My Parents Finally Visited (Part Two)

…continued from the previous post

 

Split Three: A Couple More Tours

 

            The Sunday after the hash, Ivan and I took the day off while Mom and Dad went on a kayak tour around Woburn Bay and Hog Island (around the southern edge of the island).  They had a blast and really enjoyed working with the tour guides.

            That evening, we had our “fancy dinner” at the University Club in L’Ance aux Epines (pronounced lance-uh-peen, by the way).  We arrived at the club a little early and walked along the small beach at Prickly Bay, behind the UC.  The sun had already set (6:30pm sunsets here), but we still got a few pictures on the dock.

            Dinner was excellent, even if the service was a little slow (hello, Grenada).  We tried the catch of the day and split desserts.  And we each got to sample a breaded swordfish with papaya chutney.  Very tasty!

            The following day, we relaxed for the most part.  Mom and Dad snorkeled around Grand Anse, though there isn’t much to see in the crystal clear waters along that beach.  Most of the day we spent in the capital, St. George, where Mom and Dad shopped for their souvenirs.  They got to meet my “spice lady” at the spice market.  They took their time considering everyone they wanted to buy for and got a lot of really thoughtful gifts (including a little steel drum for my nephew)!

            On Tuesday, Leslie, our taxi driver, picked us up for a second island tour.  (There is a surprisingly large amount to see on an island so small!)  First we stopped by Fort George, in the capital, and quickly toured the historic remains.

            Next, we made our way north and visited Concord Falls.  This was especially fun for me as I had never been to these falls before.  Too bad we didn’t know that jumping and swimming was permitted at Concord Falls; none of us thought to bring swimwear.  The pool is eighteen feet deep and there is a nice ledge setup for people to jump off.  Instead, we waded through the shallower areas to take pictures of the large waterfall above the pool, and admired the cascading falls further down.

            Next on the agenda was a quick stop at the fish market in Gouyave (where Leslie held up a flying fish for us to admire) before moving to the northern tip where we visited Leapers Hill.  The day was clear and beautiful, making it a gorgeous trip to the tip of the island where we could see the active volcano just a few miles off the coast.  Of course, the weather had only just cleared up for us as it was a rainy mess when we first arrived in Sauteurs.  But we spent a little time at a nice restaurant and had some local dishes for lunch while the skies cleared.

            After Leapers Hill in Sauteurs, we looped around the east coast and made a quick stop at Levera Beach, where the critically endangered leatherback sea turtles nest.  It’s not nesting season now, so there were no signs of the turtles, but the view was worth the stop.

            Next we went to Rivers Antoine Rum Distillery where we had a tour of the distillery and got to see the step-by-step process of producing rum from sugarcane grown in nearby fields.  The process that Rivers follows is the same that was followed centuries ago, from the waterwheel power to bottling the rum by hand.  Afterward, Mom and Dad tried some of their overproof 75% rum as well as some rum punch (I opted out, having stripped my throat with the stuff previously).

            After the distillery, we made our way back to True Blue where we met Ivan at De Big Fish for dinner.  There we had lobster Thermadore, one of the best dishes I’ve had on the island, and even managed to cram a piece of cake in our overstuffed bellies.

 

Split Four: The Last Day

 

            The last day for Mom and Dad came far too fast.  All of a sudden it was Wednesday and they were leaving on Thursday morning.  Mom and Dad spent that last day together, packing and enjoying a little more of the beautiful beach.  That evening, we went on the sunset tour: a two-hour catamaran trip along the southern tip of the island while the sun sets.

            The trip was relaxing and the weather was perfect: a little breezy and comfortable.  The evening was a little cloudy, so the sunset wasn’t magnificent, but it was still pretty and we all had a great time.

            When we got back, we had dinner and ice cream at Rick’s Café (best ice cream ever!).  And the next morning, Mom and Dad went home.  I’m so incredibly happy that they came to visit.  And I know they enjoyed the trip.  I just wish it didn’t feel so short!

 

What else has been going on: I’ve been super busy trying to sell all of our stuff before we leave; Ivan demolished his first set of midterms; I created a business website; puppies at the GSPCA!; I created a successful photography project; the weather is still beautiful; I turned thirty; Ivan fixed our blinds for the fourth time; there are ants in my house that aren’t getting into anything; there is a picture of my grandparents’ dog, Bingo, hanging on my fridge; won tons for dinner tonight.