Snorkel and Booze Cruise - West Grenada

This past Saturday I went on one of the most fun trips I’ve done on the island so far, a snorkeling booze cruise! My SO friend, Sheridan, invited me to go along.

We boarded the catamaran on Grand Anse beach at 9:30 am and set sail northbound, Carib and rum punch in hand, to the West side of the island. Our first stop was at Flamingo Bay. We snorkeled around a reef and saw lots of beautiful fish and coral.

Underwater Erin

Then we swam back to the boat, where the crew had inflated a water trampoline for us to jump from the boat and into the water. They also had a kayak and some foam rafts to “lime” (Caribbean lingo for hanging out or partying) on. We hung out for about another hour while the crew cooked us a barbeque chicken lunch right on the boat! The meal was complete with rice, vegetables and salad.

Fun times on the water trampoline

Fish below my feet, dangling off the catamaran

After lunch we drank, swam and fooled around on and off the boat for a few more hours before the anchor came up and we sailed further south to the Underwater Sculpture Park, a group of sunken sculptures created by artist Jason de Caires Taylor. You can see examples of his work in Grenada and in Cancun, Mexico at his website: http://www.underwatersculpture.com/index.asp

After we all returned from snorkeling and checking out the sculptures, up came the anchor and we heaed back to Grand Anse Beach.  The crew gave us each a piece of cinnamon cake and we watched the beach where we live get closer in the distance.

Erin gets her lime-on with a raft and some rum punch at Flamingo Bay

This weekend I'm going on another trip through the same charter company for whale and dolphin watching!  Stay tuned faithful viewers!

The Fabulous Life: SGU "SO" (Significant Other)

This is pretty much how my week goes...

Babysitting Oliver
M/W/F 9:00 – 11:30 am

We play with toy construction trucks and shovels on Grand Anse Beach for a few hours while his mom takes a local yoga class, grocery shops, etc..

Grand Anse Beach

T/W/F 1:00 – 5:00 pm

When the beach is literally just steps from your home, you tend to spend every free moment there! Plus Wednesday is Beach Day for the SOs. We hang out by Garfield’s, a bar right on the beach!
Most of my SO friends say "I try to go to the beach at least once a week."  I try to go at least once a day!

Pool Day at the swanky University Club
M/Th 1:00 – 4:00 pm

I take one bus to the main campus at True Blue and catch another bus to L'ance Aux Epines, where the final stop is the swanky University Club.  Students don't get to enjoy this luxury.  The University Club is a resort where visiting professors stay, complete with bar service while you're in the pool...who am I to resist such a luxury?!

Laundry
W/Th 5:00 – 6:30 pm

The biggest pain here is doing laundry at the dorm laundry facility. It’s really sketchy and you never know which washer and dryers work, or when something might catch on fire or electrocute you. Keeps me on my toes! I also offer a wash, dry and fold service for others in our dorm for $20 EC per load (about $8 US).

Cooking dinner for CW
M/T/W/Th/F 6:45 – 7:30 pm

Food I make: Eggplant Parmesan, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Chicken Lo Mein, Burritos of all kinds, Mac and Cheese…
The groceries here are limited, as is my general willingness to cook...Match made on heaven!

Mt. Carmel - Chasing Waterfalls

This was my first big trip with the Significant Other club of SGU.  We traveled about 45-minutes by taxi-bus from the parish of St. George's, through the parish of St. David, into the parish of St. Andrew, to go hiking and play in waterfalls at Mt. Carmel. It was a winding, twisting, turning route through Grenada's countryside and mountains.

My "Significant Other" (SO) friends!

This bridge was pretty unstable, but it was only about a five-foot drop into brush and rocks if it did decide to break.

There was only a "Male" bathroom...although I didn't see a toilet or sink.

The first amazing waterfall of the day.

The rocks under this second waterfall were smooth enough to ride down like a water slide.

The view from the top, Mt. Carmel, St. Andrew, Grenada.

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Grenada's own Nice and Easy Hot Spot...not sure what it is, but the building was pretty cool and nice and easy.

Photographs: A few of my favorite things...

Pink tree flowers

Hot pink flowers growing on a tree outside our building

 I love yellow flowers

 Palm trees with coconuts

 Grand Anse beach, with St. George's town in the background

Caribbean moon through the palms

 Really cool seashell

Carib, Grenadian for beer

Sandcrab!

Photographs: The Town of St. George's

Christ of the Deep -
A replica of the original underwater statue in Italy. Grenada's version was gift from the Costa Shipping Line for rescuing the passengers of the Bianca C, an Italian luxury passenger ship that caught fire in St. George's outer harbour on October 22, 1961.


Old school telephone booths


The top of the hill near Fort George.


Fort George


St. George's from the top of the hill


Starfruit from the market...YUM! Tastes like a citrus granny smith apple.


St. George's marketplace


St. George's marketplace


Bananas or plantains (or both)?


Farm fresh produce and local spices