Farsighted Fly Girl

The natural beauty of Grenada extends well beyond lovely beaches, lush rain forests and verdant mountains, this small island is also dotted with waterfalls! Grenada hosts dozens of waterfalls to explore and I was lucky to visit two of them. Rolling along the island's hills, you will discover a waterfall for every taste. The most accessible waterfall is Annandale Falls , located just outside the capital of   St. George. Surrounded by a garden of ferns and trees, you just walk down a clear path  and you're rewarded with a cascade of water ending in a small pool. It's a great spot for a dip on a hot day although the water was icy cold from the recent rainfall when I visited. Concorde Waterfalls requires a little more effort to reach. Sitting on the edge of a rain forest on the western side of the island, these falls stretch high over a mountain. This region of Grenada is filled with wildlife, I saw monkeys, lizards, rabbits and a few posing cats. There are actual...

The beauty and culture of the storied Spice Isle also known as  Grenada has been on my radar for years. This Southern Caribbean paradise is famous for lush topography, including beaches and waterfalls, as well as the production of nutmeg and mace, supplying some of the largest exports of these spices in the world. I will be exploring the natural beauty of Grenada this week, hopping on a dune buggy tour, a waterfall walk (Seven Sisters Waterfall is shown above) and a river tubing experience. I'll of course, also take in the island's history and notable foodie culture with a visit to St. George's spice market and  House of Chocolate.  I'm especially excited to discover the history of revolutionary and Caribbean hero Maurice Bishop , who was the second prime minister of Grenada and was able to transform an oppressed society with a mass literacy program and developing the island's infrastructure and agricultural programs for self- sufficiency. Please stay tuned for...

I like rum. The smooth, spicy flavor enhances anything it touches, from cakes to cola. Now, I'm not an expert rum connoisseur like my friend Steve at Uncommon Caribbean,  but I know my way around most of the Caribbean's rums. So I was surprised that I had never tasted St. Maarten's signature guavaberry rum.   Wandering into the main Guavaberry emporium in Philipsburg,  I sipped a sample and immediately fell in love with this sweetly potent folk liquor that hold the title of National Liqueur of Dutch and French St. Martin. Guavaberries grow high in the hills of St. Maarten and are related to clove. No, the berries don't taste anything like guavas but when they are aged for the liquor, they taste spicy and woodsy. The Guavaberry company makes lots of flavored rums like passionfruit and lime but I prefer the guavaberry classic, especially in the form of a guavaberry colada. If you haven't downed a bottle of Guavaberry rum, you haven't really traveled ...

Some of my favorite scents are the lush tropical fruits and flowers of the Caribbean. The smell of fresh coconut, sugar apple, hibiscus and bougainvillea always conjure up beautiful memories. My sensory memory of St. Martin will remain vivid, thanks to the olfactory wonders of Tijon Perfumerie. The idea of a personalized perfume is really appealing to me because I'm sensitive to loud, synthetic smells.  I'm really particular about fragrance and I like natural scents. Stepping into Tijon is like entering a  French Caribbean perfume paradise. Hundreds of extracts and essences line the lab and there are also ready made perfumes, colognes scented candles and skin products available. But creating your own perfume with a perfume class is the essential reason to visit Tijon. John, the owner and master perfumer, gave us lab coats and explained the basics of perfume making, which is not as simple as you'd think. I sniffed dozens of extracts and oils, many smelled a lo...

Visiting St. Maarten beaches supplies a lot of sunny highlights. This 37 square-mile, two nation island boasts 37 beaches for every mile, offering countless chances to sink your toes into soft, pearly sand and turquoise waves. All of the beaches  have their own individual charm but only one is known around the globe for something other than sandy beauty. Maho Beach is the famous beach  on the Dutch side of the island where the airplane runway almost meets the sand. I've seen countless photos and videos of planes swooping over the beach (There's even a  Beach Cam to monitor the landings) and I was excited to grab a firsthand experience. Maho Beach is perched at the end of Maho Bay and the water glistened with crystalline waves when I waded in. Within 10 minutes, the sound of a jet rumbled  in the sky and a plane flew over my head as I splashed in the water. It's a crazy experience that adds to the excitement of being on a Caribbean beach. I visited Maho four...

This week, I'm off to the bi-cultural island of St. Martin/St. Maarten.  I'll be attending the St. Martin/St.Maarten Annual Regional Trade Show (SMART)  where I'll be meeting with reps and leaning more about the island. St. Martin/St. Maarten is famous fo r Maho Beach , which is located at the end of Princess Juliana International Airport, shown above, as well as being the smallest parcel of land shared by two counties, France and the Netherlands. I'll be checking out the sand -hovering planes on Maho Beach as well as  exploring the French sid e and Dutch side of the island. Stay tuned!

Beaches have always been a source of happiness for me. The tranquility and ease that transmits to me through the water instantly relaxes me. I have quite a few favorite beaches around the globe but Doctor's Cave is my go to spot whenever I'm in Montego Bay.   I was lucky to stay right on the beach at the new S Hotel Jamaica  so I spent four days straight on this historic beach, soaking up the sun. Doctor's Cave is a small beach with a busy cafe and a few other amenities. But my favorite things are the lush, almond and sea grape trees that dot the sand. I prefer to sit under one of these instead of using an umbrella. The sand is fine and soft and the water is clear, with gentle aquamarine waves that lap around you. Week days when there are no cruise ships are the best because the beach is relatively quiet. The weekends are a whole other thing but as long as you arrive early, you can snag a spot on the shore. The cafe sells lots of over-priced tropical cock...

At this time exactly six years ago, I was headed to one of my favorite islands. The land of wood and water is the translation from the original Arawak word, Xaymaca. I 'm returning again to Sweet Jamaica and it has been entirely too long. My pic above shows the famous Doctor's Cave Beach in Montego Bay, which is where I will be staying at the brand new S Hotel . It's always special to visit Jamaica but I'm going for an extra special event, the 40th anniversary of iconic reggae label, VP Records.  As a reggae fan, this is a huge deal. I'll be documenting the opening of a special Reggae Music Journey exhibit at Montego Bay's Sangster International Airport as well as a live concert in conjunction with the launch of the Strictly The Best compilation album.   I'll also be attending the opening of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism's Association's travel marketplace opening ceremony featuring T arrus Riley and mento legends, The Jolly Boys. Look out fo...

I don't discuss it too often but I'm kind of, sort of, a healthy food fan. I don't drink coffee or anything caffeinated, don't eat meat and rarely indulge in fast food. I'm basically a pescatarian who sometimes eats poultry. So aside from my love of sugar (which has lessened over the years) I try to keep it healthy. On most of my travels, I like to sample the local cuisine while keeping it as fresh and wholesome as possible. While I was in Turks and Caicos,  that meant fish, veggie patties and salad since I wasn't able to try the national dish of peas and grits . But I was lucky to discover another local specialty; kombucha in exciting tropical flavors was being hand crafted by the owners of my Airbnb. Kombucha or booch, as locals call it, is fermented tea with loads of probiotics and health benefits.  As a tea connoisseur, I love drinking kombucha as an alternative to my regular teas. Regina and Jack run Island Raw  to create juices and kombucha from loca...

In Turks and Caicos , it's all about the beach. Beach culture and water sports  are the main focus for travelers and there's no beach more significant than Grace Bay.  Famous for being listed by various travel publications as one of the world's most beautiful beaches, Grace Bay is a pristine, three-mile strip along the northeast coast of Providenciales .  Every day during my stay on Provo, I walked a 10 minute path to Grace Bay. I stepped along the gravel road in front of my villa to get to the nearby beach access. I quickly discovered that flip flops aren't enough support against the sharp rocks and had to switch out to sturdy sandals to walk the road comfortably. This small sign marks the beach access path, which runs through a small grove of trees and bush. I loved walking through palm trees and plants, even though I heard lizards rustling in the distance every time I strolled by. At least I hope they were lizards. There were also different sized co...

I didn't realize just how confused people are about the Turks and Caicos islands.   Before I traveled to Providenciales,  the most developed of the eight main islands, I promised my blogging students that I would discover enough about this island nation to explain exactly where it is and what it's like. But it wasn't only my students that didn't know. When I tried to put a travel advisory on my credit card, the customer service confused Turks and Caicos with Turkey. And that was after I spelled it! Very few of my friends and family knew where the heck I was going so here it is: The Turks and Caicos islands consist of a group of 40 islands and small cays, with eight of them inhabited. The country is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and located southeast of the Bahamas and East of  the island of Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic. ) Currently, the Turks and Caicos is a British Overseas Territory.  (Although the American dollar is the official currency.) T...

Barbados is an island noted for upscale dining and luxury hotels but there's another side to "Bim.". I ventured out of the busy capital of Bridgetown and took a hiking tour of the untamed East Coast of the island. I immediately noticed a difference between the hilly landscape of the East Coast and the South Coast, where most of the hotels are located. Nature grabs all the attention here. There are few hotels or even people to distract from the beauty. Everywhere I looked, spectacular views of the Atlantic commanded attention. The East Coast is where Barbados agriculture is centered and I spotted fields of bananas, passion fruit bushes and almond trees. The panoramas of lush green and sparkling blue ocean waves really made me think I was on another island. Barbados is famously flat so I wasn't expecting all the hills I had to hike under the unrelenting Caribbean sun. The tour is called Hike, Grill and Chill,  so I was really happy to relax in the shade...

It's been a while but I'm happy to be returning to Barbados for the annual SATW Travel Writers Convention.  I'll be in meetings for a big portion of the trip but I will still find time to visit the legendary Oistins Fish Fry, take in a beach and rum shop, as well as hike along a nature trail. I'm also scheduled to check out the fabled Cin Cin By The Sea  with al fresco dining and views of the west coast of the island. Stay tuned for pix and videos!

Many people consider Tobago  as an example of the"true Caribbean." That means that this 120 square mile island isn't filled with resorts or tourist attractions and the traditional family-focused culture is still in tact. It was enlightening to view this small island from a local perspective as we traveled from the capital of Scarborough  on the Southern coast, to the Northeastern tip of Charlotteville  with my daughter's gregarious cousin Glen. Each town has its own feel and personality but the constant was the unspoiled, natural beauty and friendly people. We hiked up to Argyle Waterfall  and gained an eyeful of Tobago's beautiful landscape. The waterfall cascades down from 175 feet and after the sweaty hike, we were tempted to take a swim but the freezing water changed our minds. Instead we, dipped our feet in the stream and rested on the nearby rocks. It was a soothing experience listening to the waterfall and watching fish swim by our feet. We ...

This week, I'm returning to the lovely island of Tobago and it's a homecoming of sorts. I'm taking my daughter to see her grandmother, they haven't seen each other since she was three-years-old. As a revered teacher on the tiny island, Hermia Yeates holds quite an influence so besides reconnecting, we will be meeting calypsonians, dignitaries and possibly even the prime minister.  Gobbling up doubles, chicken pilau and shark and bake will be major highlights of our trip as well as taking in the natural landscape. The last time I was on Tobago, I was there to see Wendy Fitzwilliam be crowned  as Trinidad & Tobago's second Miss Universe. I remember being swept up in the pride and euphoria and I also recall a certain narcissistic "billionaire" who owned the pageant and went on to open hotels on the island. It will be interesting to see the changes on Tobago as well as experience the island through my daughter's eyes. Stay tuned.

Connecting with the landscape and native plants of a destination is one of my favorite activities when I travel so I was excited to have a personalized farm-to table experience in St.Lucia . But I had no idea just how pivotal the visit would be.  The I-tal , organic farm-to-table experience  at The Body Holiday is an absolute must. St. Lucia is an especially lush, verdant island so wandering through the restaurant's garden with Chef Damien would have been fun even if we weren't gathering food to eat. He pointed out essential plants like callaloo, breadfruit and papaya and explained local uses for herbs like peppermint, basil and rosemary. I picked a big basket of callaloo, which is one of my beloved island veggies. The sun was so intense that the plants buoyant leaves started wilting as soon as I cut them. Our group picked baskets and baskets of produce for our vegan meal. And that's not where the participation ended. We diced tomatoes, eggplants, carro...

This week, I'm off to my beloved St. Lucia.  It's been a few years but there's always something new  or requiring another turn on this gorgeous island. I'll be reviewing St. Lucia Jazz Fest,   which I haven't visited since Amy Winehouse performed her last show there in 2009 .  That was a sad and unforgettable experience so I hope to create new, more positive memories at the rebooted fest, which actually focuses on jazz music this time. The line up  features  mostly Caribbean jazz artists so I'm excited to hear the shows. I'll also make a necessary stop to Soufriere volcano and sulphur springs  as well as my first visit to the legendary St. Kitts Caribelle Batik at their St. Lucia location.  Videos, pix and reviews coming soon so please stay tuned!

Everybody loves Carnival. A lot of people think that it's just a big, colorful excuse to party but there is so much historical significance to the practice. Carnival literally translates to "farewell to meat" in Latin. It represents the Lenten tradition of the Catholic church to sacrifice during the month leading up to the resurrection of Jesus. A big party preceded the month of sacrifice. Spanish and Portuguese colonizers brought the tradition to North and South America. But as I watched St. Thomas Carnival , I was excited to see the Shaka Zulu troupe above, because so much of contemporary Carnival culture incorporates African culture. Enslaved Africans weren't allowed to join the Carnival celebrations so they created there own. All the feathers and masks used for costumes directly relate to African ceremonial style. The masks and feathers were used to invoke spirits. And the Mocko Jumbies or Stilt walkers?  Most Virgin Islanders recognize them as a direct ...