Searching for a Wild Apricot Tree
02 May 2009 | Dominica
Connor MacKenzie
Our day started with the scare of the shoes. Then Alexis and Junior showed us the Indian River. Finally we met Kevin who is a lean guy, not tall but not short. He has a bald head and a beard. We had heard a fair bit about him from our friends on Solitaire and all of it positive. He was to take us on an island tour in his minivan. We asked and he answered. That was how the trip was. As we set off on this excursion I asked Kevin to point out every fruit or nut tree he saw. We had not been underway for more than 10 minutes when Kevin pointed out a banana plantation. These trees resemble palm trees but instead of coconuts there are small branches with sprouts and a large, maroon, oval at the end of the branch. When the bananas begin to emerge from the sprouts the farmers place blue plastic bags over the branch to keep bugs and rats out. We were passing this when Kevin stopped suddenly, but not so suddenly as to cause whiplash. He quickly mentioned ripe bananas and hopped out of the car. He made his way deeper into the plantation, staying within view the entire time. He returned with six of the freshest bananas around. The bananas were not too firm and not too soft, not over ripe but not under ripe. I believe one word to define that would be perfect.
We continued on around the northern tip of the island. We were driving when Kevin again stopped. This time he jumped out and ran over to some ladies on the side of the road. He returned with 8 mangos for 2 E.C. dollars (the equivalent of roughly 1 Canadian dollar). I always thought there was one kind of mango. Wrong. There are two that I know of, normal and a green, sweeter one. I have always had my mangos nicely sliced but today it was the opposite. We were to peel the skin off with or teeth and throw it out the window. Then suck all the juice and fruit possible off the pit. MMMMMMM...
We continued on around one of the lushest islands I've ever seen. We stopped again but this time everybody got out. We had reached the cocoa tree that I had been so excited for. The pods were higher up than the tree than I could reach. Dad and Kevin picked three pods and were headed back to the car when I spotted another pod. I began to climb the tree when I saw it! A black centipede! I retreated down the tree at an alarming pace. I called Mom over and with her camera drawn we approached. I never did get that one pod that I spotted.
A few minutes later we entered the Caribe reservation. The Caribe reservation is where the Caribe Indians live. They don't wear loin cloths, paint their faces with battle paint or carry spears or bows and arrows. They live and dress as everyone else does. They still do things traditionally though, such as living or making cassava bread. Cassava bread is made from root of the cassava plant. Cassava bread is a sailors dream, filling, tasty (in my opinion) and never goes bad. We continued on to a "locals" restaurant. It did have a great view but any local who eats there is either very rich or given a better deal than that that was given to us. None of the food Jenny liked, so we got back into the van; Kevin was just finishing off a 'local Dominican cigarette', if you catch my drift.
We asked Kevin to stop at a real local's restaurant, a road-side stand that sells roast chicken, roti, or something a little more island. Our next fruit was the guava. We stopped and my first question was, "Is it wild?" Some plants that are even in the most remote places may be owned by somebody. Kevin and I ventured into the grove of wild trees, using my shirt as a bag. We collected about a dozen and a half. When I dumped them on the seat of the van Mom pointed out ants and backed off, my only comment was "Don't worry, Kevin says they don't bite!"
We turned inland and made our way to Spanny Falls. The roads were narrow and we nearly got into a collision twice. As we rounded one bend Kevin stopped off to the side of the road, a coffee tree. He and I crossed the street and began collecting, after only six or so we scurried away, because coffee trees house biting ants. As we walked to Spanny Falls my concentration went from finding fruit to finding a boa constrictor! We found none and swam in the falls without one spotting. The falls are about 100 feet tall and run off into a pool. We hiked over a ridge and swam in the second of the brother and sister falls.
When we dried off and got in the car I asked what other fruits we would see, his reply, "Now we hunt for a wild apricot tree!" when he found one, we all got out. I spotted a termite nest beside the tree and Jenny almost didn't accompany us. The apricots Kevin picked were the size if a softball and bigger, and those were the small ones. As we drove up the west coast of the island Kevin finally spotted a roadside stand. Jenny got chicken, Dad got dorado and I got a patty made from whole fish as long as your fingernail the width of an eraser shaving. These little fish beach themselves in hundreds once a month. The second stand we stopped at sold whole, roasted plantains, a thing that appears to be a thick banana and contains starch like a potato. While we drove the crew of Windancer except for myself dozed off and left Kevin and I to discuss a wide range of topics from favourite fish to snakes. Some say St. Martin is the culinary capital of the Caribbean, I say it's Dominca!