Nevis
Our Posts about Nevis
Hard Wine lives up to its name!/SBPR
I know we usually reserve the booze discourse for our Friday Happy Hour series, but yesterday’s Facebook discussion over the correct spelling of wining (or whining as the case may be) reminded me of this stuff. I found it in a gas station during our Nevis adventure earlier this year. Befitting its suggestive name and label, the bottle was perched high on a shelf behind the check-out counter. Of course, I just had to check it out.
From the minute I asked the cashier for it, our cab driver started shaking his head. “You don’t want to mess with that stuff; too potent,” he laughed.
I was curious, though. Could this contain the same bois bande Caribbean natural viagra I had encountered in Martinique and Tobago (where it’s also known as Naked Boy) earlier this year?
A quick glance at the ingredients confirmed my suspicions – bois bande, Siberian ginseng and horny goat weed… Hard Wine, it seemed, was one drink that could live up to its name!
Now as faithful Uncommon Caribbean readers already know, I chickened out on trying the Naked Boy in Tobago and I still have an unopened bottle of bois bande from the Covered Market in Martinique sitting in my fridge. This time, though, would be different.
After all, I was alone in Nevis with my wife (no kids) trying to make up for missing our 10th wedding anniversary due to a trip to Martinique the previous year… What better time could there be to experiment with some Hard Wine? My only question: could I trust it?
Online info on Hard Wine is scarce, though the drink has a small following on Facebook. Certainly, it’s made in Trinidad and it appears to be an Angostura brand, so what’s not to like?
Hmmm, how about the taste? Yeah, that’s not to like. That’s not to like at all.
It’s not so bad that I had to spit it out, but Hard Wine definitely earns a big blech in my book. Sort of reminded me of Mad Dog 20/20 or Boone’s Farm (there’s a Boone’s Farm fan club?), not that I ventured out to procure bottles of these nefarious characters from my past to do a taste test. Over-fruity and boozy in a bad way that means business, I could now see why Hard Wine holds top shelf status at the gas station…and likely nowhere else.
Bad taste is one thing, but the real question is does Hard Wine deliver as its name implies?
Well, let’s just say that my lack of conditioning wasn’t the only reason why I struggled along The Source hike on our last full day in Nevis…
Kennedy's Hand Craft Centre, Nevis/SBPR
Shopping is not a main draw in Nevis, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a special souvenir or two to commemorate your trip to this very special place. While wandering around the island back in June, we happened upon this humble handicrafts store with just the type of souvenirs I’m talking about…and a truly remarkable story.
As elsewhere in Nevis, and the Caribbean for that matter, you can buy hand-carved wooden wall hangings and small statuettes here, no two exactly alike. The items reflect the charm and personality of the island with detailed carvings of native plants, birds, and of course the ever-popular monkeys, fashioned from local wood, polished to a shine, and available for sale at reasonable prices.
Kennedy Tyrell creations
If you’re well-traveled in the Caribbean, it might be easy to dismiss this store and its goods at first glance. After all, where haven’t you been that you couldn’t find good quality, handmade local artifacts?
The difference here, though, is that all the items are produced by a craftsman who can neither hear nor speak.
The craftsman, Kennedy Tyrell, lives in a small home adjacent to the store with his mother, who is also disabled. She’s blind.
Against the odds, mother and son live and work here with Kennedy churning out masterpieces for other wandering visitors to stop by and purchase (there are no other stores nearby).
The store is located in the small village of Zion right alongside the main road that encircles the island. It’s hard to miss and well worth a visit.
Sunshine's Beach Bar/SBPR
Remember the fire in my wife’s eyes when she heard about The Source hike during our recent trip to Nevis? Well, I’m guessing that was nothing compared to the look of absolute glee that graced my face when we pulled up to this place an hour or so after our four-hour adventure in the Nevis rainforest.
Behold Sunshine’s Beach Bar, one of the Caribbean’s most legendary beachfront watering holes. A humble, colorful and incredibly welcoming shack in the sands along Pinney’s Beach, Sunshine’s is located at the end of what is surely the worst road in Nevis. Locals say that the bar’s owner purposely keeps the road in disrepair to prevent patrons short of cash from making a quick getaway when attempting to skip out on unpaid tabs. Yeah, the colorful nature of the place extends far beyond its bright walls.
Sunshine’s legendary status is reflected by the faces on its walls. Everywhere you look, there are snapshots of the rich and famous who’ve made their way here over the years – Oprah, Travolta, Kelly Ripa, Kevin Bacon, Jay Z & Beyonce, Roger Daltry and Brittney Spears, who according to our bartender, Maureen, was sans panties during her visit (shocker!), are just a few of the celebs photographed having the time of their lives at Sunshine’s.
What pulls people here? Two words: Killer Bees.
Killer Bee/SBPR
Sunshine’s signature drink, the Killer Bee does, indeed, pack quite a potent sting. No one is giving up the drink recipe, but essentially the Killer Bee is a seriously revved-up rum punch. Sunshine’s is so secretive about the drink’s contents, that Maureen mixed ours under the bar, safely hidden from my prying eyes. I’m guessing the secret kick is some sort of overproof rum, but after a couple of these you really won’t care what’s in it, or why you ever wanted to know in the first place.
Any visit to Sunshine’s is sure to be memorable, but ours was even more so because we just happened to arrive as the U.S. soccer team was squaring off against Ghana in the World Cup quarterfinals. Though several locals in attendance were wearing T-shirts adorned with varying symbols of America, none were backing our boys in red, white and blue that day. It was all about Ghana at Sunshine’s that day, and everyone from the bartender, to the cook and the cleaning lady let us know it with some good-natured trash talk throughout the game.
When the U.S. scored to tie the game and eventually send it into extra time, Maureen threatened to charge me double for my Killer Bees. I don’t think I would’ve noticed if she tripled the price, though, as I had already enjoyed quite a few of them at that point.
There were many wonderful surprises for us at Sunshine’s (including the food, which was excellent), but the biggest surprise was meeting someone who was actually from Ghana! That’s him standing next to me (I’m the guy at the far left) in the photo below. Pretty hard to believe that a chance encounter like that could occur in a tiny beach shack like this on tiny Caribbean island like Nevis, but that’s what can happen when you travel the Uncommon Caribbean way.
Ghana Soccer Fans/SBPR
The crew in the photo is comprised of people from different parts of the U.S. and the Caribbean who regularly make a pilgrimage back to Sunshine’s to enjoy the vibe and, of course, the Killer Bees. They were downing pitchers of the stuff, laughing loudly and cheering every surge toward goal by the Ghanan squad.
My wife and I had a great time getting to know the group, and just about everyone else in the bar that afternoon. Among our new friends was a young English chef from Barbados‘ posh Sandy Lane Resort, who was there with his wife and their toddler son, a precocious ball of energy who kept busy by coloring and dancing with the bar staff.
We also met a young couple from the Midwest United States that sailed away from society a couple years ago when they couldn’t get pregnant. A few months in the Caribbean was just what the doctor ordered, though, as they welcomed their first child during a stopover in St. Croix earlier this year. Between the boy’s mom, my wife and Maureen, this beautiful Cruzan baby had no shortage of dance partners either.
It was stifling hot and there were some very persistent black flies that seemed eager to “befriend” us as well, but everyone at Sunshine’s was happy and pleasantly oblivious to any negative vibes. Being there really felt like coming home and hanging out with old friends, which means that we’ll definitely be back before too long.
Photo credit: Shelley Welander
Nevis has always been known as an exclusive destination for luxury pampering, rest and relaxation, but we found during our visit there last month that it’s also a great choice for active travelers. After all, you’ve got Mt. Nevis with its lush rainforest and unique trails, so it’s no surprise that hiking is big here. What is surprising, though, is the strong popularity of another sport that on the surface may seem ill-suited to such a small island – cycling.
Why is cycling an odd fit for Nevis? Well, Nevis is tiny – 36 square miles – and basically has only one main road that encircles the island.
So what’s the deal? We caught up with professional cyclist Kathryn Bertine over dinner at Nisbet Plantation to find out. You may not know Kathryn from her racing on behalf of the St. Kitts & Nevis Cycling Federation, but if you’re a fan of ESPN, books or triathlons, then her name may be familiar to you.
Kathryn is a former pro triathlete who penned the So You Wanna Be An Olympian series of articles for ESPN.com a couple years back. She’s also the author of As Good As Gold, a new book released in May 2010 that chronicles her two-year assignment from ESPN to qualify for the Olympics in any sport she could. After a few misses with other sports, Kathryn eventually settled on cycling and Nevis.
Why Nevis?
While doing some research for my ESPN project in 2007, I learned that St. Kitts & Nevis had a pretty strong Cycling Federation based in Nevis. At the time, though, they had no women riders. I was looking for a country that could appreciate the mutual benefits of the project; giving me a good chance to make the Olympics, while also helping to raise the profile of cycling in the destination. It’s been a great fit.
What makes the cycling so good in Nevis?
Off the main road, there’s a small yet intricate network of off the beaten path roads that offer great workouts. Many of these hidden roads are short and steep, some with a 20% gradient, which makes them fantastic for hill training. At first glance you wouldn’t even know some of them are there, so it’s good to have a local guide show you around to start out. There also isn’t a lot of traffic in Nevis, and people are always very aware of cyclists here. Combine that with the amazing weather and friendly people, and Nevis is a wonderful cycling paradise.
Is it easy to travel with a bike to Nevis?
Traveling anywhere with a bike is difficult mainly because you have to pay such high added baggage fees for the flights. I keep a bike here in Nevis to offset that, but whether you’re a serious pro or recreational cyclist you can rent great bikes through Winston Crooke, who heads the Cycling Federation and is based in Nevis. It’s a lot easier than lugging your own bike all the way down here, and Winston and his crew can guide you along the best hidden routes to match your fitness level.
Winston’s “crew” includes our friend Reggie Douglas, who we’ve already shown to be a great athlete and hiking guide, so I highly concur with Kathryn’s advice. To get in touch with Winston and Reggie, click here.
Also, if you want a more in-depth look at cycling in Nevis, pick up a copy of Kathryn’s book via Amazon.com by clicking here. There’s a lot of detail in the book on her cycling adventures along those “hidden roads”, so it can definitely prove handy if you’re planning a future two-wheeled conquest of Nevis. This is must-reading for anyone who likes to combine athletic pursuits with travel, just as Nevis is a must-visit for cyclists looking for a hidden treasure among Caribbean cycling destinations.
High up Mt. Nevis along The Source Trail/SBPR
I never had any intention of hiking when I traveled to Nevis last month. After all, I was staying at the posh Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, the #1 Caribbean property on Travel + Leisure’s prestigious World’s Best List for 2010. I anticipated a long weekend of relaxing, fine dining and pampering at the hands of the wonderful staff of this legendary property… and not much else.
At the same time, though, I had EVERY intention of doing whatever my wife, Kelly, wanted to do on this trip. It’s rare that Kelly gets to tag along on my travel adventures, and considering I missed our 10th wedding anniversary while enjoying one such adventure last November, I felt it best that I remain 100% open and amenable to her whims lest I be cast out on a long solo hike off a short cliff.
The minute the dinner conversation on our first night at Nisbet turned to talk of a thrilling mountain hike to a mysterious place known simply as The Source, I knew that my relaxing weekend was over before it even began.
You see, Kelly loves to hike. She’s from Pennsylvania where hiking opportunities are plentiful. We live in South Florida where there are, essentially, none. Just hearing about The Source lit a fire in her eyes that I hadn’t seen since we hiked Hawk Mountain in PA some 15 or so years ago. The pampering would have to wait.
Reggie Douglas/SBPR
The source of our info on The Source hike was Reggie Douglas, a young, 20-something local well-known throughout Nevis as the island’s top athlete. Nevis’ Sportsman of the Year for 2008 and 2009, and a four-time OECS Triathlon Champion, Reggie assured us that The Source hike would be a piece of cake. Problem was, I was enjoying a piece of cake and the latest in a long line of Carib Beers when he said it. Yeah, I won’t be confused with any island’s top athlete any time soon, but I wasn’t about to let anything stand in the way of fulfilling my wife’s hiking desires.
Lucky for us, Reggie had just taken a couple friends up to The Source a few days prior to our arrival and was anxious to return. We quickly made arrangements, and two mornings later we were off!
So what is The Source? Essentially, it’s the spot high up in the clouds along the slopes of Mt. Nevis (elevation: 3,232 feet) where the island’s fresh spring water emerges from the ground. The trail appears on Nevis maps dating back to the 1600′s when some very industrious, strong and incredibly determined Brits constructed an iron pipeline to bring the water from its source high in the mountain to the populace living below. The trail follows the pipe and is still used by local workers to access the pipe to make repairs today.
The Source trail starts out quite wide at the bottom with the only challenges for us being the muddy ground and uneven footing on slick, moss-covered rocks of varying sizes. It’s shady for the most part, not too steep, and if you’re lucky you may spot some wild monkeys along the way. Nice and fairly easy.
Then, about halfway up, things change. The path narrows considerably with a steep drop, slippery moss-covered concrete stairs and other natural hurdles testing your balance and agility most of the rest of the way. In a word, it’s thrilling, especially if you, like us, get to experience The Source while hiking in a small group. With just the three of us on the trail (there was NO ONE else up there) we were really able to listen to the sounds of the rainforest and feel the living, breathing natural wonder all around us. It’s truly amazing trekking through the bush with clouds passing all around you, the temperature dropping as you climb higher and higher following an ancient, yet still vital pipeline.
Ladder to The Source/SBPR
If you don’t stop as often as we did to take pictures, admire the surroundings (or in my case catch your breath), you’ll reach the imposing sight pictured at left in under two hours. This is where it gets really tricky, especially if you fear heights because you have to climb this old, rickety metal ladder to finally reach The Source. The photo doesn’t do it justice as the ladder is REALLY tall. We estimated it at over 100-feet, and it’s not really an easy climb as some of the rungs offer less than ideal footing.
Conquer the ladder, though, and the payoff is what you see pictured below. This is The Source, a short waterfall emptying into a small pool, no more than 6-8 feet in diameter, where the pipeline begins. It’s pretty cool to think when standing here that for centuries a good portion of Nevis’ fresh water has emanated from this one, singular spot. What’s even better, though, is drinking the water itself. Completely fresh, natural and absolutely the greatest reward after such a challenging trek.
The hike back is just as challenging as the way up, but if you’re smart, you’ll at least have a full bottle of Nevis’ finest spring water to cool your thirst all the way down the mountain.
Where it all begins/SBPR
As for me, I survived The Source trail just fine – no scrapes, falls or faintings. My wife did even better, emerging from the four-hour hike with nary a stain on her white shorts (not recommended).
As she nibbled on a piece of fresh sour-sop picked along the trail near the end of our adventure, I noticed another fire in her eyes. This one clearly had nothing to do with hiking, though… I knew then that all was forgiven, thanks to my new friend, Reggie, and some quality time in the wilds of the Nevis jungle.
Skol Lager/SBPR
Ask around for the local beer in Nevis and just about everyone will give you the same answer – Carib.
While Carib is, indeed, produced in St. Kitts, we all know that its roots are really in Trinidad. It may taste a bit different (some say stronger) in St. Kitts & Nevis, probably owing to the islands’ very special natural water (more on that next week), but a Carib is still a Trini beer, if you ask me.
As is our wont here at Uncommon Caribbean we were looking for something a bit more unique to the local area during our visit to Nevis last weekend.
Enter Skol Lager, a light and tasty beer I first encountered on the third of my four days in Nevis – yeah, I almost missed it!
Honestly, if you didn’t know to ask, you could easily visit Nevis several times without ever knowing that Skol even exists. There are no banners, placards, billboards, T-shirts or any other forms of marketing for Skol anywhere on the island (not sure if that’s also the case in St. Kitts as we just passed through there on our way to/from Nevis). This is in stark contrast to Carib, which is touted EVERYWHERE.
The roots of the discrepancy lie in the fact that Skol is still a relatively new entrant into the local beer market. According to one of their marketing managers, with whom I spoke via phone earlier today, Skol has been brewed in the twin-island nation for just about 10 years.
Oh, and get this, it’s also not 100% local. Skol is produced in St. Kitts & Nevis by Carib Brewery (St Kitts & Nevis) Limited under a licensing agreement with Skol International. What is Skol International? Here’s some background from Wikipedia:
- Skol is an international beer brand. Allied Breweries of the UK, Labatt of Canada, Pripps-Bryggerierna of Sweden and Unibra of Belgium formed a new company called Skol International in 1964. Its aim was the creation of a world-wide beer brand, Skol lager, which could be licensed, manufactured and marketed across the world.
This means that the Skol in St. Kitts & Nevis is a close cousin to the Skol in Brazil, which is that nation’s most popular beer – imagine how many Skols are soaking Brazilian soccer sorrows tonight!
Will Skol ever gain the same elite status in St. Kitts & Nevis? Who knows.
For me, right now, it’s my preferred choice of local beer in St. Kitts & Nevis. It can be yours too – just be sure to ask for it by name on your next visit or else you may never find it…
Skol!
Your Monthly Moment of Zen
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