Farsighted Fly Girl

Everybody loves carnival time and if you visit the Caribbean often enough, you can always find an island hosting these colorful celebrations all year round. Although the traditional Bahamian Junkanoo is  held after Christmas on Boxing Day (also known as my birthday) Junkanoo Carnival kicks off in May. I didn't get the chance to participate this time (costume MIA) but I still mingled with the revelers and captured some candid images. Yes, everyone loves carnival but as the Bahamas tourism site suggests, "it's best suited for those who have the stamina, rhythm, confidence, positive vibes and a free spirit!" Check out the evidence below. Lots of  mas bands "wine up" all down the streets but this gal gave a close up demo. I caught this guy as he stopped to gyrate in the street, right before the rest of his band caught up and blocked his photo. Trucks with water hoses spray onlookers who don't move fast enough but these girls preferred th...

Photo courtesy of Bahamas Tourism It's that time again. No matter the destination, I never turn down the chance to participate in the joyful celebration of carnival. This weekend, I'm headed to Nassau for the Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival.   I was in Nassau three years ago when plans for the inaugural event  were kicking off and I'm excited to be able to experience the festivities in person. Junkanoo is a series of concerts, costumes, competitions and street parties that incorporate Bahamian cultural elements like rake n scrape folk music. One of my best Bahamian memories was hearing rake n- scrape for the first time at the iconic Elvina's on Eleuthera.  I can't wait to hear it in another setting and learn about the history Junkanoo traditions as well as possibly participating in the Road Fever  parade, so stay tuned!

There's something about Bahamian out islands. I don't know if it's the isolation that allows for a more peaceful vibe or the honor for tradition and culture that permeates most of these tiny slips of paradise.  All I know is that it feels different whenever I land on an out island and Bimini is no exception. Serenity seems to fill the air. Clearly, I'm not the only one to feel this way since two historic African American activists, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Adam Clayton Powell Jr, both found inspiration on Bimini. New York congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. paved the way for equality and justice in the U.S. Flashy and bold, his favorite phrase was "keep the faith baby." And he demonstrated plenty of faith, first as the pastor of the country's leading  African American church, Abyssinian Baptist Church and then as the first African American to represent New York in the House of Representatives. He battled and pushed against segregation a...

Observing the interactions and perceptions of the local police around the world is always interesting to me. I watched this parade for the Annual Police Church Service in Bimini. Citizens started lining up early and waved and smiled as the officers marched by in their crisp white uniforms. The band played reverently and the pageantry and excitement that surrounded the whole event was fascinating. I learned that a church service is held annually at a different church each year, to pray for the officers safety.  It was sobering witnessing this proud spectacle and comparing it to the volatile police situation in the U.S. My country carries a complex and violent police history that is being challenged to change and I hope that one day that it can grow where respect is given on both sides, like I  saw in Bimini.

The legend of the Fountain of Youth and Ponce De Leon's search for it covers many lands and eras. It was actually the Arawak Indians who first described a mythical land with curative waters, enticing Ponce De Leon, who was the ousted governor of Puerto Rico, to search for it in 1513. Spain's King Ferdinand actually offered the verdant land of "Beniny" to Ponce, sending him off on an expedition to find it.  But like the European explorers before him, Ponce got it wrong. He landed in St. Augustine, Florida and never made it to Bimini, as we now call it. Although Florida boasts a Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park , where visitors can actually buy bottles from the supposed Fountain of Youth, Florida was simply where the conquistador landed. There was no mention of him locating the fountain. But deep in the forest of South Bimini, the fountain that the Arawaks were referencing still supplies healing water. Actually, it's a well and the water is burie...

I've visited the Bahamas many, many, times but I don't recall being so struck by the startling blue water and sky. Every where I stepped on the small island of Bimini, I felt enveloped by the dreamy blue landscape. I was so taken that I coined the phrase Bimini blue whenever I became awestruck by the island's beauty, which was every time I strolled along the shore. When I arrived on the larger island of Nassau and realized that the scenery was still the same serene blue, I decided to change it to Bahamas blue. There are 700 Bahamanian islands so I don't know if all of them share the same beauty but there was enough on these two to soothe any winter-worn soul.

I'm extremely excited to visit the Bahamian out island of Bimini this week. Located 50 miles off the coast of Florida, this little island is the closest Bahamian island to the U.S. but its old school culture and history is a world away. I'll be tracing the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who wrote part of his Nobel Peace Prize speech while relaxing and sailing in Bimini and Adam Clayton Powell, the first African American  to represent New York in the House of Representatives and also an activist and minister who introduced MLK to his island retreat. Bimini is also noted as the place Ernest Hemingway loved to game fish and where the Lost City of Atlantis possibly originated.  So I'll have lots to post about! Look out for pix and updates from this fascinating trip soon.

It's November. Which translates as cold in Chicago, which means the imminent arrival of snow, wind and misery. So how do I cope?  At the beach, of course. I traveled to Nassau over the weekend and spent hours at the beach soaking up the sun and sea as fortification for six months of freezing temperatures. Orange Hill Beach is a small public beach on the north end of Nassau. Lined with coral and mounds of seaweed, I found  the beach charming and mostly untouched. I  only shared the beach with seagulls and the odd beach walkers. The tide was high but the water was warm and soothing. I floated in the waves and then sat on the beach absorbing the serenity. I snapped pix using the KOLA manual color flash, , a collection of colorful plastic lens that I've been lugging around in my carry on for months but have always forgotten to use.  With such a pretty and  unfussy landscape, Orange Hill Beach provided the perfect opportunity to try it out...

The Caribbean reaps lot of attention for golden sun, powdery sand beaches and turquoise water.  And it's true, all of these elements  offer enough beauty to soothe your frazzled soul.  But there's one Caribbean attraction that I think deserves more notice.  It's the sunsets. There's nothing more gorgeous than a blazing sunset over a stretch of water. I make it a point to capture a sunset on every island I visit. The drama of it all is enough to make me forget the sun and just come out at sunset. I captured this setting sun in Eleuthera, at the Cove resort.  The property boasts a lookout tower just to watch spectacles like this.   Watching the sun gently dip over water, with palm trees casting shadows, is one of my favorite island activities.  What's your favorite way to enjoy the beauty of a destination?

I've always loved the deep crimson and overall weirdness of pomegranates. What other fruit comes in pods like that? As a child who devoured Greek mythology, the fact that Persephone ate six pomegranate seeds that would doom her to six months in the underworld with Hades, added to the drama. But I'd never actually seen a pomegranate tree until I was in Eleuthera. The ancient pomegranate is native to Persia and the Himalayas but occasionally grows on some Bahamian islands.  Persians (Iranians) believe that it was a pomegranate that tempted Eve, not a boring apple. I got a kick seeing pomegranates growing on spindly trees, surrounded by hibiscus, yellow elder and Royal poinciana tropical flowers. It truly looked like the garden of paradise.  Have you spotted any surprising plants or fruits on your travels?

An essential outing in Eleuthera is a visit to Elvina's bar and restaurant.  A laidback surfer's hangout run by  Eleuthera native Elvina and her Lousiana-bred husband, Chicken Ed,  Elvina's draws local and tourists for a taste of Eleuthera nightlife. Tuesday and Friday nights are when the bar hops with live music, often lead by Eleuthera resident Lenny Karavitz.  I stopped by Elvina's late one Saturday night with my journalist crew. Chicken Ed sat outside at the door, nodding to regulars while gaggles of locals sip Kalik and eye newcomers. The band was led by a blond American singing "Lay Down Sally." Not exactly what I had expected to hear.  He continued with weak renditions of blues classics and I started to believe that I wouldn't be hearing anything authentic, when Blue took the stage.  Covered in shades and a cowboy hat, Blue dug into rake n' scrape tunes filled with scratchy rhythms from the  carpenter's saw, goombay drum and concertina...

Baths are my favorite method of relaxation, sitting in warm water always soothes away stress and fatigue.  Climbing through the craggy hills and coves to reach Eleuthera's Queen's Baths , I felt both of these sentiments without so much soothing. The Queens Baths are small, natural, tidal pools surrounded by miles of uneven coral and oolitic limestone. Yes, I had an informal geology lesson while scaling the formations. Oolitic limestone is composed of calcium carbonate "oolites", which are small spheres formed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate on sand grains or shell fragments.  In other words, deep grooves covered the formations as you can see above. In order to make it to the Baths, you need steady feet, good balance and sturdy- soled shoes. Of course, I had none of these.  Fortunately, I made it by walking slowly and carefully. I wasn't about to climb down the curvy rocks that lead into the pools in my sandals but the water rippled enticing...

I love Caribbean art. So when I heard about a gallery opening on Eleuthera, I raced there with my press group.  Eleuthera is a tiny island and everyone turns out for any kind of festive event. Everybody means families with children, teens and Lenny Kravitz, who was on the island celebrating his daughter Zoe's birthday.  I was enthralled by the vibrant images popping off the gallery's walls, like the striking painting above, called "Junkanoo Lionfish." And this one, fashioned from old car parts to create a vivid turtle shell. I was interviewing the owner, Ann, who was supposed to have been my masseuse on the beach that afternoon but her opening forced her to cancel, when I glimpsed Lenny in a plaid shirt out of the corner of my eye.  I was still busy taking photos when one of my journalist buddies grabbed me. The whole group was expecting me to be the one to get the scoop on where Lenny was playing.  He was standing near the door and I was e...

"Ask Jimmy what makes it so great. He sat right there at the bar and wrote the song," explains Ma Ruby, when asked about her world famous cheeseburger. Jimmy would be the "Gulf and Western" singer Jimmy Buffet   of Margaritaville and Parrot Head fame. "Cheeseburger in Paradise" is his much -quoted song about finding nirvana between two slices of bread with a sea breeze wafting in the background. A couple of  other island  restaurants claim that they originated the dish but according to the Parrot Head Handbook and Ma Ruby herself,  her little eatery in Tingam Village Hotel on Harbour Island is the place that stirred Jimmy's appreciation. The legendary burger is a huge slab of meatloaf-like beef between two thick slices of  toasted Bahamian bread and cheese. Since I don't eat burgers, I can't tell you about the greatness of her cheeseburger but I can tell you about the greatness of Ma Ruby. Her restaurant is filled with signed hats, photos an...

On the northern tip of Eleuthera, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other, the Glass Window Bridge dramatically rises from a natural rock formation. Covered in craggy cliffs and ridges, while periodically splashed by aggressive waves, the area exudes an eerie vibe.  At Glass Window Bridge, Eleuthera narrows to an isthmus only as wide as the bridge itself, which is why it's called the narrowest place on earth. It's also the only place on the island that I fellt uneasy.  Only later did I learn that rogue waves, sometimes as high as 100 feet, sometimes wash people and vehicles into the ocean.

Governor's Harbor is a settlement that covers the center of Eleuthera.  The area boasts the distinction of  being the first permanent European settlement in the New World as well as exhibiting  the true essence of Eleuthera.  For the most part, the island is quiet and sparsely populated  but Governor's Harbour offers glimpses of candy-colored houses, a legendary Friday night fish fry and Saturday morning sailboat racing. Preparation for the races start at 10 AM, when children and adults launch and rigg their boats on the beach. The first race sails at 11:00 with a course clearly viewed from the harbour. I was charmed to see children sailing and swimming on a Saturday morning instead of holed up in front of a computer somewhere. It felt like a peek into another era when nature and simplicity were still revered. By about 2PM, the races were over and the boats dotted the beach like oversized flippers. Some of the kids scurried across the street to...