My
boyfriend and I decided to spend ten days in Grenada, also known as the
Isle of Spice. He had served in the Peace Corps for three years in that
country and had not returned to a visit yet. Coincidentally, it’s also
an island paradise famous for their nutmeg, sugarcane, rum, carnival,
and jabjab celebration.
We
stayed in three different places: an Air Bnb, hotel, and a cottage a
friend helps manage. I brought watercolors and a black ink pen with me
to every location. In my journal, I experimented with different
handwriting.
We mostly traveled by bus – privately owned vans
that blast soca and reggae and are driven by (crazy) knowledgeable guys
who knew every bump of the hilly rainforest.
I have never
been to a place where tropical fruits just fall like it’s no big deal.
We constantly saw coconuts on the side of the road, vagrants munching on
mangos, and guavas littering the oceanside. Plants here all have
different names: An avocado is a “pear” and cumin is “saffron”.
The
island is famous for it’s 50+ beaches, all with a different name and
priding itself in a different aspect. We went to Grooms Beach for the
privacy, Grand Anse for the calm waters, and Morne Rogue for the
beautiful cliffs bordering coral reefs.
My favorite places on the island:
- Grand Etang National Park for a muddy hike and a chance to see Mona monkeys.
- Rivers Rum Distillery,
that makes rum that all locals brag give no hangovers whatsoever. Sugar
cane is still ground by a water wheel at the distillery.
- Abandoned planes from the Grenadian Revolution. Beware of cow dung while exploring the planes.
- Seven Sisters Falls. Ask around for the guide named Warren Farey for an awesome personalized tour of the waterfalls.