Almost Relaxed - Grenada

Bright and early, I made it down the gangway. The port here is so much more beautiful than previous ports. The land jacks up a hill and the small, vibrant houses look down at you as you exit the pier. I met up with my tour guide and after waiting for the other members of the tour, we were led into small buses. I stayed in the back and one of the gentleman pulled out a collapsible chair and the metal bar feet slammed right into my big toe. I gave out a loud “Shit!” and the guy didn’t bat an eye. He had no care that he damn near broke my toe. As the bus got moving I was almost sure that if I didn’t break it, i would at least lose the toe nail. It was throbbing and the guy was just talking to his significant other and not caring that I was behind him holding my foot and whispering obscenities under my breath.

We made it to Fort George which had a great view of the town and the fisherman’s marina on the other side. We walked through it and was told the history of the fort as well as the place where the prime minister Maurice Bishop and 15 others were executed in 1983 when the U.S. had to take the island by force to prevent it from becoming a communist state. The bullet holes are still in the walls and as we walked by, several people out there fingers in them to “feel the history” I guess. As I hobbled back down from the fort, I got back in the car and made sure the same guy didn’t slam his seat on my feet again.

 

 

  

We drove to the next fort which was Ft. Fredrick. The drive was a scenic one and we even stopped at a few places along the way to take photos. The interior of the island is mostly jungle with a few houses spread through out. The island is known for it’s spices that they grow here which include Nutmeg, Vanilla, Honey, Jam and Chocolate. In fact its nickname is “The Spice Island”.

Eventually we made it to the fort and out side was some steel drum players performing. I walked into the fort but it was nothing special really. Just some stone walls and arches with nothing too spectacular. It had a nice view so I took a few photos and headed back to the bus.

 

Once we got going, we drove around the island and I was able to see several tropical neighborhoods and business along the way. I saw that they were building a new port to get more cruise ships to come in. It seemed like Grenada was primitive, yet had a lot going for it. In about 50 years, I can see it being a second or even first world country.

We got to the Holiday Inn Resort where we were able to get to a nice, clean beach and get a free rum punch. I sat in the shade and relaxed with my rum punch and slid away into tropical inebriation. A relaxing act indeed. I didn’t care to jump in the water, I didn’t need to worry about locals trying to hassle me; just drinking and relaxing. I relaxed for what have been over an hour when It was finally time to get back. I stumbled over to the buses where they took us back to the ship.

 

After getting back to the ship I decided to walk around a bit and see the nice fisherman’s marina area. I walked through a tunnel and into the neighborhood. They had decorated the streets as the following day was Grenada Independence Day. The streets were lined with green, red and yellow banners and flags. The buildings were colorful and old looking. It gave the marina a nice European charm. I walked around a bit and noticed a lot of people starting at me. I must of stuck out like a sore thumb and eventually my instincts told me I should probably turn around. On my way back a guy came up to me and was trying to give me a tour. I was short with him but polite. He asked where I was from and I said “L.A.”. He instantly perked up and I could almost see the dollar signs in his eyes. I immediately regretted telling him that. He continued to follow me and he noticed that I was by myself. I then decided to make my way back on the ship for safety sake. He followed me all the was back to the terminal where eventually ran off into a crowded area.

 

 

As much as you want to be able to relax in these places, you always have to keep your eyes open and never trust these people. If they could have it their way, they would just shoot you and take your money and leave you dead in the gutter. Unfortunately, with these poor counties, you can never completely relax…        -DB