We never visited Dominica and, to tell the truth, the main town isn’t wonderful but the rest of the island is quite beautiful. It is a relatively poor island and is quite prone to hurricanes because of its location. Dominica is known as “The Nature Island of the Caribbean” due to its lush scenery and varied flora and fauna. The island has rainforests and is home to the world’s second-largest hot spring, Boiling Lake. Morne Trois Pitons National Park is a tropical forest blended with volcanic features and was recognized as a World Heritage Site. Some plants and animals thought to be extinct on surrounding islands can still be found in Dominica’s forests.
During our visit to Dominica, we were scheduled to go on a water/snorkeling tour but it started raining that day so we cancelled the trip. Our friends did go on the trip and had another incident with a boat that day. It was just bad karma.
Once the rain seemed to stop, we decided to go into Roseau and see the town. We hired a taxi at the pier. There were six of us from the ship going to the middle of town but when we got there and saw the “middle of town,” we decided to stay in the taxi and go back. The taxi driver offered to take us for a tour so for $25 per person (there were 4 of us by that time), it was very reasonable. His tour was terrific. He showed us the beauty of the island and took us to the rainforest. His tour included a now “famous” car that was crushed by Irma.
He stopped along side the road and showed us wild coffee plants and cocoa plants as well as stopping by the volcanic heated pools.
We asked about how they managed during the hurricane since there was no electric for a few months. He said people lived in cars, charged their phones in the cars and subsisted on canned food as the lush bounty that the island provides.
He also spoke about the takeover of many industries by the Chinese. He was very concerned that the government was being too heavily influenced by the Chinese. According to him, the people prefer working with Americans working with them but the Chinese is providing needed funding for public programs. This was a wonderful tour with a lovely gentleman who showed us the beauty of his island but still wouldn’t visit the town.
Pigeon Island, St. Lucia
This was the second place we never visited before but I really can’t say we saw St. Lucia because Pidgeon Island is just an island separated from the main island.
It was too far time wise to go to the main part of St. Lucia, we went with the barbeque-on-the-each day. The crew and island people set up beach chairs and cabanas. Everone took some time to go into the water while waiting for the beach feast.
Besides all of the picnic food they had a steel band to play while we were there.
There are ruins of a fort that was built in the area. It was alternately used by the French and British. The British used the heavily fortified Pigeon Island to spy on the French in Martinique.
It was a very relaxing day.