Images of St. George's University 2.0

 

Images of St. George's University

On April 29th I left Grenada to return to Maryland for most of the summer. CW flys back on May 13th and we will be returning July 28th, with our dog, Huckleberry, in tow.

Below are some images I captured of the scenery around St. George's University before leaving the island.  On this campus is where CW spends almost all of his time.

Front Gate

Maurice Bishop International Airport across the water

Black Sand Beach

The end of another perfect day in paradise

Grand Anse Beach at Sunset

Friday, April 23, 2010

 

  

 

  

 

  

  

 

  

   

   

Levera, Grenada - Turtle Beach

On Thursday, April 8, 2010, I traveled north to Levera Bay to see the endangered leatherback sea turtles laying eggs on the beach. These turtles lay their eggs in Grenada between mid-April and mid-June each year. They are the only sea turtles who lack a hard shell, hence earning the name Leatherback. The photos aren't very clear, as we were prohibited from using flash photography and were limited to red-tinted flashlights in order not to disturb the turtles. Within five minutes of walking onto the beach, we saw our first turtle.

 Most images are from the rear of the turtle in order to not distract her from nesting.

The turtles lay their eggs in a three-step process. First it uses its rear legs to dig a narrow hole, about three-feet deep. Then the turtle lays about 100 eggs, but only the first fifty or so will contain the yolk necessary to develop into baby turtles. The rest of the eggs are for survival and keep the nest warm and humid. Then the turtle uses her rear legs again to cover of the nest.

 A research team observes the turtles as they nest and collects data from the tagged turtles.

The research team measures the turtle for their records.

She's a big turtle!

Grenada Dora the Explorer style - Sauteurs and Belmont Estate

When my mother-in-law, Nancy, was here last week, we rented a car and drove all the way around the island following the coast.  The trip took about 6 hour in total, with stopping in Sauteurs, the Northern tip of the island, for lunch and at the Belmont Estate, where they manufacture chocolate, for a tour. 

Sauteurs, the Northern tip of Grenada

Sauteurs, an abandoned pier with abandoned cars (missing wheels, doors, etc)

Enjoying the scenery from the balcony at Helenas

The entrance to Helena's Restaurant and Bar, Sauteurs

Lunch: Chicken (which is widely debated...), rice and peas, boiled fruit, salad and fresh fruit juice

Same as above with fish (easily identified as fish) instead of chicken

 When asked what they had for dessert, we were presented with these plastic bags filled with frozen-something the waitress called "power." They were NOT tasty...

We later learned that "power" is a local Guiness and ice-cream concoction ...ICK

 The table next to ours was reserved...Nancy was hoping for Oprah (who owns property in Grenada) but instead it was an older couple on vacation from Chicago. Our table was not so swanky.

Welcome to the Belmont Estate...over 400 acres of cocoa, nutmeg and other fun things!

 I rang the over 300-year old bell at Belmont Estate...before the tour guide told me how old it was.

 Belmont also has animals.  This little guy was pretty cool.

  

 Workers sorting cocoa beans into bags, where they will be weighed and then will ferment in banana leaves, before being dried in the sun and used for chocolate...it smelled like vinegar, not chocolate.

Nancy buying as many coconuts as she could find from roadside stands