"overcast skies and killer eats"
5/27/03

Journal excerpt - 2AM

Not much of substance happened today (much to my disappointment), but then again, not much has to.  I have to remember . . . I’m on vacation.  The two most significant things were dinner and late-night.  For dinner, David and I signed up for one of the Turtle Nest Inn’s famous patio dinners.  It was an “Indian theme night,” which had me worried.  I have never liked Indian food and on the very few occasions where I have had to eat it, I have not liked it.  However, attending the dinner seemed like the “hip” thing to do, so I figured I would give it a shot.  It turned out to be a wonderful experience.  Everyone sits at tables with other people from the inn, so you get to know other people staying there.  There were six people at my table.  One of the couples was from Pittsburgh and was on their honeymoon.  The other couple I had met earlier in the week.

We spent much of the evening swapping stories and talking about what we had found to do on the island that was a good experience.  I talked about wanting to go horse-back riding, but it never worked out with my schedule, and we talked about what places on the island were best for snorkeling and eating. 

One of the more "interesting" stories that was told at the table came after David and I explained to the group that for a very reasonably priced meal, one could venture down the road a few hundred yards to a small jerk chicken stand that was set up not far from the hotel.  Jerk chicken is a local favorite and is one of the few things you can buy on the island that is inexpensive, tasty, and indigenous.  However, when we shared this story with the group, one local commented nonchalantly, "oh, is that place open again."  After which it was explained to David and I that the Cayman Island Health Department had previously shut the place down.  We all enjoyed quite a laugh, but if I don't live to see tomorrow, someone please jerk that jerk who served up the jerky!!!!

Every part of the terrace dinner was a treat, and to my surprise I actually enjoyed the Indian food and the variety of dishes was excellent.  I would recommend it to other guests as it is not bad for the price and you really get to know others at the inn during the meal.

The other significant thing that happened today was actually David’s idea.  He suggested that we have a time of prayer for the people in our caregroup – good call, David.  We ended up lifting up the name of every person in our caregroup and prayed for their prosperity, health, and anything else that the spirit brought to mind.  It was a very neat time.

"Around the Grand Cayman in .80 days"
5/28/03

Journal excerpt - 10PM

After a second consecutive day off overcast skies, today has turned out to be one of the best days of the entire trip.  I woke up around 9AM and Dave and I ate some Salmon that we had bought from the grocery store and prepared our things for the move.  We had upgraded to a nicer room for the past three days, yet the availability bug has forced us back into the smaller room that we were in before-bummer.  However, we only have to put up with it for one more night as Dave flies out in the morning and then I will have the place to myself for the last day. 

It will actually be nice having a day to myself.  I have thoroughly enjoyed having David around, he has been a great friend.  However, we do have our differences.  God has certainly been working on my sin this week (I am woefully impatient), as it seems like it takes David twice as long as me to do everything.  Whether it be shopping, or taking photos, or snorkeling, or whatever it is, I find myself constantly waiting . . . it has been a challenge for me that I have inwardly responded to rather poorly on occasion.  To David's credit, he often catches things that I tend to miss due to his slower pace and that has been helpful at times.  Rather than respond sinfully in my heart, I should be taking notes.  Afterall, I am on vacation - I should relax more!!!! 

After breakfast, I wanted to take a “lap” around the island, since there were still several places that I had not seen, and even more places that I had seen, but had not video recorded or taken pictures of.  A complete tour of the country would take about three hours.  So, I drove out from Bodden Town to Rum Point at the Northwestern part of the major section of the island and began there.

Rum Point is very close to Cayman Kai and several of the other nice neighborhoods on the island.  Rum Point was described to me earlier in the week as, “the place where the rich folk live.”  There are several large homes along the sea road and probably even a few more tucked away where they couldn’t be seen.  The views of the sea are as magnificent here as anywhere else on the island, and the beach at the end of Rum Point is clean and well-kept.  Personally, I would much prefer spending a day at Rum Point than to be on Seven Mile Beach, but that’s just me. 

There are gorgeous sandy beaches, and generous shade patches under a string of very tall, sprawling trees, which line the beach rather thickly.  If you are looking for sunshine, it is there.  If you are looking for shade; it is there too.  There are water sports galore right on the beach, and stores for shopping, bars for drinking (if that’s your thing), and a beachfront café for the eats.  I hear the snorkeling is only so-so, but that could just be because of the recent bad weather.

Driving back east from Rum Point, I stopped to take a photo of some very attractive pines.  These snazzy-looking trees are very tall and distinct.  You will see them throughout the island, although they more frequently seem to dot the coastal roads.  They are very rich looking trees, much like a similar tree that I used to see a lot in the Hollywood/Bel Air portion of California.  Of course, I don’t remember the name of that tree, nor do I know this one.  However, I took a snapshot for posterity.

On the road to the east end of the island, I encountered a recurring pattern; abandoned roads, fairly dense and beautiful vegetation, and consistent views of the turquoise blue/green water that routinely left me speechless.  Honestly, if I had stopped every time I wanted to take a picture I would still be out there in the jungles!  I did stop at one point when I saw a huge, multi-million dollar house under construction, and just HAD to snap a photo and take some video.  I don’t know who lived there or what they were selling (err, I mean, how they make their money), but this place had a primo-location and whoever was building it had impeccable taste and deep, deep pockets.

Directly across the street was the private entrance to a very large house and/or development that was just getting started..  It was protected by a large wall, and two ornate lion statues that guarded the gate.   I don’t know what the heck was back there, but it probably would have impressed me. Many of the houses in this area are very large and most likely represent "new money."

Continuing our journey southeastward there were a number of very nice parks and remote enclaves that were just too appetizing for me to pass up.  I stopped at one such park, which was begging to be inhabited just off the highway.  It was about two or three in the afternoon at this time, and the entire park was abandoned.  I think that has to be one of the neatest things about traveling. . . when you find yourself all alone surrounded by intense beauty.  This was one such occasion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm glad I pulled over when I did, because I needed to stop anyway.  I was irked by a huge timeshare resort that I passed by a mile or two before the park.  It was a huge complex of cookie-cutter buildings, which looked pretty tacky from the roadway.  Given what I had experienced this week, it all seemed like a huge jip.  Why would someone want to spend tons of money to come down to the Grand Cayman island to stay in a boring-looking, cluster-conglomeration of "apartments" that were grossly far from known civilization?  I don't know, maybe it's just my own dislike of timeshares. 

Moving on down the coast, I eventually arrived at East End and stopped to check out the monument to the Ten Sails.  Probably the most famous sunken ship along the island, the story of the Ten Sails is an interesting one.  The East End of Grand Cayman is called the “Graveyard of Ships,” because of the treacherous reefs, and it was on one of these reefs that the Ten Sails added to its lore.  However, the Caymanians bravely rescued the crew and some of the cargo and because of this act of heroism, it is said that King George III declared that the Cayman islands would be exempt from paying taxes . . . forever.  The story cannot be corroborated, yet still to this day, Cayman Island residents pay no tax to the British Crown.

A small placard marks the site, and just offshore one can see a portion of the ship, which lives above the waves.  The rudder and propeller have also been salvaged and sit nearby.  Both make for an excellent photo-op.

Continuing around East End, I find myself awed by the coastal highway, which has to rank right up there with the more beautiful roads I have ever traversed.  The powerful seas along this stretch crash violently against the rock face several feet below the roadway.  I find it very reminiscent of the scenic coastline along the Malibu/Los Angeles/Newport Beach circuit.  They are very similar, except the water here is so much bluer than anything I’ve seen before . . .stunning.

The “blowholes” would be our final stop along this Easter/Southern stretch of road.  It’s a decent place for a photo, but nothing compared to the ones in California or Hawaii.  Still, blowholes are a “family favorite” that require a stop when passing by. 

Adjacent to the blowholes was a refreshment stand run by one of the locals.  David and I decided to split a “chilled coconut,” which was a rather interesting experience.  The vendor had a cooler where he was storing coconuts packed in ice water.  The guy grabbed a machete and chopped out a section, where cold, milky water could be drunk directly out of the interior.  Then he chopped open the coconut and its chilled pieces were then consumed with a lite brown sugar.  It was awfully good . . . and fresh off a local tree.

We traveled back via the southern coast, which has become my absolute favorite stretch of water on the island.  I have checked out every part of the island, but there is more character to the water on the southern part of the island than any other portion.  I stopped to take photos at a particular spot that I had been staking out all week.  Finally the weather and my schedule cooperated!!!

From Bodden Town, I made a B-line to Seven Mile Beach and spent the rest of the day there exploring the beaches near Cemetery Reef.  For seven years now, I had read of the incredible sands and waters of Seven Mile Beach and I have yet to spend a single day there!!!  So, today I decided to finally do it.  I chose for my adventure one of the public-friendly beaches called Cemetery Beach.  Actually, all beaches in the Cayman Islands are open to the public, as there is a regulation disallowing private beaches.  This policy speaks to the remarkable equality on the island, where the poorest man has the right to walk on the same sands as the well-to-do. 

I have been reading about the incredible snorkeling at Cemetery Reef (just off-shore from Cemetery Beach) in one of my guidebooks.  The fish there are so used to people feeding them that they swim right up to you.  One is warned in advance that this can be quite “unnerving” as I experienced firsthand.  All of a sudden, I was surrounded by dozens of colorful fish, some a foot or so long.  I had no idea where they came from, all of a sudden they were just there.  I didn’t think it was possibly for them to “sneak up on you” like that, but I guess I was wrong. 

The reef is a good ways off shore, two hundred yards or so.  It was a long swim to get there and once I did, I found the water choppy and still rather hazy from the stormy weather.  As I have experienced before, I need the right conditions to snorkel or I don’t fare well, and it didn’t take me a long time to realize that I did not have those conditions today.  I think I stayed out there for only about 15 minutes or so, and headed back to shallow waters, where I spent several hours swimming.  I was also apprehensive of the deeper waters of 20-30 feet and my guidebook’s warning that one may occasionally see a reef shark or two patrolling the waters. 

Cemetery Reef got its name because access to the beach is through a long path next to the cemetery, yet I didn’t want to give the locals another reason to call it that.  I think I will let other people check out the reef sharks.

I could tell that this place is well suited for my parents, who love this sort of atmosphere.  They like lots of resorts, and activities that are planned for them, and easy access to restaurants and shopping stores, etc.  They also like calm waters where swimming is easy and free beach chairs and umbrellas, etc.  The only downside would have been for my father who would have complained that the water was not cold enough.  As far as my dad is concerned, if ice melts in it, it ain’t refreshing enough. . . polar bears won’t fare well here.

It seemed that David truly enjoyed the snorkeling and spent almost two hours in the water.  As sunset approached, everyone else on the beach left and I began to get a little concerned that he had become “fish food.”  However, he had just swam with the current a long way down the beach and eventually found his way back before I called the Cayman Coast Guard. 

In the evening, I took a long time to do some writing and reading and focused on anything relaxing.  There was a wonderful patio at the hotel with elegant white arches and tables and chairs.  In the cool breezy evenings, there is nothing like sitting out on the patio with some Bill Douglas, Strauss, or Vivaldi.  Those evenings are special times.

 
 

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