This year I had the fantastic opportunity to visit the Caribbean for the first time in my life. The destination for our family vacation was the miniscule (and heavenly) Turks and Caicos islands. In truth, I had never heard of the country until the idea for this trip was brought to my attention, but boy am I glad that it was! After a long flight over the Caribbean sea with fantastic views along the way, our jet landed on the small island of Caicos where we were welcomed island-style by a local musical group complete with bongos and what appeared
to be a ukulele. Combined with the cloudless skies and unmistakable tropical, humid, and salty oceanic climate, it was refreshing to say the least. This was especially true for me as I had traveled from Denver, in the heart of the metropolis. There was an incredible feeling of comfort and relaxation that immediately took me over, and that wordless thought that yes, this was paradise! During our stay at our resort on the island, we experienced as much that Turks and Caicos had to offer, including snorkeling expeditions in the beautiful coral
reefs, visits to other islands and of course the delicious and fresh indigenous foods that could only be found right near the ocean. I had a bit of conch chowder, and I almost fainted it was so good! One day, while on a conch diving expedition, we explored surrounding islands, including one titled “Iguana Island” which lived up to its name and more! This island has been completely uninhabited for as long as time can tell. We explored the beautiful beaches of this remote island, which were filled with literally tens of thousands of iguana. Here is a photo of one particularly friendly guy I encountered.
“. . . a humble reminder of the absolute beauty that this world holds if you are willing to explore!” 452