Our First Adventure ~ Welcome to Grenada

January 29, 2015 by Candi Licence 8 Comments

Winter, 1986 – Imagine landing in a third world country at 9:30 at night after traveling 12 hours on 3 airplanes, making 6 stops and finding the rental car you reserved nowhere in sight, the airport personnel turning off the lights and locking up as you stand, stranded at the curb. We are the last of the few people who arrived on the plane and everyone else has been picked up. Still no sign of the rental car that is supposed to be waiting for us. I walk back to the pay phone (no cell phones in those days) and try to call a taxi, squinting at the faded number scrawled on the phone booth wall – oh, and did I mention all the lights were off? Welcome to Grenada.

Now imagine a few minutes later – a gregarious taxi driver coming to our rescue, knowing how to get to where we were staying (later we would find out everyone knows everyone and everyplace) and dropping us at the driveway entrance where 3 yellow Labradors come bounding up to welcome us and the resort owner, Joe Gaylord, is following fast on their heels. He takes one good look at us, asks us if we’ve eaten (no) and tells us to leave our bags in the driveway, loads us into his car, and drives us to a restaurant close by. He introduces us to the owners and asks that they feed us even though it is now after 10 PM and they have stopped serving. Joe gives us his number and says to call him when we are finished and he’ll drive us home. Little did I know then that home is exactly what Grenada would become for us. Welcome to Grenada!

We have a GREAT meal, head back to the hotel and Joe escorts us to one of his small, sweet apartments. He’s already brought in our bags and shows us an extensive listing of food products that he has stocked in our kitchen. He says to look over the list in the morning and anything we don’t want will be picked up and we can pay him for the rest at the end of our stay. He’s bought everything we need for the next 2+ days and has added a quart of his famous homemade Rum Punch to welcome us. I’m enchanted.

8:00 AM the next morning (I think it was Sunday) and there’s a knock on the door. A contrite car rental person is standing in the doorway and is apologizing for not meeting us at the airport the night before. He thought we were coming in today. The taxi driver had evidently called him to let him know we had arrived and where we were staying. He had brought all the paperwork which we completed in the comfort of our living room – how bad is that? Welcome to friendly, accommodating Grenada.

Actually, it just keeps getting better. On Monday, we meet our housekeeper. She has cared for this particular apartment for over 10 years and I feel like I am a pampered guest in her home. She makes us breakfast, including fresh squeezed juice and a salad of local fruits AND lunch (I still remember the Pumpkin Soup) AND will cook dinner for us and place it in the refrigerator for us to heat up later. A few days later, we leave our sneakers (that are caked with thick, red rainforest mud) outside the apt. so we don’t track in the muck and a couple of hours later, they are in our closet and they are cleaner than when we arrived. The price for this apartment including housekeeping and cooking is $100 per night. Welcome to Grenada, our secret paradise.

Progress passed by and around Grenada. Even today, when we speak about Grenada, all most people know is that the US “invaded” Grenada in 1983 to help remove the Cuban influence that was overtaking the country. As a result (as you can well imagine) tourism slowed way back after 1983. This is good and bad. The bad is the economy suffered tremendously since all Caribbean islands depend desperately on tourism. The good is that Grenada has had a chance to see how tourism has developed on other islands and is trying to take a more measured approach to protect and highlight the beauty of the country. There is a rule that no building can be taller than a coconut tree that is being “tested” – it’s hard for a small, poor country to make too many demands of large international hotel chains who have a different vision and Grenada needs the money that tourism brings in. Still, they are working hard to preserve the old Caribbean feeling where they can.

When we first arrived, there were hardly any cars on the roads and all the locals walked everywhere. It was also very safe and so it felt OK to pick up people walking on the road. This was an unintended bonus for us. Grenadians are very friendly and want to show people their beautiful country. So, if we picked up someone who was walking to work and it normally took them 2 hours to get there but with us they’d arrive in 20 minutes, their thought was to use the hour and 40 minutes gained to take us to some off the beaten path to see something wonderful. We met many great people and saw many wonderful sights this way. The only “scary” time was when we were driving a local man to work who had a heavy accent – we both kept having to repeat ourselves, back and forth, as we tried to make ourselves understood. At the end of the ride, we dropped him off at the airport – He was an air traffic controller! YIKES!

I have two other great rider stories that have stayed with me all these years. One was when Michael and I picked up an elderly woman. She walked 3 hours, each way, every Sunday to visit with her sister. She had just started her journey when we pulled over and asked if she would like to be picked up. She said ‘Thank you’ about 100 times! The other was one morning when a small crowd of kids called out to us as they were going to school. We stopped to see what they needed and they all piled into the back seat of the car. We were frozen in fear – all these kids were under 8 years old and I wondered if we’d be arrested. We relaxed when a local man smiled and waved at us and the kids. Welcome to friendly, trusting Grenada.

There is a culture of friendliness here – everyone says hello to you and it is considered rude if you walk by someone and do not say hello. An English friend said that when she moved to Grenada, she realized that even if she was in a bad mood in the morning, that by the time she was greeted by everyone at the bus stop and then every person on the bus said good morning, that her mood had changed. Welcome to Grenadian friendliness.

Grenadians are proud of their country and are always ready to share it with visitors. One day, Michael stopped at a roadside stand for a ‘pop’. There was an older woman standing outside and, of course, they got into a conversation. 30 minutes later, Michael got back into the car with an invitation to her home the next day to meet her son who would show us the hidden Grenada. So the next day, we’re driving down a road to the town of Marquis, looking for a green house and asking for Eddie Calliste. And amazingly, we found it and him – of course, with a little help from our Grenadian friends.

Eddie took us out on a boat he rented that had a huge hole in the bottom that was stopped up with a large black plastic bag. Eddie assured us that it wouldn’t sink as long as one of us bailed as he rowed. The day was beautiful and the water was warm so I figured the worst that could happen is that it would sink and we’d swim to shore, so off we went. At one point, Eddie suddenly dove overboard. Michael and I just looked at each – Now what? Then Eddie surfaced with sea anemones that he cracked open for us to eat. Salty! Luscious! He got back into the boat, rowed us to a small island offshore and showed us how to capture lobsters in the rock crevices.

Later, we went ashore and he led us to a beautiful waterfall that could only be accessed by walking through the rainforest. Eddie was barefoot and as he walked, he kept cutting fruits for us – star apple, soursop and he “walked” up a tree truck to get us a fresh coconut. If the path was steep, he cut out footholds for us with his cutlass (machete). We got to the waterfall and he showed us how to fish for crayfish with metal cages and chicken necks and then Michael and Eddie swam right under the waterfall and got their heads pounded. I’ll need to dig up these pictures when we get back to the States and post them at some point in the future.

On the way back, Eddie pointed out spices to us. In addition to Lemongrass, and Bay leaves, he showed us Nutmeg. Nutmeg fruit looks similar in size and color to an Apricot with a soft fleshy fruit that has a nut shell in the middle. The shell is covered with red, lacy Mace and the Nutmeg is inside. Grenada harvests a third of the world’s Nutmeg and it is considered the best because it is so moist and fragrant. Eddie also cut a pieces of bark off a different tree and gave it to me to smell – it was fabulous – earthy, sensual and heady. My first thought was this would be a decadent perfume and I loved it so much that I had it under my nose the whole way back. Eddie called it Spice and when we got back to his house he pointed out some more Spice that was drying – it was Cinnamon! No matter how good you think Cinnamon smells dried or when it is in a tea, it pales in comparison to fresh Cinnamon. Someday I’m going to try to make a Cinnamon perfume. World watch out. Welcome to Grenada, the Spice Island.

There are so many more experiences that I could share with you, but this is a taste of why we love Grenada and the Grenadian people. And if you can come when we are on island, it would be our pleasure to welcome YOU to Grenada, our second home.

Delectable Ritual ~ Savouring the Sunset

December 21, 2014 by Candi Licence 2 Comments

A beautiful sunset, viewed from our deck.

A beautiful Outer Banks sunset, viewed from our deck in Duck, North Carolina.

My favorite thing about our house in Duck was that the main deck faced west and had an extraordinary sunset view. Jessica’s Dune is on a hill, one lot from the Currituck Sound and that lot is undeveloped because it acts as the community access to the sound. This means there is nothing built on that lot and it provides an unparalleled sunset view.

Just another day in paradise.

We used to have a house on Cape Cod, Massachusetts in Truro that had a similar, extraordinary view and it was there that I first realized that there are beautiful sunsets many nights, we just weren’t normally in a place where we could see them. It seems silly now, but I was amazed that you could see fabulous sunsets, night after night after night. When we saw our first sunset at Jessica’s Dune, I knew we were going to re-establish the sunset ritual of being on the deck every night possible and watching the sun sink slowly and brilliantly under the horizon.

A gorgeous sun getting ready to sink under the horizon.

Sunset watching is at its best starting around 15 minutes before the sun slips below the horizon and can last just a few minutes after it sets or can last up to 45 minutes depending on the clouds and the clarity of the sky. Some nights there were no clouds at all and the show was in the rich colors of the sky as it changed from orange, to red and then to purple. Watching the changes reflected on the water was also fabulous and it was often difficult to decide if the sky or the water was the prettiest.

I love that it is always a mystery what you will see and how, on some nights, the colors seem to last forever.

We often had dramatic cloud formations.

The ritual begins with one of us calling to the other that “It’s time!”. Then with some wine and maybe some cheese we’d head out to the deck. Sometimes we’d sit in great Adirondack chairs to watch and other times we’d stand at the railing. Inevitably, we’d think this is the best sunset yet, and I’d run downstairs to get Michael’s camera – hoping we didn’t miss the magic and Michael could take a few great shots. The best part was that we didn’t need to go anywhere. We just had to look out the window and walk out to the deck to see these extraordinary light shows.

We caught this sunset on the way home from Okracoke. We were driving like mad to get to an open spot on the road so Michael could capture this scene. Breathtaking!

It was really hard to pick just a few shots to include in this post because we really had many, many, MANY beautiful sunsets that could fill an album of wonderful evenings spent together. This delectable ritual will always be one of my favorite memories of the Outer Banks.

This was one of the nights with no clouds. The color of the water was enchanting.

This was one of the nights with very few clouds. The color of the water was mesmerizing.

Best Beach Getaway ~ Ocracoke Island

November 10, 2014 by Candi Licence

An island that can only be accessed by ferry ,,,,, 14 miles of National Seashore … a single, charming, quaint village surrounding a beautiful harbor …. very few tourists because high season is over …. This is a recipe for a fabulous beachy getaway. A few people encouraged us to go and to stay overnight.

We left right after the lunar eclipse in early October and had a perfect 2 day excursion. By 8:45 AM, we were packed and headed towards Hatteras Village which is at the southern end of Hatteras Island and the ferry port for Ocracoke Island. We had one stop on the way to try an “Ugly” at the Orange Blossom Bakery and Cafe in Buxton. An ugly is an apple fritter that is HUGE and is a favorite in this area of the world. We pulled in around 10:15 AM which was a perfect time to pick up a sweet to eat on the ferry ride. Confession: We didn’t really like them that much even though everyone raves about them – off day?

There is a lot of beach driving on the Outer Banks. This Bumper sticker captures the carefree feeling!

One of the Hattersa Village "cottages" right by the ferry dock.

One of the Hatteras Village “cottages” right by the ferry dock. Reunion, anyone?

Got to the ferry dock and lined up for the free 40 minute ride to the island. Free! Unbelievable. The ferry carries any vehicle that can travel on a road – cars, BIG trucks, RVs, etc. It is first come, first served unless you are a resident or service person – these folks get priority boarding. As you sit in lines you try to determine if you’ll make the cutoff for the next ferry or have to wait for another one. It’s a mystery until the last-minute before boarding because all of a sudden a few huge trucks can arrive in the priority lane and totally change the dynamics. This was the case with the first ferry. A lot of trucks trumped regular cars, but it was a beautiful day and we were sitting in a lovely harbor with our Kindles so no problem. We squeaked onto the second ferry and were on our way. It was a perfect day – sunny, about 75 degrees with a gentle breeze blowing. We got out of the car and went upstairs to an observation deck to soak in the sights and sounds. The ferry ride was part of the fun.

The ferry ride was part of the fun. Here we are heading out of Hatteras towards Ocracoke Island.

When we arrived on the island, we decided we would drive into town first to briefly check it out, find the lighthouse that Michael wanted to shoot at either sunset or sunrise, grab a bite to eat and then head for the beach. We discovered that the lighthouse would have the best light at sunset so we planned to return just after 6PM to set up. We had lunch at a cute restaurant that had shaded patio seating so Mick could join us while we ate. This was great because it was hot out and we don’t really like leaving him in the car even with the air conditioning running. Mick loves being in vacation places because everyone misses their dog and he gets all their love and pets.

Mick and I getting ready to stake out our perfect spot. Notice the off-season “crowds”.

We then headed for the beach and chose the first parking lot outside of town because it had outdoor showers and we could rinse Mick off at the end of the day. The beach was absolutely stunning and there were less than 10 cars in the parking lot. The beach was wide and had a shallow entrance into the ocean. There were medium waves and a great breeze. We frolicked in the water with Mick for a bit and then settled in for some serious sun time. This was the prettiest beach we’ve seen at the Outer Banks and mostly they are all stunning beauties.

Late in the afternoon, we rinsed off and then headed towards the lighthouse. Mick and I strolled the grounds while Michael set up and waited for the light to turn soft. The brochures said this lighthouse was a photographer’s dream but I think the Bodie lighthouse with the grasses and marsh made a more idyllic shot. However, the Ocracoke lighthouse is no slouch either. This shot, with the fencing drawing your eye in, was wonderful.

After shooting the lighthouse, we headed to the hotel to check in. Pretty much all the hotels on the island are older motels but all well-kept. Ours, The Inn on Silver Lake, had lots of pet friendly rooms on the first floor, all with lovely sitting areas in front and facing the harbor – complete with rocking chairs. It was a lovely early evening so we sat outside rocking and reading while Mick enjoyed his dinner. Later, we headed over to The Flying Melon for dinner. Funky name but we liked the looks of the restaurant. I checked the internet and they didn’t have a website but they did have great reviews on Trip Advisor and Yelp.

The Flying Melon Cafe on Ocracoke Island

The funky and fabulous Flying Melon Cafe on Ocracoke Island

The rooster is a sign of hospitality. I really liked this one.

The rooster is a sign of hospitality. I loved this one, several were displayed throughout in the cafe.

The fabulous Mushroom Cheesecake. I need to learn how to make this.

We had a fabulous server and dinner at The Flying Melon Cafe. Michael had a scallop, mushroom and cheese appetizer and I had a Mushroom Cheesecake which was really like a cheesy, mushroomy mousse – both were delicious. For entrée’s, Michael had a house smoked, bone-in Pork Chop with a Cherry Citrus glaze and I had a seafood platter that had Bluefish, Shrimp, Scallops and a Crabcake – what a delectable feast! We split a crème brulee and headed back to the Inn. It was a balmy evening and we sat outside on our deck rocking and reading books for about an hour before turning in.

The next morning I gathered up a respectable continental breakfast from the front desk, we sat on our porch and had a lovely meal and then headed off to the beach. The wind changed direction overnight so the waves were very gentle and rolling. The water was warm and Mick had a great time running into the water after Michael and then back to me. We had a few more hours of luxurious sun time.

It was one of those perfect beach days you dream about. Soft, east waves, lovely breezes, warm sun and I could feel myself melting into the chair with happiness. We’re at the time of year when each day is especially cherished because you know it’s going to turn cooler any day – early fall was already overdue. We finally dragged ourselves off the beach and reluctantly headed towards the ferry. We had one moment of indecision, maybe we should just stay over another day? … but decided to stick with our plan and potentially come back the next week.

Day 2 - Another perfect day. Waves were calmer because wind was coming out of the west.

Day 2 – Another perfect day. The waves were calmer because wind was coming out of the west.

The ferry ride was, once again, a treat all by itself and as we drove off the ferry and back onto Hatteras Island, I was on the lookout for a place to eat. It was 3:30, that weird time where places were finished serving lunch and not open yet for an early dinner. As we were driving through Buxton, I saw a sign for Buxton Munch with a sign that said they had 5 stars on Trip Advisor so we did a quick U-turn and drove in. What a find! As Michael gave Mick a quick walk, I approached the door. There was a sign saying they closed at 4:00. My phone said 3:57 so as I pulled open the door I wondered if we would be able to eat. The young woman behind the counter could not have been nicer. She said sure but we’d have to order for take-out. No problem there as there were picnic tables right outside.

The feeling good groove at Buxton Munch

One of Buxton Munch’s delicious wraps

I didn’t want to delay the gracious staff any longer so I ordered for both Michael and me – a Crabcake wrap with Avocado and Black Beans and a grilled Rockfish wrap. Both came with great corn chips and cole slaw. I ordered drinks and as the server was waiting on our order she started cleaning up – including the soda machine but she said no worries, she’d leave Michael’s selection for last in case he wanted a refill!

The interior was adorable and had lots of 60’s memorabilia and Far Side comic books around. They even had a Woodstock poster. How fun! Their tag line is – ‘A groovy little place with a whole lotta taste’ and this sums it up perfectly. I wish this special place was closer to Duck – I’d eat here often. The food was super fresh, spiced well and really great.

We headed home satisfied and happy. This was a perfect trip – so much so, we returned the following week. Michael had loved sitting outside of our hotel room so much that I rebooked there again and we pretty much did a repeat visit – beach, Inn on Silver Lake and Flying Melon again. YUM!

It was hard to pick the “best” picture to show Ocracoke’s majestic beauty

The first time we went, the dunes were covered in small yellow flowers that were incredibly vibrant and beautiful. When we returned with the intention of taking pictures of the flowers, we were disappointed that they were somewhat gone by. This was a gentle reminder to seize every moment and never wait! This getaway will be a highlight of an already wonderful segment of our travels and a not to miss recommendation for anyone coming to the Outer Banks.

The dunes covered with yellow flowers. This is the “gone by” picture. Imagine what it looked like the week before!

Whirlwind Tour ~ Showcasing the Essence of the Outer Banks

November 5, 2014 by Candi Licence 6 Comments

How to experience the magic, fun and specialness of the Outer Banks in 2.25 days without going into serious overload was the challenge.

Michael’s Aunt, Anne, was planning a short visit from the Washington D.C area. Anne has done a good bit of traveling but has never been to the Outer Banks. Because the Outer Banks is only about 5-6 hours from DC, she has heard tons about it from friends and we wanted to give her a feel for its specialness without spending hours in a car.

Anne planned to arrive around 5 PM on Friday and stay though the weekend, leaving Monday morning. We made reservations to go to The Paper Canoe for dinner for 7:30, thinking this would give us time to catch up and watch the sunset before heading out for a leisurely dinner. The Paper Canoe is our favorite OBX restaurant and was closing for the season on Saturday. We wanted to be sure to have one more dinner there and thought Saturday night might be a madhouse, or even worse, they might run out of favorite dishes.

Anne called about 5:15 and said she was 12 miles away – however, she was still on the other side of the bridge and traffic was completely stopped due to an accident. Two+ HOURS later, she pulled into our driveway at 7:25. UGH! I had already called the restaurant and moved our reservation to 8:00, the latest they would serve us at this time of the year (off-season). So, Michael and I watched the spectacular sunset while Anne sat in traffic (and missed it), we all had a quick drink to give Anne a car break and then we headed 10 minutes down the road to dinner.

This was the sunset we wanted Anne to see ….

The Paper Canoe always has exceptional food and thankfully, they were at their best so Anne’s weekend got off to a fabulous start. We shared two appetizers – Mussels in Garlic sauce and fried Wontons in a Tamari sauce. Both were excellent. For entrées, Michael and I shared grilled Shrimp with Gouda grits and spinach in a delightful sauce and Scallops with Crabmeat and Carrots in a different, yummy sauce. Anne also had the Grilled Shrimp. The entrées were outstanding and made you want to lick the plates clean! It was a perfect last meal at this wonderful restaurant and we were so happy to share this special place with Anne.

This is one of two beautiful tea cups that Anne handmade for Michael and me

On Saturday morning, Michael set up an informal photography shoot. Anne is a Potter and she submits her creations to competitions and shows via photographs. She wasn’t thrilled with the quality of her photos and was asking for some pointers. Michael showed her ways to make great looking pictures using indirect light which would reduce the potential glare off the glaze and eliminate harsh shadows while highlighting the beautiful details in her work. Anna had brought us two of her hand thrown tea cups as a gift. We love pottery so they were a perfect present and will be a great reminder of a fun weekend with Anne.

Later on Saturday, we headed over to Corolla to a place called Whalehead which is a restored hunting estate that is on the Currituck Sound and has a mansion/hunting lodge, a romantic wooden bridge and is next to the Currituck lighthouse. The park like grounds are made for strolling and the bridge, boathouse and harbor area are delightful. After that, we headed over to the Atlantic Ocean to see the Corolla beaches which are wide and have a gradual slope into the sea. We laughed, watching some poor workmen trying to get a huge garden arch onto the beach for a late afternoon wedding. They were triumphant when the finally got their vehicle over the sand dune leading to the beach and could off-load the arch.

The majestic Whalehead Mansion/ Hunting Lodge

Michael then dropped Anne and me off in downtown Duck and we headed out for a little retail therapy, browsing our way through the delightful shops. Anne is an excellent Potter so we started with Greenleaf Gallery, a fabulous gallery that specializes in Pottery, Glass and Jewelry. Anne and I spent so much time examining their collection that the owner came over and asked which one of us was the Potter!

We continued on and I showed Anne that Duck had constructed a boardwalk that extends the length of the downtown area along the Sound which gets people off the road and into nature between clusters of shops. The boardwalk views are breathtaking. We strolled along, popping into a few more shops and then came to the end just before sunset. I called Michael and invited him for a drink on the deck of the Blue Point Bar and Grill. Anne and I grabbed a waterside table, we ordered drinks and the toasted a great day and a beautiful sunset with Michael. The sky was crystal clear, the setting sun was golden and then the sky turned from purple to deep red with a sliver moon above. It was so lovely. We headed home and Michael made a delicious dinner of steak, rice and veggies. It was a great meal with lots of great conversation.

On Sunday, Michael made a breakfast feast of bacon and cornmeal waffles with fresh berries, whipped cream plus a delicious syrup which was a combination of maple syrup and Grenadian Nutmeg syrup. What a way to start the day. We headed down to Hatteras island and on the way I pointed out Kitty Hawk, the Wright Brothers memorial, Kill Devil Hills (rumored to be named that because of the deadly Rum that was distilled there), and Nags Head. We drove to Bodie Island so Anne could see the lighthouse and the beautiful marshes that surround it. Then we drove over to the Atlantic side to see Coquina Beach, the first Hatteras beach. There are beautiful dunes, a spectacular beach and the surf was calm with small rolling waves. It was a perfect day and there was hardly anyone on the beach. Michael and Mick explored and took pictures while Anne and I walked the shoreline looking for unusual shell pieces that had been weathered by the water and sand. Anne headed back with heavy pockets of treasures that may show up as decorations on future pottery.

I tried to be very clever and take Anne to the Silver Bonsai Gallery in Manteo since we were only 10 minutes away, but it’s off-season and they were closed which was too bad because they also have wonderful pottery, jewelry and spectacular inlaid wood framed mirrors. I was really disappointed because I know she would have loved it and it would be too far out of her way to detour for a visit on her way home.

The beautiful dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park

Jockey’s Ridge butts up against the gorgeous Currituck Sound

We still had some lovely afternoon sun so we stopped by Jockey’s Ridge State Park on the way home. Jockey’s Ridge has the highest sand dunes on the east coast, some towering 120 feet high. This is a large park that looks like a small desert in places and also has lovely wooded trails that lead to the Currituck Sound. This is also a very popular area for people to hang glide, catching the prevailing winds that rush over the dunes. We took Anne to the sound beach which, like so many places here, is incredibly beautiful. It has a submerged sandbar peninsula that juts out into the sound. At low tide, you can walk way out into the sound and be surrounded by water which is really cool.

The in-progress necklace creation I'm making for Anne

The in-progress necklace creation that I am making for Anne

We finally headed back home with the plan for drinks on the deck and sunset watching. I showed Anne some of the jewelry I’ve made and we went through my bead stock. We picked out some cool shell pieces, pearls and silver beads so I could make her a custom necklace. I tried to complete it before she left but because of the unusual and dissimilar shapes of the shells it’s like an intricate puzzle and putting the right shapes together so they hang nicely is time-consuming. We got the general idea right and the necklace was about half way finished when we realized we were missing the sunset! Horrors! Drinks in hand we watched the sun just sink below the horizon and then the beautiful evening colors in the water and sky emerged and entertained us for another 30 minutes or so.

Michael cooked a feast of Salmon and vegetables with vermicelli noodles in a chicken stock with all kinds of spices plus lemon grass, ginger, scallions and peppers. It was a take-off on the fish in a clay pot recipe he’s perfected and was great. We had more good conversation and a lively discussion of all the wonderful snippets of fun that we had over the weekend. I think we did a good job showing Anne the good food and good shopping that can be had here as well as the variety of beaches and the ‘in your face’ extraordinary nature that surrounds everything. What fun we had, sharing this special place.

Marvelous Moondance ~ Full Lunar Eclipse

October 15, 2014 by Candi Licence 1 Comment

[Wednesday, October 8th.] The alarm goes off at 5:10 AM. We both jump up and rush to the window. YES! There is a beautiful full moon in the western sky and no clouds on the horizon. BINGO. We are going to be able to shoot the full lunar eclipse.

The moon lighting up the water at the very start of the eclipse

As we look closely, we can see the eclipse has just started. The upper left side of the brilliantly white moon has a dark smudge. At this point, I don’t think you’d even notice the eclipse had started if you weren’t looking for it. We scramble to get dressed and hurry across the street towards the dock with camera equipment and Mick, of course. Michael sets up behind the dock so he can frame the shot with the dock jutting out into the sound. And we wait. Or really, I wait. Michael is already taking shots, checking his exposure, the angle and doing whatever magic he does to create beautiful pictures.

As the moon continues to sink slowly towards the horizon, the shadow marches across the moon and more and more of it becomes obscured. This is going to be a dance between dark, light and the horizon. In a perfect world, we’d be shooting this in the Central time zone so the eclipse would be completed before the moon slips below the horizon, the sun would be coming up 1 hour later and it would be still be dark at the end of the eclipse. Or, the eclipse could have happened yesterday when the moon was higher in the sky – but yesterday, clouds covered the entire horizon so the moon would have sunk below the clouds before we saw the eclipse. So, for us, for this event; this is the perfect world.

Headlights from a car behind us, perfectly illuminates the dock

As the eclipse continues to conceal the moon’s light, everything gets darker and it becomes much harder to see anything other than the moon. The water turns into moving darkness, we can no longer see our house outlined on the horizon. It’s hard to believe that 25 minutes earlier it felt almost like daylight because the moon was so bright. The moon turns more orange and then red as the eclipse progresses.

A Heron lands on the dock to my delight.

To my delight, a Heron lands on the dock.

As Michael continues to shoot pictures, a couple of interesting things happen. Since the dock is directly across from a side street, lights from a car coming up to the stop sign shine out towards the sound. The headlights perfectly light up the dock, exposing the dock in the darkness and creates a beautiful contrast to the dark sky. Later, behind us, the eastern sky starts to light up with the early dawn and a heron flies from a nearby tree and perches on the dock. This gives Michael an interesting, additional subject in his view finder.

At this special time – when the moon is getting darker as the full eclipse approaches and the sky is getting lighter with dawn, the moon actually seems to disappear. Although if you stare hard, in the exact place you know the moon must be, you can still see … something. And then it is gone – not below the horizon yet, but the sky is too light and the moon is too dark to even pretend we can see it.

Time to pack up and go get some breakfast. We were so lucky that the sky was clear and we were able to witness this beautiful eclipse.

The moon turns redder and the sky slowly begins to lighten with the dawn

An Enchanted Sanctuary ~ Elizabethan Gardens

October 5, 2014 by Candi Licence 4 Comments

Enrapt I sat in the quiet hour and found my soul in the heart of a flower.

A pathway enticing you to walk deeper into the garden

There is so much treasure and serenity to be found in a beautiful garden. Walking along formal walkways or informal foot paths, there are beautiful discoveries to be had – left and right, up and down. A well planned garden conceals and then reveals its delights around every corner and The Elizabethan Gardens is a stellar example of lush, quiet beauty. Because Michael loves flowers and photography, I always look for special gardens as we travel.

These beautiful 15 foot gates originally hung at the French Embassy in Washington DC

The Elizabethan Gardens were originally planned to be a two acre garden site created to memorialize Sir Walter Raleigh’s English colonists of Roanoke Island whose settlement mysteriously disappeared and became known as the “Lost Colony”, 20 years before the permanent settlements of Jamestown and Plymouth Rock were established. The North Carolina Garden Club began designing the garden in the early 1950’s and they planned to represent a colonial garden typical of the 1850’s. With the help of the renowned landscape architectural firm, Innocenti & Webel, they were able to secure a fantastic gift of statuary including an ancient Italian fountain and pool with balustrade, wellhead, sundial, birdbaths, stone steps and benches, dating back beyond the time of Queen Elizabeth I. As a result of this gift, the original colonial garden concept was expanded to become a more elaborate design and to incorporate a much larger parcel of land.

One of many beautiful fountains that grace the gardens

The designer, Richard Webel, used the statuary to “create a garden Elizabethan in spirit and style but adapted to the present. Built on ten acres of indigenous growth, the gardens are the imaginative concept of an Elizabethan pleasure garden. Construction actually began on the historic date of June 2, 1953, the date Queen Elizabeth II was crowned Queen of England. The Gardens were formally opened August 18, 1960, on the 373rd anniversary of the birth of Virginia Dare, the first child born in America of English parentage. ”

The lovely gatehouse serves as the entranceway to the gardens

The gorgeous grounds begin at the beautiful gatehouse that has a flagstone floor and hand-hewn beams. It was constructed to resemble a 16th century orangery, a building designed to protect orange trees during the harsh European winters. Just outside the gatehouse is a large courtyard with a formal Shakespearean herb garden.

Another view of the gatehouse that was designed to resemble an Orangerie

Another view of the gatehouse that was designed to resemble an Orangery

From here you can take a number of paths, some bricked or paved and others covered in soft pine needles, to see a magnificent statue of Queen Elizabeth the First who reined during this time; a 16th century historically accurate gazebo overlooking the sound; a statue of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the new world; and an exquisite sunken garden with a fountain, formal plantings and many beautiful Crepe Myrtle trees. The sunken garden is framed by hollies that are trained to form beautiful arches that provide delightful glimpses of the garden’s interior and draw you into the garden with its large fountain.

This sculpture depicts what Virginia Dare might have looked like if she had grown to adulthood

Queen Elizabeth the first, holding a rose which was the symbol of the House of Tudor

Close up detail of Queen Elizabeth’s skirt

There is also a natural woodland garden, a formal rose garden and an extensive camellia collection that has 125 different species. There are HUGE Magnolia trees and a majestic Live Oak tree that is over 430 years old and was alive when the first colonists landed in Roanoke. There is also a very large, “great lawn” surrounded by trees and shrubs. During Elizabethan times, having a great lawn was a measure of wealth – only the truly rich could have land lie idle. All these gardens are connected by beautiful tree covered, canopied walkways that draw you further and further into the garden’s delights.

The gazebo, with a Norfolk reed thatch roof, overlooks the Roanoke Sound

One very special building is an authentic reproduction of a 16th century gazebo that was built using period tools and techniques. The hand-hewn oak posts and beams were locked together – no modern nails we used in this structure. The gazebo is topped with an authentic thatch roof. The Norfolk reed, brought over from Norfolk England, is considered by many thatchers as the finest roofing material and when an expert constructs with these materials, roofs are expected to last 60 to 70 years (!) as long as the ridge is replaced every 10-15 years. The gazebo is delightful to look at and is nestled into lovely woods that open up to overlook the Roanoke Sound.

We spoke to one of the garden’s caretakers who has worked at the garden for over 12 years. Her love of the garden was clearly evident in her conversation about the types of plants grown in the gardens and their bloom cycles. The gardens are designed to have color all year round. Spring and Summer have the most variety of blooms and are probably the showiest times. Fall is beautiful because it is so mild in North Carolina and the annuals are still blooming nicely while the grasses turn lovely shades of brown.

Camellias beginning to bud

Winter is special because all the Camellias, also called the Rose of Winter, are in bloom. The staff was starting to prep for a fall harvest festival with lots of activities for kids on the Great Lawn. This will be followed by Nights of Lights in December when the garden will be draped in twinkle lights which should be stunning.

Here is a sample of some of the plants that are in bloom now:

If you are ever in this area and like gardens and plants, the Elizabethan Gardens is a must visit excursion. (It is also located near the sweet town of Manteo – lots of lovely shops and restaurants on the Roanoke Sound.)

NOTES:

1. Information about this garden came from the Elizabethan Gardens website. Italicized text in quotes was pasted verbatim from the site.

2. Unfortunately, I could not find an author reference to the quote I saw at the garden on a plaque dedicated to Marie Perry Odom, Chairman of the Garden from 1974-1997 – Enrapt I sat in the quiet hour and found my soul in the heart of a flower. If anyone has any information, please let me know so I can update this post. Thank you.

The Locals Hideaway ~ Boca Chica Beach

July 24, 2014 by Candi Licence Leave a Comment

A captivating view from the shoreline

Boca Chica beach is a place you would never find on your own. I’m guessing even a lot of locals don’t know about it (or if they do, they have never been there). Boca Chica key is a few islands up from Key West and you have to drive past it to Big Coppitt Key (mile marker 10.5) to turn onto Boca Chica Road which will lead you back, back, back to this secluded beach. You will finally get to the end of the road and the beach will be directly on your left and the Naval Air Station will be on your right. There are some good shade trees here, a few picnic tables and directly ahead the road is blocked off and then crumbles away. From here you can begin walking the shoreline.

“Beach Patrol” on the rocky shore

Looking at a map, the road appears to go all along the shoreline, right up to US1 but it’s all washed away (by Hurricane Wilma, I’ve read). This is good news and “bad” news. The good news is not many people come to this beach. The “bad” news is if you want to explore this part of the island you do a lot of walking – sometimes even in the water on a pretty rocky shoreline, in some places, depending on the tide. It’s remote enough that dogs can be off leash and they can freely romp in the water and nose around the back woods. We’ve come here many times to give Mick the freedom he likes, Michael some good photo ops and all of us a chance to explore.

At low tide, there are a lot of tidal pools which can be fun to examine. There are also numerous trails that go into the woods and open onto marshes and small bodies of water. We’ve seen some great birds here and I’m sure this is a favorite migration stopover.

The Flip Flop Memorial. I love this, makes me smile every time I see it

Some of the really fun things you can discover are: the flip flop memorial – a portion of chain link fence with lots of discarded shoes attached; a beautiful structure of driftwood, rocks and found objects that look like a castle – with multiple rooms that have tables and beach chairs; and the shoreline path which goes right past the end of the Naval Station runway. We spent one morning watching someone learn how to maneuver a large helicopter. It was fascinating watching the person try to master hovering which has to be a lot harder that it looks from all the gyrations the ‘copter was going through. I’ve got a much deeper appreciation for the skills our pilots have to master.

For most of the time we’ve been here, there has been heavy reddish seaweed coating the shoreline but this is a seasonal thing and should be gone shortly, hopefully before we leave. You need to be watchful at all times because there are a lot of rocks, coral, trees, etc. to maneuver around. Usually we walk until we come to the first small channel that opens onto a salt marsh but this time we brought extra shoes so we could wade across and continue along the coastline.

A view into one of the salt marshes

I was surprised that the shallow water actually felt hot, very hot. Last Sunday, the beach was the busiest I’ve ever seen it – maybe 10 cars (!) and most of the way we were by ourselves. We saw a few people photographing birds and a couple of gentlemen fishing, but mostly it was a solitary, lovely walk along the beach.

Boca Chica beach is a slice of natural heaven.

A Mid Summer’s Night Dream & Spectacle ~ Summer Solstice

June 25, 2014 by Candi Licence 1 Comment

Event Poster

The Key West Botanical Garden grounds were transformed into a fairyland for the summer solstice on June 21st, and artists from all over Key West converged to celebrate and entertain. The event felt magical from the moment I walked in. Many people, contributors and guests, were dressed up in fantasy costumes, with painted faces and fabulous headgear.

The Mid Summer Queen ~ she made her beautiful outfit

This is the 8th year this event has been held and people knew there was a contest for “best dressed” and really got into the spirit of the night. There was a face painting and headdress booth right inside the door so I got my face painted and a flower headdress with beautiful ribbons hanging down so I’d fit in with the scene. As always in Key West, dogs were welcomed and some also came in costume. One thing I thought was particularly cool was there were a number of dogs available for adoption that were being walked through the event with coats saying adopt me. I thought this was a great way for people to see animals who needed a home and hopefully a few went home with new families to love them.

Dancing in the moonlight …

There were three major venues set up throughout the park. One venue had great musicians playing. There were more than 20 groups or individuals that played and sang non stop from 5 until 11 PM. It was great to stroll into the area, listen to a few songs, move on and then come back and hear a totally different sound. Many of the early groups were off to play in downtown Key West later in the evening and I got a good overview of the wonderful local music that is available here.

The second venue was an outdoor stage area where there were hula hoop demonstrations, belly dancing (both a performance and participatory dancing), Salsa dancing, poetry reading, sword dancing and an amazing fire eating demonstration. All this was backed by a fantastic video show once it was dark which added to the fun and mystery of the dancers as the colors flowed across their bodies and their shadows danced behind them.

Ms. Lydia Firefly strutting her stuff

The last major venue was a small theatre area where snippets of Shakespeare were performed, individuals played music, more poetry was read and a youth dance troupe performed. Interspersed between these venues were food trucks, fortune telling, sculptures, a dream board where you could write your dream in chalk, and a fantastic mural being created.

A young girl adding her magic to the giant mural

Michael showed up early to take ‘behind the scenes’ pictures of the set up and then photographed both the performers and the guests all night long. The fact that so many guests were dressed up, in addition to the artists who were performing, gave the evening a fun, fantastical feeling everywhere you went. See all Michael’s personal favorite pictures from the night. (look for the slide show button on the top right to have them open and scroll.) There were so many outstanding people and activities and I’ve only shown a fraction here. It’s especially fun going to an event Where Michael is the photographer because he gets to meet and know the event people and as a result we get an insider’s view of what is happening, meet new people we wouldn’t ordinarily get to know and often find out interesting things or other events that are happening in the area.

the face painting was a huge hit and very well done by local artists

All the artists including the face painters were donating their talents to benefit the Botanical Gardens. The gardens are not supported by Key West or the state for funding so they look to admissions, sponsors, donations and events to support the facility.

The gardens are representative of local Florida, Cuban and Caribbean plants and so it’s not as “showy” as a garden planted with the goal of looking vibrant at all times. It does provide an essential stopping place for migratory birds and butterflies and educates the public about native plants. Over 200 bird species and 37 butterfly species have been sighted. The Botanical Garden has a series of self guided tours including the “old garden” with a number of endangered species, a butterfly garden, a tropical hardwood hammock, pond and lake tour and a Cuban palm tour. If you are coming to Key West or want to know more about the Tropical Rainforest and Botanical Garden visit their website or send for their terrific garden guide.

This was truly a magical night and if you are in Key West or close by for the next summer solstice definitely stop by for a night to remember.

Candi and Michael’s Honey Moon

June 14, 2014 by Candi Licence 2 Comments

The honey moon rising out of the sea

Because we are close to the Summer solstice (June 21st), the June full moon appears over the horizon as a huge butterscotch orange orb and is called the honey moon. June traditionally was the month that most weddings occurred and the time couples spent alone after their wedding became known as their honeymoon.

Michael and I were out on the Higgs beach pier to see this beautiful moon rising on Friday, the 13th. The horizon was cloudy so it took a while for the moon to appear but it lived up to its description and was beautiful.

After peaking through the clouds, it disappeared again for a short while and then triumphantly lit up the sky – smaller and whiter, but reflecting beautifully off the water. The breeze was strong and welcoming cool as we and the other moon worshippers waited for this event that will not occur again until June 2098. (a June, full moon on Friday the 13th)

Earlier, we strolled downtown to the Pier House to support a charitable event and had lovely tapas and rum tastings. We had some good conversations with other visitors to Key West and got a couple of great recommendations for things to do and places to eat. The tapas were very good, rum is never bad but it was hot, hot, hot over on the western side of the island. The sun was blazing, getting ready for its sunset performance and there was very little breeze. It was a stark contrast to the eastern shore breezes we felt later and often have at our house. Definitely something you want to consider if you move here or visit in the summer months.

Michael at the Pier House

We strolled over to Mallory Square to check out the action. It was about 7:20 PM and there were people gathering for the sunset celebration but because it was still over an hour away, not too much performance art was going on. It was fun seeing the ships coming in and out of the harbor. We will definitely book a sunset cruise one evening soon.

Because we were shooting the moon rise, we left to meander back to our car. Key West is a great walking town with lots of interesting places to see and people to watch. And, oh yes, of course the chickens!

Hunting for Iguanas

June 4, 2014 by Candi Licence Leave a Comment

When we were on the Olde Town Trolley the other day, the driver stopped near the airport and pointed out iguanas hanging out in the grass near a mangrove stream, right behind a hotel. There were brown ones as well as bright green ones. Today we’re on the hunt to see if we can capture some pictures.

Only saw two iguanas today. This one is a veteran pro. He posed like a model – standing still, eating grass, walking towards Michael, holding his head up and then moving it from side to side as if saying – which view do you like best?

Check out his coloring and markings, pretty incredible. Overall, I’d say he’s a pretty handsome dude.

We tried to get pictures of a bright green iguana also, but the one we saw was much more shy and ran into the mangrove when we were still very far away. We’ll need to go back and try again another day.

Can you imagine coming out of your hotel room to get into your car and seeing one (or more) of these guys right next to your car?

Candi and Michael ~ On The Move

Tales from Grenada and Beyond