I know we're in France, but even for Gill, a frog in the room is a bit much. Only a small one but a frog nonetheless, but I guess frogs do live in France, I just wish they didn't share my room.
We departed Dominica this morning which we have both loved, even with the rain. Generally the people have been lovely until we had a row (for that, read Ant threw a hissy fit in reception.....) with a rip off taxi merchant as we left for the ferry. 20 times the local rate for a cab, But the nice people are still there and we ended up thumbing a lift in the rain with another taxi who was taking a group of Estonian's back to their cruise ship. So as a bonus, we got some extra free sightseeing on the way. Most Dominicans are so nice and generous, but are spoiled by the ones who are just money grabbing, seeing every traveller in terms of the dollar sign. We understand they have to make a living and prices here are really high, but this morning was one rip off too many. Grrrr
But dismissing said rip off taxi driver did leave us stranded at the top of the valley, with suitcases in the pouring rain.....But the lift we did get restored our faith in the people so we left feeling good about them, and we gave him a great tip - karma.
A coffee at Ritual's Coffee near the ramshackle ferry port before checking in in the looky likey Starbucks but with coffee that tasted genuine and banana and chocolate muffins that would be more than happy in Abbeville Road, before we face the melee that was the departure area on the ferry for Guadeloupe. The huge Celebrity cruise liner looked so serene moored up a few hundred metres from the ferry port. This was so different, locals and a few traveller's pushing and shoving as if they were Italians, and loaded with kids, boxes, bags, fruit, baskets and other unidentifiable packages, all tied up with string, in hot, sweaty heat. Our battered bags looked in comparison as if they had just stepped off the Paris catwalks. Gill is pleased to report that at least this crossing was a little smoother than the last two, although not quite enough for her to adopt it as her preferred form of transport. But an interesting diversion on board, we discover that Ant's app of yachting charts driven by GPS worked perfectly so we followed our progress on the relevant chart and Gill was able to confirm that we were on track to get into port, miss the reefs, pass by the correct sides of the buoys and see the speed we were travelling in real time, all very reassuring.
Given we were going into the EU, we were hopeful of a more sedate arrival in Guadeloupe, but no. The Italian style pushing and shoving continued, suffice to say we are now experts and were off the boat before most. Then the wait, passport control was not open!! French probably on bloody strike. Half an hour later we eventually made it through immigration and customs before the rest....
Our ferry had transported us to a medium size French town. Like France but much less snooty people, the girl at Avis, even though we had gone to the wrong place was charm itself, as was the taxi driver, even though he had not one word of English. And a big Carrefour which is a must see sight for us in the next couple of days, we thought we had arrived at the Cite in Calais.
We hire a Ford Ka at the airport and pack ourselves and our luggage in. Ant drives to the Bates Motel, sorry the Rotabas hotel in St Anne on the south coast of Grand Terre.
We are greeted by the old retainer who surfaces from mounds of paper, this is so not a paperless reception. No chance of her finding our reservation, but no problem she could find us rooms.. Actually she could find us lots of rooms, very few other people are staying here.... never a good sign. They advertised wifi as being included, but no chance of that working, perhaps "plus tard" the old crone said, translate, no chance. By the look at the mounds of paper we're not sure any sort of recent technology has ever worked here.... The whole area of Saint Anne, sold as the best beach area in Guadeloupe looks like it has hit very hard times, with this place hit the hardest. Daylight robbery at 99 Euros a night, but the cheapest we could find.
Perhaps if they charged more reasonable prices, more people would stay, they would get more revenue, they could do it up a bit and more people would stay - just a thought... A series of beach huts but with decent locks, and on a positive note it does not smell damp! The beach is next door at Club Med, but we are not here for the beach, we want to take a look around.
So here we are in a medium sized French town, same signs, cars, road works, Carrefours, the lot. It has the beach so we are hopeful of a croisette... So not the Caribbean we would have expected. We even sit in a traffic jam, very novel. And get up to speeds exceeding 90 kmh on the motorway type road out of Pointe a Pitere, the capital.
Dinner in St Anne, on the beach at the Americano Bar, free wifi. The hotel restaurant had the ambience of the Marie Celeste, so we decided to give it a miss. But more importantly at the Americano, we got steak frites that taste like proper Euro steak frites, a gratinee with real French cheese, a coupe de champage, a cold pression and a half carafe of decent French wine. We may not find the Croisette, and we are paying Cannes prices..... c'est la vie. Forget the Bates Motel, we don't bother showering anyway, Vive La France!
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