Kim and Marius have come and gone. Where did the week go?
As always it was way too short a visit.
Kim and Marius arrived Wednesday evening at 7pm, so Steve and I decided to meet them at Danielle and Adams place for Rick's pizza which we picked up at the Food Fair Mall on our way in. . ah Pizza. . . A rare occasion for Steve and I.. yummy!
It was soon past cruisers midnight but we were not the only ones ready to hit the sack. Kim arrived tired (she had a very busy and stressful couple of weeks). As Steve and I headed home we were soaked by a lingering squall. No worries though, we are very used to it. Our choice of clothing (other than a bathing suit) is quick dry anything! We arrived at the empty "De Big Fish" restaurant and waited for it to pass. It was a fantastic sight to watch.. And Lion's Paw road it out nicely. The dinghy was like a bathtub so it had to be emptied before climbing aboard and the dinghy ride home was a little wet and hairy.. But the bed was dry and we slept like logs.
Plans for Thursdays activities were cancelled while Kim took a day to rest.. and that was okay with us (we are not used to late nights) and it gave us a chance to shop for groceries and liquor.
Friday, Kim and Marius (with the guidance of Adam) took the St. George University bus (which is free) to De Big Fish, where we met them and headed to Leila's for breakfast. It's a lovely spot close to the Prickly Bay Marina... and we had coupon's Buy one - Get one half price. . so breakfast was really cheap. From there we headed back to the dinghy dock and Lion's Paw. After squaring everything away, we sailed around to St. George's. One fish on the line (a barracuda) and one little squall later, we anchored just outside St. George's but nearer to Grand Anse Beach. While Kim and I caught up with news, Steve and Marius headed to the Fish Market to buy some Tuna. It was soon 5 pm and Steve headed to Grande Anse Beach to pick up Adam and Danielle who were very excited to join us for dinner. Drinks were on deck, the tuna was superb but Adam was not well. He downed a gravel and I gave him a ginger gravel too.. Turns out that Adam was sick indeed.. He came down with the flu or dengue fever the very same night and was sick the entire time that his in-laws were visiting.. Hum.. In-laws visiting can have that effect.. lol (that is really a joke, because Adam and Kim and Marius get along marvelously).
Anyway, not to bore you but the next few days were spent pool-side at Port Louis Marina, Grand Anse Beach and Garfield's beach bar, The University Club and Morne Rouge Bay beach and the swim up bar at one of the hotels on on the beach.
One day we were treated to an Island tour. Danielle's school sent a bus with 2 drivers and a tour guide. We headed to the town of St. George's, past Fort George, up to the top of the hill for a panoramic view of the town and down past the Stadium and along the west coast of Grenada. We passed Halifax Harbour and Gouyave (where they have the Fish Fry) and headed to the northern tip of the island. Danielle was so pleased (as were we to visit the historical sight of Sauteurs (look for pic's called Leaper's Hill). It was getting close to lunch time so we headed to the Belmont Estate (a typical country farm where they grown cocoa beans and other plants) for a luxurious buffet style venue. After a short look around we headed to the River Antoine Rum factory (which still runs as it has since the mid-1800's, using a giant water wheel to crush the cane, the dry stalks to heat up the juice and rage wooden scoops to move the juice from one copper to the next). We bought a bottle of strong white Rivers Rum but plan on using it for the fish we catch. It is +75% (150 proof plus) and Adam told us that the rum has hallucinogenic properties because the open coppers are situated below a ton of bats and bat droppings fall into the juice... Yuk!
To top off the tour, we headed across the island, through the mountainous Grand Etang. It was a spectacular day and all because of Danielle.. Hope she keeps impressing them at work..

More photos in the Gallery.