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Published: August 4th 2008
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4:00am I roll over in bed and try to decide if I'm going to get up when the alarm sounds at 5:30. One of the "Must do" things here on Bequia is to take a day sail on the "Friendship Rose" She's a 100 foot sailing schooner built here on the island. On Wednesdays she sails to nearby Mustique and Tomorrow she'll be making the run down to the Tobago Cays. It's an out and back day sail/snorkel trip which includes breakfast, lunch, and tea. Tea is very big here. It's that British heritage, you know. Ultimately, I decide to pace myself and save something for next week or the week after. When the alarm sounds, I roll over and go back to sleep, besides, I've been wanting to check out a place called Spring Bay and today seems like a good day for it.
7:18 I descend the Driveway of Death and walk all the way into town. It's Sunday morning and even though it's early, everyone that passes by is dressed to the nines. The men are in suits and the women dresses and hats. When I reach the Belmont Walkway, Allen and a woman I guess to
be Meg are seated at the Gingerbread. Allen introduces me and when Meg realizes who I am she jumps up and gives me a hug and says "you made it". Meg is the one with whom I had corresponded about renting the house. She and Allen have two little girls. The youngest at 9 months is busy putting some used gum in her mouth and her older sister is on the "Rose" today. When it comes up that I have a new grandson Allen says "you don't look old enough to be a grandpa" (I like this guy) I assure him that I don't Feel like a grandpa. Following the obligatory age guessing thing, during which Meg is conspicuously silent, I remark to Allen that at 53 he's a bit up there to be having a 9 month old. He heartily agrees.
Passing by the the other villa office at the Frangipani Hotel I introduce myself to Elena who's placing some wicker chairs under a shade tree. She's the daughter of a Vincentian father and a French mother and speaks with a heavy Londoner accent. While I'm sitting there catching up on some emails there's a dog taking a
swim in the harbor. Once my battery runs down I head to the Harbor office (its really more of a hut than an office) to enter the days blog.
While writing I hear a commotion coming down the street. A bell ringing and some chanting. As they pass by and congregate at the water's edge we guess its a baptism. With the baptism complete, the congregation moves to the town square where they hold an outdoor service. The music is very good and Alethea can't keep from singing in that under-your-breath voice, but as the song goes on she doesn't notice that she's gotten louder.
11:30am I head up the road toward Spring Bay and Industry Bay. The road is very steep-what am I saying, all the roads here are very steep. From the time I leave the town square to the time I reach the island's peak I'm in continuous ear-shot of Gospel music eminating from one small church house to the next. Before one has faded out of range another is within range. It makes for a nice Sunday morning walk.
The photos I'd seen of Spring Bay where one of the reasons for coming
to Bequia. In person it's even more dramatic. Its a metropolis of skyscraper-like palms lining the beach. When I arrive there is a couple of windsurfers just coming off the water. When they leave I'm alone with a local family. The dad and two daughters are laying at the edge of the water barking like seals. They smile as I take their picture. After a bit the dad and girls find a coconut while walking along the beach. He busts it open against a rock wall and one of the girls tasts a bite, but I get the idea mom has something better back at the car. Once they've gone I walk down and try it for myself. It's delicious-or maybe its just the thought of eating freshly cracked coconut on the beach in Bequia that thrills me so. I can't help but smile and think "this is really happening, its not a dream".
After a long cooling float in the bay its time for some more exploring. Allen has told me about a good photo spot at the top of Spring Hill so I start up the road and each time it forks I take the higher road.
Some of them are so steep I have to take a turn walking backward to keep my legs from exploding. I pass several large villas that I'm sure cost in the millions. There's definitely more money on this side of the island. From the top looking back down on Spring Bay it looks like I must have climbed 1000 feet or so. Going down is no easy task, but considerably less effort than going up. I follow the road around to the next bay which is Industry. It has a bit rockier coast at the sides and a little less inpressive palm grove. From there I pass a couple of very nice estates with white picket fences and beautiful green lawns. I climb another road with a sign up "lots for sale" At the top there's an amazing place where the pad is cleared and ready to build. It's a million dollar view (and I mean that literally) I take note of the website for future reference: www.terracaribbean.com. sigh, someday!
At Park Bay I come accross the Turtle Farm. There's an expat here who has made it his quest to help preserve the local turtle population. He charges a
small fee to visitors to tour the operation. GOATS, goats, and more goats. There are goats all over the road here and this is the end of the road. As I pass back by the turtle farm there's a man carrying a half a dozen coconuts. Three in a bucket, a couple in the other hand and one on his head. He smiles as I take his picture and says, "I love the coconuts".
By the time I reach town again its been over 3 hours. All I had to drink this morning was 1 liter of water and I'm feeling pretty dehydrated. I go to the Gingerbread and get a cookie, a 1&1/2 liter bottle of water, and a scoop of homemade banana ice cream. I down the water in about 5 minutes. I take a plunge off the dock and float in the cool water effortlessly. Aaahhh, that feels good. If I'm dreaming, nobody wake me up. I hang around town waiting for "The Rose" to sail back in. Everyone looks tanned and tired, but still clambering about how great the day was. Next week I'll have to heed the alarm and take the trip for myself.
Since the ice cream and cookie are all I've eaten on a day I'm certain burned off a zillion calories, I head to the wildly populay Mac's Pizza at the end of the Belmont Walk. I order a 9-inch sweet pepper and it lives up to its reputation. Pizza and Palm trees--is this heaven? No its Bequia. (that's a reference to "Field of Dreams" in case you missed it. The second one of this trip if you've noticed). Full and a bit sunburned, I walk all the way back home.
Another good day on Bequia,
Yah Mon,
David
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Brian Joachims
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Great Pics!
I'm looking forward to the entire library of pictures. Hope it's cooler there than it is here! Brian <