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| Tobago Cays, Grenadines |
With a few notable exceptions, the further south you go in just about any geography, the less signs of obvious wealth you will see. The Americas, Europe, Asia are examples of this.........as is the Caribbean. Since November and our departure from Miami Beach, we've headed slowly southeast and have seen our beloved Patisseries in St. Barths turn into sketchy fish mongers selling you long-dead (and dirty) fish of suspicious provenance.
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| Turtle preserve - Tom with dinghy |
But the southeast Caribbean is truly rich in one aspect, and that is scenery. Kirstin and I have become so used to a life where we have a 360 degree view of turquoise waters, sea turtles, and brilliant blue skies that we sometimes get concerned that we take it for granted. Even the storms have a beauty......the deep slate gray flat clouds, the jolts of 30 knot cold winds, and the sideways rain.
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| Mayreau |
To stay reasonably fit (and to justify our wine consumption at Happy Hour), most days we try to go on a long walk across the island. Places like Mayreau, Union Island, and Carriacou are stunning (if 3rd world). The only thing keeping these places from being developed (read ruined) by major hospitality chains is an accident of geography............no airstrip capable of handling a big jet.....no deep water bay to accommodate a cruise ship. With the exception of "pay as you go" Digicel, these places haven't changed much in the past 40 years.
The population (Rastas, boat-born fish hustlers, small time restaurant owners, and the ever present mentally ill) depend on the hurricane season-driven migration of cruising boats like L'ORIENT for whatever economic stimulus we can provide. For that reason, we try to "go local" and patronize the small-guy...............we hope it helps.
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| Get your souvenirs here - Mayreau |
