Greetings. We're just back from a whirlwind visit to the Cayman Islands, a destination set to become a full-fledged chapter in the next edition of R&R (due out this fall). A few trip reflections. These islands aren't an offshore banking center for nothing - you practically need to start a bank account here just to get by, what with the exorbitant prices of wining and dining. Since the Caymans grow none of their own produce, all of it has to be brought in. The same situation exists on islands like St. Maarten/St. Martin and Anguilla where meal costs are high because of the imported produce but so is the quality of food. The price of a meal on Grand Cayman seem just as high, yet without the corresponding quality. Even worse is the status of alcohol - local leaders have opted for a sin tax to raise revenues, which means that the price for a rum punch on Seven Mile Beach is $8 and up. And don't think buying your own punch makings at a liquor store is a smart alternative - duty fees are so high that you'll pay upwards of $30 for a liter of Jamaican rum, and over $10 for a six-pack of Red Stripe (and note that Jamaica is less than 200 miles away). The same bottle of Appleton, purchased at Grand Cayman's airport duty free shops on your way out will cost about $10.
That said, we thought the tiny sister islands that lie 70-some miles east of Grand Cayman were delightful. Not much more than an 11-mile long sand-bank, Little Cayman is home to the Bloody Bay Wall, an exceptional dive location where the sea floor drops from a 20-30 foot depth to 3,000 feet, in one extraordinarily steep plunge. There's little else to see or do on Little Cayman, so the island is really geared to divers, but with a year-round population counted in the dozens, it's a pristine escape. Best place to stay is Pirate's Point Resort, a dive lodge run by an indefatigable Texan, Gladys Howard, a Little Cayman resident since 1986. She's also a trained Cordon Bleu chef, so meals are robust and satisfying, with a greater variety of tastes than is found at your typical backwoods outpost (being greeted with fresh cookies when you get off the dive boat is a great perk). Double rates are RIDICULOUS, but note that the price includes three meals, open bar and two dives daily; reservations: 345-948-1010, and book early - Gladys has a following!
Cayman Brac is another story altogether. The island is about the same size as Little Cayman, but with an elevation of 140 feet (highest point in the Caymans) it has more topographical personality. The Brac has a population of about 1,200, but essentially no economy beyond tourism (which lies in the shadow of Little Cayman, much less Grand Cayman). And, though not as spectacular as Little Cayman's, the diving is quite good on the Brac, and fairly diverse. The island has recently become home to a highly sociable dolphin - named Spot by some uninspired divemaster - who hangs out at the north side sites and loves to interact with divers (to the point of preventing them from re-boarding dive boats!). There's also a world-class wreck: the 330-foot MV Captain Tibbetts, a Russian destroyer purchased from Cuba and sunk in 1996 as a dive site. If you swim to the wreck as we did (it can be done as a shore dive), you'll never forget seeing this still-intact ship materialize from the inky blue depths - at first glance it looks as though it might have gone down just yesterday. There are other good dives, but the Brac also has a day's worth of top-side exploration to ponder. More on these two islands in the next R&R.
We'll also leave more detailed comment on Grand Cayman for the book, save for one newsworthy item worth mentioning. In touring the less-visited east end of the island (there are almost no hotels here), we found a dive shop, Ocean Frontiers, that has started "shark awareness dives." They're the only outfit on the island doing this non-feeding encounter at a site called Shark Alley (natch), but the local dive community is wary of this program and there are rumblings about "shutting it down." Check them out at www.oceanfrontiers.com, or call 800-544-6576. Oh, and one more item: If you do come to Grand Cayman and are looking for a decent drink that won't wring your wallet dry, head to Big Daddy's, a liquor store that has its own microbrew. $10 buys a gallon of the shop's tasty pale, amber, or red ale - just please don't chug it down before doing the shark dive.
Lovely Montserrat continues to struggle with its schizophrenic volcano. Last November, the would-be tourist attraction rumbled to life again, as it began rebuilding the lava dome inside English Crater. Seven months later, the dome is now taller than 3,002-foot Chances Peak, the island's original highest point - and it's still growing. As before, the precipitous dome is highly unstable and prone to dramatic collapses (eruptions of superheated gas, ash and rock that explode down the slopes), so the southern part of the island remains unsafe. But the northern third of the island is safe for touring, and islanders are hard at work rebuilding the economy. Roads, which had deteriorated substantially, are being worked on, modest landscaping is beginning to take shape, and a spiffy new $2 million, 18-room hotel, Tropical Mansions, is open for business; reservations: 664-491-8273. On the downside, in light of the resumption of serious volcanic activity, plans to re-open the Bramble Airport, damaged by the volcano in 1997 and located at the edge of the safe zone, have been scrapped (you'll need to use the daily ferry or helicopter service from Antigua). Visitors who travel to Montserrat in coming months may witness some spectacular volcanic activity, but the residents of this special little isle now take it in stride. To get the latest on the volcano, check the Montserrat Volcano Observatory's Web site: www.mvomrat.com.
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In planning an upcoming research trip, we noticed how the value of the French franc had skipped to a new low against the US dollar. The exchange rate of late has been about 6.9 francs to 1 US dollar. This is a boon for travelers heading to the French West Indies, since it means that real prices are about 11% lower than they were a year ago when we were researching the 2000 edition of R&R. But note that most hotels set prices for American guests many months in advance, so you'll need to bargain with US-based reservation firms to squeeze optimal value of the dollar into your vacation. Or, take a chance and show up on one of the four French islands (Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Barts and St. Martin) without a reservation - your hotel bill will be set in francs from the start. Dining and other on-island purchases (like fragrances and apparel, always a good buy) will also be calculated in francs.
We can think of no better excuse to visit Guadeloupe than the annual Fete des Cuisinieres, or the Festival of Women Cooks. This year, the colorful event takes place August 12, and will be celebrated with a parade of Creole costumes, women carrying baskets overflowing with island specialties like bodin, accras and stuffed crab backs. The day begins with a morning mass at Cathedral, and is followed by a five-hour banquet open to all. To cap it off, August 5-13 is the date for the annual Tour de la Guadeloupe, a sort of Tour de France gone tropical. The international bicycle race brings teams from a number of countries, and includes nine rough itineraries around the island. For more information, call the new number at the French Government Tourist Office: 410-286-8310.
Other upcoming events worth noting include the US Virgin Islands' Atlantic Blue Marlin Tournament, August 11-16, and a qualifying event for the International Game Fish Association's annual championship. The waters north of St. Thomas, known as the North Drop, is considered one of the top blue marlin fishing locales in the world. Additional info: 888-234-7484. Anguilla's annual Summer Fest is scheduled for July 30 -August 13. There are small parades, food and cultural activities, and lovely boat races. More info: 800-553-4939. On August 7-8, Antigua's Carnival revs into high gear. Though this is not the usual date for Carnival, the island uses this as an off-season incentive and actually produces a respectable event; additional info: 212-541-4117. Lastly, the offshoot of the region's biggest and best music festival is Reggae Sumfest, held July 29-August 5 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The five-day event will host local and international reggae artists. More information, check www.reggaesumfest.com.
Two bits of notable election news: In St. Maarten, more than two-thirds of ballot-casters have voted for succession from the Dutch Antilles federation (which is governed out of Curacao and also includes Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius), and become a separate country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands (like Aruba, which broke away in 1986). Amsterdam officials are reportedly adamant that St. Maarten not be allowed to succeed, probably out of concern that the other islands might follow in its path.
And in Haiti, democracy continues to struggle for a platform as international election observers join opposition parties and business leaders in condemning the May 21 legislative vote. The election showed former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's Lavalas Party gaining 16 of 17 seats in the Senate, virtually ensuring Aristide a win if he runs (as expected) for President again this fall. Missing votes and unorthodox vote-tallying procedures are at the crux of the objections, and cut-off of aid from the European Union and other international organizations is threatened if Haitian officials let the results stand. We have a friend who visited the northern part of the country recently without incident, but we recommend deferring travel to Haiti until a modicum of political stability appears on the horizon.
In the August newsletter, we'll bring you up-to-date on fresh new finds on the dramatic island of St. Lucia, where we'll be researching the 2001 edition of R&R soon.
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