“T” is for Ting! Ting is a delightfully refreshing grapefruit soda which has its roots on the island of Jamaica. It was named by the island pronunciation of “thing,” as in “Give me a ting.” When growing up as a kid in Wisconsin, I remember a soda called Ting which had a funky, 60’s retro logo. It came in bright colors, with flavors such as “blue” (I think it was blue raspberry, but we called it “blue”). Wikipedia suggests that there was a trademark dispute which caused the disappearance of Wisconsin’s version and the emergence of Jamaica’s. From my research, that does not appear to be accurate. There was…
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Sailing and the Caribbean go together like peas and carrots. Initially, solely a form of transportation, sailing is now primarily for recreation and sport. Some of my favorite Caribbean bloggers are people who have decided to see the Caribbean by sail. Their websites are filled with beautiful images of the islands, along with the nuts and bolts of this method of travel. Zero to Cruising is the site of Mike and Rebecca Sweeney, who left Kingston, Ontario, Canada on July 31, 2010. On their website they share how they keep themselves and their catamaran in shape as they travel through the islands. This couple is truly adventurous, climbing mountains, swimming,…
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If you scroll through our travel journal, you will find quite a few rum drinks we’ve had the pleasure of encountering on our trips through the islands. The most recent rum experience was the most unique of our encounters. Pictured above are three of the rums you will find at Callwood Distillery, located on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Rum has been distilled and blended by the Callwood family for more than 200 years on Tortola. Callwood produces sugar cane rum, aged in oak barrels. It claims to be the Caribbean’s oldest continuously operating pot distillery. If you visit between March and August, you will…
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The queen conch, the “strombus gigas,” is found in the warm waters of the Atlantic and the Caribbean from Florida to Brazil. Their shells are readily identifiable, with a bright colored pink lip. The conch, which grows to adulthood with its shell, uses its strong muscle to propel itself. Conch meat has a mild, sweet flavor, and resembles a scallop in texture. To celebrate the most important food product of the islands, the Turks & Caicos Islands organized the Turks & Caicos Conch Festival, held annually in November in the Blue Hills area of Providenciales. The festival showcases the conch with a “conch-e-tition” where local chefs compete for the honor of…
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When we think of the Caribbean, we think of tall palm trees, slightly curved, at the edge of a white sand beach. When we look a little closer, we realize that the palm family, botanical family Arecaceae or Palmaceae, consists of 2600 different species. Historically, palms have symbolized victory and triumph. The Romans celebrated victory in games and in war with an award of palms. Today, Palm Sunday, is the Christian celebration of the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem on a path of palm boughs, the week before his death and resurrection. On Palm Sunday, the palms are blessed and distributed to the the faithful, sometimes woven into crosses, who then keep them in their homes…
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Some of my favorite food from the islands comes from a simple device, a grill made from discarded oil drums, cut in half and hinged. This row of beauties was found on the island of Anegada, in the British Virgin Islands. If you’re inspired to cook up some of your own, and are looking for a great grilled chicken recipe, visit our friend Chris’s site, Caribbean Pot. Here’s his recipe for Tamarind Grilled Chicken, just one of his delicious Caribbean and Caribbean-inspired dishes. You can also sign up for his email list and get a regular delivery of great recipes right to your desktop! If you’re not up for cooking,…
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Nevis is a 36 square-mile island at the center of which is Nevis Peak, which rises 3,232 feet. Nevis was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493, and was called “Nuestra Senora de Las Nieves” which means “Our Lady of the Snows,” a description of the small cloud which is nearly always present around the peak, resembling snow. The island is home to approximately 10,000 residents, and lies just two miles off the coast of St. Kitts, its sister island. The island is home to lush rainforest, gorgeous beaches, and some of the best in hospitality we have seen in the islands. Page through our seven-part trip report, where we soak up…
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The green vervet monkey is native to Africa. It was brought to the Caribbean, specifically Barbados, St. Kitts, and Nevis along with slaves by the Europeans. One person’s pet is another person’s pest. The monkeys have been known to raid crops, and can be wasteful creatures. While on a hike on Nevis, our guide showed us a lime with just one bite out of it, the discarded remains of a monkey’s lunch. Despite this, the monkeys are loved by tourists. The monkeys pictured above are from a group of 47 (by our last count) spotted on the golf course at the Four Seasons Nevis. The trick is to go to…
