Our Posts about Caribbean

Patrick
Patrick

Caribbean Wallpaper Wednesday: Dolphins Swimming in the Sea

Swimming Dolphins, Caribbean Sea by Patrick Bennett

As you know, if you read this blog with any regularity, Uncommon Caribbean is two brothers: Me and my brother Steve. We do our best to seek out the many distinct experiences to be found throughout the Caribbean… And to drink as much rum as possible. But our Facebook fans may know that we have another brother, too: Peter. So, yes, there are three of us… Just like the dolphins in this week’s wallpaper!
Sorry, but Steve and I are currently at my home base in New York City doing some pleasant damage to a bottle of Fine Old Demerara Rum which is impairing my ability to craft an eloquent post about this gorgeous photo of three dolphins (let’s just say they’re brothers) swimming in formation.

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Steve
Steve

Taste of the Caribbean: Sweet ‘n Sour Tamarind Balls

Tamarind Balls/SBPR

Next to genips, my deep affection for which we outlined here, my other all-time favorite island fruit has got to be tamarinds. Some of my favorite childhood memories revolve around discovering a hidden tamarind tree laden with fruit while trekking through the bush on some imaginary exploration mission with my brothers. Finding tamarinds was akin to finding treasure; a reward for our quest. This is actually quite fitting as the mighty tamarind itself had to undertake quite a mighty quest just to get to the Caribbean at all.
Like the majority of people living in the Caribbean today, tamarind trees are indigenous to Africa and only started appearing in the region in the 16th century.

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Steve
Steve

Friday Happy Hour: Wine + Rum = Yum in Sailor Jerry Tiki Monkey

Sailor Jerry Tiki Monkey/SBPR

We’re not cheesy enough to hand out awards for the finest cocktails served at the fancy rum festivals we frequent, but if we were, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum would be clearing a spot in its trophy case for the second year in a row right about now.
Remember their ultra-refreshing Blood Orange Daiquiri that saved me from melting down into a puddle of sweat at last year’s Miami Rum Renaissance Festival? Just as that marvelous mélange carried the day in 2010, so too did another Sailor Jerry concoction stand out for me at this year’s Rumfest. It’s called the Tiki Monkey, and if you’re looking for a drink that can magically transport you to a seaside beach bar with just one sip, you can hardly do much better than this.

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Steve
Steve

Saturday Video: The Perfect Reggae Vibes for Mother’s Day

sizzla

As Mother’s Day is coming up tomorrow, we’re setting the perfect mood with two of the top reggae anthems saluting all Moms, Sizzla’s Thank You Mama and Capleton’s Mama You Strong. It’s been nearly 24 years since my brothers and I lost our Mom, so as you can imagine, Mother’s Day has ranked among my least favorite days of the year for quite awhile. In the five or so years since Sizzla’s hit was released, though, the song has helped to make the day a bit brighter for me. In the lyrics and rhythms I’m reminded of the good times and the special relationship we shared.

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Steve
Steve

Uncommon Beauty: The Sexy Sailing Adventures of Alex & Taru

Courtesy Alex & Taru

As Patrick pointed out recently, one of the many great things about traveling the Uncommon Caribbean way is all the cool and interesting new people you get to meet. Remember Chef Hot Pants in Martinique? Or how about St. Martin‘s master of rum infusions, Kali? And who could forget our surf instructors, Boosy in Barbados and Jason Apparicio in Tobago? They’re just a few of the many new friends we’ve made over the past year who’ve helped us show that the authentic side of our home region, the Caribbean beyond the crowds and tourist traps, is still alive, well and waiting for you to explore every inch of it!

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Patrick
Patrick

A Clean Slate for All New Caribbean Adventures

My new passport

Imagine if all your favorite memories were gone forever.
Erased.
That’s how I feel staring at the brand spanking new passport that came in the mail yesterday—its pages blank save for the first one which identifies it as belonging to me.
My last passport had been around the world so many times. It had been with me when I traveled to Hong Kong during the SARS outbreaks due to the amazing deals on offer. It had been with me for adventures in Germany, London, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Italy. It was safely back at camp when our jeep broke down surrounded by lions at 2am Christmas night near the Okavango Delta while on safari in Botswana.

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Steve
Steve

Taste of the Caribbean: Sea Moss, the Caribbean’s Potent Sex Potion

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Valentine’s Day: it’s the one day women don’t mind the one thing that’s always on men’s minds. Sure, you’ve got to come with the flowers, the chocolates, champagne and other such bribes, err…gifts, but at the end of the day, if you’ve got somebody special in your life today, it’s a good bet you’re gonna’ get some tonight.
Being that it’s the sexiest region in the world, the Caribbean is naturally rife with a wide range of love potions, aphrodisiacs and natural, *ahem*, enhancers. Topping the list for many men across the region is a thick and milky creation called Sea Moss.

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