The 5 R's (4 January 2011)

Dominica is known as the island of 5Rs. And the first one is rain and we sure as damn it have had plenty of that.
We spent the day being shown Dominica by a local driver - Alfred, who did a great job in making sure that we didn't see one other tourist all day, no rare feat as there were apparently three cruise boats in harbour today vomiting a total of over 9,000 passengers ashore….

The rain here is never far away, from blue skies to monsoon in less than 30 seconds. Our first drenching was when we hiked to the Emerald Pool, deep in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park. The rainforest is beautiful, words cannot do justice to the abundance of growth, and the splendour of greens from across the colour spectrum with just glimpses of sky far above. So even if it stopped raining for real, drops from the tall trees continued to moisten us as we made our way. Looking like drowned rats we got to the Emerald Pool and its waterfall.

The rain cleared as we drove north west, hugging the coast road. The green towering volcanic cliffs of Dominica plunge straight down to the sea, leaving very little room for roads. The road was being built and funded by the Chinese, they are all over the Caribbean, building useful things like sports stadiums, roads and hospitals. In stark contracts the EU appear to be funding bandstand shaped bus stops and reconstructing 18th century forts. I know which one curries more favour with the locals.
The torrential rain inland resulted in hundreds of raging waterfalls crashing down the hills onto the roads.

Alfred, our driver with his rainforest umbrella

The second R is rivers and we saw plenty, large and small. We had asked Alfred to take us north to Portsmouth to the Indian River, where we could get a local boatman to row us upstream into the forest for an hour or so. Gill was none too happy to see that David the rasta (our boatman's) boat was a small leaky rowing boat. No sooner had we climbed inelegantly aboard, than the heavens opened yet again. So heavy that Gill's kagool just gave up on her, leaving her soaked to the skin. The fast current was against us as on and on David rowed, the overhanging branches now meeting overhead. Finally and unexpectedly we moored, or at least crashed into the bank and we stepped out onto a muddy slippery bank which Ant's haviana’s didn't like at all. We were led along the river bank and yes, you've guessed it - a local rum shack, much joy - the third R - rum!

Ant enjoying a dynamite local rum

Rastas abounded, iffy baccy galore, and we have some home brewed rum called dynamite. Gill, despite being soaked through even had the energy to buy a seed bracelet the likes of which have never graced Bond Street. All in all a fun half hour was spent here deep in the rainforest with these guys and the mozzies. The return journey in bright sunshine was nowhere near as much fun.

Our leaky rowboat up Indian River

David, our boatman

The local 18th century British, Fort Shirley at Cabrits got our attention for two minutes before lunch called. Unfortunately we were too late for some of the local lunch spots that we tried so embarrassingly we had to go to KFC, which Alfred reckons stands for Killing fucking customers!
Two more Rs I hear you ask, what must the be? Well rainbows of course, and we saw hundreds. We spent the afternoon in the Morne Diablotin Syndicate National Park. We journeyed on narrow single lane roads up to 700m, past small farms growing everything from oranges, grapefruits, nutmegs, sorrel, coconut, plantains, darsheen for callaloo, cocoa, mangoes, coffee, papaya and of course bananas. The soil and climate create such a bountiful harvest. All this was set against a backdrop of dramatic green, and mist clad mountains.


Somewhere over the rainbow....


At the park, we hiked with Alfred for an hour or so through the virgin rainforest and saw rainbow after rainbow, we had never seen them so complete or prolific before. We were introduced to various plants and trees, the most memorable of which was (and this is not the botanic name…..) the toilet paper plant…. The leaves are so soft, we understand they can be used for that purpose…. On balance we will stick to Andrex….The forest was amazing, great towering trees, vines hanging low, and as one friend said, me Tarzan, Gill Jane. We were even lucky enough to catch glimpses of the extremely colourful indigenous national bird the Jaco parrot. Only one danger to look out for, as the boa constrictors are not poisonous, wild boars. Nice….
We've had a lovely day, and now for the last R, sadly its romance an whilst we weren't looking to fall in love whilst here, maybe Dominica has stolen our hearts a little.

Rivers everywhere