Mass transit, Grenada style

On the Bus

One quarter of Grenada is jungle. The capital, St. Georges, channels the chaos of Marrakech. You'd assume that public transportation, if it existed at all, would disappoint. You'd be wrong.  Grenada has the best mass transit system we have ever experienced, bar none.

Missed the bus? No problem. The bus is actually looking for YOU. Grenada has a fleet of owner operated mini-vans. Each packs in about 18 people (all sweating and sitting on top of each other). The minivans post their route on their windshield (there are nine different - reasonably standardized - routes). The fare is the same for everyone.....about $1. The driver then trolls along his route for additional passengers. There's always room for one more.

A walk down a major road involves being "propositioned" about once every five minutes by the "recruiter" - a guy leaning out the van window.  If you express the least amount of interest the driver screeches to a halt. It's great. You meet the locals..........get to your destination at breathtaking speed............and enjoy some gangsta-reggae along the way. The drivers all blast their favorite music at ear-splitting volume. Oh, the lady in back needs to get out? No problem. Everyone rotates like ping-pong balls in a lottery machine and she leaps out from the van. It's like a dance routine from the Super Bowl halftime show. Everyone is extraordinarily polite and we have even seen a "recruiter" help carry a woman's shopping bags down the street to get her into the van.

We're looking forward to more trips across the island...........Tom is learning the words to the van favorite "Bust a cap in him" (rapper unknown) because it is played so often. I think I heard him humming it in the shower last night.