There is something magical about Barbados.

I could never understand why Kenny wants to return to the same destination year after year, holiday after holiday. After all, there are so many places to see in the world!

Kenny, being wiser than I assumed him to be, went along with my whim. For 3 Christmas holidays, we tried something new - Maya Rivieria, Kauai, St. Lucia. Each had its own charm and it's own drawbacks. What they did was making me miss Barbados. So we came back.

This is the morning after our arrival. As I sit underneath the shady neem tree on the terrace of our favorite breakfast spot along the coastal road, I am finally starting to understand the spell this island holds on us.

Like most of our peers, Kenny and I lead busy lives. Our nerves are like strings pulled taut, sounding out various tunes our daily lives demand - a tune for customers, a tune for co-workers, a tune for Revenue Canada (cannot resist this one), tunes for people whose lives are dependent or interconnected with ours. So for the precious few days we call vacation, what we crave is the complete unwinding of those tired strings so that we can expect another year out of the instrument. This island is the magical piece that does it for us.

First of all, let me say that playing tourists is something Kenny and I really dislike. Both Maya Riviera and St. Lucia were inclusive deals. Although the hotels were high end, it felt artificial. I cannot pinpoint the source of this feeling - was it the lavishly-decorated lobby, the absence of a kitchen, the hotel -look-and-feel of the room, the constant presence of staff, or the restraining feeling of the hotel compound. It just does not feel like..., home.

Barbados is different. It is almost like a second home for Kenny and I. When we come, we live like local people. We usually rent a fully -functional condo and a car. We shop where the locals shop and cook our own food. We get in our car and go explore. Sometimes we get lost - as Barbados has probably the worst-marked road systems int eh whole world! But most times we are so familiar with the little routes and roundabouts that we can navigate without relying on any signs. We know all the best-kept local secrets and we have friends who live here.

But what makes it so special is a few other things, that can not be created by men. Firstly, weather. I don't think you can find a tropical island with more reliable weather than Barbados. Sunny is the main theme, with a lovely breeze all day long. Of course there is rain but the rain rarely persists for longer than an hour or two. When it rains,it would pour. Then 20 minutes later, the sun is out and roads start to steam. Within another 20 minutes, you couldn't eve tell it had rained just now - everything is dry. Day time temperature is around 30 but with the breeze, it is not too hot. It cools down a bit at night, making it comfortable to sleep. I still remember being rained out 50% of our stay in St. Lucia and 30% in Hawaii. But Barbados - it gives you almost 100% good weather (always around Christmas). Then there is the sea. Crystal clear turquoise colored water is found on almost every single beach all over the island. One hardly needs a beach guide. Just drive down the road and follow one of the public beach access sign and you will not be disappointed. The sand in Barbados is true white sand, fine like sifted flour, so soft under the feet. Some beach extends gently out to the coral reef. You can walk out really far and still be able to stand. This is something I didn't find on the other 3 islands. The beach at Mexico was choked with brown seaweed, which the hotel gathered and piled into mounds every single day using large tractors. The beaches in Hawaii was a hit and miss. Some more beautiful than others. But the water was too cool to swim in, around Christmas time. Not to mention the danger of running into sharks! St. Lucia had perhaps the most similar condition ocean-wise but for some reason the water was murky. Then there is the development status of the island. Barbados has the same amenities as one would expect from any town in Canada. When we go to a shop, we could buy what we have access to back home, whereas in Mexico we were advised to never leave the compound and St. Lucia is not as advanced as Barbados in average living standard. Then let me not forget about the people. Local Bajans are a special kind of people. They have African ancestors are usually black. They as the most relaxed, kind-hearted and fun-loving people I know. It it hard not to become like one of them once you have stayed on the island for a couple of weeks. Then there is the birds, the flowers, the trees, the wonderful cuisine, the fascinating scenes... I cannot capture everything in this short little blog. But if I could choose to have a home anywhere in the world, this would be one of my choice destinations.

I am so glad I returned, after experimenting with other spots. I know better now. I know the magic the island holds and I am fortunate enough to be immersed in it for a few precious days.

Watership down!

We woke up to a cloudy sky with some hints of morning sun behind the thinner spots in the sky. We got ready for golf nonetheless - as long as there was no water coming down from heaven, we would venture out to the golf course. On the way to the Regency, the clouds thickened and raindrops on the windshield became bigger and bigger. It was obvious that we couldn't play today. So we went for breakfast at Armando's instead.

Lobby at Grande - where we wait for the shuttle

We were the first guests there - not too many people would get up at 7:30 for breakfast when they are on vacation. We had the place all to ourselves and picked the most romantic table in the place - on a balcony at the edge of the cliff. Unfortunately winds picked up and we were getting damp on the balcony with all sides open. While we enjoyed our breakfast, we kept gazing up and hoping there would be a clear patch in the sky. No such luck. The rain clouds continued to roll in over the resort. The distant sea horizon has all but disappeared behind a grey curtain. As if to tease us, rain paused just before 10 - time to catch the shuttle back. We ventured out to the pro shop but the lady in the pro shop took one look and said she simply couldn't send anyone out before 12. We were as disappointed as Shervy but we knew the lady was right.

Since we just missed the shuttle, we decided to take a cab back to the Grande. We were picked up in a van and started out into the rain. Our driver is a grumpy man in his 50's. He used to be a policeman but quit the force 15 years ago and took up a new profession. We went down the mountain road outside the Regency and saw a large lineup of traffic into Castries. The driver started to complain about the traffic jam and asked if we would be interested to take the back roads. We agreed to venture out so he turned the van around and started to go up in the mountains.It was our closest encounter with the typical St Lucian neighborhood. Narrow roads meander through the lush mountain, barely enough to fit two cars. What amazed us was that there were cars parked on these narrow roads, cramping the passage even further. The houses are constructed right beside the road. If we reached out from the window of the van, we would touch them. Most houses are built on stilts and the space underneath became a multi-purpose opening, some to shelter a car, others for plants and even some for clothe lines! Some houses have a wall around it's foundation. Our driver told us he couldn't afford to put up a wall around his house and the heavy rain from Hurricane Tomas eroded his foundation. I suddenly understood where some of his grouchiness came from. While our daily grinds might be a weary day at work, a troublesome customer or even the sight of a new white hair, what plagues many people in a developing nation are worries at a much more existential level. Just by being born or living in a developed world, many of us automatically ascend Maslow's pyramid and how easily it is to take that for granted! Meanwhile the rain thickened and the small flow in the storm drains on the side road has become a little roaring river, gushing angrily downwards. I heard the first rumbling thunder ever in the tropics. By now Kenny and I are clutching hard at the handle bar beside our seats and gazing intently at the road ahead. I prayed that the van is well maintained - at this steep slope one would hinge a lot of reliance on a good brake system . The roads under us was shielded in a large sheet of shiny moving water and in my mind's eyes I could just see us being washed down into the deep, lush, vine-covered ravines. 15 minutes' of nerve-wrecking driving finally brought us to a section of the road that has been washed out by the rain and proved an impasse. We were only too glad that we had to turn round and go back to town. The prospect of traffic jam pales in annoyance compared to a ride on a Lucian mountain road in a rain storm. The road back was just as threatening, if not more so. I remember closing my eyes to shut out the terror.

It is hard to describe my relief when the van finally poked out into one of the side streets in Castries after what seems to be a black diamond slope. We asked the driver to stop at the bank so we could get some cash. Kenny didn't want to get any U.S. cash before our departure, as I adviced him to do. So he finds himself cash-poor on the island. It is almost ridiculous that Sandals has no banking machine. I think it is the only hotel we have been to that does not have an ABM or currency exchange services. There are two types of currency used on the island - U.S. dollars or E.C. dollars (East Caribbean), a currency used by of eight of the nine members of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. At the time of our visit, the exchange rate was 1 U.S to 2.67 E.C. The driver took us to a Scotiabank and let Kenny off the van. We couldn't find any parking spot so we just circled the block. I looked at the crowd of local people hiding under the eaves of the shops in Castries and wondered if they would frown at the famous Scotiabank jingle: you are richer than you think. The town is very crowded - obviously many people were trying to do last-minute shopping before Christmas and were caught by the heavy rain. The grey sky and unrelenting rain somehow dimmed the brightness of the pre-holiday capital.

We only had to circle the block once and when we returned to Scotiabank, Kenny was out already. The driver quickly reminded us to place the dripping umbrella carefully on his rubber mat in order not to soil the seats. We felt more like kindergarten kids than customers, being told what to do and not to do. Soon the root of the driver's frustration emerged - he has had some very critical customers, tourists who would nickpit on the cleanliness of the van, tourists who would put their dirty shoes against the back of the fabric seat, or one lady who took off her sandals and tried to smash a mosquito on his window. We quickly get the idea that tourists are a misbehaving bunch in this driver's mind and we are guilty until proven innocent. Sigh. Thankfully the ride was only 45 minutes long and we already missed our shuttle badly - the drivers of the shuttles are always cheerful and genuinely so. I guess for some, the cup will always be half empty. I love that saying Kenny likes to repeat: the difference between an adventure and an ordeal is attitude. But then, maybe it would be easier to have a good attitude when you don't have to worry about the foundation of your house being washed away by rain and not have the money to fix it.

We had a quick lunch at Bayside. The hot chicken soup was wonderful after a wet morning. But what we relished more was the kind smiles of the staff at the Grande. Since it was Christmas Eve, there was a large turkey being carved and served. Kenny swore it was the most tender turkey he has ever had in his life and he managed to eat 3 servings! To top it off, he also found some chocolate chip cookies that he claimed were the best he had in his life (they were so moist that they fell apart in your hands). I secretly wondered how he would burn off the extra calories since we didn't golf that morning.

That afternoon we visited the Soon Come Back desk to see what we could arrange for our returning visit in December 2011. We were greeted by a nice young man by the name of Sheriq. He has the patience of a saint as we asked for all sorts of details about various room types. He also took us on a tour to see the different rooms again. We discovered new areas of the resort that we had never set foot in before - quiet pools and gardens where few frequent, little paths winding their way through the rondoval huts to the beach, even shortcuts to the building we were staying in. In many ways, the design of the Grande reminds me of the intricate gardens of Eastern China, like the ones found in the city of Su Zhou. You can never predict what is beyond the next doorway, or what you would see if you peek around a weeping willow.

Beach at Regency

Towards the evening rain stopped and sunlight poked through thick clouds. We seized the opportunity to have our dip in the sea before dinner. The water is cooler than usual, from the day's rain, but all the more refreshing. The waves were stronger, probably as strong as it gets on the beach there. More people ventured into the sea and tries to ride the waves. The people sitting in the floating discs were being tossed around by the waves. We swam out quickly beyond the place where the waves break. This was the perfect spot to be. We could see waves rolling in - horizontal gold line moving closer from the horizon. The peak of the waves lifted us high up gently, where we could gaze down at huts on the beach. We watched in amusement as the waves crashed onto the beach and caught people unexpected - their cots were underwater for a second and their sandals displaced to unknown locations. One lady thought the wave took her wedding rings. After much panic, the ring was recovered - sitting safely in her pouch.

That night we returned to Mario's. It was, by far, one of the most amazing restaurants we have experienced in all our dining adventures. And yet again, we were swept away by the explosion of flavors the dishes present. We know now the first great dining experience at Mario's was not a fluke. Marios, indeed, was a gem.

Finally - sun!

We woke up to a clear tropical dawn with few clouds. I immediately dragged Kenny out of bed to go golfing. Since the island is experiencing unusual amount of rain, I wasn't going to waste any sunny mornings in bed - plenty of time to hibernate when we go back to freezing Ottawa for another 3 months of winter. Shervy was waiting for us and we teed off right away. The course was wet from the previous day's rain but we didn't mind. We followed in Shervy's steps to avoid the puddles on the fairway. It was a great 9-hole game except this time Kenny lost. Usually Kenny refuses to walk the course. He always preferred the cart. However, the interesting and beautiful landscape on this golf course had a subtle effect on him. He didn't mind walking, even though some of the slopes are very steep and I began to see stars after climbing one of them. It was a fun game.

We knew Toscanini's closed at 10 am so if we took the 10 am shuttle we would miss breakfast at the Grande. We inquired at the pro shop and found out there was an Italian restaurant called Armando's that serves breakfast a la carte until 11 am. So after the game we took the mini-shuttle to Armando's. And what a find! Armando's sits high on a bluff, with an open view of the Atlantic ocean below. At this height, the sea looked waveless and vast. To the left there is a cliff jutting out and we watched the sea crashing into a million pieces on the sharp edges of the black rock. The breath-taking view was complemented by great food. I had the Toscanini Grill with a nice thick slice of ham, bacon, sausages, eggs and baked beans. Kenny enjoyed his Toscan sunrise which is a form of eggs Benedict. We gazed out to sailboats gliding on the horizon in the azure sea as we enjoyed our breakfast leisurely.

Armando's - best seats

We finished just in time to catch the 12 pm shuttle back to the Grande. We headed straight to the sea to wash off the mud splatter on our legs. The warm salty water felt amazing on our slightly sun burnt skin. We swam to our heart's content and relaxed in the round float for a long time. Afterwards Kenny was so tired he swore that if he didn't lie down he would just die. But when I told him I was going to take a lesson from the black pro at the resort (since Kenny was too tired to play tennis with me), he sprung out of bed and said he would go play. There are two tennis courts at the Grande, close to the entrance of the property. The courts are clay and in excellent condition. They re also well lit at night for 24 hour access. The pro was playing with a good player in one of the courts and we snickered to ourselves when we thought about their disgust at our horrible skills. In fact it only took us about 20 minutes to warm up, after which we ere able to keep up a decent rally. We played a set and Kenny beat me 5 to 1. I didn't mind losing. I thoroughly enjoyed the game and towards the end, our match was actually getting quite intense. We were both drenched in perspiration - nothing a good steam bath wouldn't fix. We took a long shower and freshened up for the night. By now both of us were so fatigued we could hardly walk down the stairs!

We took the shuttle to the Halcyon to dine at the Pier restaurant. It is one of the highly acclaimed restaurants on the island of St Lucia. It is so named because the restaurant is located at the end of a pier extending into the sea. From the inside, it is a spacious hall with high ceilings and windows all around. Tables for two are romantically placed beside the windows with a view of the sea or the beach. The center of the restaurant is a raised platform with many tables and large armchairs. We asked to be seated on the platform and immediately sank our tired bodies into the softness of the cozy chairs with a sigh of content . The Pier serves Caribbean food. We had something called "seafood chwayze" for appetizer. It is a delicious mix of cooked or limed seafood: shrimps, scallops, calamari and mussels, served over a crunchy seaweed salad with a delightful citrus dressing in a martini glass. Kenny was not adventurous enough to try anything else but ordered exactly what I had. For the first time we tasted conch, in the form of chowder. The conch has the texture of calamari but with a stronger flavor and darker color. Kenny used to joke when I order calamari that I would be eating eraser. I guess you can call conch tastier erasers. I read that conch has the same nutritional value as abalone but only cost a fraction of the price. It is not a commonly found item in Ottawa but I have seen them in the new Chinese supermarket T&T. For our main course, we both had red snapper in Creole sauce. Desserts are served buffet style - not as fancy as a la carte desserts but not bad. One of the unique attractions of the Pier is the experience of the ocean. Since it was built on top of a pier, one can hear clearly the strong waves crashing into shore underneath the building. It makes a huge muffled thump, which at its loudest is accompanied by a distinct sensation of vibration in the building. Another romantic evening.

Seafood Chwayze

Rain - an excuse to eat more

A tropical storm hit the island during the night and rain was in the forecast. When we got up, we saw a few clear patches in the sky amidst ominous black clouds. Not willing to forgo any chance to golf, we got dressed and went to catch the shuttle. When we got to the main lobby, it started to pour and we reluctantly retired to our room.

We went back to Toscanini's for breakfast. Our waitress Julita was waiting for us and we had another great chat. Julita was fascinated with my iPhone. We noticed the wireless infrastructure on the island was more than adequate. Cable and Wireless (now known as LIME) used to dominate the market. Little did they expect the intrusion of a new entrant - Digicel. With two large players in the market, the wireless scene became more interesting and affordable. Blackberry has a huge influence on the island and we saw BB ads all over the place, compared to iPhone ads. It was a comforting sight since the company I work for has been recently acquired by RIM. We sat in front a large casement window and rain pelted hard against it. It was obvious that there was no hope at all for golf that day.

Mimosa for breakfast - Toscanini's

After breakfast, we went to he billiard room and played another game of snooker. I won the game because Kenny scratched on the black ball. We went back to our room and were lured into a light slumber by the rhythm of the rain. It was a good day to browse the boutiques and do some shopping. I always find beautiful outfits and accessories when I travel. After all, Ottawa is government town, not a shopping paradise. The boutique was small but I managed to find a very thin white linen blouse. I have been searching for such a blouse for a while and was glad to have it.

What are the highlights on a rainy day? Eating! We decided to give Bayside another try for lunch. Luck has it that every Wednesday Bayside has an oriental theme. I was amused to see the bamboo curtains erected with large Chinese characters pasted on them like "luck" and "happiness". The food was surprisingly good, even to my discerning Chinese pallet. Pork ribs, chicken teriyaki (which actually resembled tandoori chicken a lot), sweet and sour pork, fried rice, beef and chicken stir-fry and mouth-watering halibut steaks fried right on the spot. We were safe from the rain in the restaurant. So were the birds. Some smart birds have figured out a way to cheat the net around the restaurant and find their way in. Once inside, they shook their little body to get rid of the water and they looked really funny with their feather all puffed up. As soon as they are dry, they go for the sugar on the table.

After lunch we tried our luck at the beach. The concierge has reserved another cabana for us that day from 2 to 6 pm. We went to check out the condition on the beach and was disappointed to see that all the cabanas were extremely wet and the sea was too murky from all the rain. We didn't want to go for a swim in the murky water so we opted for something dry - the gym. I guess there are all kinds of vacationer. We see people standing around in the big pool all day and just keep drinking all day. The pool staff were always organizing some fun and silly games - like tying a canister of ping pong balls behind your back and see who can shake out the most number of balls in the least amount of time by jigging violently. There was lively music playing all day long so never a bore moment around the pool. But Kenny and I are made of different material, I guess, and we start to feel very sluggish if we don't move around. The gym which was very well equipped and again, air-conditioned. I ran on the treadmill and Kenny used the stationary bike. We felt so much better after a good workout and a hot steam bath - the effects of the rain is shaken off.

We dropped in to see the staff at the concierge office, whom we have befriended by now. They took us on a tour to see some other rooms on the premise. We have fallen in love with this beautiful island and the luxury vacation Sandals has to offer and we wanted to return on our next vacation. Mihail was a nice young man from east Europe, doing his internship at the Grande. He showed us the one-bedroom suite, the rondoval and the presidential suite, all of which come a butler. The Grande is the best resort Kenny and I have experienced. It has all the vacation elements we seek: hot weather during Christmas time, lush surroundings, great golf, a calm and beautiful beach, no kids, fantastic services and don't forget, amazing food. It is not easy to find this combination but we found it at the Grande!

After checking out the rooms, we went to Josephine's to enjoy some desserts. The tennis court was unfortunately still wet from the rain so we couldn't play. But we could always eat! Josephine's makes the most amazing chocolate crepe and it has become a daily staple for Kenny. They are also famous for their milkshakes, which we also sampled. The sun has broken through the thick clouds by now as we sat back and watched it set over Rodney Bay.

For dinner we decided to go to a restaurant at the Halcyon as we kept running into couples who raved about them. We took the shuttle to the Halcyon and checked out the two a-la-carte restaurants: Mario's and the Pier. Both were highly acclaimed but since Mario's would be closed the following day, we decided to go there. What a cute little place! If you weren't looking, you wouldn't even find it. It was located at the back of the Bayside restaurant behind a wooden door. When you go in and close the door, you could mistaken yourself for being in Italy. The decor, layout and wall color all are very European. The restaurant is not very large but cozily set with tables for two and candle lights. What Mario's is famous for is the antipasti buffet. And what a buffet! The chef is apparently very skilled and pours his heart into his work. We saw some of the most elaborate antipasti dishes we have ever seen: eggs aurora sauce, meat al tonno, eggplant piazza, grilled veggies, baby crayfish and on and on and on. I have never experienced antipasti of this variety and quality before, absolutely nowhere. We regretted ordering any entree at all because it would be enough to just fill up on the delicious antipasti. The artichoke soup was amazing, too. It was definitely freshly made for I could taste the coarser fibres from the artichoke leaves in the soup. The chef put in a prawn tempura ring in the middle, which aided visually as well as palatially. I was very glad I only ordered a stuffed vegetable entree as I was very full after the soup. Kenny had snapper in lemon butter which was also fantastic. I don't know how he managed to eat dessert but when I tasted his creme brûlée, I immediately regretted not saving room for it!

Since we finished after 8:15, we has some time to kill before the next shuttle arrives at 9:15. We asked to see the rooms at the Halcyon. We were really impressed with Mario's and we were considering staying at the resort. The Halcyon is charming and has its own characters. The rooms are smaller and the highlights are in the beautifully-manicured gardens instead of the ocean. It lacked the ocean breeze and openness we love. So that was final - we love the Grande and we will just have o take the shuttle to get to the great restaurants Sandals has to offer!

Amazing antipasti buffet at Mario's

Sails and Kimono's

Finally - a great night's sleep! Kenny was a genius to figure out that "1" setting on the fan is actually the highest setting. When we put the fan on "4" and closed the balcony doors to keep the biting mosquitoes out, we slept like babies. For the first time on the island, I felt completely refreshed and rested.

At 6:15 we woke up and walked out onto the balcony into the beautiful morning glaze in the sky - it is a sunny day! We quickly dressed and caught the 6:45 shuttle to the Regency. We were the only two passengers at that hour of the morning and the island was still asleep. The road was almost empty and traffic moved at a good clip. We arrived around 7:30. Instead of eating breakfast, we decided to tee off right away. The pro shop staff recognized us and called out to Shervy, who promptly came out with his usual big smile. I have to say most people we met in St Lucia are truly happy. No one could put on a pretense for that long and with that much persistence.


We teed off into the morning sun, when the dewy mist was just lifting from the drowsy rain forest. I was having a bad game but a great day all the same. The air was warm and moist, the sun heating up our backs and Shervy was his usual sweet and attentive self. Kenny won the round that day and beat me by 7 strokes. We took full delight in appreciating the course in bright sunlight. Dew drops were still glistening on the bank of the ravines and leaves made a squishing sound under our feet when pressed into the wet meadow.


We walked back to the main lobby and had a quick coffee while waiting for the 10 am shuttle. The shuttle was very full as many people go to the Grande to use the calm beach. By10:45 we were back at the Grande. We had a proper breakfast at the Bayside and headed to the beach. Our concierge has reserved a cabana for us and we quickly found it, with a sign that said "Mr & Mrs Lauzon" hanging on the side. The cabanas are covered square huts along the beach. They are open on all four sides with white linen drapes that can be let down to keep out the sun. The large wooden platform in the hut are comfortably accommodating, with two lounge seats and plenty of room around all around. One can lay back in the cabana to enjoy the beach scenes without worrying about getting a sunburn. Cabana staff bustled about, taking food and drink orders for the guests. In this hot weather, all I wanted was water. I don't understand how Kenny could knock back glass after glass of fruit punch - one of his favourite Caribbean drinks with various types of fruit juices and an entire banana, made in a blender with ice.


It was a glorious day with blazing sun and the ocean is bluer than ever. I went for a very long swim and again felt extremely reluctant to leave the water. Meanwhile, Kenny dozed off after his morning golf victory and too many fruit punches. The wifi reception on the beach was amazingly good so I was able to check my emails and chat a bit with friends online. The cabana was reserved until 1 pm and we were sad to leave it. Oh well, another day.


I really wanted to try some wafer sports so we walked down to the dive shop and asked for a hobbie cat. A hobbie cat is a small catamaran with a sail. We have never tried it before so we asked for a lesson. Our instructor was an 18-year-old young boy names Jenai. Kenny wasn't too sure he wanted to learn how to sail so I took the initiative. Jenai showed me how to loosen and tighten the sail and how to steer the rudder. Although the hobbie cat was extremely simple to operate, it is however not easy to master. You have to always put your weight on the side where the wind comes from so you balance out the force on the sail. You have to angle your sail in such a way that it catches the wind, otherwise the cat would just stall. In strong winds, a tight sail gives more speed but when the wind is calm, you need to loosen it up if you want to go faster. All turns must be made in the counterclockwise direction with a very tight sail and you need to quickly shift to the opposite side of the cat before the turn is complete. All this while avoiding the boats docked in the bay and other cats and sea kayaks. It required full attention at all times and alertness. When we got to the middle of the bay, the wind started to blow in circles and even Jenai had trouble getting the cat to move in the right direction. I was so thankful that we had a guide as we would have been stuck in the middle of the ocean if we were by ourselves. Jenai told us this week two of the cats tipped over and they had to fetch the guests in a speedboat. It was quite an interesting experience.




Hobbie Cat sailing - not an easy feat


Fully exhausted after our sailing, we dropped in at Barefoot by the Sea and said hi to our kind waitress whom we met the day before, Tricia, and had a bite to eat. The pork ribs were scrumptious and even the potatoes tasted good for our ravenous appetites. Still covered in the saltiness from the sea, we went for the sauna again. The shower afterwards felt simply heavenly as we got ready to experience Kimono's at the Regency.


A light rain has started to fall and soon thickened. The Regency is the largest resort on the island and there are mini-shuttles that transport guests between the main lobby and the many restaurants on the premise. Kimono's is built on the side of the mountain in the true fashion of a Japanese cabin. It features traditional Japanese table cooking. We were sat at a table with 4 other couples and quickly got to know the two beside us - Jeff and Karim, two newly-weds from Chicago. About 70% of the people we met at Sandals were there for their honeymoon. Looking at them made Kenny and I feel somewhat old. Our chef is a local man who has the most wicked sense of humour. All night he was doing tricks, juggling knives and spatulas in the air and tossing all sorts of food and catching them with laser precision. He also played a game with our new-found friend Jeff where Jeff had to catch a piece of egg that he throws at him. He made up a name for Jeff - Eduardo. He nicknamed another guest "Sensei Grasshopper". He was really more entertaining than many comics I have seen. At one point, he brought out a cup of "magic" (suspect it was just zambuka), lit it on fire and started eating it. He then lit up the shrimps and pineapple rings to sear them. He advised us not to try it at home with a very straight face. He said that's how he became black for he used to be Japanese! I laughed so hard I had tears rolling down my face! I cannot remember the last time that I had such a great Japanese meal. By the end of the night, I have picked up his motto "nice" with a very exaggerated "Ni" sound. It was just really "NNNNNICE".


Our comedian chef

Golf, Sea and Tropical Romance

Another night's fidgety sleep and we were up at 6:15. We quickly showered and donned our golf attires - today we will try out the golf course at the Regency. Just before we left the room, the phone rang. It was Mike, the Mountie from Vancouver, telling us he plan to join us for golf that morning. We got to the hotel lobby where the shuttle departs many times a day, the first of which leaves at 6:45.

We arrived at the Regency just before 7:30 and we decided to have some breakfast before the game. The Pavilion restaurant at the Regency is an enormous open-concept hall facing the ocean with majestic pillars covered in glittering inlays. High cathedral ceiling and marble floor give the place a very clean and crisp look. We were surprised to find the breakfast buffet is somewhat different from the Grande's. For the first time in my life, I tasted cornmeal (cooked much like cream of wheat) and really liked it. The Regency buffet has more Caribbean treats than the other resorts. Fares such as ackee and salt fish, corned beef and baked fries are completely new to me. We ate quickly since we were anxious to tee off. A drizzle has started at this time so we picked up our pace. But the tropical rain is faster than the most swift feet. Before we could get to the pro shop (which is only about 3 minutes' walk from the hotel lobby), the drizzle has turned into cats and dogs and we were soaked through.

Tropical rain

We sat on the covered porch outside the pro shop and watched the rain coming down. Pretty soon streams appeared on the golf course which quickly turned into small rivers. We were quite certain we had been rained out when one of the staff ventured into the rain to rescue a lawn mower which had been left out by someone and was being washed away by a newly-formed river near the 9th hole! But we didn't want to give up so easy and our friend Mike didn't seem to mind it at all as he drank one Piton after another. Our prayers must have paid off because a clear patch finally came over the golf course. But we still had to wait until the course is properly drained. Finally, close to 10 AM, the course has drained enough for us to head out.

We were assigned a caddy, which is mandatory at this golf course. We got a young local lad by the name of Shervy. Shervy is only 24 with bright kind eyes and broad shoulders. He is built like most African youth - with perfect proportions and beautiful muscle tone. I always think God showed some favouritism when he created the African race. I was very surprised when Shervy told me he would be caddying for both of us. We have carried down our two sets of clubs in one bag and it is very heavy - about 20 kgs. I was concerned about Shervy because Kenny and I almost broke our back trying to carry the bag from our room to the front lobby! Shervy just gave me a shy smile and in his very laid-back island accent reassured me he would be OK. The way he hoisted the heavy bag onto one shoulder as if it was a feather was a comforting sight.

The golf course at the Regency is beautiful and charismatic. It is a 9 hole course with two different 7th and 8th holes (so practically it is an 11-hole course). The 9 holes meander through hills and valleys, with the blue ocean as the distant backdrop. Front 9 measures 2,303 from the white and back 9 is 2,228. Slope is 113 for men and 109 for ladies - not a particular tough course to play on but as we quickly find out, it tolerated little mistakes.

The course was still quite wet and one had to watch one's footing to stay clear of the puddles. Everywhere we looked, emerald green met the eye - much of St Lucia is covered by rain forest. The fairways are narrow and unforgiving. Having Shervy was a treat. He made sure we used the right club for each shot and showed us the line on the greens. Our clubs are wiped clean after every shot and he was very attentive throughout the entire game. I also enjoyed a good chat with him and found out he has a 10 handicap! But that knowledge didn't intimidate me at all because of his kind and shy manners. His most-used phrase was "yeah maan", with a heavy island accent. When we got to the 7th hole, it was already 11:30. We knew our shuttle would leave at 12 and if we miss it, we had to wait until 2 PM. So we wrapped up after the 7th hole reluctantly. There was little point in keeping score as we were completely thrown off by the strange layout of the course, the big puddles of water on the fairway, the breath-taking beauty along the way, and the fact that if we hooked or sliced just a little bit, we could just kiss our balls goodbye. Nonetheless, we enjoyed our game immensely.

A target course, for sure

We got back to the Grande before 1 and went for lunch at Josephine's. Their thin-crusted veggie pizza was fantastic, with an unusual medley of vegetables including artichokes and straw mushrooms. We also tried their sushi appetizer but I must admit the portions of fish was so tiny that we might as well be eating rice balls! But the renowned milkshake from Josephine's more than made up for the sushi. We sat outside on the beautiful patio overlooking the main pool and enjoyed the tropical surroundings with sights of colorful flora, humming birds and cooing doves. The mourning doves and blackbirds are always eyeing the sugar tray. They cannot wait to seize the opportunity of an empty table and steal sugar packets. Some restaurants (like the Bayside) at the resorts are open-air so a net must be put around the place to prevent these winged intruders. It is really quite a sight. We were told the blackbirds were the most intelligent. When they get to a table with packets of mustard, ketchup and mayo, they will manage to identify the mayo packets every single time and simply ignore the others. Hmm - literate mayo-loving blackbirds...

We went for our first swim in the sea. The beach in front of the Grande is supposed to be the best on the entire island. Sheltered in a bay with mountains on both sides, there is hardly any wave on the beach. The Caribbean-signature aquamarine water gently laps onto the shore and kisses the ankles of beach-walkers. The drop into the ocean is very gradual and is all covered with fine white sand, soft and rippled under our feet. The hotel has placed several large floating disks in the sea about 15 feet from the shore. Couples could just swim out and relax in these floats. Kenny and I spotted an empty one and swam to it. It was so relaxing to lie in the float, soaking in warm salty water and gazing at the white clouds gliding by. I really didn't want to leave the water but my fingers were starting to prune!

We came out of the water dripping wet and decided to try the sauna. Sandals has the Red Lane spa line. The spa is two floors directly beneath our room and provides a variety of interesting services. Behind the main spa room, there are two round huts, each containing a sauna and a steam room. Between the huts is a gazebo with a sunk-in hot tub surrounded by several large lounge chairs. The sauna is nice and hot. Within 20 minutes, we were drenched in perspiration.

All refreshed after a sauna and a hot shower, we dressed up to go out for dinner. Our concierge has given us a complementary voucher to dine at Gordon's - the upscale restaurant at the Grande reserved for guests with butler-level services. Regular guests could dine at Gordon's for $170. We were very pleased with the offer as Kenny and I are really fond of good food. Gordon's is an unassuming-looking brown hut perched at the end of a pier that extends into the ocean. The hut doesn't look like much during the day but takes on a magical personality at night. The pier is lit underneath with cool blue lights and pools of cornet fish danced close to the lights. The tables are romantically set with gentle candle lights and fresh orchids. We were given a table at the end overlooking the bay. We were greeted by the restaurant manage Phelix and our waiter Vianney wore a white uniform with white gloves. The food is of the same calibre, from the veggie-stuffed-mussel amuse-bouche, nut-crusted pan-seared sea bass, to the fisherman platter, and the creme caramel. Night breeze blew through the restaurant and the full moon cast many silver shimmers into the dark ocean. People told us about the romantic atmosphere we could expect to find at Sandals and I must say Gordon's is a perfect example of how this is done. Under a velvety night sky with a full moon, with the sound of gentle ocean waves beside our dining table, what romantic could not be rekindled?

Fisherman's Platter from Gordon's

First Encounter of St. Lucian Rain

Over-fatigue from the trip made my sleep uneasy and full of dreams. Kenny woke up once and complained about a mosquito. We turned on the ceiling fan to ensure the mosquito cannot land on us. The tropical night was so warm that we gradually kicked off all the comforters and eventually slept under a single sheet. After a while, my tiring dreams stopped and I had a very restful sleep until 7.

We woke up to the sound of rain. Fast rhythm of dripping in the metal drainage pipe outside our balcony, coupled with the loud wave crashing to shore and the shrill songs of the blackbirds, was our perfect tropical wake up call. I walked out onto the balcony and took my first look in the daylight. By a streak of good luck, our room looks over the back garden of the hotel and is very peaceful and quiet. On this rainy morning, the mountains to the south were blurred by a grey mist and the whitecaps in the Atlantic were very pronounced. I sat down on the comfortable wicker chair and greedily inhaled the moist air - a blessing this Canadian doesn't take for granted.

A nice shower washed away any sleepiness and got me ready for the day. We wanted to experience a nicer dining environment and decided to try Toscanini's - the upscale Italian restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner. At night this restaurant requires reservation and formal attire - for men, that is. Amusingly, formal attire for ladies is a much more relaxed term: almost anything goes, except jeans. Men are not so lucky. They need to wear dress pants, dress shirts and closed-toed shoes. However, I think men's dress code reflects the necessary comfort - Toscanini's is heavily air-conditioned and on the previous night when we went to check it out, it felt like a meat fridge! I was prepared, wrapped in my warm pashmina shawl.

The restaurant looked charming with its dark wooden floor and large casement windows. It looked more British than Italian to me. The windows were dripping with condensation on the outside from the drastic temperature difference. We were greeted by very friendly staff who bent over backwards to accommodate all our whims. Kenny had smoked salmon Benedict which he raved about. I had two eggs with sausages and there was also a nice buffet with all sorts of fruits, cereal, fresh bake goods and juices.

Our waitress Julita is a cheerful St. Lucian who liked to chat. We found out from her the extensive damage Hurricane Tomas did to the island. It hit on October 31. It brought torrential rain which caused mudslides and eroded many roads. Hundreds of people lost their homes and some are still living in tents today. One family was killed when the mudslide washed out their the foundation of their house. On our way to the hotel, we saw the aftermath of the mudslide - naked earth on the side of the mountains.

After breakfast, we went out and explored the resort a bit. There is a piano bar right outside Toscanini's and Kenny was drawn to it immediately. Surprisingly the piano is too much out of tune. Kenny started to serenade me with the piece he played when we first met, Comme Premier Jour. I guess he was trying to kindle the Sandal's spirit - romanticism. And it worked quite well. I felt like we were dating again.


Kenny serenading in the Piano Bar


The Grande is a moderate-sized place with elegant decor. Even though the hotel was built in 2002, it is already seeing wear and tear, which testifies to both the popularity of this resort and the incredible corrosion of ocean air. It is located in a jutted-out point called Gros Islet. The front of the hotel faces a stretch of calm beach dotted by sailboats in the distance. The water is the usual turquoise blue, crystal clear - a signature of the Caribbeans.

At 11 am, we joined the orientation session provided by the concierge, where Lew showed a group of us around the resort. But for us, who have done an enormous amount of research over the Internet, grilled Lew the day before and explored earlier in the morning, the orientation was merely a review of information we already had. We lounged around a bit and ran into the Vancouver couple who took the helicopter with us, Mike and Shannon, both of whom work for the RCMP. They looked relaxed in their summer clothes, drinking Pitons at the bar. We had a good chat. They were not as happy with their room as they went for the basic room. But they had been promised a new room on Tuesday - as soon as other guests check out.

We took the shuttle to the Sandals Regency to drop off our golf clubs. The helicopter ride took us over the golf course on the way in and it looked hilly and well-manicured. We were eager to get a game in since we have not touched our clubs after September. There are 3 Sandals resorts on the island and the shuttle transports guests among them regularly throughout the day. The Halcyon resort is 20 minutes and the Regency is 40 minutes away.

The ride to the other resorts took us through St Lucia's capital, Castries. We became more silent as the ride went on. It is plain to see that many local people are not affluent. Shanty houses lined the roads, some so run down it is questionable if they are inhabitable at all! Their roofs covered with patches of corrugated pieces of asphalt felts and showed big gaps in between. The walls are made up of the same material and there are no proper doors or windows. Of course, there are well-built houses, too. But the route we traveled revealed more poverty than wealth.

Since the country is hilly, lots of houses are perched on long stilts sunk into the side of the mountains. It was truly amazing how they could withstand the hurricane and the mudslide. The fact that St Lucia is a developing country is apparent from the sights along the road. There are only a few modern buildings and all of them commercial. I am not sure where the wealthy islanders live. There is a surprising number of BMWs on the road though.

We first passed the Halcyon. It is a smaller resort with the feel of a boutique hotel. I noticed guests from the Halcyon are older. The Regency is the largest Sandals on the island. It is very modern, posh and spacious. Everything at the Regency is large, from the grounds, to the restaurants, even to the beach. The golf course is more a complimentary feature than a center piece at the Regency. There are only 9 holes and the pro shop is very small with a bright red roof.

We dropped off the clubs and took the next shuttle back to the Grande. As we approached the Grande, a torrential downpour hit the Northern tip and the island was immediately enshrouded in a cloak of greyness. We managed to get to Barefoot by the Sea without getting wet and picked a table by the ocean. Soon winds started to pick up and rain came down hard and was blown sideways into the covered restaurant. We kept moving further and further into the restaurant to avoid getting drenched. The sea and sky blurred into each other and world is filled with the rain song. We sat back with a cool Pitons beer and watched the rain coming down. The jerk chicken at Barefoot by the Sea was very spicy and wonderfully tasty, arguably the best jerk chicken I've ever had. To cool our taste buds, we decided to experience the much talked-about Josephine's, where specialty desserts can be found. The rain has chased away all the people on the beach and around the pool. Our kind waitress Claire offered to escort us to Josephine's with a large umbrella. It was not a long walk but we still got wet.

Josephine's has two sections. one indoors and one on a terrace outside. The room inside had AC cranked to the maximum and I didn't even want to spend one second browsing desserts. I quickly chose my dessert - a citrus vanilla cake. Kenny, being his usual dessert-loving self, chose the coconut tiramisu as well as the apple banana crepe. When we got our take-out order and ready to return to our room, the terrace outside was completely flooded. I had a pair of sandals but Kenny's leather deck shoes weren't so lucky. By the time we got back, we were soaked from head to toe!

Tropical rains are always sudden and strong, like its heat, its people and its spices. We sat back on our balcony, sipping cappuccino and savouring our desserts and marvelling at the huge sheets of white water hanging between heaven and earth.

That evening we dined at Toscanini's, the chilly Italian restaurant with the dark wooden floor. There was an antipasti buffet with cheese and salads. It was the first time I see Parmesan cheese served in chunks and presented in its original round block. Kenny ordered the fish of the day which was unfortunately over-cooked. I had seafood spaghetti and it was done to perfection! We finished the meal with custard penacotta and tiramisu.


Beautiful desserts @ Toscanini's

The night was still young after dinner so we sauntered into the billiard room. The room has two pool tables and a snooker table. Kenny is quite a pool shark so we took on the snooker. As usual he cleaned my clock! We retired to our room and tried hard to figure out how to set the best ambiance for our sleep. The night before we had left the balcony door open and Kenny was bitten by a mosquito. But if we shut the balcony door it would be too stuffy. There is a ceiling fan but when we put it on setting 1, it generated so much noise and chilled us to death. So the entire night was spent amidst fiddling with the door, the fan, the air conditioning and the returning mosquito. But at least we don't have to worry about dengue - we were told dengue is not a common disease in St. Lucia because there is not many stagnant water spots for the breeding of the dengue mosquitoes. So that night, we braved fed more blood to the same mosquito.