Wishing I was at Moonsplash03.09.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

dune preserve 1 copy Wishing I was at Moonsplash

It’s that time of year: Moonsplash is in full swing on the island of Anguilla. Moonsplash was started in 1991 as a roving music festival, but found its permanent home at Bankie Banx’s Dune Preserve on Anguilla in 1995.  Performers over the years have included some of my favorites, Steel Pulse, Toots and the Maytals, Gregory Isaacs, Third World, and of course, Bankie Banx.  You don’t need to hit Moonsplash to see Bankie perform, though.  The shot above is from Dune Preserve during our visit in November of 2009.  If he’s not touring or traveling, you can find Bankie on Rendezvous Bay.  Click here for more information on Moonsplash or Bankie Banx.

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt Wishing I was at Moonsplash
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Monkeying Around03.08.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

monkey 1 2 Monkeying Around

The green vervet monkey is found largely in southern and eastern Africa, but can be found in select places in the Caribbean, namely Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis.  They were brought to the islands by the French as pets.  Now, they are more “pests” than “pets,” outnumbering humans and chowing on the fruits and vegetables grown on the island.  For more on where we found them, and what they left behind, read our seven-part trip report on Nevis which starts here.  Enjoy!

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



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Spreading a Little Sunshine03.04.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

sunshines 3 Spreading a Little Sunshine

Recently, we received a request from Sunshine’s Beach Bar in Nevis to use our images to update their Facebook page.  We were happy to oblige.  The entire staff at Sunshine’s treated us like family, despite never having met before.  Check out Sunshine’s new Facebook page, and if you’re on the island, be sure to stop by for a Killer Bee.  If you like the look of Sunshine’s new page, and want to update your own business page, drop a line to Ozelle Martin at Pink Splash Media, who put it all together.  To read more about our visits to Sunshine’s, read on…  Also, be sure to check out My Irie Time’s Facebook page for our images and stories from the islands.

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



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The Travelers Palm03.01.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

palm 1 The Travelers Palm

I always loved the name of this palm, the Travelers Palm. It is told that the Travelers Palm was so-named because the sheaths of the stems hold rainwater, which can be used as an emergency drinking supply, and because the fan tends to grow in an east-west line, providing a crude compass. The center of this Travelers Palm, found at the Four Seasons resort on the island of Nevis, had spectacular color at its heart.

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



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Happy Leap on the Beach Day!02.29.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

enjoy life 1 Happy Leap on the Beach Day!

Meads Bay, AnguillaAll words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt Happy Leap on the Beach Day!
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My Irie Time Store is Open!02.25.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

walk on the beach 1 21 My Irie Time Store is Open!

The My Irie Time shop is now open!  You can order prints, canvases, metal prints, cards, and other goodies with your favorite images from the Caribbean.  I ordered a 24″ x 40″ canvas of the image above for over the whirlpool tub in our master bath, and it’s stunning!  New images will be added from time to time, so check back often.  If you don’t see an image you want in the store, let us know, and we will make it available.  Also, if you would like custom cards, just let us know what you would like.  To check out the store, click the link on the header or click here…

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt My Irie Time Store is Open!
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It’s National Margarita Day!02.22.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

picante 4 Its National Margarita Day!

It seems like an event such as this should be an “international,” not just a “national,” celebration.  Oh well, here’s to National Margarita Day, with a margarita courtesy of Picante, one of our favorite restaurants in Anguilla.  For more on our visits to Picante, read on…

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt Its National Margarita Day!
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A walk through Nisbet Plantation02.17.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

nisbet 1 5 A walk through Nisbet Plantation

Nisbet Plantation was the home of Fanny Nisbet, and is now a resort, the Nisbet Plantation Beach Club.  The views are gorgeous.  For more on the historical sites of Nevis, read on…

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt A walk through Nisbet Plantation
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A Bale of Turtles02.11.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

acc nevis 6 A Bale of Turtles

I had to look up what you call a group of turtles.  In doing so, I came across this page with the terms use to refer to groupings of animals.  A “band” of gorillas, a “muster” of peacocks, a “shiver” of sharks, a “prickle” of porcupines,…  Impress you friends with your animal saavy.  This “bale” of turtles was captured by my daughter as we explored Newcastle Pottery in Nevis.  For more details of our visit there, including shots of a “drift” of pigs and a “school” of fish (OK, you knew that one), read on…

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



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The Rastafarian Exception01.21.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

dreds 1 The Rastafarian Exception

Rarely do my day job and My Irie Time intersect, but I was on the Wisconsin Bar website when I saw a story about a recent decision of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals entitled, “Rastafarian Exception is Discriminatory.”  Apparently, an Illinois correctional officer cut an inmate’s dreadlocks on the grounds that they were heavy and could conceal contraband.  Prison policy allowed Rastafarians to keep their dreadlocks as an exercise of their freedom of religion under the First Amendment.  The prisoner in this case, however, was a follower of the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem, and claimed his dreds were an expression of his religious freedom.  Writing for the Court, Judge Posner’s decision held that to allow an exception for Rastafarians, and not the prisoner in this case, impermissibly discriminated in favor of one religious sect.  The written decision includes a fabulous photograph of Bob Marley.  Check it out here…

By the way, the shot above, of Bankie Banx is mine.  In his decision, Judge Posner didn’t credit the photographer of the Bob Marley image.  The photographer was David Corio.  His work is impressive.  Check it out here…

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt The Rastafarian Exception
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On the Trail01.19.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

source trail 1008 On the Trail

It’s amazing I could still hold the camera still while hiking the source trail in Nevis with our guide, Sheldon.  The physical effort was worth it.  For more details on our hike, read on…

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt On the Trail
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We ♥ Bankie Banx01.15.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

bankie banx 1 We ♥ Bankie Banx

On our first trip to Anguilla in 2007, we were on the beach taking our Christmas card photo, when my then 10-year-old daughter asked, “Is that Bankie Banx?”  She is a pretty cool kid.  Bankie was so kind to her and graciously offered to pose for a photo.  He invited us to hear him play, and we’ve been hooked ever since.  He is never too busy to sign our kids’ t-shirts, required on every visit.  For more about Bankie and his great beach bar, Dune Preserve, read on…

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt We ♥ Bankie Banx
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$1US = $2.70EC01.14.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

ec2 1 $1US = $2.70EC

The Eastern Caribbean Dollar is the official currency of eight of the nine members of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States.  Those countries include Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.  The exception is the British Virgin Islands, whose official currency is the U.S. dollar.  We have been able to use either U.S. currency or the E.C. in Anguilla and Nevis. You just have to let the vendor know which you intend to use so that they can give you the correct amount.  However, keep in mind that if you use a cash machine on these islands, it will dispense E.C.  The currency is beautiful, with depictions of fish, turtles, maps and flowers from the region.

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt $1US = $2.70EC
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Off to Church01.08.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

st johns figtree 2 Off to Church

St. John’s Figtree Anglican Church is one stop on the Nevis Heritage Trail.  Originally built in 1680, the church proudly displays the certificate of the marriage of Nevisian Frances (Fanny) Nisbet to British Naval hero, Horatio Nelson.  For more stops on the Nevis Heritage Trail,  follow this path…

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt Off to Church
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Blast from the Past01.07.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

st george 1 Blast from the PastYou can’t swing a monkey without hitting a historic site on Nevis.  Pictured above is St. George’s Anglican Church in Gingerland.  Although the current structure was built in 1842, graves in the adjacent cemetery date back to 1724.  For more stops on the Nevis Heritage Trail, read on…

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt Blast from the Past
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Nevis – Part Seven: New Castle and the Mighty Yaris01.03.12

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

acc nevis 1 Nevis Part Seven: New Castle and the Mighty Yaris

Two flat tires (at the same time) is usually a low spot in anyone’s day.  Read here to read how the mighty Yaris met a nasty pothole, but survived to take us to New Castle Pottery, and how, only by this accident, did we discover a great waterfront bar.

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt Nevis Part Seven: New Castle and the Mighty Yaris
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Nevis – Part Six: On The Nevis Heritage Trail12.30.11

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

hermitage 2 Nevis Part Six: On The Nevis Heritage Trail

Part Six of the series on our trip to Nevis takes you along the Nevis Heritage Trail, a collection of historically significant sites including a fort, a few sugar plantations, and a few churches.  For the details, read on…All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt Nevis Part Six: On The Nevis Heritage Trail
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Inside St. George’s Anglican Church, Nevis12.29.11

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

nevis web size 1244 Inside St. Georges Anglican Church, Nevis

We were exploring the grounds of St. George’s Anglican Church in Gingerland, Nevis, when the caretaker asked if we would like to take a look inside.  He was quite generous with his time, showing us around the property.  For more images from our trip to Nevis, take a look through our Nevis Gallery…

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt Inside St. Georges Anglican Church, Nevis
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Nevis – Part Five: Source Trail Hike with Sheldon12.28.11

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

source trail 1003 Nevis Part Five: Source Trail Hike with Sheldon

Part Five of our Nevis series takes us on a hike through the rainforest with our guide, Sheldon.  Come along for the hike, reading more here…All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt Nevis Part Five: Source Trail Hike with Sheldon
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Nevis – Part Four: Bars of Pinney’s Beach12.24.11

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

chevys 2 Nevis Part Four: Bars of Pinneys Beach

Take a walk on Pinney’s Beach in Nevis, and you are lucky to quickly find some great beach bars with fantastic food.  This image features Chevy of Chevy’s Beach Side Bar, who has the best chicken wings I’ve ever tasted.  For more on the great beach bars of Pinney’s Beach, read on…

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt Nevis Part Four: Bars of Pinneys Beach
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The End of The Rainbow12.16.11

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

rodney 1 The End of The Rainbow

A little rain while on vacation is not a bad thing, particularly when you get a gorgeous rainbow.  This shot was taken just before we entered Rodney’s Cuisine for lunch, looking toward Mount Nevis.

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt The End of The Rainbow
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Nevis – Part Three: Rodney’s Cuisine12.12.11

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

rodney 7 Nevis Part Three: Rodneys Cuisine

Join us for Part Three of our Nevis series: Rodney’s Cuisine.  Rodney Elliott is an extraordinary cook with great stories, and johnnycakes which make even the fussiest eater finish his meal!  Read the details of our visit to Rodney’s here.

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt Nevis Part Three: Rodneys Cuisine
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Catamaran Cruise to Nevis12.10.11

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

blue water safari 1 Catamaran Cruise to Nevis

We saw two of these Blue Water Safaris catamarans make the daily trip from St. Kitts over to Sunshine’s on Nevis.  They had the sails up until they approached Nevis, and then motored in once they were close.  They seemed to be having a great time!

For more shots of our trip to Nevis, check out our Nevis Gallery.

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt Catamaran Cruise to Nevis
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Nevis – Part Two: Sunshine and the Killer Bee12.07.11

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

sunshines 20 Nevis Part Two: Sunshine and the Killer Bee

Part Two of my Nevis report takes us to Sunshine’s Beach Bar, just a short walk down the beach from the Four Seasons.  Click here to read more about our visits and my encounter with the “Killer Bee.”

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt Nevis Part Two: Sunshine and the Killer Bee
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Beauty of Nevis12.03.11

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson

four seasons 36 Beauty of Nevis

This Travelers Palm was one of thousands of beautiful plantings on the grounds of the Four Seasons Nevis, where we stayed on our most recent trip.

For more details of our stay at the Four Seasons, click here to read more…

Also, check back often to our Nevis Gallery, as we add more and more shots from our trip.

All words and images ©2006-2012 Wendy G. Gunderson. Any use without written permission is prohibited. For licensing information, please send inquiries via the Contact page.



twitt Beauty of Nevis
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