Nothing very exciting to report today. I spent the morning lounging around the apartment and then did some travel planning and worked on a journal entry.
I did venture out by late afternoon though to get something to eat.
Not exactly island faire! A meatball hoagie and strawberry/banana smoothie at Rick’s Cafe (11 USD).
Travel Note: I forgot to mention the cost of my flight from Barbados to Grenada. 248 USD. Kind of pricey, right? No doubt a result of my lack of advanced planning!
Another Travel Note: I’ve mentioned the currencies of the countries I’ve visited, but not much else. Here are a few more details:
Languages: Spanish in Panama and Colombia, English in Barbados and Grenada.
Vehicle Traffic: Drive on the right in Panama and Colombia, drive on the left in Barbados and Grenada.
Electrical Plugs: U.S. type in Panama, Colombia and Barbados; U.K. type in Grenada.
Friday, February 3 – Grenada
I’ve hired the driver that picked me up at the airport to take me on a 3 hour drive around the island (35 USD/hour).
Our first stop was Grand Etang National Park (2 USD entry fee). This is Grand Etang Lake. Like St. George’s Harbor, the lake fills the crater of an extinct volcano. It sits at an elevation of 1,700 feet and is covers 36 acres. (For reference to you Madisonians – Lake Mendota is close to 10,000 acres. In other words, this is not a big body of water!) A tour group in the park feeding the monkeys. I had the opportunity to do this as well, but wasn’t really interested.This is Pearls Airport, the island’s original airport, which was replaced in 1984. It features these two Cuban and Soviet planes, abandoned after the 1983 U.S. troop intervention that I mentioned in a previous post. The runaway is still in place and is used for drag racing and as a practice area for student drivers.Bathway Beach, on the northeast tip of the island (has black sand – I should have gotten a better picture of that!). Green and Sandy Islands are in the background.Leapers Hill, on the north of the island. Here in the 17th century the indigenous people of the island flung themselves into the sea; choosing suicide over surrender to the French.View from Leapers Hill, including the islands of Carriacou, Diamond and Ronde. It seems appropriate that the path to Leapers Hill runs through a graveyard.Sauteurs Bay, just to the west of Leapers HillDuquesne Bay on the northwest coast. The islands viewed from Leapers Hill can be seen here as well.
I enjoyed the drive around the island. My driver, Rolson, provided some good stories and information. I found the interior of Grenada to be very similar to Barbados – the housing, roads, vegetation, etc.
Covid in Grenada:
No testing or vaccination required for entry
Very little wearing of masks
Grenada Weather: Highs in the low 80s, lows in the mid 70s, mild humidity
6 thoughts on “JE 97”
So pretty! I would love to swim at all of those beaches!
Thanks for the note Ed. Good observation. I think there are a couple reasons for the minimal beach activity: this is not a big tourist destination, and the drive took place during the week, so the locals were working or in school.
So pretty! I would love to swim at all of those beaches!
Thanks for the note Holly!
Looks like there are plenty of reef locations to snorkel around. Although, the lack of people on the beaches may raise some questions as to why?
Thanks for the note Ed. Good observation. I think there are a couple reasons for the minimal beach activity: this is not a big tourist destination, and the drive took place during the week, so the locals were working or in school.
Looks beautiful! And that weather is perfect
Thanks for the note Kait!