Cruising the Carribean: A Local Feel in Antigua

We arrived at 7:00am to our second port of call; Antiqua. Last night we all discussed plans for the day. John and Allyson signed up for the Zipline tour through the rainforest. Jeanne and Joseph, an ATV tour through the countryside. Guy and I.....well, we let the universe lead us. So, with no itinerary, we stepped off the ship ready for our adventure! In a matter of minutes, we were swarmed by the local tour guides promising the best flavor of the island.

We befriended an older gentleman who offered his daughter Crystal to be our private tour guide. So for $100 we had a native show us her Island. We told her we wanted to get a "local feel" of the Island, that we didn't want to go to just the touristy spots. So, with that in mind, we headed to the back roads of Antigua. First stop an old church from the late 1700s that is still in service.

We continued up the road and through the neighborhoods of Antiqua.

Many locals use donkeys for transportation

and cows with chains around their necks wander the streets.

We stopped at a roadside vendor selling fresh coconuts, bananas and other locally grown foods. Guy was adventurous and tried a bit of everything. I was more cautious, but did indulge in the blood pineapples. Crystal told us many stories of what it is like growing up in Antiqua. She is only 21 years old but has many stories to tell. For example, the water supply in Antiqua is limited, so each household has a cistern that holds the rain water. The government comes to your house every 6 months to put a pill in the water to kill the "wiggle worms". I suppose some sort of bacteria. The majority of the islanders are poor as there is no real industry on the island. Crystal supports her 3 year old son by helping her father with his taxi service.

Tired of being in the car, I ask Crystal if she could take us to a beach where we could swim for a bit. Just down the road, we stumble upon the aqua marine waters and a white sandy beach. Guy and I decided to rent a waverunner to see a bit more of the island from a different perspective.

Many of the locals are very creative in finding ways to make money. Here a man sells coconuts and makes hats from the leaves for the tourists.

After a couple hours on the beach and in the water, we headed back in Crystals car for more exploration. Because Guy is very outgoing and quite the talker, we really got to know Crystal and feel comfortable with her. I stressed again to her that I wanted the local feel of the Island and she offered to bring us to her house. We were excited with the idea to see how the locals live. Her house was surrounded by a six foot chain linked fence that was secured with a large lock. Her emaciated dog greeted us wagging his tail. My heart goes out to the animals of Antiqua. We saw many strays walking the streets, many with hanging milk sacs forging for food to feed their pups. As a breeder, I realize how fortunate my pups are to have an endless supply of food and a warm bed to sleep in. Crystals house was cinder block with two bedrooms. There were no doors but sheets hanging to divide the rooms. Her mother was home preparing for her wedding which was to take place over the weekend. She is remarrying her ex-husband! After a short visit, we were back in the car and headed to Crystals boyfriends parents home. We were greeted by a robust smiling woman offering us a fresh cool drink. Guy partook in the beverage, but all I could think of was the wiggle worms and declined. I did however indulge in the monkey fruit pictured below. I would compare it to a plum. They were delicious. There were many fruit trees on the property and Guy enjoyed taking a taste of each one. The hospitality was warm and we felt at home as we heard more stories of life on the island.

Our tour was coming to an end. We had one last stop and that was to pick up Crystals son from daycare. He climbed in the back seat of the car and when I mentioned where his car seat was, Crystal replied, we don't use them here. We loved our experience with Crystal and really do feel like we got a true sense of the Island and her people. The scenery is gorgeous, the people welcoming and the economy struggling.

Crystal drove us back to the center of town where we said our good-byes. We exchanged addresses and hopefully in our travels our paths will cross again.

We walked along the city streets of Redcliffe Quay, cautious to not venture too far off the beaten path. The merchants are colorful and we experienced a carnival type atmosphere.

This man pictured here refused to raise his head for the picture unless I threw some money in his pot.
The vendors played music or balanced a pineapple on their head for money to be tossed at them

A man prepares coconut drinks for thirsty tourists.

I have been "christened" an Islander!

Back on the ship we relaxed a bit in the hot tub as we shared our adventures of the day.

We were back on our balcony prior to dinner for our routine of a glass of wine before dinner in preparation for the activities of the evening.

As I sipped my wine we noticed in the distance a water spout which actually touched down before ascending back into the dark sky. I sure hope this is not a sign of rough waters ahead.