Dominica by Margot Justes

Dominica is breathtaking, luscious mountains and rich green forests beckon. The natural and undeveloped beauty is one reason for a visit, the others would be scuba diving, tubing and kayaking. The preferred choice of activity for most tourists.

I tried snorkeling once, many years ago, and decided it’s not for me. In between gulping and swallowing the yucky salt and fishy water, closing my eyes and wandering off-let’s just say those were not my best moments. I firmly decided, a swimming pool will do just fine, as well as a glass bottom boat, if I wanted to visit with the fish.

The morning was spent looking through the many tents that were set up right outside the dock. Local arts and crafts, along with the usual tourist paraphernalia.  Dominica is not as wealthy as St Kitts, and there were few shops, mostly tents, whereas St Kitts is undergoing major growth and development, not so in Dominica.

The afternoon tour I booked, took us through the rain forest, it seemed parched during their dry season. I never imagined a bone dry rain forest. On the way back we walked along a path between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean; on one side the usually calm sea, across the path, the rolling powerful ocean waves, and in the middle were all the gawking tourists. The last stop was a two hundred year old church, simple yet colorful.

Our guide told us that out of the twenty volcanoes in the Caribbean islands, thirteen of them are found on Dominica, maybe that is one of the reasons for the lack of development. However, there is reason to hope the economy would improve, according to our guide, Dominica is in the process of developing geo thermal energy to supply other islands, that certainly would help their struggling economy.

After the tour, it was back to the ship, drained and exhausted, it was nice to sit and relax, and sip an espresso. It was only about 85F, but the extreme humidity just wipes me out. I went swimming after dinner, and was in bed by 10:30, sad but true.

Cheers,

Margot  Justes
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www.mjustes.com