Cayman Islands photos

Hanging out at "On the Bay" condos
5/22/03

Journal excerpt - 12:00 Midnight

I woke up several times this morning, each time retiring and going back tom sleep. After about seven hours or so of slumber, I awoke refreshed and ready for day two of this Caribbean adventure. After a lengthy reading from Burroughs and a quiet time with God, I was ready for a good breakfast. I must say that I see a wonderful improvement in this particular quiet time as I find it much easier to commune with the Savior while surrounded by such beauty.

David and I had purchased some salmon the night before, and having the benefit of a full kitchen made preparation a snap (for David who did the cooking). However, we ran out of appetite before we ever cooked it, so we decided to eat the fish for breakfast today instead. Some may consider it odd to eat salmon for breakfast, but it has never been challenging for me. I eat when I’m hungry, and I eat what I enjoy . . . end of story. Furthermore, I never much liked the breakfast meal despite the influence of the two years I spent in middle Tennessee. I can still hear the oohs and ahhs of delight from my friends when ole’ Aunt Emma dashed out of the kitchen with her thirteen-foot high burial mound of biscuits. No wonder many of the southern folk have a few extra nooks and crannies around their midsection.

David and I consumed our breakfast on the wonderful balcony, which had a view of the north shore that was tough to beat. The water was a deep blue and there were palm trees, perfect sand, and a small pool surrounded by green shrubbery on all sides. I had never had quite a breakfast before, surrounded by such tropical beauty and elegance. We checked out of the “On the Bay” condos with reluctance having fully enjoyed our time there. I don’t think those condos will be vacant for terribly much longer, especially if the owner relaxes the price a bit. I think he has only sold one or two units thus far. Maybe he should consider putting “On the Bay”. . . “On the E-Bay.”

David and I stayed in the cove for the next few hours and did some swimming and snorkeling. I tried out my new snorkel gear and, much to my delight, was very content with the results. I was hesitant at first to shell out $100 for my own snorkel set, due to the infrequency with which I snorkel as well as the bad experience I had the last time I went snorkeling in nearby Cozumel (why spend money on something you don’t enjoy). However, I have found, as I had hoped for, that the most likely reason for my bad experience in Cozumel was a combination of poor equipment, poor conditions, and my own inexperience as a snorkeler. So, I have now solved two of the three issues. I have scheduled a trip to a place with idyllic conditions, and purchased excellent equipment. Now, I simply must gain experience, and I’ll be working on that for the duration of these 10 days.

As I walked off the beach and went back to the car, I noticed quite a squealing commotion coming from one of the trees. High atop a nearby palm, I witnessed two large and gorgeous birds perched side by side. They looked like tropical parrots, although I am far from an expert. Whatever they were, they were loud and they were beautiful and they just sat next to each other long enough for me to whip out my video camera and take a few photos. Professional birdwatchers might spend an entire week or two on the island and never see one of these birds, yet I found myself perfectly situated to witness this pair in the wild without any effort at all. God has a way of frequently surprising me like that! Shortly after filming them, they flew off together into the horizon - what powerful and delightful creatures!!

When a string of rain showers threatened around 2PM, Dave and I headed for the south coast to check in to our new home. We were instantly greeted by Alain & Marleine, who run the Turtle Nest Inn. They were friendly, courteous, helpful, and amusing. I am looking forward to staying at their place, which emanates an air of relaxed demeanors and laid back customs. Within the first five minutes, I already realize that it’s everything I was hoping for. The water behind the hotel is more beautiful and possesses more character than I have ever seen in my travels (much more on this later).

As the rain continued, we decided to make a quick foray to the west of the island to check out Seven Mile Beach, which we had not yet seen. So, we drove off into the rain (it didn't last for long) and after a brief lunch at Dave Thomas’s Cayman establishment, we arrived at the stretch of land that has been called, “the beach of dreams.”

While unimpressed with the large hotels, bustling traffic, and the crowded accommodations that literally make it impossible to see the ocean from most of the main road, there were many things about it that I adored (more on this later as well). In short, the sand was powdery and white, the plantlike was bright and diverse, and the water’s glow was so intense that I felt less like I was at Seven Mile Beach, and more like I was at Three Mile Island. David picked up a hunk of sand and described its texture as "silky smooth" and I teased him the rest of the week with his new title: David Huff - Sand Technician.

After a brief stop at a local supermarket, we returned in time to catch a sunset (Dave took a nap), and a dip in the pool. While swimming, we ran into a couple on their honeymoon (Fred and Shannon). They were from Philadelphia and we had a lengthy conversation. They gave us some good advice on things to do around the island, and we arranged a possible trip to charter a boat and go snorkeling with them on Saturday morning.

After a shower, Dave and I got dressed up and went out for dinner. I had started a conversation with a gal at the beach yesterday (once again David was inside at the time taking a nap). The gal’s name was Ruth and she was a rather interesting person. She was quite the world traveler and spoke four languages (English, French, Spanish, Turkish). She was visiting her aunt who lives on the island and had just accepted a job at a diving racquet here on the island. She was in her post-college years and one could easily tell that she was in that “what will I do with my life” mode.

Anyway, she was a very interesting woman and we had a super conversation for about 45 minutes or so while swimming. She told me that her and her friend Amy, who lived at “On the Bay,” were going to be at a restaurant down the road called “the Edge” (on Thursday night) and she encouraged me to meet them there. So, Dave and I went there and had dinner. Ruth and her friends were there when we arrived and we sat at a table next to them and had a decent conversation. Ruth had dark hair and was a very cute woman with pretty eyes and a coyish British accent. Her friends were also cute, especially Amy who had long brownish/blond hair and a friendly demeanor. Sadly, Ruth was already loaded before we got there, having that "glassy-eyed" look that informed me she had “had several” not to mention the three drinks while we were sitting there. Thankfully, I'll never understand the appeal of alcohol. They also were all smoking like chimneys, literally starting a new cigarette as soon as the current one sparked its last (it seems to be a European thing).

As for the meal, I had an interesting local favorite: conch steak, and Dave had the Mahi-Mahi, which was very spicy but good. The conch was decent, but not extraordinary. After dinner, I went to the bathroom and when I came back, David was making balloons for the populace of the restaurant. I was so embarrassed. David has recently acquired this obsession for balloon making and he hasn’t yet determined in my opinion the social etiquette of when to (and more importantly when not to) make balloons.

For example, upon checking into the “On the bay” condos, we met the owner, who was trying to find investors for his multi-million dollar project. I’m playing it cool and trying to ask him intelligent questions as he gives me a sales pitch for why I should drop half a million dollars on his two bedroom apartment. Dave shakes his hand and begins making him a balloon hat. I try to stand still, but find it hard to do so. Every ten to fifteen seconds, the owner looks over at David with a puzzling look and I try hard to fight back embarrassment, while simultaneously holding back laughter. Dave proceeds to make him a hat, force him to put it on, and then takes a photo of the poor man, who he has now made out to look about as silly as a human can look. The owner allowed him to do this out of politeness (he had a “deer in the headlights” look on his face), but I could tell that he was embarrassed and possibly a bit peeved.

Now then, back to the restaurant. When I came out of the bathroom, David was blowing up balloons and I literally would have headed straight for the car if I had already paid my bill. However, I returned to the table and sat down, just as he was finishing a “balloon flower.” David then called Amy over to the table from across the restaurant (she was up by the bar) and gave her the flower. I squirmed and covered my face with my hand as if to say, “I do not know this guy!!!!” However, much to my surprise, Amy said, “did you make this for me? How sweet!!” . . and she gave Dave a big hug and went and showed it to her friends, who then seemed to want to come hang out with us. So, Dave started making things like a mouse, a bumblebee, and more flowers. Thankfully, he did not make what one unruly gentleman asked him to make, but that is a story that is better left unrepeated.

I eventually pulled David away from his “public” and we went back to the inn. David claims that his balloon racket is a much-loved hobby that brings joy to everyone and is sophisticated and smooth. I told him that it only worked that night because all of the people we were around were heavily inebriated. However, booze or no booze, I couldn’t deny that it seemed to go over very well and so, I will gracefully accept defeat like a man - David won this round.

Snorkeling at the Turtle Nest Inn
5/23/03

Journal excerpt - 8PM

I finally did some snorkeling today and had a great chance to see some of the neat plants and fish that line the waters outside of the Turtle Nest enclave. It was really neat. I swam out with Fred and Shannon for a hundred yards or so, and saw a lot of really cool stuff. There were a good deal of medium sized fish and a few neat coral structures like brain coral and elk coral. However, it wasn’t nearly as impressive as I would like, and the waters here are pretty choppy and not very good for snorkeling.

Fred & Shannon just got back from Stingray City and invited us to go with them tomorrow morning. So, we decide to go. I really hope that I am up to it. I wasn’t feeling that well after snorkeling today and had to sleep off my fatigue for an hour or so. Snorkeling seems to make me ill when I have choppy water. Luckily, I stopped before it got too bad. I hope that tomorrow is different.

Today really was just a day of relaxation. I slept in late, setup an e-mail account, did some snorkeling, took a nap, and then had an extended quiet time and did some writing under a beautiful palm tree by the ocean. There was not even a hint of rain all day long, and today could truly be described as “ideal.” It is so mild and relaxing right now. The temperature is in the mild 70s, the sun has just fallen below the horizon, and there is a cool breeze blowing through the air. What more could one ask for in a tropic paradise? I am blown away by this place.

You may download my Grand Cayman 2003 screensavers at Webshots