Island Life June July 2015 June July 2015 | Page 28

TRAVEL

Grenada

The island of spice

W

to explore. There were obvious
e arrived in Grenada
British and French influences
on February
to be seen in the architecture,
7 - which just
and a general feeling of
happened to be the date in
happiness and prosperity
1974 that Grenada gained its
among the people.
independence from Britain.
As one local explained to
It was a day of celebration,
us, if you have no paid work
with colourful flags flying
there is always plenty to do on
everywhere, military bands
By Terence
the land, which is rich in crops
marching and an array of
Willey
and vegetation. The island
entertainment from steel
has an optimum average
bands, local calypso and
temperature of 29c with short,
Reggae sounding throughout
sharp rain showers during the day and
the island.
heavier downfalls overnight, making the
Lying to the south of St Lucia and St
landscape lusciously green.
Vincent, with the Caribbean and Atlantic
Dubbed ‘Spice Island’, Grenada
seas on either side and an abundance of
produces many spices including nutmeg
rain forests and water falls, the Island has
(a third of the world’s total supply),
a fascinating culture which we were keen

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mace, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Its
120 square miles provide white sandy
beaches, bays and rugged cliffs. The
Capital St George’s has a real British feel
and portrays a small town character with
a hint of vibrancy and sophistication.
The well-known Grand Anse beach has
been rated one of the 100 best beaches
in the world and its underwater sculpture
parks have been singled out as one of the
new “25 Wonders of the World”. Figures
have been sculpted on the seabed, and
divers can experience a wonderful vista
of tropical fish.
We took a taxi to the north of the Island
where wild monkeys can be seen in
abundance high up in the rain forest and
where the water flows into the Balthazar
River. It was here that we experienced