Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for caribbean
Geological Variety in Aruba
By Linda Tancs
More than just a haven for flora and fauna, Aruba’s Arikok National Park boasts amazing geological diversity. The landscape has three primary geological formations: the Aruba lava formation, batholithic quartz and limestone rocks from fossilized coral. The park is also prized for its bays and the Natural Pool, a basin formed by rock and volcanic stone circles. Culturally, the Caquetío Indians left rock paintings in Cunucu Arikok and Fontein Cave. The bird drawing in the park logo is a copy of one of these historical artistic expressions. Comprising almost 20% of the island, the park is located in the northeast in the area of Santa Cruz.
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Antiguan Festival Celebrates Milestone
By Linda Tancs
Regarded by some as the best summer Caribbean festival, Antigua’s Carnival 2017 is celebrating its 60th birthday this year. The annual event is a celebration of the emancipation of slavery in the country held annually from the end of July to the beginning of August. Amid a flow of colorful costumes and festive music, the party includes competitions like the Party Monarch and Calypso Monarch competitions of Calypsonians, the Panorama steel band competition and the parade of bands to the Miss Antigua Pageant and the Caribbean Queen’s Competition. This year’s carnival begins tomorrow and ends on August 8.
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The Peaceful Parish
By Linda Tancs
Hedonists flock to Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Negril. Looking for Jamaica’s quieter charm? Then head to Port Antonio, capital of the parish of Portland on the northeastern coast. Once the bustling banana capital of the world, the sleepy harbor town offers some impressive sights in and around its environs. Check out the ruins of Folly Mansion, a once glorious testament to love, wealth and excess. American millionaire Alfred Mitchell built the grand two-story mansion with 60 rooms, Doric columns, inner courtyards and spectacular stairways for his family in the early 1900s but it failed to survive the elements. One palatial residence that has survived is Trident Castle. Just 10 minutes outside town, the Austrian Baroque style palace overlooking the sea is the only castle in the Caribbean. Also overlooking the sea is Port Antonio’s Folly Lighthouse, a candy cane-striped landmark about 40 feet high sitting atop honeycombed limestone. A self-guided walking tour under two miles long starts at Market Square and ends at the lighthouse.
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The Gibraltar of the Caribbean
By Linda Tancs
The most popular historic site in Puerto Rico is undoubtedly El Morro in Old San Juan. Otherwise known as Castillo San Felipe del Morro, it’s a citadel named in honor of King Philip II of Spain, built to defend what was a jewel in the crown of the Spanish empire in the Americas. And defend it did, for the most part. The fortress only fell once–to the Earl of Cumberland, who took the fortress by land for about 33 days in 1598. You’ll capture it the same way: on foot, down a large green field. You’ll be rewarded with breathtaking ocean views.
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Green Mountains and Blue Water
By Linda Tancs
When Christopher Columbus discovered present day Haiti, he thought he’d landed in Asia or India and not the gateway to the Caribbean. The island might be better known for the port of Labadee, a cruise ship destination boasting a private resort owned by the cruise line Royal Caribbean International, but the real charm is just outside Jacmel. That’s where you’ll find Bassin Bleu, an idyllic respite of cascading waterfalls surrounded by green mountains and blue water. Hopefully you’ll find the commute well worth it, after being rattled to and fro in a 4×4 for 30 minutes. Despite the common wisdom, in this case it’s the destination that counts, not the journey.
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One Happy Island
By Linda Tancs
The southern Caribbean island of Aruba considers itself to be one happy place. And why not? With a daily temperature above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, consistently sunny skies, enviable gastronomy, family-friendly fun and some of the world’s top beaches, there’s a lot to smile about. So c’mon, get happy!
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All Aboard in St. Kitts
By Linda Tancs
What could be better than a tropical drink-laden narrow gauge train ride through an unspoiled paradise rife with lush vegetation, rainforest canopies, secret beaches, sugar estates and a volcanic cone? That’s what you’ll get when you travel on the St. Kitts Scenic Railway, the last railway in the West Indies, built to transport the island’s sugar cane during boom times. Timed to coincide with cruise ship schedules in-season (December through April), a leisurely three-hour tour features 18 miles of rail travel and another 12 miles of historic sightseeing by bus. From sugar train to scenic train, don’t miss the chance to experience island history amid the warm trade winds.
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Catching the Wind in Bonaire
By Linda Tancs
Part of the Dutch Antilles, Bonaire’s Caribbean flair includes pastel-colored Dutch colonials to complement an abundance of pink flamingos and fiery sunsets. This island, sans a single traffic light, has 86 official dive sites. But the strongest draw is windsurfing, thanks to continual winds, shallow waters and excellent weather. In fact, whether novice or pro, Bonaire (and Lac Bay in particular) has been recognized as one of the best places in the world to windsurf.
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Fire and Brimstone
By Linda Tancs
The one-time sugar cane island of St. Kitts in the West Indies boasts one of the best-preserved historic fortifications in the Americas, located at Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park. Its walls, up to 12 feet thick, were built by African slaves from blackened basalt rock. A testament to British military engineering, it was dubbed the Gibraltar of the West Indies due to its imposing size and design. The 24-pound cannons and Magazine Bastion defended against the increasing use of explosive artillery shells. History buffs will love the remains of a complete military community of the 18th century.
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Mexican Resort Offers Tahitian-Style Bungalows
By Linda Tancs
If the allure of a South Pacific bungalow has you longing for a Tahitian holiday (but not the flying time), then consider its North American equivalent in Mexico’s Riviera Maya. Rosewood Mayakoba is a 1600-acre luxury resort enveloped by silky Caribbean sand and a verdant jungle. Imagine yourself being welcomed to a deluxe overwater lagoon suite with an outdoor terrace and a heated plunge pool. Have your private butler hail a boat from your private boat dock, sail around the nine classes of gorgeous accommodations and meet your neighbors. You’ve found your Bali Hai.
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