This series is inspired by a recent question from friends planning a trip to St. Martin. They asked what we would do on Anguilla if we had just one day. Thus, this is the first in a series of suggestions for the islands we have visited as to what we would do if we only had one day to see the best the island has to offer. Anguilla is located at the northern end of the Leeward Islands chain in the Eastern Caribbean, a short 25-minute boat ride north of St. Martin. It is 17 miles long and 3 miles wide. You won’t see any mountains or rainforest on Anguilla,…
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When people think of the Turks & Caicos Islands, they often think of Providenciales, the tourism center of the islands, famous for the gorgeous stretch of powdery sand which is Grace Bay Beach. The Turks & Caicos Islands are actually 40 islands and cays, 8 of which are inhabited. Among the inhabited islands is Middle Caicos, known for the handmade baskets made from reeds and grasses from the marshes and fields of the island. The Middle Caicos Coop was formed to preserve the art of Caribbean basketry. We picked up this treasure on our first trip to the islands in 2006. On the second Saturday of each month, the…
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There are a lot of islands on the radar for consideration of a future trip. One of those islands is Andros Island in the Bahamas, not only because of the promise of beautiful beaches but because of a factory tour I would love to take, that of Androsia Batik. Androsia Batik makes their fabrics by hand, with the traditional wax batik method. They craft a stamp from foam, dip it in wax, and stamp the design on the pre-washed fabric. They then dye the fabric, using a cold water dyeing technique, so that the wax design stays intact. They then run it through a hot water wash to remove the…
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When we first moved into our new home 12 years ago, there was more space than we had ever seen before. We worked our way around the house, from room to room, making the changes so we could call it home. We’re not much for formal living rooms, so this space was one of the last to see any attention. It was a collection of the furniture that had been replaced by newer furniture throughout the house, and was pretty much the kids’ hangout room. With Christmas over, it was time to clean out the last of the Fraser fir needles, and think about having a “grown up” living room.…
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One of the best parts of waking up on the island of Anguilla, other than the fact you are on one of the most beautiful islands in the world, is the thought of the coffee and pastries at Geraud’s. The pain du chocolat, pictured above, is my favorite. The layers of pastry are so flaky and buttery, my mouth is watering now just thinking about it. Part of my internet rounds is the Anguilla Forum, and there you can find Geraud’s daily menu. By way of example, here’s what Geraud’s is offering today. Daily Specials Wednesday, June 20-2012 Breakfast 2 eggs any style, ham, bacon, turkey or sausages w/toast…
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I noticed these as I was cleaning up the kitchen (yeah, it happens, Father’s Day and maybe my husband’s birthday). The discovery brought both a smile and a bit of sadness, as the Pyrat Rum factory on Anguilla is no more. Gone is my favorite orange-flavored rum, Savage. You can still get Pyrat Rum, but you won’t find the factory in Sandy Ground any longer. For shots from our last visit, and a taste of the fabulous orange-flavored Savage, read on…
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Bankie Banx just released his latest album, “Just Cool,” and it describes him perfectly. Bankie Banx is perhaps the most famous person from Anguilla, and anyone who has ever been to the island certainly knows who he is. I didn’t become acquainted with Bankie until I began planning our first trip to Anguilla in 2007. Although Bankie had toured in the United States many times before then, and had played at Reggae Sunsplash, he never hit my radar. After I booked the trip, Jimmy Buffett released his “Live In Anguilla” CD/DVD set, and many more people learned of, and grew to love, the music of Bankie Banx. In preparation for…
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Our family loves to travel, but there was a time when we wondered if it was something that we could do. Our son has been diagnosed with expressive-receptive disorder, which impairs his ability to communicate and understand language. Because of this, verbal control wasn’t always an available option. You might physically have to demonstrate something or stop him from doing something. Also, with the limitation on his ability to communicate, he sometimes has behaviors which are characteristic of children with autism, meltdowns when you can’t communicate, seemingly anti-social behaviors, and physical behaviors which may make the TSA a bit concerned, such as sudden physical movements and verbal outbursts. We appreciate…
