After having gone to bed about 2ish, at school time my host mum asked me If I wanted to go with her to her place to work which is nothing exciting such as..COCOA RESEARCH UNIT! After a lazy 1st answer of "can I go the next day?" Which would be the day before leaving, I just said, why not?! Let's go. Without my belt and nothing on my feet I left the house grasping my sandals at the exit and drinking a lime juice with clove seasoned that I left -hopefully before going to bed. The girls were dressing up for a special day in school.My time there was amazing, I just reveled in wandering around there, reading all the info they have and discovering new things such the DNA process of it. Of course I tasted some, pure pure and bitter one, soooo good -not as sweet as the person who was treating with it though. I supervised the process from leaving the seeds until they become nibs and then with a heat gun into a thick tasty mass. Which was what we could see with big machines in Grenada, but here was in a low scale as they do not sell it, they just export it to the factories. So interesting my morning there. Always surrounded by Indian influences,so many students from there, then an ayurvedic center where I shared my visions with the therapist and finally having a roti in a nice local place. My desires of India just increasing and increasing. Actually, the thought of "being prepared" has already been removed. So glad of it.Anyway, afternoon liming at home with all the kids, playing games, showing them what traveling was, what I did, my guide, my flags...they were all astounded. One of them was looking forward to having some money to do so. So so nice people in the house.
pics: the cocoa fruits at the UWI. The exportations of the Cocoa around the world from Trinidad. The ¨place¨ where everything took place, thanks Naailah. Myself enjoying so much (as always, specially in this situations).
Yes! Playing football back again. Since in Summer in Latvia!! With 5 trini girls here though.What memories from there and from school of course, doing always my personal "toque" with the ball which even I could scored goals and which nobody did in the school as powerful as mine haha Something that I could presume by that time. Anyway, I enjoyed nice quality moves, passing the ball underneath their legs or getting past through them in such nice ways haha The thing is...such a nice ambient, even with frisbee. But feelings were like been in India (soon..someday) all around the campus. Afterwards, on my way to catch a bus, I came across with some people doing Capoeira. I talked a bit to the mestre and he knew Indio!! The one who my cousins trained with (well known throughout the world). Then I went out at night in Arima, with the youngest (26) of the siblings in here. During the day was eating with CSers from here and from the Estates traveling around too. Funny zins mmm I got kicked from the same girl (the CS one) in both legs (I was playing avec pied nude) and..a mosquito got in my beard (web) and when I took it out, was already dead. So I could have ate it!! I felt with the power of the spider!!
pics: All flaaavours (was closed though). My local dish (danshe, jump sthg, and a baked potato refilled). My possible future hair change.
hey! sorry about this week delayed but..check it out! You'll now find videos in many old entries!! Hope you enjoy them and dont forget to post any comment if you feel like! C ya!
Right, after such an amazing day&night (went to bed about 5am) sharing&spreading love with lovely&lovable people everytime I just end up in Tobago! An afternoon serious swimming (to the showers) in Grand Anse before catching the flight and last local -already a bit watery local juices at the airport. I just got a public van and asked him if he could drop me off at the airport -as it's off road. Without any problem and just for 5 times the normal price, which eventually I gave even 10 times that -so guess how ridiculous it was, I was giving my passport without any other information of connecting, leaving, whatever in MQ they would have annoyed me I just tried the simplest way. Actually, all the "stucking" problems came in Tobago with the inmigration control asking me where I was going next every time and if I had an evidence of it. Which of course, after Colombia my answer was Bus Bus Bus. She left and after 20 mins of checking things she gave me everything back and I asked "something wrong?" so she apologised for that. Then the custom's officer, checking everything on my backpack and in my cloth bag and asking for every single thing "what for" (and myself asking him to repeat every single thing at least twice as he was talking so so so closed, no pronunciation at all). Afterwards to every single stamp of my passport, asking questions. Men..I know your job is such a boring shit and thanks to people like me at least makes it a bit funnier but...stop buggin'me!!
Conclusion, never be the last again.
A taxi driver -not a water one this time- asked me if I wanted a ride and I gave him a really serious NO for response, like "get away" (expecting my CSing to be there as she mentioned). But eventually, I had to come back to ask him how much for a ride. Pss I felt bad. Albeit he didnt noticed my mood before, but anyway, I apologised and explained what happened. Oh men, such a cool place she lives. I went to catch the sunset at the beach after checking out some ripe mangos on the tree outside for my later dinner.
There were supporters of booth political parties everywhere with red&white tshirts indistinctly and whereas Europe you get judged by who you vote to, here they were all partying together, like a small carnival, with small trucks, all sounding their horns, with flags, out of the cars..crazy! Even kids! Was pretty cool.
I had finally my mango smoothie while adding to it both sides of the mangoes and then their hearts just eaten and sucked. Soooooooo gooooooood ones!
About midnight my host, her roomate and her boyfriend arrived all tipsy from a party, they woke me up to join them and we share some laughs with a tea where I added to all of them a hint of cinnamon and ginger like those that I intend to add in life everytime x)
pics: Grand Anse in Grenada, where I swam all straight without any worries. Sunset NW Coast Tobago. The nice entry (like a hostel) to the kitchen of the house. video: Living the elecions. Dinner at home.
You know, my expectatives of Grenade were already really really high for the few people I came across before from there. However...didnt expect until that point of things being lined up.
I just started the day going to the seven sister falls hike where I was meant to go yesterday afternoon. At that moment, a couple were starting it with the only tour guide there. I just joined them. He was explaining so many things during the way, stopping on almost every single tree and plant and putting my knowledge up to date. He got impressed when he noticed I knew the Surrel (from Barbados).
We arrived to the main waterfall, there were two and the other 4 on the same river were all stepped up. It means, you need to make your way through the rocks to reach the top one and the going down by jumping. It sounded so cool. But! here is where the day completely changed (as I also was expecting to do the "Hash" -official hikes in the island where the point is finishing to have a beer and getting drunk eventually) thanks to an Italian guy I met there. He and his etiopian-italian wife were travelling around the world for 9 months already with their house on the water, their boat. They were this day going around the island with a hired taxi driver. I just joined them as they were going to a Grenadian Rhum distilery and to the Grenadian Chocolate Factory. Those things that can not be changed for any other plan.
We had a guided tour throughout the Rhum factory. All natural, no preservatives during the fermentation process. I just could not help it to ask for the sugar cane juice as there were ridiculous quantities of sugar canes there. But as it was stopped until Monday, they were not having it. The Rhum was being settled during the weekend, fermented and stuff. We had our unlimited degustation where the spicy one of just 25% alcohol was the best one. The other 69% and 75%, were not bad. But I was missing my unbeatable Neisson with sugar cane and lime squeezed hihi
The cocoa factory was closed but we went directly to the house of the owner where they make the chocolate, as the factory is all the process with the fruit and what we wanted of course was to sample, to taste, to enjoy the chocolate above all.
Our extremely kind, discret and safest ever driver -for an Island managed by knocking on the door get people coming out there and the owner in his pants asking sailing questions to us, like checking out if we were sailing in order to les us getting in. After checking times, measures and marine stuff, we got in. Ohhh men, I just went directly to some used trays with thick liquid chocolate. One of his workers even gave us parts of chocolate with the nibs inside (think not on sale) and chocolate bars. Soooooooo goood! I was having lunch, after my fishy roti for breakfast and two different mauby local juices, I was as an appetizer Rhum, as main dish Chocolate in all ways and the best was up to come!!
On the way back to St.George, isntead of the tipical steepy road that crossed the island from West to East we took the around one along the coast. Passing through Grenville and myself without paying any attention to what was going around, just talking to them everytime the taxi driver mentioned without any importance like...they make cane sugar juice in that place and..it wasn't me, it was the etiopian girl who already knew me as much as to stop him suddenly and going there. Oh men, here the day started again haha
All with laughs, getting more and more in bottles. Myself drinking it -as always- like water and pictures where we looked liked with a nice sugar high we discovered she also had in a frozen in her storage mixes!! Like tamarin with cane sugar juice or for first time the beetroot aka eggplant with canesugar juice too!! However, the success came when we discovered the "Bavoun day juice" with sugar cane too of course. The woman was all laughing as to explain its propierties, she was a bit shy, as they are much bigger&better than Viagra ones LOL
Damn it, just check the videos out. What a good feeling, with such nice people and with all the sweetness you can have in a day.
At dusk, they invited me to visit their house. Amaaaazing, have never seen such a boat like that well naturally decorated and with all needs and more. I just wanted to join them sailing at some point on the next months and hope I'll do. Their plans of destinations were a bit like mine but always easy so...I know we'll arrange something.
For first time too, and to celebrate such a HUGE enormous day, I tried beedi. But on the top of that, I just corrected myself of saying no instantly by one Yes! Why not! This is the perfect first time. They also shared with me they were working with saying Yes to everything. Then I explained them my italian "Ogni esperienza non fatta e una esperienza persa" and the Martinican one "Porquoi pas?". We enjoyed so much. What a nice feeling. What a esplendorous smile that I could not hide for the rest of my day. pics: My new friends. With Davide at the Chocolate Factory "cleaning" the trays. With Ilva, enjoying the sugar cane juice. The Grenadian monkeys. Myself looming up from the waterfall. Views from their house aka their boat. videos: Sugar Cane eeeverywhere. Sugar Cane Juice...only for us.
As in Barbados, 1st day is always wandering amongst the people and around the market. Checking where the local juices are and tasting the truly local food. Got on a van to the center of the island, to the rainforest. 1st stop: Annandale Waterfalls. My 1st bath in the island. Not only that though. They were "professional" national jumpers from the top of the waterfall and doing it without any style (that's why was original), just leaving themselves to be atracted by gravity. I saw also a praying mastin for first time in my life!! Such a big insect! The stick one we had at home in MQ was nothing compared to it. I could see Rhianon saying "OH NO!" if one like that would have break in her place haha Pura vida! (soon, Costa Rica) Anyway, waiting for other van to keep going deeply to the center of the island to the Grand Etang National Park, someone came singing pretty nice lyrics, with love content. Finally arrived beside me and finished singing with YES RASTA! and expressing his love to the Rastafarism. We started a chat. Then a van arrived with only a place for one. I let him taking it, I did not have any hurry but he invited me to go with him too. People squeezed and we fit in (not like when we were 20 ppl in a 15 places van going down from Mesopotamia in St.Vincent to the capital, which wheels were really stinking due to the overweight, as they were being "burned"). The thing is, when he passed through where I was meant to stop and he asked (to someone like me) but the rasta replied saying no so I did not pay attention and being aware of it, I knew I was heading to extreme East of the island, albeit that was what eventually I wanted. Then there, was full of people, so many kids and teenagers with their uniforms, many fishermen, a truly village full of life on the streets. Everybody there, worse ('better' should I say) than Naples. On my researching for local juice, a driver asked me where I wanted to go, then I answered with the truth while checking I was the last passenger needed to fill in the van. So..not to waste more time and conscious I`d have my juice in downtown I took the van back to the Park. The visitor's centre closed one hour before than usual so I just lime there with the locals who were working in the bars. I had a fruit punch made with local pineapple, orange and lime juices and of course, Grenadian rhum. For 1st time in my life also (wow so many 1st things today, eh?), 70 !!! No, no Farenheit degrees, alcohol in a drink! The point was, I had to ask her to put me a bit more of it on the punch as I couldnt feel it at all haha -So Rous, your bday was remembered in a way you should have liked it ,D Then hitchhiking was the only chance of going back to downtown as all the vans departure always full. So..unless somebody was dropped off before -rare, I would not be able to jump in. Solution, thumb up! 5 mins a 4by4 stopped. They were the organizers and the owners of Grenada Adventures!! And they were telling me about the River tubing adventure, which will take place at the moment of my plane leaving on Sunday. Thus..Grenada, wait me to come back!
p.s: today apart from my 30th anniversary of my cousin also has been the 30th bday of PacMan!! Also, 1st time I play my music somewhere (on the laptop while writing) so happy for my present&future time (as my mp3 remained somewhere in MQ I guess, which is definetely the last sign of my need of music while living -after the Canada success).
pics: Annandale Waterfall. The praying mantis. Sunset from Fort. S.George. video: Professional jumpers (mantis included) at the Waterfalls
oh men! cant believe who I went to the dancefloor with when I arrived to Grenada! A CSer like Ilaria invited me to dance some salsa and then the song of "todo aquel que se piense que la vida no es desigual, debe de saber que no es asi, que la vida es una hermosura, hay que vivirla" started to be played. It was like being in "Voglia di volare alto" (the spectacle I did in Perugia) again. Oh men, such a sweet thing, always smiling, enjoying it...like Ila. Anyway, all this came up after a day in Carriacou, where I went to the North across Belvedere Hill to Windward and I remained talking to locals while crossing paths full of goats, really nice, like the houses there. And then, views from Cherry Hill, awesome! In the capital also everybody with no local juice saying I was not going to find it but of course, hoho I did! I actually mixed pineapple-mango-orange-grapegruit. So good. Afterwards to the South, in Tyrrel bay. More time with locals there. Liming&liming. Pretty nice island, where also a woman told me to applied for a job in a school as she realized I dont know how I was a Spanish teacher and that I'd definitely get a job there. I'd think about it I told her. Then in the island of Grenada, my CSer really kind and also liming the whole evening til we went out in her terrace. Coming back to the beginning, also on the dance floor, a guy like Kompae&Ramoncin together of an unknown age too (that's for you Ruben) and then other "personaje" dancing in a really particular way like Jeroen de Groot from Holland in Latvia. Oh men.
pics: Leaving Union Island. Petit Martinique on the back. Panoramic view of the capital of Carriacou.
oh men, amazing swimming&diving just a cote of the turtles. Little little cute ones. Then bigger ones feeding theirselves with the seamoss and all! just a few cm from myself! With a perfect vision from swimming pool gogles and elevating my head out of the water like the turtles..everything could be seen. The ride was funny. The sea a bit wavy but nothing compared to the rough ones from Dominica to Martinique or from St. Lucia to Martinique. Always after the music festivals. I just replied him when he asked me if I was afraid that I have done it already several times, in Caribbean waters too >P I met a bit deeper my new friend Maxine, who was born just a week after me!! Astrological things apart, she had seen more world than I, in the sense..already mother of 2 children, of ages 6 and 4. I like she talked to eeeeverybody she came across without any prejudge. Part of the caribbean culture -doing my best on it). The Swiss couple also did a similar tour, but in a catamaran with the tipical old french grou. I didnt see any point on joining them, starting for supporting a local guy, going with a local girl through each island and best of all, it's me who sets the time, not others. This is fundamental. Oh, and price even better than the Cata. Had enough with the cata trips mentioned at the start haha Furthermore, we stopped at Mayreau and Palm Island. So...6 for the price of one arquipelago!!
Starting the day with local fruit punchs consisting in Banana, Mango & Papaya basically I just started walking til the road ended while in&out beaches with only a few locals. Also one kid saying "it's Jesus, it's Jesus!" while giving me his hand without stopping, he was like.. amazed! I didnt know if saying something like "keep the faith" or doing any cross sign or other bible things but I didnt want to believe it so much so I just smiled. I also called Ruben for first time on my way back of the lonely, empty road and we put up to date a bit. Then I kept on walking to the other side of the island where big historic pond was. And of course, amazing beaches with noooooo one on them. I spent the rest of the evening talking to another juice maker, where we exchange spices that I had for juices, she also offered me a piece of sweet potato cake...and 1st time I had mango or passion fruit juice with nutmeg, cane sugar and some other spice more may be. Sooo goood! Really nice people. For dinner I made a new friend who was working there as a waiter and also arranged my way to go to the Tobago Kays with a friend of her who had a water taxi. Much better, freer and cheaper than the catamaran organized tours. That was a thing for the Swiss couple who were going there too. pic1: the biggest&cleanest one ever seen pic2: in&out beaching pic 3: views from the empty road
Oh yesterday night, I have to start from here. Comin'out from writing the blog, upstairs there was somebody singing and playing the guitar. A guy on the streets told me not to miss the chance and go there. So I did that. I just asked for local juices -my only important thing to know. They didnt have. So I left the place, but! while I was doing it, an old woman was stopping me asking me why I entered just like that, without doing anything..."have a sit and have something" my silence of..Im not gonna spend any money in this place, she continued "I invite you, French or English?" Then I said, the one you want -if you invite xP. So I took a place and the 1st thing she started doing was making negative critics of my beard while I explained the reason of it apart from I like it of course. But there was a nice English-Grenade guy there, so I started talking to him and I did that all the time. Explaining me about his origins, about the tipical f* paper that you have to fill for inmigration even been a citizen of the place, stuff like that. At least he understood all the stuff from my beard. The woman stayed with that like the half an hour that I spent there. She said to the waiters something like.."put him a big sandwich that he's been ages since he last ate" I said for myself damn it, I could go to bed now perfectly with all the juices and stuff that I had but..if you insist..yes yes yes! XD Apart from that, keep on dreaming everyday (thinking about making a valentindreams blog aside). The thing is..this time was a serious one, where I discussed -in a nice way of course, with another assistant my point of views in life about loving one person against the promiscuity which she relied on and practiced. I remember giving some arguments and stuff and having different point of views. Anyway, just ways of thinking-acting that even dreaming come up. Apart from this peculiar night, the trip in ferry was OK. Had to come back to St. Vincent and then the mail one to Union Island where I met a couple of Swiss guys who were going around the world for 9 months (or they have already been). So cute, all the time doing lovely things each other like they have been together only for 9 days instead of a baby gestation time. But they were traveling with not too much worries in money as far as I could see, Switzerland.. they will suicide at some point LOL
Pronounced "Beq way". Oh what an island, what good vibes, local juices (I had today 2 Passion fruit, 1 golden apple, 1 lemonade, 1 mubay, 1 mango and my home made almond-bitter lemon with clave). All day wandering around the island from the capital to the South where nobody was walking but single locals. Also a guy asked me if I was muslim, and he explained very bad reasons If I were so, what he could do with them. Not my business I just agreed with his faith too while drinking my juice. Oh! And the Pumpkin Chocolate Cake for breakfast..amazing! Then a guy in the Southest village on my way to the MoonHole (where everything was abandoned and only a couple of guys with really dirty "security" t-shirts were there just to say "its a private propierty, but you can get in") asked me "where`s your wife?" my what? -I replied. Your fiancee -he said, well..Im alone, Im single you can see it -I replied back. Then he started offering me to get married with some locals and he end up offering me some grass -may be as a way of comprenhension of my status. Anyway, I felt at the beginning such a nice sensation like in Corcula (Croatia). Then like Elba (Italy). Afterwards like Les Santes in Guadeloupe and finally...uniquement the proper Grenadine island of..Bequa!! So romantic, I dont know. Think all of them are gonna be in that way, smaller, less populated and of course, even nicer and friendlier if they can be. An opened ceiling taxi driver gave me a lift for free on my way back from the South til the Capital and then I went up to the highest peak of the island to catch the sunset. The Grenadines have just started!! pic: Bequia's flag pic2: sunset from the highest point in the island video: a plane landing closeby
Yes, helpXing is has not the range as wwoofing but is more.. doing a bit of everything. Specially in terms of..whatever, like carpintery, plumbering, gardening, cleaning, teaching.. well, that was basically what I did. Oh! Apart from delicious Wax Apples, I tried for first time a Plum Role, or some kinda plum like that. Sooo good too! Like a pear-wax apple, dunnou how do describe it. Never seen it before. Anyway, days here passed by reaally whole time for myself. Sleeping from dusk til dawn. Dreaming, so much everyday! So different and...dunnou looks like all that I havent dreamed in Martinique, here turned up. Since I left, eevery night. Anyway, feelings apart the most enjoyable was how canny the little kid was. "Little monkey" her mum called him. He was all day doing things, jumping, getting fruits..I liked the 'examination' he made the 1st day identifying brushes and plants. I failed 2 out 8 I think, which I completely ignored like the Elephant Brush. Wasnt bad haha Then her old sister defined herself as anti social and his brother 17yr old (both with exams) all day in youtube. So..peculiar. The mum non stop doing things, always "next", "next" with enough reason, sooo many to do in there. Also all day speaking in booooooring flammish between them, which its not the amazing Dutch, is aaaall the opposite. But I had enough so I left the day before expected hoping to get a nice day in my next place, the 1st of the Grenadines!! pics: my breakfast plantains with Curry&Curcuma yuuum in da house! and its views
Well, apart from being like 20 mins waiting at the airport for the security aduan agents sorting out about the people who I was gonna be with (if I knew it I would have invent it as always the place Im staying and stuff, but.. u know, its just a matter of principles of not lying, but they are encouraging me more&more to do that and I start to like it and make my own story of the trip when they keep on asking. The thing is..if Im tired, Im pretty vulnerable lol) -as I was telling them that it was a guy, and it was a woman. Well anyway, some funny misunderstoods, but all the time like..dont worry, dont worry about anything. And.. how do u want me to be worried, I have just started my trip, Im coming to Barbados, Im gonna be HelpXing and..I have such an amazing trip going through my mind. Airport apart, the morning I spent with my host mother&sister in the capital. What a crazy market, life in the street, everybody shouting..well, like St.Lucia but more.. (exagerated). The place was sooo far away from everything, on the top of a Mountain in a zone called "Mesopotamia" as there were used to be rivers in there. They have their own climax there. Always fresh, with clouds around and nice 4 dogs in the house. Soooooo many things to do apparently of restauration. But I was seeing the rest of my time there just stuck, just for myself. Somehow..I wanted that already. Time for thinking. Time for reflecting. Time for blue book.
pic: Arriving in St. Vincent. Kingstown (the capital) back on the left. video: rainy sunset sky. The house.
Right the plan today was going completely around the island: W, N & W to come back home (South). In the West I had the Sugar Cane Factory museum, which stopped graining last Sat -only feb-may- but actually my intention was having a Bajan cane sugar juice, which I got, I tried and tested it (not bad). I'd got a ride from a very religious guy who everytime he lead some words to me he touched my leg like completely truths what he was saying. I had to nod if I want to get to my destination. But it was funny, as when he opened the door, he mentioned Bin Laden. The next ride to the up North, was from a woman who had the windown opened on a junction so I asked her if she was going there and she wanted to know exactly where, but I did not even know that. Finally so kind, he took me to her favourite place in the North, which was completely opposite side of her house. However, better on if it could be, on my way back South to somewhere as the bust had already past when she left me there and there was a car/hour there, the ambulant icre cream seller with his music of happy birthday and similars with that midi sound stopped and pick me up until the door of the place I was going!! Isn't incredible? How can? I mean. I told him first I was going to a city on the West to catch a bus to the East. Well, he just took me there exactly to the place. To the farm of my cs friend who I volunteered with and who's boyfriend was the Rasta guy that I was so keen on meeting from the very first moment I started my research of CSers in the island. Anyway, an amazing, I'd say my best organic home made vegetarian dinner I've ever had in my life (check out FB pics at the end of the month for the ingredients). Also watering the eggplants, tomatoes, lettuces, brocolis..they had there and with really nice kittys, dogs, horses... and the place, oh the little house, somehow I felt back again on the borders between France and Italy, at Ciara's. The best though, sharing with all the rastafaris there our philosophy, our thoughts of life and stuff. Such nice vibes :)))
pic: the house where everything happened at the end...Ill be back! pic2: prehaps they were aware I was comin*even up far North video: views of the East Coast close to the National Park, where the ice cream seller took me to show me around
First to an amazing house in the center of the island with astuning views of the West Coast and with a swimming pool like ladera where I stayed with Giovanni in St.Lucia. Such a nice plan for retired people there, but a bit passive may be.
The thing is, afterwards we went on that hike with a group like Gino's ones in Martinique and it was really full of vegetation. We even passed through a little cave with bats! Quite cool. The guide was also explaining a bit of history and stuff.
The best came at the end when I came across with a farm where they had goats and cows. Amaazing, I could stayed there for a while talking to the owners. Their milk though, uff no words. Just drank there like a liter between both on my way back home with a couple of hikers. pic: views from the house video: crossing the cave with the bats and in the little farm
De Roncesvalles a Santiago de Compostela, Manuel Rivero.
El buscador de Sueños.
Utopian dreams.
First time around the World.
El monje que vendió su Ferrari.
La guía del perfecto soltero.
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