I just sailed out of Dominica tonight, it was AMAZING! I had such a great time there. There is no way I can fit everything I did and learned on one blog page!
I accomplished so much while I was there. I really feel like I was able to immerse myself into the Dominican culture by talking with locals, learning about their language, interests, lifestyle, and traditions. I am also really satisfied with all that I was able to do while I was there. Dominica is such a lush and untouched island that there is so much beauty there to be explored. The people and their way of living is incredible. Everyone gets along together so well and so peacefully. Dominicans are the most helpful and exotic I’ve met to date. Their lifestyle is led in a way that we all can learn from. People do not own land in Dominica but instead share it with each other and build their own homes wherever they please.
The first day that I got there, the sun came up to greet us. We ported in Roseau, which is the capital of the island. I wandered around town with some of my friends, it was a Sunday and Sundays are when everyone goes to church and all the shops are closed for the day. We walked through the empty town and ended up at the local botanical garden, where we walked up some steps and onto a trail that led us up to the most gorgeous view of the entire town! I couldn’t stop taking pictures of the view and the canon that was positioned at the top pointing towards the town. We walked back down and heard a beautiful Baptist church ceremony and decided to peak in. I had never been to anything like it before, it was very colorful inside with the locals in their Sunday’s best and inspirational signs hung up around the church. My friends and I were immediately welcomed and were told to sit down. I was a little bit nervous because I did not intend on staying, but they made us feel at home and introduced us to the entire church group! It was such a neat ceremony, and stayed for a song and prayer then left to continue exploring the town. We walked down the street and drank some fresh coconut water and looked at some historic buildings. The sun was beaming hot, so I was very excited to go on my snorkeling trip at noon.
After town, I quickly went back to the boat got ready to go snorkeling at the Champagne Reef, which is a beach that produces small champagne-like bubbles from the underground volcanic activity. It was beautiful, and my first time snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea. I got to see some of the bubbles and a lot of parrotfish, stick fish, and other small ones. It was such a perfect day for snorkeling, and it was definitely worthwhile! When I got back to the ship, one of my friends invited me to go to the southern part of the island call Scotts Head, which is a small peninsula that protrudes off the coast of the island. Right away I was out and about again! We hopped on a taxi and got to see some breathtaking sights of the island and the lifestyle of the south. I watched the most beautiful sunset while talking with some locals about their fishing village community. We had a great taxi driver who told us everything we needed to know about the island and made some additional stops to show us the real Dominica. Once it got dark we briefly went to small sulfur bath in a beautiful silent jungle under a bright moon. It was one of the most peaceful evenings I’ve ever had and really enjoyed myself the first day I was there! At night a lot of the restaurants and bars opened up because they knew that the ship was there. A group of us went into town and enjoyed some Caribbean style reggae music and dancing through the night. I called it a night early so that I could save my last day for a hike.
Today I was lucky enough to hike to Middleham Falls, located in the central mountains of the island in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park. It was so gorgeous getting there driving through the valley and watching the heavy rain. The trail took us about two hours. We hiked in the rain the entire time, but it was well worth it. The Middleham trail was so lush and full of colors and lively with rain and waterfalls! I could hear the waterfall from miles away and when we finally got there I was blown away, literally, from the view and the strong mist and rain that splashed me form all directions! There was a really nice lookout spot where we hiked to where we could look up the entire falls and watch it flow downstream. We were completely soaked at the end of the hike, but were so happy that we went.
After the hike, my roommate and I went to a local restaurant and ate some delicious fish and chicken and walked around town to get some last looks of Dominica.
We left Dominica at 8 pm tonight and are sailing to Manaus Brazil where we will arrive on Thursday! It’s pretty rough out tonight, very choppy and loud outside but I feel okay. I really had a great time in Dominica and wish that we had a little more time to go exploring and sightseeing. The people were so sweet and always willing to stop and talk with you about anything. There is so much to see there! Everything is untouched and exotic. Traveling is something that I am starting to really enjoy and am really looking forward to all the ports that are ahead for me on this journey! I hope to post some pictures soon.
I accomplished so much while I was there. I really feel like I was able to immerse myself into the Dominican culture by talking with locals, learning about their language, interests, lifestyle, and traditions. I am also really satisfied with all that I was able to do while I was there. Dominica is such a lush and untouched island that there is so much beauty there to be explored. The people and their way of living is incredible. Everyone gets along together so well and so peacefully. Dominicans are the most helpful and exotic I’ve met to date. Their lifestyle is led in a way that we all can learn from. People do not own land in Dominica but instead share it with each other and build their own homes wherever they please.
The first day that I got there, the sun came up to greet us. We ported in Roseau, which is the capital of the island. I wandered around town with some of my friends, it was a Sunday and Sundays are when everyone goes to church and all the shops are closed for the day. We walked through the empty town and ended up at the local botanical garden, where we walked up some steps and onto a trail that led us up to the most gorgeous view of the entire town! I couldn’t stop taking pictures of the view and the canon that was positioned at the top pointing towards the town. We walked back down and heard a beautiful Baptist church ceremony and decided to peak in. I had never been to anything like it before, it was very colorful inside with the locals in their Sunday’s best and inspirational signs hung up around the church. My friends and I were immediately welcomed and were told to sit down. I was a little bit nervous because I did not intend on staying, but they made us feel at home and introduced us to the entire church group! It was such a neat ceremony, and stayed for a song and prayer then left to continue exploring the town. We walked down the street and drank some fresh coconut water and looked at some historic buildings. The sun was beaming hot, so I was very excited to go on my snorkeling trip at noon.
After town, I quickly went back to the boat got ready to go snorkeling at the Champagne Reef, which is a beach that produces small champagne-like bubbles from the underground volcanic activity. It was beautiful, and my first time snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea. I got to see some of the bubbles and a lot of parrotfish, stick fish, and other small ones. It was such a perfect day for snorkeling, and it was definitely worthwhile! When I got back to the ship, one of my friends invited me to go to the southern part of the island call Scotts Head, which is a small peninsula that protrudes off the coast of the island. Right away I was out and about again! We hopped on a taxi and got to see some breathtaking sights of the island and the lifestyle of the south. I watched the most beautiful sunset while talking with some locals about their fishing village community. We had a great taxi driver who told us everything we needed to know about the island and made some additional stops to show us the real Dominica. Once it got dark we briefly went to small sulfur bath in a beautiful silent jungle under a bright moon. It was one of the most peaceful evenings I’ve ever had and really enjoyed myself the first day I was there! At night a lot of the restaurants and bars opened up because they knew that the ship was there. A group of us went into town and enjoyed some Caribbean style reggae music and dancing through the night. I called it a night early so that I could save my last day for a hike.
Today I was lucky enough to hike to Middleham Falls, located in the central mountains of the island in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park. It was so gorgeous getting there driving through the valley and watching the heavy rain. The trail took us about two hours. We hiked in the rain the entire time, but it was well worth it. The Middleham trail was so lush and full of colors and lively with rain and waterfalls! I could hear the waterfall from miles away and when we finally got there I was blown away, literally, from the view and the strong mist and rain that splashed me form all directions! There was a really nice lookout spot where we hiked to where we could look up the entire falls and watch it flow downstream. We were completely soaked at the end of the hike, but were so happy that we went.
After the hike, my roommate and I went to a local restaurant and ate some delicious fish and chicken and walked around town to get some last looks of Dominica.
We left Dominica at 8 pm tonight and are sailing to Manaus Brazil where we will arrive on Thursday! It’s pretty rough out tonight, very choppy and loud outside but I feel okay. I really had a great time in Dominica and wish that we had a little more time to go exploring and sightseeing. The people were so sweet and always willing to stop and talk with you about anything. There is so much to see there! Everything is untouched and exotic. Traveling is something that I am starting to really enjoy and am really looking forward to all the ports that are ahead for me on this journey! I hope to post some pictures soon.
so cute babe:) have fun!!!!
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