Position 15:34.94N
61:27.85W
Date 2000 – 12 March 2011
Our boat man, Alexis, put together ourselves with a Dutch couple, Fritz
and Marlese, to share the cost of a day trip to see some of the interior and Atlantic
coast of the island. They were great company and our driver, Shadow, a native
Carib gave us a very good day out.
Dominica
is developing its identity as an eco-tourist destination, the island being
mainly covered by tropical rainforest with a great diversity of plants and
wildlife.
Everywhere that we looked you see examples beautiful foliage that
extends on the wet Atlantic coast right down to the sea.
Our trip took us over the central heights of the north of the island
and then down the Atlantic coast taking in the Carib Territory;
a self governing area under the overall Dominican administration. It is populated
by the descendents of the Carib Indians who survived the extermination that
generally occurred in the early days of European settlement. Our driver
explained that his pigtail was worn by all Carib men as a tradition, he having
both Carib parents and having spent his early years in the Territory.
The Caribs are proud of their culture and traditions and this can be
seen in many examples. This roadside shelter was a bakery of Cassava Bread,
the machine being used to grate and the Cassava. Unfortunately unlike normal
bread this appears to take all day to produce so there was none for us to try.
Lunch provided a welcome break, with of course an excellent view. The
choice was chicken or fish, but the chicken was not ready; the mahi mahi was
however excellent.
The afternoon took us back into the hills and we had a ramble through the
forest to see one of the many waterfalls for which the island is famous –
there is no shortage of water in Dominica.
All in all it was a very good day out. Each of the islands that we
have visited so far has its own unique character and without getting away from
the boat and the shore we would miss so much.
