Steve
Steve

Re-living Post-War Joy with the Music of Ernest Léardée at the Coco Bar in Martinique

Coco Bar at Hotel Bakoua, Martinique/SBPR

Those of us too young to have anything beyond a cursory textbook understanding of WWII can’t possibly imagine the joy that must’ve swept the world once the fighting stopped in Europe and the Pacific. Our unbridled celebrations today are generally reserved for the comparatively trite triumphs of our sports heroes, political reps and American Idols. Back in the early-1950s, though, there was real joy, real relief, optimism and an irrepressible joie-de-vivre vibe we can only dream about today.
Or so I thought until I spent an afternoon at the Coco Bar in Martinique last November.

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Jan. 28th, 2012 | Tags: , , , , , | No Comments »
Patrick
Patrick

Friday Happy Hour: The Balvenie Caribbean Cask Single Malt Scotch

Balvenie Caribbean Cask by Patrick Bennett

Those who frequent our site may find this hard to believe, but sometimes, just sometimes, we drink spirits other than rum! I know, I know, we’ve written about the joys of rum over a hundred times in the past two years, and now we’ve even declared this coming February The Month of Rum, but man cannot live on rum alone. (Believe me, we’ve tried.) So, before throwing ourselves enthusiastically into a whole month overflowing with the golden goodness of rum, I’d like to take a moment to enjoy my second favorite spirit: scotch.

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Jan. 27th, 2012 | Tags: , | No Comments »
Steve
Steve

Stalag Riddims in Honor of the Late Winston Riley

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The music world suffered a pair of great losses last weekend as the legendary Etta James was joined in leaving this world by Jamaica‘s own Winston Riley.
Now I’m sure most of you know the name Etta James. Even if you didn’t know of her previously, the extensive recent news reports of her passing surely have you up to speed now.
Winston Riley? Yeah, his name is a bit more obscure to most. His music, on the other hand, is definitely not.

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Jan. 26th, 2012 | Tags: , , , , | No Comments »
Patrick
Patrick

Caribbean Wallpaper Wednesday: Money Can’t Buy You Beach

Public Beach at Curtain Bluff, Antigua by Patrick Bennett

It’s said that the best things in life are free. A kiss from your crush. A smile from your son. The kaleidoscopic wonder of another sunset. None of these moments cost a penny yet all of them carry a value — one no exchange rate can place a number on.
Now if you don’t already know this you may find it hard to believe, but on many islands there’s something else money simply can’t buy: beaches.

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Jan. 25th, 2012 | Tags: , , , , | No Comments »
Steve
Steve

Get Ready for the 1st Nevis Peak Eco Challenge!

Nevis Peak

Our good friend Reggie Douglas (Remember him from my romantic hike to The Source?) just checked in to give us the heads up on an exciting new sporting event in his home island of Nevis that will have all of you active and competitive travelers itching to be in St. Kitts‘ sister island this September.
The event is called The Nevis Peak Eco Challenge, and like the grueling Volcano Half Marathon that our buddy Dave conquered over in Montserrat recently, this race involves a test of wills contested around a towering volcanic mount. Reggie’s words:

This will be our first time putting on an Eco Challenge consisting of kayaking, mountain biking, and trail running, with a scenic trek up Nevis Peak, which is 3’232 feet high!

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Jan. 24th, 2012 | Tags: , , , , , , | No Comments »
Steve
Steve

Taste of the Caribbean: Curry Crab & Dumpling, a True Tobago Treat

Curry Crab & Dumpling from Tobago/SBPR

Ewwww, gross!
That’s the typical reaction most newcomers to Tobago have at their first sight of the island’s signature dish, Curry Crab & Dumpling, or CnD for short. I mean just check the photo… That’s about as scary-looking a collection of edible entities as have ever been set before me!
In the case of CnD, though, all that ugly adds up to something insanely yummy, and just as importantly to your visitor experience on the island, something uniquely Tobagonian…

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Jan. 23rd, 2012 | Tags: , , | 1 Comment »
Steve
Steve

Wish You Were Here

Christine Warner Hawks (christinejwarner) via Flickr

Admiring the view from atop Mount Scenery, the northernmost active volcano (last eruption: 1640) in the Caribbean, which at an elevation of 2,877 feet represents the highest point on the island of Saba, as well as the entire Kingdom of the Netherlands.

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Jan. 22nd, 2012 | Tags: , , , | No Comments »