In preparation for each trip, I like to do some research on the history of the area, and sprinkle in some other books related to island life. This year’s trip is to Andros Island, Bahamas, so I picked up a copy of Samuel Charters’ book, “The Day is So Long and the Wages So Small.” Samuel Charters was a highly-regarded music historian, known for capturing some of the great performers of blues and jazz when the music was still unknown to many Americans. He began making recordings for Folkways Records in the 1950’s, including some of legendary performers like Lightnin’ Hopkins, and wrote the influential history of blues music, “The…
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It’s been a great year here at My Irie Time. 2015 saw our Instagram account getting going, and here are our top 10 Instagram photos of the year! Happy New Year to all! #10 Fins up! A view of Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla. For more on our trips to Anguilla, read our reports here, including our most recent visit in November of 2014. #9 The “Special” rum punch at Smokey’s at the Cove, Anguilla. #8 Our June 2015 trip to Antigua & Barbuda! Read all about our stays at Jumby Bay, Antigua, and Lighthouse Bay, Barbuda. #7 Our visit to Garvey’s Sunshine Shack on Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla! #6 Our 2016 Antigua & Barbuda Calendar! #5…
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It’s the fourth week in November and I’m not wearing a bikini. Or donning flip flops, or slathering on the sunscreen. In Wisconsin, that would be expected for this time of year, but for us, it’s a bit unusual. It has been ten years since we haven’t traveled to the Caribbean at Thanksgiving. With our oldest now in college, her free time around Thanksgiving is limited to Thanksgiving Day and the few days following. When the calendar ticked over to November, and the temperatures started dropping here in Wisconsin, I couldn’t help but feel a little sad. It was as if our family’s holiday tradition was ending. We would not, at…
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It’s that time of year for a ghost story, so come along with us as we visit the Haunted House of Harbour Island, Bahamas, also known as the Glen Stewart Mansion. The Haunted House is not much of a mystery as far as its location, as it appears on pretty much every map I’ve seen of the island. They even had, at one time, a gift shop. Follow the pink signs! The mystery surrounds the strange circumstances under which the the original owners left. The story goes that the home was built in 1945 by a wealthy family. The owner left one day for medical tests and never returned. Presumably,…
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There’s nothing like a great beach bar – a place to kick back with a tropical beverage and listen to the sounds of the ocean or a local band playing island tunes. Those included on our list were selected for the best in food, drink, and live music. Join us in visiting the best Caribbean beach bars! Click each image for more details! [the_grid name=”Beach Bars”] Explore Dune Preserve, Garvey’s, Blanchard’s Beach Shack, and Smokey’s on the island of Anguilla, Da Conch Shack on Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos Islands, Sunshine’s on the island of Nevis, The Beach House in Eleuthera, Bahamas, Bomba’s Surfside Shack on Tortola, The Big Bamboo on…
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What better way to celebrate National Rum Punch Day than a countdown of the best rum punches that the islands have to offer! From the “sting” of the “Killer Bee” at Sunshine’s on Nevis, to the Sip Sip Rum Punch on Harbour Island Bahamas, to the “Special” Rum Punch at Smokey’s on Anguilla, see which one was our #1.
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Come along for a taste of our favorite dishes from the Caribbean islands. You’ll be tempted by the refreshing conch salad of the Turks & Caicos islands, with the conch pulled from the sea right in front of your eyes. Explore the foodie paradise of the island of Anguilla, with the best chefs of the world preparing everything from escargot to churros. Don’t miss Rodney Elliott’s fabulous johnny cakes on the island of Nevis. Join us on this brief tour of some of the best restaurants in the Caribbean! [the_grid name=”Food”] Featured restaurants include: Da Conch Shack, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands Pusser’s Marina Cay, BVI Hole in the Wall,…
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I love to collect postcards. When I travel on business, I stop into local antique stores and take a look around, especially for postcards from the Caribbean. Many of these cards date back to a time when zip codes weren’t used. You just wrote the city, or city and state, and your card found its way to the right place. The images draw me in, but I love to read the messages. Some are very short and sweet. Some cram as much as they can in that tiny little space. Some reflect the time they were written more than others. The places have changed over the years, and our…
