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University of Florida
In Country Experiences.
Belmont Estate
St Patrick's, Grenada
After our drive through the rain forest, stopping to take pictures where you could see for miles and reaching up to 1,910 feet in elevation, we arrived at Belmont Estate, a 17th century chocolate plantation!
We were treated to a lovely buffet dinner. We got to choose a drink and an appetizer and I ordered the Cajun cheese balls in a sweet sauce. I chose the chocolate shake made with local chocolate and bananas. Next, we helped ourselves to a generous buffet of chicken, fish, salad, fresh vegetables, potato salad, rice, macaroni pie, rolls, pumpkin, and callaloo. Last, for dessert we could choose between chocolate cake, cinnamon ice cream, or nutmeg custard, all made with local spices and chocolate of course! I ordered the chocolate cake but we all shared with each other so everyone could try each dessert. It was all amazingly good!!!
After lunch, we headed out for our chocolate tour with our tour guide, Kelley. We could not have had a better guide. He was so knowledgeable and entertaining. We embarked on the Bean to Bar Chocolate Tour: A chocoholic dream. First, we went into the storage shed and smelled the cocoa where the raw beans are sorted. We learned to break and open a cocoa fruit and popped the slimy white ball (cocoa bean when its fresh) in our mouth and you could actually taste the cocoa. At first, I thought there is no way I can put this slimy thing in my mouth but as soon as I tasted it, I wanted another one. Haha!
My favorite part of the day came next when we headed over to the bean troughs and turned them with our feet. This meant climbing in bare foot and shuffling them around. We learned this is how the beans are turned to dry and in Belmont, they never polish their beans because they don't export them raw.
We then headed back inside the barn and Kelley made us some cocoa tea. He even shared his recipe and told us to make it that way at home and disregard the package instructions if we bought the cocoa balls in the store. Afterwards, we toured the kitchens where they mix the chocolate, learn what makes cocoa powder and fat, and watched as the workers hand wrapped every single bar.
After purchasing all our goodies, we taught Kelley the Gator Chomp and took some photo ops. He also taught us in Grenada, no pesticides are ever used. They plant banana trees around cocoa trees. The banana trees work as natural insect repellents so Grenadians never have to spray pesticides. Before leaving, Kelley got the 'estate bird' to talk to us.
But our tour was not over yet. We walked the grounds for a while and basked over the cherry trees, lush jungles, and gorgeous flowers.
It was a true Grenadian paradise!!!
Grand Etang National Park
Rain Forests and Waterfalls
St. Andrews, Grenada
What better way to end a long day of work than hiking in the cool (both in temperature and hipness) rain forest?!?! We all picked out our own hiking sticks. Our guide, Wayne, led us on an educational and incredible recreational adventure. He taught us all about local spices and fruits along the way. This information was so extensive, I gave it a gallery to itself below this one.
We climbed up a small distance and began a long, slippery descent into the lush, thick trees and vegetation. We could feel the water in the air on our skin and the cool touch of the air was a pleasant break from the southern Caribbean heat. Down, down, down we went, across the bridges, over the roots, through the puddles (none of us thinking of the path up on the way out), Wayne led us one by one across a rushing river, and we arrived at Seven Sisters Waterfall.s
It was beautiful and appeared to be undisturbed for all of time. Timeless in nature and breath. There had been heavy rain and the falls were too rough to swim in . As an alternative, three of us swam in the smaller falls coming from another direction. The water was COLD but we loved it and enjoyed our swim. So gorgeous!
Up, up, up we went and we made the trip back. It was quite a climb! What a beautiful way to exercise and enjoy or surroundings. Upon return, Wayne hand washed our shoes in the creek and we thanked him for a great evening. We all earned our rest that night and I am pretty sure it is safe to say, we went to bed as different people than when we had awoke that morning.
Habitat Haven of Environmental and Natural Resources
On the way towards the rainforest trails, Wayne stopped and showed us tons of fresh vegetation. He dug up turmeric root, carved bark off a cinnamon tree, and picked fresh nutmeg. He taught us how the red part of the outside of the nutmeg, mace, is used for cooking and to make lipstick!! He cracked open the nutmeg and let us smell it. He also pointed out avocado trees, pineapple, mango, and sugar cane. Last, he showed us a Mimosa pudica plant, or shameplant. when you touch it, it's leaves fold in on itself and begin to droop.
It's Market Day
St. Georges, Grenada
We went shopping at the Granby Street Market and the Esplanade Shopping Complex mall at the port. We filled up on spices, leather shoes, jewelry, paintings, gifts for family back home, spice necklaces, and much more! Most enjoyable was drinking the fresh coconut water right from the coconuts in the street. Hydrating and refreshing! Both the mall and outdoor market boasted with local goods. I also enjoyed a stroll down some of the smaller side streets just to take in the scenery.
Swimming the Caribbean
Grooms Beach , St. Georges
Grand Anse Beach, Morne Rouge
We were fortunate to have a lovely beach (Grooms) that was great for swimming and cooling off in the evenings. The water was gorgeous, as all Caribbean beaches are. Just a short walk down the hill from our hotel and we had our own piece of paradise. We also enjoyed a few trips to swim in Grand Anse Bay. Sea glass, starfish, and conchs made happy photos and fun souvenirs.
Unexpected Discoveries
We had an unexpected treat to visit the L'ance aux Epines Lighthouse and enjoy the cliff views of prickly point. We saw surfers, sail boats, and the spot where the Caribbean meets the Atlantic Ocean. It was truly stunning and a definite highlight of the trip. Of course, we owe Dr. Delpech all the credit for taking us there. Without her, we never would have known about this exclusive hidden treasure.
The Spice Isle
Talk about a chef's paradise!! Spices, spices, spices. We enjoyed loading up on local, organic spices at the market. The lady operating the spice booth we shopped at told me the locals come each week with new spices to sell at the market. Nutmeg is to be expected since Grenada used to be the largest producer of nutmeg and at one point the only source in the world. We found other spices too like cinnamon, bay leaf, turmeric, mace, saffron, ginger, clove, and pure vanilla extract!
Street Food Wednesday @ True Blue
St. Georges, Grenada
We had a fun filled evening at the street food event. By street food, they mean locals bringing everything from lobster to ice cream and selling it on the huge decks over the sea. We enjoyed moonlit waters as we feasted on seafood pasta, stuffed lobster, fried snapper, curry goat, curry chicken, macaroni pie, and cinnamon ice cream. Then we headed over to the live music section and enjoyed music from a talented local entertainer.
Grenadian Eats
We enjoyed a magnitude of wonderful restaurants and local traditional foods in Grenada including but not limited to nutmeg and guava jams, cocoa and ginger tea, nutmeg and cinnamon ice creams, pumpkin soup, bacalhau, bread fruit, callaloo, swordfish, sweet bread, fresh coconut juice and pulp, roti, barracuda, roasted corn and fish, chicken, and an abundance of local vegetables and fruits, especially mangoes ;) In addition to the handmade foods prepared for us, we dined at some amazing restaurants. My favorites were Punj-abi (Indian), Umbrellas (Caribbean flare), and of course Belmont Estate (Grenadian). I also was excited to try barracuda for the first time...and love it!! <3
Generosity
I have to say I did not know the warm, kind, generous people of Grenada would be so incredibly friendly and welcoming. Everywhere we went in Grenada, the people were happy to have us there and willing to welcome us into their homes and communities. We were spoiled with gifts of food, chocolate, and other goodies everywhere we went. Ms. Hopkin cooked multiple times for us and gifted us with fresh bananas and mangoes right from her own trees in her yard. We were thrown a huge feast on our last night. I wil never forget the kindness shown to me here. It made a lasting impression I believe time holds no power to diminish.
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