Farsighted Fly Girl

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...

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!

I'm not a fan of wandering through cemeteries and hanging out among the graves but Guadeloupe's Mourne-a-l-Eau cemetery is a beautiful exception. Set atop a hill, most of the crypts are covered in black and white tiles that resemble little checkerboard houses. The first thing I learned is that you should never enter a Guadeloupe cemetery or church without knocking first. So I knocked on the gate and roamed though the rows of intricately decorated tombs. The black and white design is supposed to represent the black color for mourning in Europe and the white color for mourning in Africa. Many of the crypts looked like miniature homes, complete with spaces for mourners to sit and commune with their ancestors. Some people even hire architects to create their tombs. I've never seen anything like Mourne-a-l-Eau, although I did spot smaller versions as I traveled through Grande Terre. To me, the beauty of these final resting places reflect Guadeloupe's respect...

The islands of Guadeloupe  presented me with quite a few surprises. I didn't realize that the main island is really made up of the twin islands of Grande Terre and Basse Terre .  And there are also three other islands that make up Guadeloupe to add to the confusion. That was just the first unexpected experience. Spotting a mural of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on a Grande Terre street was another. I've always been a big fan of graffiti art. It gives a creative glimpse of the local communitiy's focus and concerns. Seeing MLK told me a lot about the locals pride and awareness. I actually watched the artists complete this mural, they had just started it the night before. Street art is always interesting but witnessing an American icon be painted on a French Caribbean wall was certainly an image I'll always remember. Photos by R. Cummings-Yeates

This week, I'm honored to travel to Guadeloupe and explore the island's extensive black history.  This French Caribbean territory boasts a long culture of resistance and I will be documenting it all, including the battles of Louis Delgres , who fought Napoleon's attempt to return slavery to the French Caribbean, Gwo-Ka music and dancing rituals, and the Memorial ACTe,  a global initiative to tell the history of slavery and the institution's effect on the world.  Of course, I'll also be capturing Guadeloupe's unspoiled natural beauty so please stay tuned!

I was almost knocked out in Martinique. Not in a brawl but by the heady power of the national drink, ti' punch. A deceptively simple mixture of cane syrup, rhum and lime, ti'punch is not so much a cocktail as a way of life. There was no part of the island, no time of day, where I didn't see the telltale bottle of rhum lined up with syrup, lime and an empty glass. This is a drink so singular that locals prepare their own versions at bars and restaurants. I watched countless mixers until I dared try a version whipped up by Steve, Uncommon Caribbean's rhum connoisseur . The pure strength of the rhum burned my throat and threw me off balance. They don't say,  "chacun pre'pare sa propre mort" or "each prepares their own death" while making ti'punch for nothing. I discovered that the type of rhum used depends on your location on the island, with different areas pledging loyalty to the local distillery. Martinque rhum (that's not a...

The heart of any Caribbean island is always a bustling, open air market where locals buy fresh produce, crafts, clothes and anything else considered a staple. In Martinique, the cosmopolitan capital of Fort- de- France hosts the island's shopping mecca, Le Grand Marche' Couvert  or covered market. It was designed by a French architect in 1901 and still serves generations of locals. I love shopping in local markets because it's the best way to sample cultural hallmarks. In Martinique, spices are essential. The line-up of spices shown above include a heaping pile of columbo , the curry powder that flavors many Martinican dishes. The madras cloth that represents the island's cultural tradition fills many stalls. The boldly colored cloth appears in basket linings, on dolls, purses and  on an array of clothes. I spent a long time looking through all the dresses and shirts until I found a turquoise madras sundress that I quickly snapped up. Jewelry also play...

Whenever I visit the Caribbean, witnessing local dance and music is always a priority. The essence of the people and culture are reflected in the music and movements so I was thrilled to witness the vibrant dancing of members of Le Grand Ballet De La Martinique. Gracing the lobby of  Hotel La Pagerie  in Trois- Illets, the wave of rhythm, color and spirit took over everyone present. The dancers creole dress uses the bright madras pattern brought from India when indentured servants from India immigrated to the region after the abolition of slavery. The points on the hats represent the wearer's social status, one for free, two for engaged, three for married and four for anything goes! The drummers and musicians are pounding out a traditional  Bele'  rhythm, which traces directly to West Africa. The charm and energy of the twirls and steps can be witnessed all over the island, in Martinican's stylish and fun-loving attitudes.

It's actually an understatement to describe Martinique as beautiful, it's like calling New York kind of big. This southern Caribbean island stunned me from the first glimpse outside my plane window. The mountains are sweeping, the water a crystalline turquoise and then there are the flowers. The original inhabitants of the region, the Arawak Indians, called the island Madinina, or island of  flowers.  Blooms dot the landscape everywhere and Martinque is especially noted for nearly 100 orchid varieties. Unfortunately, orchid season on the island is March and April but I was treated to a variety of exotic flowers during a visit to Balata Botanical Garden. This flower comes in red and pink and is called Porcelain rose. It's a popular export flower because it lasts for weeks. I thought these long stemmed blossoms looked like flamingos peeking out of the greenery. These striking blooms reminded me of golden dandelions. Of course, they're taller and more eleg...

It's been a busy summer and a huge highlight is traveling to the French Caribbean island of Martinique. Although the island is noted for lush vegetation and dozens of orchid varieties, I'm excited for the chance to delve into Martinique's multi-faceted culture, courtesy of Martinique Tourism Authority. My introduction to Martinique has been through  the exuberant rhythms of zouk music, the poetry of Aime' Cesaire and through my favorite movie, Sugarcane Alley  so I'm thrilled to experience it firsthand. I'll be visiting the Aime' Cesaire Museum and the vibrant covered market in the capital city of Fort de France as well as Le Petibonum, the restaurant famous for creole dishes, as well as the cook charmingly dubbed chef hot pants. So please stay tuned for some lively Martinique posts! Photo of Martinique's Pitons Du Carbet courtesy of Steve Bennett,of  Uncommon Caribbean