My vist here in Anguilla is winding down. I wanted to go to Scrub Isalnd
today, but the seas have been too choppy the last several days. Scrub
Island is a seashell haven. But oh, well, I did find Paradise Beach
today--and it IS. Paradise, that is!!
Impressions of Anguilla:
GOATS everywhere. They often tether them, but I saw a goat proudly
bounding down the "highway", dragging her tether, a gaggle (or is it herd?)
of goats behind her! They roam the entire Island (country) freely--except
the very "heavily" populated areas, but that wont stop them, I'm sure, as
they will literally eat anything. I got out of the car the other day to
talk with someone, and felt a tugging. Looking down, there was a goat,
happiply munching on my skiirt!! Goats here provide meat and milk for the
diet, fertilizer, and hides for many objects of use. They are low
maintenace, and everyone seems ot know to whom particular goats belong.
Thye will climb on anything, go any where, even roofs to eat the fruits off
the toips of trees. Sicne they roam everywhere, it becomes necesary to be
ware of them, as much as being aware of "traffic"
"Business".. You can drive a "country" road and find shops , in between
houses. Pubs as well-- Also restaurants. there seems to be no rhyme or
reason for thier placements, but it seems not to matter either. This
couintry is 16 miles long--if you want a thing, you just diove to that place
to get it. Stores that were originally named something such as "the tackle
box" keep their names, even when the stores "morph" into somehting else
entirely--in this case, the tackle box became a camera and gift shop. But
stores have no resembalnce to anything like oin the states. they can be the
front of a ramshackle house. There is no sales or income taxes here--but
everything must come in by boat, and has heavy duties attached to it--approx
25% of it value. Clothing is expensive. Food is terribly, horribly
expensive. A pint of milk costs what a gallon buys in the states. There
are few if any vegetables, and little variety. Goat is on the menu in most
restaurants, as is chicken (which also ranges freely--I wonder how they
collect the eggs?). You can drive down a country coountry road (looks like
a gravel driveway, but it is actually a raod), and find signs for Tailor
shops, recording studio, etc.. I think this may be a way for people with
nice houses to help to afford the "mortgages". Many different curriences
are used here. One must keep exchange rates in your head, though grocery
stores automatically cal;culate the toatal in all the curienceis. Mnay
peole go to St Maarten ot shop, because they prices, even with handling fees
for the ferry boats is a lot cheaper.
Housing. Itty bitty shacks to luxurious multimillion dollar houses.
There are no Mortgages here-(but the banks are beginning to encourage that
premise) -you pay as you build, which explians why there are so many
unfiininshed houses here. And they are made of concrete and cinder
block--hurricaines, you know.
You drive on the left side of the road here. Watch out, Las Cruces! I
wonder how long it will take for me to "right" myself??? three cars
constitute a traffic jam, except in the Valley, where as many as twenty cars
can be seen on the raods.
Yoga and their form of martial arts is available here--but if a Martial Arts
instructor were living on the Island, he could make a good living, I
believe.
The beaches! Jimminy! I do not know if I can describe these. Rob has been
to Hawaii, so he may have a clue. Anguilla is sided by both the Atlantic
and the Caribbean seas. so the beaches differ radically. Sometimes they
differ just in a mile or two distance. Snorkeling is good ionly in several
places, but equally well on eihter sea. Ther is a resort here that costs
$6000 a day. NO, I didnt add too mnay zeros! There are some that are only
$85 a inght--wiht a 3 night minimum. All the beaches are public, so on mater
which you want ot visit, it cn be done. If tihs is the high season, the
busiest time of the year, then the beaches would be even less crowed at
other times. i am surprised that the beaches are ont more crowed than they
are. However, St Maarten 's beaches are Heavily populated. St Maarten also
has topless beaches, so you see that there . Here, it is illegal, but it is
still done, tho ont nearly as freguently. I saw a huge, heavily musceled
inky black many with long dred locks roaming the beaches of St Maarten. He
had on some sort of string. Looked like a long knit "cap". My oh my. The
water is clear clear blue., with a light brown demarcation close to the
shore--where the sand is churned up when the waves crash against the beach.
So much more to say, but I am convincing everyone to take the rest of the
day off and go exploring. My camera officially died, so I will have to put
the snapshots in my head and have ya'll come back here with me one day. For
no matter what the above may sound like, this is a terrific place to
visit. I am fortunate to have been able to make this trip. I am like
Dorothy, though: "There's no place like home, Toto"