Grenada

Date: December 23, 2016

After staying about a week in Barbados to recover from the Atlantic crossing, we went to Grenada, a 24 hour trip to the south west of Barbados. In Grenada we were celebrating Christmas with Bjarne's family - his mother, Karen Luise, his brother, Thomas and Thomas' wife, Charlotte - who flew in from Denmark.

After arriving in Grenada we stayed two nights in the marina at Port Louis, which is the harbor of St. George, the capital of Grenada - the naming of the town and harbor is a little complicated because the French and the British fought over Grenada a couple of times and both liked to name places after their king.

The marina is full of charter boats, mostly large catamarans. However, when we were there three mega yachts were visiting. We do not think the owners were present because a lot of cleaning and polishing was taking place and the fuel tanks were being filled. The tanks must be pretty large because the fuel truck had to come around at least three times to fill up the largest of the yachts:

When we left Port Louis, there was also a very large sailing ship:

After leaving St. George, we went to the south coast of Grenada to a small marina and resort called Le Phare Bleu. Here Karen Luise, Thomas and Charlotte were joining us - them staying in a villa at the resort and us staying on the boat in the marina.

On December 23 we went on trip around the island and saw waterfalls:

A great view from up high on the island, where we could see the Atlantic waves beating on the east coast:

The clouds rolling in over Mountains:

A lake formed in a volcanic crater:

As is very noticeable, Grenada is very green and lush. Compared to e.g. Barbados, Grenada was a lot more difficult to cultivate because the island is so hilly. This means that a lot of the original vegetation is still present on the island. Instead of being used intensively for sugar cane cultivation Grenada became "The Spice Island". Grenada is the second producer of nutmeg (after Indonesia) but also grows cloves, cinnamon, cocoa and a little coffee.

One of several gazebos near the crater lake, built by China as a present to Grenada:

The Chinese also rebuilt the athletic stadium in St. George after Grenada was hit by Hurricane Ivan in 2004.

Félicie and Charlotte (and Thomas in the background) on the path next to the crater lake:

Karen Luise on the same path:

Even though there is no sugar production in Grenada anymore, a little sugar cane is still grown for the production of rum.

We visited the River Antoine distillery, producing rum since 1785. They still use the old water mill to crush the sugar cane:

This is the machine used to crush the sugar cane:

Here are the wood fired pots used for concentrating the cane juice before the fermentation:

The fermentation vats:

The copper alembics where the distillation takes place:

The alembics are wood fired. The flames and the wood are visible in the picture below:

The River Antoine distillery only produces white rum and some different rum punch mixes with local fruit and cocoa. Their main product a 70% rum.

We celebrated Christmas in the villa at Le Phare Bleu (fortunately, Thomas had booked a villa with a kitchen), trying to keep it as traditional as possible, despite of the heat, lack of Christmas tree etc...

The Christmas Menu:

- Foie gras with roast pears and salad with walnuts and walnut dressing

- Confit the canard, white and browned potatoes, gravy, red currant jelly and poached apples with lingonberries

- Ris a l'amande with cherry sauce - Thomas got the almond again!

- Marzipan and chocolate sweets - including Charlotte's marzipan log