfare and the guests waived their white linen napkins in the air. Each waiter was holding a tray of Baked Alaska and a tin of fire. Then we all held hands and sang “Auld Lang Syne.” It was particularly moving given that many of the crew may not be transferring to other ships when the Galaxy ends its run in a couple of weeks.
Skip and Sue
Helmi and Enrique
Food of the Day: Frog Legs & Baked Alaska
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Dominica
Dubbed the “Nature Island of the Caribbean,” Dominica did not disappoint. After a leisurely drive through Roseau and its neighboring fishing villages, we arrived at the Layou River for some seriously enjoyable tubing. Lazy pools periodically gave way to whitewater rapids that, at one point, flipped me off my tube. Fortunately, the excursion was designed in such a way that there was someone stationed nearby to jump in and help me get situated again. When I wasn’t gripping onto my tube’s handles in a mix of excitement and wonder (as in wondering, “Why do I always end up facing backwards when I get to the rapids?”), I was busy drinking in the expanse of lush tropical greenery and rocky peaks for which Dominica is famous. Legend has it that when King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella asked Christopher Columbus to describe Dominica, he crumpled up a piece of paper and tossed it onto the table (not to insinuate that it was trash, but rather that it was very mountainous).
After tubing, we headed to Morne Trois Pitons National Park and embarked on a short hike to Emerald Pool. Our tour guide said that bathing in the Emerald Pool is reputed to make you feel 10 years younger. Although I didn’t feel 19 years old upon entering the pool, its crisp, cool water and briskly moving waterfall did give me a quick burst of energy. I could only stay under the waterfall for a few moments, as it came crashing down at an incredibly powerful rate…it was like someone was playing the drums on my skull. Awesome.
After tubing, we headed to Morne Trois Pitons National Park and embarked on a short hike to Emerald Pool. Our tour guide said that bathing in the Emerald Pool is reputed to make you feel 10 years younger. Although I didn’t feel 19 years old upon entering the pool, its crisp, cool water and briskly moving waterfall did give me a quick burst of energy. I could only stay under the waterfall for a few moments, as it came crashing down at an incredibly powerful rate…it was like someone was playing the drums on my skull. Awesome.
Morne Trois Pitons National Park
Emerald Pool
Beat Down
Repose
Food of the Day: Sesame Seared Yellow Fin Tuna with Stir Fried Asian Vegetables, Jasmine Rice, and Ginger Emulsion
Monday, February 16, 2009
St. Lucia
When you hear “mountain biking in the rainforest for four hours,” what do you think of? Do you imagine yourself riding in a van for almost two hours roundtrip while your tour guides say absolutely nothing? Do you visualize yourself riding a rusty bike up steep pavement and down a road covered in large rocks and gravel for 45 minutes through a partially developed portion of the rainforest before realizing that you’ve ended up right back where you started riding, only to abandon your bike and hike ten minutes to go swimming under a waterfall? And, when you hear “swimming under a waterfall,” do you visualize yourself standing in knee-deep water (at its deepest) under what could either be a waterfall or a person who has a hard time preventing his/her spittle from hitting you in the face? If so, then I have just the tour for you. The highlight of today’s tour was stopping briefly at a beautiful overlook showing me where I should have spent my time today. Sigh.
I am tiring of cruise ship food, by the way. They really try. They really do. But I just want to cook for myself now, and not pour a ton of oil, butter, or cream into every dish. I also want a burrito from Chipotle. Mmm, Chipotle.
After a lackluster lunch on the ship, I headed out to Castries, the capital of St. Lucia and the city to which our ship is currently attached. Amongst all the cookie cutter items in the local craft market, I found and bought a carving of a mother and child that I think will look pretty sweet in my future office. It’s not that big, but it’s unique, and very culturally sensitive. DePaul, I’m doing you proud.
My last stop before returning to the ship to eat the world’s worst avocado and tomato quesadilla (free room service is pretty sweet, yet sad when you realize that the only two items that are decent are the fruit and cheese plates), I used my Lonely Planet guidebook to help me find the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. It was unlike any other church I’d been in, both in terms of it’s ceiling and brightly painted walls. It seemed…truly Caribbean. I wish I could remember the fancy terms I learned in AP Art History back in high school to discuss it further, but sadly, I cannot. Suffice it to say that it was a magnificent structure, at least on the inside; from the outside it looked as though the building would topple from a weak sneeze. It also held a unique spirit that I haven’t felt previously.
I am tiring of cruise ship food, by the way. They really try. They really do. But I just want to cook for myself now, and not pour a ton of oil, butter, or cream into every dish. I also want a burrito from Chipotle. Mmm, Chipotle.
After a lackluster lunch on the ship, I headed out to Castries, the capital of St. Lucia and the city to which our ship is currently attached. Amongst all the cookie cutter items in the local craft market, I found and bought a carving of a mother and child that I think will look pretty sweet in my future office. It’s not that big, but it’s unique, and very culturally sensitive. DePaul, I’m doing you proud.
My last stop before returning to the ship to eat the world’s worst avocado and tomato quesadilla (free room service is pretty sweet, yet sad when you realize that the only two items that are decent are the fruit and cheese plates), I used my Lonely Planet guidebook to help me find the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. It was unlike any other church I’d been in, both in terms of it’s ceiling and brightly painted walls. It seemed…truly Caribbean. I wish I could remember the fancy terms I learned in AP Art History back in high school to discuss it further, but sadly, I cannot. Suffice it to say that it was a magnificent structure, at least on the inside; from the outside it looked as though the building would topple from a weak sneeze. It also held a unique spirit that I haven’t felt previously.
Food of the Day: Coconut plucked from the tree, smashed against a rock, and served fresh.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Barbados
Barbados, the easternmost island in the Caribbean, is unique in that it was created by the pushing up of tectonic plates (containing mostly limestone and coral) as opposed to volcanic activity like its other island neighbors. One result from this was Harrison’s Cave, my first stop this morning. Nearly 350 years of unbroken British rule (ended back in the 1960s) manifested itself through the guide’s accent, which had a tinge of cockney. The tour itself was kind of a yawner. I rode in a tram down manufactured tunnels and was only allowed to disembark twice. Not that I wanted to spelunk through tiny tunnels on my belly and crawl around with a head lantern, but come on. There were even sensor-timed lights that turn on when we entered a cavern and turn off when we left. At one point, the guide turned off all the lights and said, “This is what a cave looks like without any lights. It’s very dark.” Oh, really? Really, cave guide? That’s so weird, because in my mind, caves always have an ambient glow from all the lava lamps that grow up from the ground. Those things down there are lava lamps, right? And I always thought that caves had windows, just like my house. Thanks for helping me understand that caves are underground structures that are generally filled with stifling darkness.
My camera gave me some serious grief, too. Here’s a handful of pictures that didn’t turn out blurry. Please note the ambient glow provided by the beautiful lava lamps.
Next, I boarded a 4x4 with some folks from the ship, including Skip and Sue, the two Americans who sit at dinner with me. We’ve gotten to know each other over the past several days and they’re great. Sue is a counselor at a local high school, and Skip is a retired businessman who introduced me to chilled soups. They do a ton of service in their local community and worldwide.
“Call 4BY-FOUR Today!”
Once the vehicles arrived at the Barbados Wildlife Reserve, we disembarked and traversed brick paths constructed from bricks brought over by the British, who would leave them in Barbados and bring back sugar to the U.K. The reserve houses a variety of animals, including tortoises, deer, iguanas, mara, rabbits, peacocks, parrots, and a variety of other birds. In fact, a mara was born earlier today and I happened upon it sneaking away from its parents. Super cute.
Unfortunately, the planned highlight of our trip, the green monkeys, which are responsible for 70% of the world’s polio vaccine, didn’t show up to feed. The reserve had a lone monkey sitting in a pen, and he came down to watch us as we walked past. When I spoke to him in the voice I use when I speak to Matou, my cat, he hopped on over to make some clicking sounds and inspect his left foot. We had an excellent conversation.
On the way back to the ship, we drove along the eastern coast of the island and stopped momentarily at Martin’s Bay. We also used our 4x4s to do some genuine off-roading (finally!) through a series of sugar cane fields. All-in-all, a pretty okay day.
Sea Grapes
Martin’s Bay
My camera gave me some serious grief, too. Here’s a handful of pictures that didn’t turn out blurry. Please note the ambient glow provided by the beautiful lava lamps.
Next, I boarded a 4x4 with some folks from the ship, including Skip and Sue, the two Americans who sit at dinner with me. We’ve gotten to know each other over the past several days and they’re great. Sue is a counselor at a local high school, and Skip is a retired businessman who introduced me to chilled soups. They do a ton of service in their local community and worldwide.
“Call 4BY-FOUR Today!”
Once the vehicles arrived at the Barbados Wildlife Reserve, we disembarked and traversed brick paths constructed from bricks brought over by the British, who would leave them in Barbados and bring back sugar to the U.K. The reserve houses a variety of animals, including tortoises, deer, iguanas, mara, rabbits, peacocks, parrots, and a variety of other birds. In fact, a mara was born earlier today and I happened upon it sneaking away from its parents. Super cute.
The Baby Mara Says, “Hello World!”
Unfortunately, the planned highlight of our trip, the green monkeys, which are responsible for 70% of the world’s polio vaccine, didn’t show up to feed. The reserve had a lone monkey sitting in a pen, and he came down to watch us as we walked past. When I spoke to him in the voice I use when I speak to Matou, my cat, he hopped on over to make some clicking sounds and inspect his left foot. We had an excellent conversation.
On the way back to the ship, we drove along the eastern coast of the island and stopped momentarily at Martin’s Bay. We also used our 4x4s to do some genuine off-roading (finally!) through a series of sugar cane fields. All-in-all, a pretty okay day.
Sea Grapes
Martin’s Bay
Food of the Day: Bananas Foster
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Grenada
What a day! During the eight hour tour I booked, I was exposed to the finest spices and horticulture for which Grenada is famous, including nutmeg, cocoa, plantain, papaya, soursop, grindy, mango, banana, loofa, clove, bay leaf, cinnamon, allspice, calabash, tonka bean, and sopadilla. Our tour began with a drive through St. George’s (the capital city) and a stop at Concord Waterfall, which wasn’t particularly impressive, yet beautiful.
Next, we stopped at Dougladston Estates, where I observed the process of cocoa harvesting. Here, let me show you. First, the cocoa fruit is harvested…
…next, the white, slimy pods are placed in a dark wooden box and covered with leaves. A fermentation process takes place. No, really, it does. Our tour guide pulled some out of the box and we touched them…they were very warm. Once that’s over with, they are placed out in the sun to dry…
…then sent off to a processing plant to be ground up. The guide broke one open for me and I ate it. It tasted like strong, dark, somewhat bittersweet chocolate. It was awesome. Next, we headed to the Grenada Cooperative Nutmeg Association. Oh, you want to know how nutmeg is processed? Okay. I will show you. Let’s get some of our tools together:
Start by cutting open the fruit…
…and removing the mace (the red webby thing). This can be used for all sorts of things, like tea and cosmetics.
Now, set the nutmeg out to dry (but not in the sunshine)…
…wow, it’s taking a long time for the nutmeg to dry. I think I’ll look out the window for several weeks (for reals, this is what I saw when I looked out the window)…
…ahh. The nutmeg is ready. Toss it down a chute where the shell is broken. The ladies are waiting at the bottom to separate the shell from the nutmeg inside. This lady didn’t do a very good job, but you get the idea…
+Shelled+Nutmeg.JPG)
…okay, now bag ‘em up, paint the name of the destination on the bag, and ship it off!
On our way out of the nutmeg processing plant, a kind woman named Dorothy showed us her wares (various combinations of local spices) and asked if we were interested in buying anything. Prior to the start of the tour, the guide informed us that his wife sells spices and that she would be waiting for us at the end of the day (i.e., spices will be purchased from my wife). I promptly checked my bag for my wallet to see how much cash I had, only to discover that I had left it locked up in my room’s safe. Awesome. I come to the Isle of Spice and I can’t buy any. So, when Dorothy asked me if I wanted to buy her spices, I informed her that no, unfortunately, I could not, because I left my wallet on the ship, but thank you. She immediately pulled me over to her cart, reached in, and pulled out a plastic neon orange martini glass filled with spices. With her other hand (now that she had let go of my arm), she reached over and pulled a beautiful necklace made from spices down and put both of them in my hands. I tried explaining to Dorothy that, no, these were lovely, but I didn’t have a way to pay for them. Dorothy responded by stating that “nobody comes to the Isle of Spice and leaves without any spices.” I thanked her for her generosity but insisted that someone in my tour group would probably lend me money later and I would be fine. Again, Dorothy insisted that I take the spices and quickly ushered me back to my tour bus, which took off to our next destination.
Although my interaction with Dorothy lasted but a few short moments, I spent much of the day reflecting upon our exchange. At first, I felt terrible for saying anything about my wallet; I mean, I didn’t intend for her to give me something for free. I should have politely declined (but I tried to!), then she would still have those items to sell. Throughout the tour, we drove through areas of severe poverty. Hurricane Ivan crippled this island in 2004. 90% of the nutmeg was destroyed, and it takes upwards of 20 years to get quality nutmeg from a mature tree (although adequate nutmeg can be produced in 8). Cocoa, banana, and other trade was severely diminished. Churches ruined (according to our tour guide, Dominica is a very religious island). Homes obliterated. And here was Dorothy, filling both my hands with beautiful, aromatic spices without a second’s thought.
I want to do something special for Dorothy. I want to do something special for all the people of Grenada. All along our tour, so many people smiled and waved at us. How can you find so much joy when all around you your world is falling apart?
Dorothy, I will do good things with your spices. My dinner guests and friends will hear about you and the people of Grenada when I cook with them. I will try to do your island justice when I write about it in my blog, as I know that tourism is your island’s only stable form of income. Dorothy, thank you for sharing your spices and your island with me. And, because I’m guessing that the customs officer won’t allow me to bring your necklace into the U.S. (something about nuts or seeds or some nonsense), I’m taking a picture of it here so I’ll always remember it.
On our way to lunch, we stopped at Carib’s Leap. Carib’s Leap is the site where the French overtook the native Carib tribe and forced them to either leap to their deaths or be shot and killed. Most tribal members elected to jump.
Lunch at Helvellyn House overlooked a beautiful scene, much like the one from the nutmeg processing plant. We were served authentic local cuisine, the content of which I can’t completely remember (a starchy, potato thing, mahi mahi with curry, delicious barbecued chicken, green papaya gratin). It was all very delicious. I think that it would be an excellent place to host a wedding reception, but I’m pretty sure Grenada doesn’t have an LDS temple.
A quick trip to a rum distillery (not so interesting for me, but the others seemed to like it) and a drive through Grand Etang Forest Reserve, and we were back to the ship…just in time! I turned around and got a parting shot of the island just before the boat left the dock. Grenada is a unique experience…you should definitely check it out.
Foods of the Day: Dorothy’s Spices and Chilled Strawberry Soup
The Galaxy Awaits in Grenada
Concord Waterfall
Next, we stopped at Dougladston Estates, where I observed the process of cocoa harvesting. Here, let me show you. First, the cocoa fruit is harvested…
…next, the white, slimy pods are placed in a dark wooden box and covered with leaves. A fermentation process takes place. No, really, it does. Our tour guide pulled some out of the box and we touched them…they were very warm. Once that’s over with, they are placed out in the sun to dry…
…then sent off to a processing plant to be ground up. The guide broke one open for me and I ate it. It tasted like strong, dark, somewhat bittersweet chocolate. It was awesome. Next, we headed to the Grenada Cooperative Nutmeg Association. Oh, you want to know how nutmeg is processed? Okay. I will show you. Let’s get some of our tools together:
Start by cutting open the fruit…
…and removing the mace (the red webby thing). This can be used for all sorts of things, like tea and cosmetics.
Now, set the nutmeg out to dry (but not in the sunshine)…
…wow, it’s taking a long time for the nutmeg to dry. I think I’ll look out the window for several weeks (for reals, this is what I saw when I looked out the window)…
…ahh. The nutmeg is ready. Toss it down a chute where the shell is broken. The ladies are waiting at the bottom to separate the shell from the nutmeg inside. This lady didn’t do a very good job, but you get the idea…
+Shelled+Nutmeg.JPG)
…okay, now bag ‘em up, paint the name of the destination on the bag, and ship it off!
On our way out of the nutmeg processing plant, a kind woman named Dorothy showed us her wares (various combinations of local spices) and asked if we were interested in buying anything. Prior to the start of the tour, the guide informed us that his wife sells spices and that she would be waiting for us at the end of the day (i.e., spices will be purchased from my wife). I promptly checked my bag for my wallet to see how much cash I had, only to discover that I had left it locked up in my room’s safe. Awesome. I come to the Isle of Spice and I can’t buy any. So, when Dorothy asked me if I wanted to buy her spices, I informed her that no, unfortunately, I could not, because I left my wallet on the ship, but thank you. She immediately pulled me over to her cart, reached in, and pulled out a plastic neon orange martini glass filled with spices. With her other hand (now that she had let go of my arm), she reached over and pulled a beautiful necklace made from spices down and put both of them in my hands. I tried explaining to Dorothy that, no, these were lovely, but I didn’t have a way to pay for them. Dorothy responded by stating that “nobody comes to the Isle of Spice and leaves without any spices.” I thanked her for her generosity but insisted that someone in my tour group would probably lend me money later and I would be fine. Again, Dorothy insisted that I take the spices and quickly ushered me back to my tour bus, which took off to our next destination.
Although my interaction with Dorothy lasted but a few short moments, I spent much of the day reflecting upon our exchange. At first, I felt terrible for saying anything about my wallet; I mean, I didn’t intend for her to give me something for free. I should have politely declined (but I tried to!), then she would still have those items to sell. Throughout the tour, we drove through areas of severe poverty. Hurricane Ivan crippled this island in 2004. 90% of the nutmeg was destroyed, and it takes upwards of 20 years to get quality nutmeg from a mature tree (although adequate nutmeg can be produced in 8). Cocoa, banana, and other trade was severely diminished. Churches ruined (according to our tour guide, Dominica is a very religious island). Homes obliterated. And here was Dorothy, filling both my hands with beautiful, aromatic spices without a second’s thought.
I want to do something special for Dorothy. I want to do something special for all the people of Grenada. All along our tour, so many people smiled and waved at us. How can you find so much joy when all around you your world is falling apart?
Dorothy, I will do good things with your spices. My dinner guests and friends will hear about you and the people of Grenada when I cook with them. I will try to do your island justice when I write about it in my blog, as I know that tourism is your island’s only stable form of income. Dorothy, thank you for sharing your spices and your island with me. And, because I’m guessing that the customs officer won’t allow me to bring your necklace into the U.S. (something about nuts or seeds or some nonsense), I’m taking a picture of it here so I’ll always remember it.
On our way to lunch, we stopped at Carib’s Leap. Carib’s Leap is the site where the French overtook the native Carib tribe and forced them to either leap to their deaths or be shot and killed. Most tribal members elected to jump.
Lunch at Helvellyn House overlooked a beautiful scene, much like the one from the nutmeg processing plant. We were served authentic local cuisine, the content of which I can’t completely remember (a starchy, potato thing, mahi mahi with curry, delicious barbecued chicken, green papaya gratin). It was all very delicious. I think that it would be an excellent place to host a wedding reception, but I’m pretty sure Grenada doesn’t have an LDS temple.
A quick trip to a rum distillery (not so interesting for me, but the others seemed to like it) and a drive through Grand Etang Forest Reserve, and we were back to the ship…just in time! I turned around and got a parting shot of the island just before the boat left the dock. Grenada is a unique experience…you should definitely check it out.
Foods of the Day: Dorothy’s Spices and Chilled Strawberry Soup
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