Courtesy The Old Gin House/meonsxm via flickr

Love at first sight can be a dangerous thing. There’s just nothing sensible about it, which often means harsh consequences come about because of it.

I know all this, of course… Experienced those harsh consequences a time or two as well.

Still, when it comes to The Old Gin House in St. Eustatius, I just don’t care. I’ve been smitten with the place ever since I first glimpsed her website a couple years ago. I haven’t visited yet, but it’s right near the top of my ever-expanding Caribbean travel wish list. If you’ve ever looked into taking a trip to Statia, then I’m sure you feel the same way too, and not just because there are so few other choices…

The Old Gin House oozes with history and charm, two key elements I love in a hotel. True to its name, and perhaps a bit misleading to the tipplers among us, the property is a faithful reconstruction of an 18th century building that actually housed a cotton gin. Those bricks you see on its walls, they were once used as ballast by ships calling on the island.

The historic aspects of the hotel are complemented nicely by its location along Oranje Bay, just steps from the ruins of the ancient stone warehouses stemming from the island’s heyday as The Golden Rock. Just up the hill, guests can explore Fort Oranje, the 17th century citadel from whence the first official salute to what was then a brand new country called the United States of America was made on November 16, 1776.

The history alone is enough to make me want to check-in here, but as you might imagine, there’s a lot more to this special place. Take the rooms, for instance…

Courtesy The Old Gin House/meonsxm via flickr

Over-sized and airy, these rooms have all the look of the type of Old World style I love. It’s not flashy or over the top, just solidly authentic, comfy, West Indian. The motif is carried out throughout the property’s myriad of lounging areas, its restaurant, bar and pool area.

The whole places comes across like a stately, yet welcoming old Caribbean manor, the perfect place to rest and rejuvenate after exploring Statia’s historical attractions, hiking into The Quill Volcano, or diving into the island’s famed scuba environs.

The Old Gin House has just 18 rooms – 14 garden view, two ocean view and two one-bedroom suites – so you’ll want to plan well in advance to get in here. Rates start at just $147 per night, based on single occupancy in a garden view room. Double occupancy rates start at $155.

Smittened yet? Visit The Old Gin House online for reservations, and lets see if we can’t turn our crushes into long and lasting love connections!

The Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic Wallpaper by Patrick Bennett

There it is: the Cordillera Central, the highest mountain range in the Dominican Republic and in all of the West Indies. Beginning as the Massif du Nord (“Northern Massif”) in Haiti, it crosses the border and winds its way down to the southeastern corner of Hispaniola and the town of San Cristóbal on the Caribbean coastal plains.

Some islanders prone to hyperbole even call it the “Dominican Alps!”

While it may not have jagged, snow capped peaks like those found in Europe, it does have a decidedly atypically Caribbean climate. At these heights, temperatures remain cool year-round and even dip several degrees below freezing on cold winter nights. Imagine waking up, knowing you’re in the Caribbean, but still finding a layer of frost coating the ground. Talk about an Uncommon Caribbean sight!

At the heart of the Cordillera Central is Pico Duarte, soaring to the dizzying height of 10,130 feet, making it the tallest mountain in the Caribbean… a distinction it only barely holds. In fact, it only stands three or four meters taller than its twin sister, La Pelona. Still, to put Pico Duarte’s height into perspective, keep in mind that it’s taller than any mountain east of the Mississippi on the North American continent!

Along its towering shoulders live rare birds like the Hispañiolan Parrot, Hispañiolan Woodpecker, White-necked Crow, Hispañiolan Trogon, the Red-tailed Hawk and 47 reported amphibians and reptiles. There are even wild boar roaming this West Indian mountain!

Recently, I had arguably our most unique adventure to date when I set out to make the trek to the top of this challenging peak. If you haven’t read of those (mis)adventures, check out part 1 to see what I went through to get to the one-of-a-kind Caribbean view at the top.

If you’re inspired to complete this trek for yourself, I’d highly recommend getting five fit friends to join your party (you don’t want to do this alone like I did), then giving the great folks at Iguana Mama Eco-Tours in Cabarete a call to try their Pico Duarte multi-day hiking excursion.

Of course, if hiking for hours on end, in frigid weather, up steep inclines slathered in deep mud surrounded by dangerous wild boar isn’t your idea of island fun, just download this week’s Caribbean wallpaper and enjoy the view of the Cordillera Central from the comfort of your computer screen!

Which will you choose?

Get the wallpaper now

Serene, secluded Cotton Bay, Tobago/SBPR

I tend to like some balance in my beaches. For me, secluded, pristine and peaceful shores are best, though they also need to offer tons of fun stuff to do and discover. Not the kind of stuff that requires signing out towels and water sports equipment from some faux Tiki hut either. I mean the kinda’ fun my brothers and I used to invent as kids growing up on the beaches of St. Croix, when joy could be derived from simply climbing a set of rocks and seeing what was on the other side.

By these measures, the blissful scene you see here represents my ideal beach in Tobago. This, dear friends, is Cotton Bay.

Lending credence to my long held notion that the best places in the world are often the toughest ones to get to, Cotton Bay is accessible solely by boat. The semi-volcanic sand, a rare aspect of many of Tobago’s beaches not named Pigeon Point or Store Bay (Tobago has no volcanoes), is soft and caressing, like a plush carpet that’s barely ever been trod upon…

You won't find too many footprints in the sand here.../SBPR

At its front, the calm, cool waters you see here. At its back, a steep wall of rock and thick rainforest, impenetrable least to the birds, lizards and other happily undisturbed wild residents of the area.

I found myself here this past January during a tour of the bays and beaches that line Tobago’s north shore. There were lots of great highlights to that particular excursion (especially the climax here), but Cotton Bay definitely stands out to me.

Aside from our boat (not pictured), whose captain and crew seemed intent on converting the peaceful paradise into a palancin’ soca playground, the only sounds here were of the surf, birds and breezes blowing through the trees. At the west end of the bay, a small stream emptied into the sea, cutting an artful series of winding paths through the sand. To the east, there was this…

Prime snorkeling at Cotton Bay, Tobago/SBPR

Through the little alley that separates the rock islet at the left from the mainland rocks at the right there lies some pretty cool snorkeling. Remember that simple joy I mentioned earlier? Oh yeah, you can find it right here, climbing rocks, traversing narrow undersea waterways, discovering and adventuring like a kid all over again!

I could’ve spent the entire day playing at Cotton Bay, but alas, there were more marvelous Tobago bays and beaches to discover. If you want to get in some play time here too, day trips can be arranged through a number of tour companies in Tobago. We spent the day with the young and fun party crew at Tobago Waterholics, who can customize the experience to meet the needs of your group. They run a smaller, twin-engine powerboat, which you’ll definitely want to consider if you’re prone to sea-sickness. Catamaran operators like Island Girl accommodate groups aboard a much larger sailing vessel, offering what appeared to be a more subdued experience, though with a lot more people.

No matter who you go with, this trip is certainly worth the trouble. Just be sure to bring your childlike imagination and sense of adventure…Cotton Bay will handle the rest.

Armstrong's Homemade Ice Cream, St. Croix/SBPR

Even with our blessed trade winds filling sails and contributing to the good vibes year-round, there’s still one unmistakable fact about summers in the Caribbean that anyone visiting between now and late-September would be wise to consider: it’s hot!

Now, it’s not Africa-hot, or the 100-degree pressure-cooker that is New York City in mid-August, but you definitely work up more of a sweat adventuring around the region this time of year. To date, we’ve provided lots of good drink suggestions to help you keep cool in the Caribbean, but today we’re setting the dial all the way at cold… as in ice-cold, super-yummy ice cream!

Now, as warm as our islands can get, it should come as no surprise that the Caribbean produces some of the world’s very best ice cream, with a wide range of tantalizingly exotic local flavors cooling hearts up and down the island chain for hundreds of years. As a native Crucian, I’m proud to say that one of those very best Caribbean ice creams is St. Croix’s own Armstrong’s.

As you can see on the sign atop their shop in Frederiksted, Armstrong’s has been producing homemade ice cream in St. Croix for 112 years. During my childhood in St. Croix, we always had a tub of another local favorite, Island Dairies, in the freezer. That was good, but better-suited to everyday use, like a favorite pair of jeans.

Armstrong’s, on the other hand, was special; more of a once-a-week treat…the Sunday best to those favorite jeans.

In those days, the Armstrong family ran the business from their home, bringing their special treats to the masses by way of a light-green truck, “Quality at Its Best” inscribed on the side. Anyone and everyone on the island knew that truck and looked forward to cooling treats inside.

The big reason why is also right on the sign – Armstrong’s serves real homemade ice cream here, the kind with big chunks of good stuff conspicuously wedged into the cold and creamy treasures, the better to let the natural flavors shine in your cone or cup.

And what wonderfully natural flavors they are! You might be able to get almond, banana, butter pecan, cherry vanilla and rum raisin ice cream just about anywhere. If you’re in the Caribbean, you can probably find guava, mango, passion fruit, or our Dad’s favorite, soursop, too.

But tell me, how easily can you get your hands on gooseberry ice cream? This is by far and away the most popular Armstrong’s flavor among local Crucians, the tart seasonal fruit a bit of an acquired taste for those weened on more typically sweet ice creams in the States and elsewhere over the years.

But this is St. Croix, and if you want to get a real taste of the island, Armstrong’s is a must.

Here, we make all our ice cream fresh daily by ourselves using real fruits grown right here in St. Croix, so you can’t beat it.

So says Etty Armstrong, whose husband, Cedric, is the latest Armstrong to carry on the family tradition. His grandmother originated the Armstrong’s Homemade Ice Cream business in 1900, and it is primarily her recipes that Cedric and Etty still follow to this day.

Now, there’s hardly a bad day to visit Armstrong’s (except Monday’s when they’re closed), but one day in particular is very, very special indeed. I’m talking about the last Sunday right before Christmas, the only day of the year when you can get guavaberry ice cream at Armstrong’s!

The family also serves up some guavaberry during the Ag Fair in February, but the pre-Christmas event is legendary. I haven’t been back home for Christmas since Armstrong’s opened the location pictured above in 1996, but I can imagine the line snakes out the door on guavaberry Sunday, with traffic backed up all along Centerline Road – a true Crucian confusion certainly worth the trouble.

Armstrong’s is open Tuesday to Saturday from 7am to 7pm. Sunday hours are 11am to 7pm. In addition to ice cream, Armstrong’s also offers breakfast and deli treats. Breakfast is served 7am to 10:30am Tuesday-Saturday. On Monday’s Etty and Cedric take a break, and who can blame them? It must take a lot to make the world’s best ice cream!

Top of the Caribbean, Pico Duarte by Patrick Bennett

Taking it all in atop the highest peak in the Caribbean, Pico Duarte in the Dominican Republic.

I don’t care how big of a superhero fan you think you are, if you weren’t living in St. Croix in the 1980′s then you probably don’t remember The Greatest American Hero. The stiff and cheesy ABC series only lasted a couple years (1981-83), despite having such big names as Stephen J. Cannell (creator), Robert Culp (actor) and Mike Post (composer) headlining the credits. These guys were behind TV classics like I Spy, Hill Street Blues, and The Rockford Files. I doubt that Greatest American Hero shows prominently in their bios.

Like Crocket and Tubbs, though, the mad-cap caped crusader holds a special place in the hearts of 1980′s-era Crucians. For the reason why, watch the video above. What you’ll see is “The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea,” episode 15 of the show’s second season, which was filmed almost entirely in St. Croix.

Like the wild episode of Miami Vice we profiled here, this film production took the island by storm during the shoot, the excitement only heightening once the show aired in February 1982.

You can watch the entire episode above, with just a couple audio gaffes along the way. Check it out and see how many STX landmarks you can make out!

Dictador Rum from Colombia/SBPR

If ever a rum could pass for a supermodel, that rum would have to be Dictador XO. I discovered this sassy Colombian head-turner at the 2012 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival, an event that’s a veritable lamp to the moths of all things sexy. It’s been a few weeks since we met, and I still find myself distracted by the memory of our flavor-filled tête-à-tête.

Just look at her, all sultry and exotic in her juicy jet-black couture. Oh yes, she’s luring you in; tempting you to punch well above your weight class, secure, as she is, that she’ll knock you off your feet.

Should you go for it? Let’s examine…

Dictador has been producing fine rums in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia for nearly a century, but clearly the sexy, ultra-modern bottle and packaging hints at a more up-to-date, jet-set aesthetic. Bold and chic, the brand expertly melds the old with the new, a concept Dictador describes thusly:

From the age-old traditions of Colombian distilleries, we combine high quality aged rum with innovative European design and bespoke, state of the art Japanese bottles.

This globetrotting mash-up is intended to denote a sense of high style and luxury. And in case you don’t get all that just from looking at the bottle, Dictador’s got a snazzy website and ad campaign that hammers the point home to such degree that Chanel and Dior might blush. See what I mean…

Credit: Szymon Brodziak for Dictador

So yeah, there’s a lot of Euro-sexy, aspirational fashonista stuff going on with this Colombian rum, which of course begs the question: is it any good?

It would be easy to think with all its fancy trappings that Dictador might be overcompensating for a rum that isn’t any good… They’re not.

Dictador employs a solera method for aging and blending its rums, pulling from barrels aged between 14 and 24 years to create its 20 year-old XO.

Like its marketing, Dictador 20 Years Solera System Rum is quite bold and beautiful, sporting the rich, dark amber color that I so love in my sipping rums. It’s a bit more harsh on the nose and on the tongue than I prefer, though the unmistakable roast coffee flavor and rich oak tones make up for it. I tasted a bit of cocoa and vanilla in there too. Wonderfully complex, I’m sure a couple ice cubes could’ve smoothed out the harsh edges for me, though we were sampling neat.

Still, it’s a small quibble. Bottom line: Dictador XO’s got it…and isn’t afraid to flaunt it.

Cheers!

With magical memories of The Epic Side of Trinidad timelapse video still fresh in our minds, we simply couldn’t resist sharing this similarly amazing timelapse perspective on El Morro, the sprawling 16th century fort that’s as much a symbol of Old San Juan and Puerto Rico as anything else.

Whereas the Trinidad video showcases a wide range of sights and attractions all around our ancestral island, this shorter piece focuses squarely on El Morro, artfully reflecting the enduring strength and beauty of the historic structure through inspiring music and stunning videography, captured both day and night. Only briefly does the lens stray to San Juan Cemetery, where you may recognize the subject of our second Uncommon Photo-Op post, and to La Rogativa, which we first showed you a couple December’s ago.

El Morro more than holds the viewer’s attention on her own, though, further testament to why you shouldn’t miss this incredible attraction no matter how many times you may have seen her before.

This unique look at El Morro was produced by the creative team at Sentido Común, a San Juan-based film and video production company that obviously has some seriously deep pride in their island and the skills to show it off like never before. Their Timelapse Project exploring Puerto Rico’s signature attractions also includes a magical look at El Yunque.

What’s next for The Timelapse Project? Personally, I’m hoping they’ll head south to feature the underrated town of Ponce, home to DonQ, the Parque de Bombas, and so much more. Or how about the usually sleepy fishing village of La Parguera, which springs to life on the weekends when San Juaneros escape to its more laid-back charms.

Either way, I’m sure the guys at Sentido Común won’t have trouble finding more incredible subjects to feature. Puerto Rico just doesn’t disappoint, something they obviously already know…

Jany's Assorted liqueurs at Le Marché de Sainte-Anne, Martinique/SBPR

One of the most popular attractions in Martinique is the Covered Market, or Marché Couvert, located in the heart of downtown Fort-de-France. It’s a sprawling, incredibly lively place that bursts with the vibrant colors of all the various spices, fruits, liqueurs, jams, arts and crafts available for sale from local Martinicans just as they’ve always been since the place opened in 1901. All of this makes the Covered Market a uniquely rewarding spot to capture great photos of the real Martinique. Only problem is, the whole place is generally camera-shy.

More to the point, the people that work in the Covered Market are camera-shy. If you think about it for half-a-second, it’s easy to understand why. I mean, if hordes of strangers from all over the world kept sticking cameras in your face everyday at your workplace, you’d probably get pretty tired of it pretty fast too.

It would be a mistake to take this camera-shyness for rudeness, as the people I’ve met here over the years are among the nicest I’ve come across anywhere. They’re always quick to smile and laugh over my persistent infatuation with bois-bande, or my fumbling French. They’re just not big on pictures.

For a more interpersonal photo experience, I recommend heading to south to Sainte-Anne and checking out the petit Marché de Sainte-Anne.

Spices for sale at Le Marché de Sainte-Anne in Martinique/SBPR

Here, the setting is less hectic, a bit quieter and more laid-back. The whole market could fit in a tiny corner of the Marché Couvert, so it’s easy to see everything, sample a lot of things, and really meet and interact with prospective buyers and sellers alike. People like Jany (below), who patiently waded through my soggy attempts at French to tell me about her special spices, liqueurs and other products.

Jany pours some liqueur for me to sample/SBPR

The wild colors and exotic flavors here are the same as you’ll find in the Covered Market, with various exotic mixtures combining passion fruit, guava, mango, papaya, coconut, cacao and other locally-grown produce with the famous Martinican rhum to create truly one-of-a-kind treasures…

Exotic liqueurs at Le Marché de Sainte-Anne in Martinique/SBPR

These bottles were as pretty to see and photograph as they were yummy to taste. Even in such a petit place, though, there was no way to sample it all, though this guy appeared to try before finally making a purchase from Monique, who was also very patient with me.

Monique's goods at Le Marché de Sainte-Anne in Martinique/SBPR

In the end, I bought a bottle of homemade Shrubb from Jany, some local coffee from Monique and a few other things from another stand. This was in November of last year. The Shrubb didn’t even make it to New Year’s Eve. It was that good, just like my little morning photo-op in this special little market.

Now, whether you’re keen on taking pictures in Sainte-Anne, Fort-de-France, or anywhere in the Caribbean, it’s always a good idea to ask people that might appear in your pics if it’s okay first. Here in Sainte-Anne, they were okay with it, but I doubt they would’ve been so cool with it if I hadn’t asked.

The Marché de Sainte-Anne is open daily from 6am to 1pm. It’s located right next to the sea along the main road that cuts through the town, just a few blocks south of La Notre Dame de la Salette. If you go, please say hello to Jany and Monique for me!

Driving through the Paramin Hills in northwestern Trinidad/SBPR

It’s difficult to describe the amazing beauty of Trinidad’s Paramin Hills. The area stretches across a broad expanse of undulating hills and valleys, resplendent in the lushest, greenest greens imagineable. To the south lies the bustling capital, Port-of-Spain. To the north there’s the sea and a collection of several smaller satellite islets. It’s a scene of utterly idyllic tropical bliss…though none of that has anything to do with why it’s so hard to describe.

No, the real reason Paramin leaves visitors at a loss for words is its roads. It’s insanely narrow, impossibly steep roads…

In some sections, the roads are so steep they appear to take drivers straight into the sky, much like the initial ascent on some Strata coaster before you make a screaming drop for joy. Weeeeee!!!

The Super-Steep Roads of Paramin, Trinidad/SBPR

It’s a wild ride, to be sure, but not one that you’ll want to take without some serious guidance. For instance, in Trinidad, people drive on the left. In the hills of Paramin, though, there are some sections of the road where all the locals know you’re supposed to switch over to the right. What sections of road apply to the rule is not something you’ll find in any guidebook. You either just know, or you’re lucky enough to find yourself under the care of an experienced driver/guide like Andrew Welch from Banwari Experience.

For any visitor to Trinidad looking for a little extra guidance and insight into the country, I can’t recommend Andrew more highly. The man wears his love for his country all over his face, regaling anyone and everyone who’ll listen with useful and interesting tidbits about Trinidad’s history, its culture, heritage, music, food – you name it. He’s also quick with a joke, seems to know everybody, and is always in good humor.

That last characteristic was certainly in evidence as we made our way up through Paramin, as the tail end of his van kept scraping bottom along the sharpest and steepest of our hairpin turns, each successive lurch and scrape drawing ever-louder gasps and curses from a few fellow passengers. Andrew simply laughed it off, pointing out that the vehicles you really need to have to get through Paramin are Range Rovers like this one…

The right vehicle for Paramin/SBPR

These were obviously the preferred vehicles of choice in these hilly environs, as we scarcely saw anyone driving anything else. Aside from a few school kids, we also scarcely saw anyone else as most everyone was out working in the fields.

The land around Paramin may be unforgiving from a transportation standpoint, but agriculturally it’s rich. Farmers here grow everything from cabbages, yams and tomatoes, to thyme, parsley, chives and other spices. Fields are carved right into the sides of the mountains, causing farmers to tend to their crops at the same insane inclines as the road. It’s an incredible sight to witness, even if you’re just passing through…

Hillside Tomato Crops in the Paramin Hills, Trinidad/SBPR

What struck me most about our short drive through Paramin was how wonderfully stuck in time it seemed to be. The left side/right side driving quirks, women walking along the road with bundles balanced on their heads (haven’t seen that back home in St. Croix in years), the extreme farming – life was certainly hard here, but it had a simple laid-back charm that I wished I could’ve experienced a bit more.

If I had more time, Andrew tells me I would’ve learned of the area’s strong French-Creole heritage, a product of the 1783 Cedula of Population called by the Spanish that effectively helped to settle Trinidad. Andrew also told me that after slavery, maroons were given land in the unforgiving hills due to their lower status. The area, being so rugged and isolated, has remained a bastion of Creole culture in Trinidad, with many residents likely having more in common, in terms of language and heritage, with the people of Martinique and Guadeloupe than my family ancestors from San Fernando in southern Trinidad.

Many elders here still speak a type of French Creole that is virtually the same as that spoken in the French Caribbean islands. There’s even a Catholic Church in Paramin that once a year conducts a full mass in Creole on Dimanche Gras, the last Sunday before Carnival.

Clearly, Paramin offers many more reasons to stop and stay awhile than its wild and crazy roads…