Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
We were all hungry by the time we got to Nassau Airport. The only choices in the airport were Wendy's or Dunkin' Donuts. As we had a couple hours to kill we decided to go for a wander.
We asked a tall black man in a uniform if there was anywhere to eat. He asked if we would like native food and directed us to a table under a tarpaulin across the car park. "say the Captain sent you" he said. Rice, potato salad, Cole slaw and chicken curry were on offer. A tiny black and white cat was hanging around. She had obviously had a litter and was no genteel little lady as was evidenced by a torn ear, scars across her delicate little nose and a missing toe with a long unsheathed claw. She tried her luck first with Phil to no avail. Helen gave her tidbits of chicken and I let her finish off my rice. Replete once again we meandered back to the domestic lounge where I saw what I believe was even more authentic native food-"sauces" the main ingredient of which was various unthinkable pig and other animal parts. After a couple hours our flight to Cat Island was boarding. Upon landing at the New Bight airport we were met by a friendly guy named Trevor who loaded us and our baggage into a large RV. As we had no provisions he stopped by the local grocery. Everything on the island is imported so prices were high and variety was low. We scurried around and found an eclectic mix of comestibles. Trevor left the RV with us and retuned home in his own vehicle He said if he doesn't come back to return us to the airport in a weeks time just to drive it there and leave the key under the mat. Once inside the house we found a downstairs bedroom with two single beds a large living/dining area a bathroom and a kitchen. Up a steep spiral staircase with pineapple wedge steps there was another bedroom with three single beds. Phil and I emptied our suitcases and carried our clothes up the precarious steps and settled in hanging up some of our clothes and putting others in drawers. We pushed two of the beds together to make one bed. A beautiful sunset rewarded us for our domestic efforts and we took photos of the palms silhouetted against the sky and ocean. Since we had had such an early start and strenuous day of traveling we decided to go out to eat. It soon became apparent that there was nada. When we returned we discovered Reverend Johnson backing out of our drive. He'd been looking for us to sell us some fruit and vegetables. That transaction complete we decided to make spaghetti and tomato sauce with the supplies on hand. After dinner helen and I hit the sack and phil stayed up reading for awhile.
Fri Nov 26
This morning a tall thin black man stuck his head in the door and informed us that he was the gardener. He goes by the intriguing sobriquet of Bumpy. He set about raking the sand that leads to the beach and from his muscular arms it is apparent he engages in a great deal of hard physical labour. Phil had found a scrap of paper with some phone numbers and a note that said "feed Bumpy the gardener." This instruction occasioned puzzled deliberations between Helen and I. Not that we minded feeding Bumpy but WHAT should we feed him? And WHEN? Phil settled the matter by proposing the note wasn't intended for us and therefore we should pay it no heed. Helen engaged Bumpy in extended conversation while phil and I continued our stroll along the beach. She said it was clear to her that Bumpy had no expectation of a repast to be provided by us. Phil decided to have a more thorough look around the premises and discovered another bedroom with a double bed and an ensuite! We thought from the online description that the place should be bigger. So we have moved in for a second time!
Nov 28
Sunday. We have been warned that nothing is open on Sunday. From the number of churches we have passed I would say all the islanders are at church. We thought of going just for the experience but decided it would be seen as disrespectful. It seems the only white folk on the island are tourists and I have the impression we are not that highly regarded- more of a necessary evil as the people are are very poor. The ocean view changes constantly and it seems you can see ALL the stars and constellations at night.
Mon Nov 29
Yesterday we decided to drive south to the toe of the island and have lunch at the Greenwood resort. There is only one paved road that runs the length of the island. All other roads are either parallel tracks in the sand or dirt or pebble roads scraped out of the surface full of potholes and erosion. After first going the wrong way we turned around and soon came upon Greenwood-the restaurant at the end of the world. Our side of the island faces the Gulf of Mexico but the other side where Greenwood is located faces the Atlantic Ocean. Although the office door was open the only presence was a black and white cat asleep on a chair. Eventually we found a cheerful German woman with a very deep tan. Her four dogs had us at bay and had alerted her to our presence She and her husband were the owners. She settled us at a table outside under cover and soon brought the hungry and thirsty travellers beer and food. After lunch we walked on the beach. The ocean was a completely different contrast of blues to the gulf-also more dramatic and restless. After we got back I was emptying some water outside when I looked up and saw two well dressed women and a young girl approaching me. The little black books in their hand was an obvious give away as to their intentions. The women, Olive and Pearl were keen to reap another soul but Brittany, the little girl, clearly didn't share their enthusiasm. She looked sullen and bored. I said she looked like a fourth grader to me but she proudly informed me she's a fifth grader. I declared fifth grade to be my favourite grade to teach and she beamed from ear to ear. I kept the conversation general for as long as I could but finally Pearl decided she'd had enough chit chat. It was time to get out the good book and apply the screws. I decided tact offered the best escape and after all I am a guest on their island. They soon decided to move on and left me with a copy of Awake! Which I said I would read. After they had turned to leave Olive came back and told me to keep the no-see-ems (midges) away rub citrus on your skin. A gift! Thank you Olive.
Today we plan to climb up to The Hermitage and drive to the northern tip to the big lights in Arthur's Town.
There are abandoned houses and churches everywhere in various stages of dereliction and decay gradually being subsumed and overtaken by vegetation from within and without. I asked Frank our host at Shannas Cove Resort where we had lunch about them. He said in the old days people built small one room houses to sleep in and did everything else outside. So when someone died they just built a new house and left the old one to the spirit of the dead person. The people used to believe in Obeah a sort of voodoo and somw still do. He also said there are 64 churches for about 1600 people. Anyone who wants to
start their own church can do so. There are also many small restaurant / bars but they only open when the proprietor feels like it. We passed some schools as the kids were let out in the afternoon and everyone looked very tidy in their uniforms of blouses and tunics for the girls and shirts and long pants for the boys. The girls socks matched their blouses-yellow for one school and pale blue for another. There were goats chickens and roosters. If you run over a chicken you not only have to pay compensation for the animal you killed but for the future progeny denied. I didn't see any cows or pigs but I did count 3 horses a few cats and several dogs. Thick Low scrub lines the roads and marches unvaryingly into the distance much like the makia in Corsica. Coconut palms punctuate the white sand around the houses and large conch shells are stacked one against the other to demarcate and decorate. Local fauna seems confined to birds and reptiles. We have surprised several lizards about 12 centimeters long. They dart away and wrap their tails in tight curls carried high over their backs. Soft black moths the size of small birds plead at the lighted window at night.
We drove to The Hermitage perched on top of Mount Alvernia-at 206 feet it is the highest elevation in the country. the country consists of 700 islands and, depending on which source you believe, between 364-2,400 cays. The Hermitage is a miniature monastery with steps hand carved out of solid rock by Father Jerome Hawes. I would like to know more about him but I guess being a hermit means no one would really have known him well. Given the gloomy inscriptions carved into stone I think it would be fair to say he was no optimist. On the way down the mountain Phil walked straight passed a snake sunning in the warm dirt path. When I raised the alarm it slithered into the undergrowth. I imagine my startled "snake!!!" was echoed by its startled "Human!!!"
We had lunch at Shannas Cove Resort run by a German family at the northern most extremity of Cat Island. After lunch we walked quite a way on the beach deserted except for the three of us. Later as I was sitting and reading I noticed something small white and round moving across the straw mat. Upon further investigation I discovered it to be a tiny hermit crab in a shell about the size of the end of my pinky! I put it back outside to grow bigger.
Tues Nov 29
We all read and slept all day. Phil has an ear infection probably from swimming in the Gulf yesterday.
Wed Nov 30
Phil still poorly but claims he is getting better.
Tomorrow we leave early to get the plane back to Nassau then Atlanta then Phoenix and finally Tucson. The next day we fly to LA and on to Sydney.
- comments