March 11, 2011
A tourist remains an outsider throughout his visit; but a sailor is part of the local scene from the moment he arrives. - Anne Davison

We had a great evening on Friday with the South Side Marina Managers Charlyn and Simon Anderson. Dinner commenced at the Coca Bistro. The setting, a feast for the senses, was magical with palm trees growing amongst the dining tables. Forgotten were the trauma and drama of the past weeks at sea. Music filled the air. The breeze caused the palm leaves to dance overhead. Candlelight glowed as dusk overtook the sky. Conversation featured our companions' summer plans of life on an 85ft barge traveling the canals of France. Their dialogue painted incredible pictures in my imagination as I considered another form of cruising life.
http://www.wherewhenhow.com/turks-caicos-islands/magazine/restaurant-reviews/coco-bistro/

After dinner drinks featured the Anacoana, Grace Bay Club
http://www.gracebayresorts.com/gracebayclub/dining/anacaona
Next stop was the Infiniti Bar, a breath-taking spectacle, as the bar seemed to disappear into the ocean. The Lounge featured private areas around fire pits or scenic beach views. Sipping drinks in this surrounding seemed to whisk us off to another world. The sound of the surf crashing on the shore was natural rhythmic, yet served as a reminder that the force of the sea was powerful. Light twinkled in trees above. Torches lit paths. Solar lights highlighted various sculptures or natural wonders. The night sky provided its own brilliance and issued a challenge to locate star formations. I sighed. Contentment reached out to welcome Ed and I to the Turks and Caicos.

The evening ended at Mango Reef, Alexandra Resort and an opportunity to meet the featured singers from this resort. Charmaine and Daniel are talented friends of Charlyn and Simon. The decadent dessert arrived with four spoons.
http://mangoreef.com/
The magical evening ended as we returned to the SV Ariel to sit in our cockpit and count the lucky stars overhead. Sleep was an illusion interrupted by a local party that filled the air with music or sound depending on your musical taste, until 4AM when a deluge of rain halted the festivities. We were grateful for the downpour in many ways.