Grenada (pronounced Gre nay dah, not Gre nah dah) is a rolling, mountainous island, covered with fragrant spice trees and rare tropical flowers. Bordered by stunning beaches, and dotted with picturesque towns, this verdant island has long been a major source of nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and cocoa. It is known as the Spice Island of the Caribbean.
The capital, St. George's, is widely held to be the loveliest city in the Caribbean. Its horseshoe-shaped harbour is surrounded by a pastel rainbow of dockside warehouses and the red-tiled roofs of traditional shops and homes.
For many visitors, of course, the measure of any island is taken by its beaches and coral reefs, and Grenada offers plenty of both. The island is ringed with miles of picture-perfect strands, including both entrancing black and sugar-fine white sand beaches. Grand Anse Beach, a smooth expanse stretching for two miles around the curve of a gentle bay, is world famous.
Although the day's excursion was billed as "Fun Lovers Beach Tour" we spent more time touring and dining than on the beach.
I woke up at dawn and could not resist taking these harbor pictures through the porthole.
Camera tip: Keep your strap out of the lens area or you will have to crop the picture more than you wished.
Zooming in on the harbor buildings.
A huge new building was under construction right at the waterfront. Jan and I walked by it while waiting for our tour guide.
The building is built with lots of reinforced concrete columns and floors to withstand a hurricane. On September 7, 2004, Hurricane Ivan, a class 3 hurricane, hit Grenada and damaged over 90 per cent of its buildings. Many buildings were completely destroyed. Many others lost their roofs. Recovery is expected to take years.
These harbor buildings were among the first to be repaired.
The ship's photographer took this picture as we debarked at Grenada.
These pictures were taken with a pocket-sized camera I bought in Japan as a gift for Jan in September 2004 for ¥5980 (about $55.00). It takes a 1600x1200 image, zooms and also takes movies, but outdoor picture tend to the red before editing.
A (tilted) view of a cove while we wait for the excursion to begin.
The most beautiful girl in the world waits for the tour guide to show up. She's not frowning. This look is characteristic of her family, as we've seen in lots of family pictures.
We look back at the ship we've just debarked. Many of these islands have only one pier long enough to support a cruise ship.
With nothing else to do, we walk to the end of the pier.
And then we turn around and walk back.
My beautiful bride leans a little bit. I'm so focussed on her that I don't notice that the horizon is tilted.
The island tour took place in minivans. The island roads were narrow with lots of switchbacks.
Jan rode in the front seat for the gentlest ride. Traffic drove on the left, with right-hand drive vehicles on most or all of the islands.
The Norwegian Spirit, our cruise ship, dwarfs the one pier at Grenada.
Many roofs were gone, or covered with tarps from the damage caused by Hurricane Ivan last fall.
We took a long tour of the island, following many switchbacks along narrow roads, ultimately ending up at the Grenada Sugar Factory, a rum factory. We were encouraged to take as many taste samples as we cared to of the various rums, and to purchase those we liked. (We bought two bottles.) Each of the islands we visited had several rum factories. Locally raised sugar cane used to drive the local economy. For the last few decades, however, beet sugar imported from Germany has been used to make rum, since it is cheaper. This has severely affected the economy of many islands, which are now dependent on tourism.
We visited Fort George after the rum factory. It is one of two major forts which overlook the harbor. Its guns have been in place for 350 years. Overall, there are twenty-seven forts and coastal batteries.
Jan and I rested on a bench rather than attempt the steep steps to Fort George.
Looking down from the rest area. Note the unrepaired roof still covered by a blue tarp. In addition to money, recovery has been hindered by a severe shortage of supplies and of construction workers. We had cool drinks while the others climbed. (Note that I finally got the horizon right.)
Roofs, walls, and floors are missing from houses in the background.
Even though it was March 8 the vegetation was lush and green.
Houses near the coast also suffered great damage.
Everyone wanted to know what the big building in the lower center-right is. After hedging a good deal, the guide finally admitted that is the island prison.
Grenada has six parishes. Natives use the town and parish names interchangeably. Camera tip: Read the camera directions first. I was switching image sizes without realizing it.
Standing at the peak of Grenada at Fort George, I took pictures of the various parishes. The guide pointed out resorts and estates owned by celebrities.
Fort George again. Grenada has two major forts--the other one is Fort Frederick.
Grenada was discovered by Columbus in 1498, visited by the Spanish in 1500, settled by the English in 1609, and abandoned shortly thereafter. It was colonized by the French in 1639, and taken over by Dutch privateers in 1675. The French immediately re-took the island and held it until 1763 when they ceded it to Britain under the Treaty of Paris. The French settlers did not like the religious and cultural Anglicization and re-took the island in 1779, but in 1783 it was again ceded to Britain, this time under the Treaty of Versailles. Twelve years later an internal rebellion led by Julien Fedon caused internal affairs to be locally administered while the British managed external relations. The French legacy remains in French placenames and in the spoken patois.
Grenada became an associated state within the British Commonwealth in 1967, and achieved independence in 1974 under Sir Eric Gairy. While Gairy was off the island in 1979, his radical political opponent, Maurice Bishop, seized power and strengthened ties to Cuba and the Soviet Union over the next four years. In 1983, an ultra-radica faction within Bishop's own movement put Bishop under house arrest and took control. They later executed him and several of his aides. The US, fearing for the safety of US citizens studying at Grenada's medical school, invaded and deposed the People's Revolutionary Party. In 1984, Herbert Blaize was elected Prime Minister, and the island has been stable since that time. Grenada is the second-smallest independent country in the Western Hemishphere.
More pictures from March 8
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