Artist Marie Frederick has let me know she’s happy to welcome visitors without appointments to her very unique Indigo art gallery from now until 23 May. Entry is US$10 pp (fee waived if artwork purchased). Ring the bell and she’ll come let you in.
Category Archives: Guide Updates/hiking
Ma Bell 4:20
If you’re hiking National trail segment 3 through my village (Giraudel), I recommend dropping in for a cold drink at the lovely Ma Bell’s 4:20 bar on the main road.
New flights
Following American Eagle’s withdrawal from Puerto Rico, Liat Airlines has announced a new non-stop service between Melville Hall Airport and San Juan. The service begins from April 2013. Flight LI 560 will depart Dominica at 10:00 am daily, arriving at San Juan at 11:55 am. Flight LI 565 will leave San Juan at 3:00 pm daily and arrive at Dominica at 4:45 pm.
The top end
I went for a walk from Capuchin to Delaford and back yesterday. Hiking buffs will recognise this as National Trail segment 13 – though the track was here long before, linking villages and estates along the top end. One of the main reasons for going was to see the remnants of Grand Fond, a settlement that existed around a coffee estate in the 19th century. I had seen a photo of the National Trail project team standing by a rather grand sign marking the spot where the estate had been, and assumed some work must have been done to clear and expose the ruins.
Sadly, and to my great disappointment, the sign, next to a small stone wall, was all there was to see. I had passed through this spot on several occasions before, so I knew about it, but had been eager to see more. Oh well.
But it was a glorious day. Near Delaford the views across the Guadeloupe Channel were stunning. It was so clear that not only could we see The Saints, Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante, we could even make out houses and gardens on them. It whetted my appetite to travel to them and explore.
There are plenty of interesting features on this trail – for starters it’s the location of the only petroglyphs discovered on Dominica (it has long been my ambition to seek and discover more of them – and one day I’m convinced I will). There’s the cloudy Taffia River with it’s cascade and waterfall (cloudy because of volcanic clays, named taffia after the French word for fermented cane juice – thanks Lennox!), vertiginous farmlands where people grow ground provisions on what are tantamount to cliff sides, and the strong feeling of remoteness and antiquity that are inherent in this place – as if it’s somehow been frozen in time. And every local person I have ever met here, without exception, has been genuinely friendly, open and and kind. It’s a lovely part of the island and one I aim to explore further.
As for a trail update: it’s the same as the book, no changes. Just be careful in some sections of the trail where it’s narrow, steep and crumbly under foot.
Giraudel Flower Show
Just learned that the Giraudel Flower Show is back again. Anyone interested should head up to the flower village on Sunday 19 May.
Bucket List Film
This short film made by Ama Francis, local Dominica resident, is one of the nicest I’ve seen. If you like it, help her win by voting for her entry in My Destinations Biggest, Baddest Bucket List. Click on the icon to get there.
Roseau bites
I thought I’d post a short update on places to eat in and around Roseau – a few things have changed since my latest Dominica guide was published.
Pearls Cuisine (both the take-out and the restaurant) have moved from King George V Street and can now be found in the Sutton Place Hotel (Old Street, pp 101/103), They are running the restaurant and, if you go around the back of the building onto Hanover Street, you’ll find the take-out. Pearls is good for local lunches, fresh juices and roti.
If you’re a pizza fan, Perky’s has moved from Independence Street to swanky new fast-food premises on Cork Street. Speaking of pizza; if you’re a vegetarian or vegan there’s a new place open in Shawford (the road to Trafalgar) called Sunshine Cottage. They do vegetarian stone oven pizza as well as a selection of other non-meat dishes. Their telephone number is 767 285 6399. Still my favourite pizza (I know, pizza is a very personal thing) is to be had at Le Petit Paris bakery near the Alliance Francaise building behind the Botanic Gardens.
The Talipot Gallery (p 102) opposite the public library on Victoria Street is now Tao. It has a mixed menu – everything from sushi to spag bol – but I haven’t been there yet to judge.
Barana Breeze (p 103) has dropped its name but the restaurant is still there at Dive Dominica. And it’s good. Check them out on Sundays when they serve BBQ lunches on their waterside terrace.
Ancient Capital (p 103) – the best Chinese restaurant in Roseau – has gone (I weep daily) – so has Tiffany’s (p 103)
