Sunburn marks still adorn my body and I’ll admit, I have a slight case of vacation ‘tabanca’. I know we all must come back to reality. For me it’s that 7.30am – 4 pm – grind reality. But somewhere between the tracking of daily inventory and visits to the scanner machine, my brain has yet to get back into ‘work mode’.
And as my mind wanders to my glorious two week- sun filled- visit to beautiful British Virgin Islands ( Tortola & Jost Van Dyke) images of crystal clear waters and awesome rum cocktails are all I can think about.
Having arrived at the beginning of the country’s two week 60th Emancipation Festival celebrations, I was ever so pleased to have the opportunity to experience the festivities firsthand. Itineraries were planned in advance by my very gracious hosts as they knew I was all about the food . Dining at fancier restaurants this time around wasn’t my intention as I opted to eat more of the local offerings which meant – street food!
One of the main events I looked forward to, was attending a food fair held in the town’s main area during the festival celebrations. Some dishes were somewhat familiar to what is eaten here at home as most Caribbean islands, share some of the same fruits and vegetables.
Between shopping trips in the bustling Road town area; we stopped at the very popular BAZZ to have fresh, natural fruit smoothies made on order. A smooth, satisfying drink with just enough natural sweetness and deliciously refreshing. It was became almost a ritual once I made it into town to have one.
I also had the opportunity to visit Jost Van Dyke this time around. An exhilarating boat ride down to the island left me a little winded,but the scenery made up for that. Oh boy was it worth the rough waters long the way!
A visit to the Soggy Dollar bar, located right on the beach is a must when visiting this amazing island. After all the sea bathing one can do, appetites needed to be fed.
The beach bar served an ‘American style’ lunch menu. So I chose a side of crispy potato wedges, sirloin burger which came with thick cut , tangy pickles and an al- dente tuna-pasta salad. I was hungry!
The real star however at Soggy Dollar is the Painkiller. A delightful concoction of dark rum, fruits( orange and pineapple), coconut cream and nutmeg. This cocktail hit the spot ( I did a happy jig) and having just one didn’t really work out as I tried to limit my alcohol consumption…really? I’ll tell you though it is a definite creeper, this one. Just make sure you’re not the one driving the boat or car when leaving if you’ve had a few of these!
This visit to Jost Van Dyke was indeed the highlight of my trip and I plan on visiting again when next I make it to the BVI. These islands hold a special place in my heart, from the delicious local fare to the very hospitable folk. I look forward to many more adventures and taking you along with me!
Trinieats 