The Last Few Days

I'm not really in a blogging mood, so I'll mostly let the photos tell the stories of the last few days.

Tuesday, Heather and I drove into St. John's, the capital and only city in Antigua. We walked down Market Street, poked our heads into some shops, and bought fruit from a fruit and vegetable market. As you can see, the streets were narrow and busy. And hot. After an hour or so, we were ready to drive home down the country roads and past the colorful villages.

That evening we met Dr. Gilbert and Vem for dinner at Club Havana. Sitting on the roof terrace under a coconut palm we were visited by a little green lizard and a million mosquitoes as we enjoyed some lovely seafood dishes.

Here are some of my favorite Caribbean foods: pineapple, mangoes, and finger bananas. And papays - the one Mr. Reynolds gave us is still ripening on the back deck.

Wednesday, Dr. Gilbert took Vem, Heather, and I to Nelson's Dockyard. This is where the British kept their Caribbean navy during the time that Antigua was a British colony. We checked out the docks and wandered through the little museum exhibit on the history of the dockyard.

Dr. Gilbert and Vem opted for food and drinks at a little dockside restaurant while Heather and I visited the stores and took lots of photos. Here is a pic of the ceiling of the restaurant. We all left our signatures, too!

Then Dr. Gilbert, being the wonderful tour guide he was, drove us up to Shirley heights where we had a view of not just the ocean, but also most of Antigua. This shot shows English Harbour in the foreground and Falmouth Harbour in the background. The body of water in between is actually part of English Harbour and is where we just were - Nelson's Dockyard.

Heather and I, sitting on top of the world.

I'm having a wonderfully relaxing time. I placed my watch in a drawer when I first got here and I haven't taken it out since. We've been to one beach or another every day. I've seen my first cockroach (and watched Heather pull out the BOP and spray the pest until it was dead). I've had my first coke and run (Liz, you're right, I enjoyed it. However, I did have coconut flavoured rum which might be what made me like it so much). My shoulders are glowing red and sensitive, my legs are covered in mosquito bites, and I have not touched pants, shoes, or a long-sleeved shirt since arriving here. One of highlights has been spending time on my own with God on the little rocky beach by the house without a time limit: reading my Bible, praying, listening. I am blessed with so much!

A Wonderful Day

Two blog entries is one day! As soon as Heather and Burton returned from writing their last exam, we got into our beach wear and headed out. All six of us squeezed into the rental car - Burton, his sister, Vem (one of Heather's classmates), Dr. G. (one of their professors), Heather, and I. After trying to avoid the goats and the millions of potholes on the roads, we arrived at Devil's Bridge. I'll let the photos tell you the rest.

Here's Heather walking across Devil's Bridge, a rock bridge.

Heather and I with waves crashing beneath us. It's so good to be together again!

Walking around the peninsula: Vem (far left), Dr. G. (kind of hidden), Burton, Jill, Heather.

Then we went to Long Bay, also known as Pineapple Beach. Here are Burton and Jill enjoying the sun. The dark patches in the ocean are the coral reefs where we went snorkeling. What a neat experience to glide through the water and see all kinds of fish swimming around you! The coral was not as colourful as I had expected but it's shape and texture was fascinating and varied. So much fun to explore! We hung out here for several hours.

Before heading home, we stopped at St. James, a nearby beach resort where Jill and I had been yesterday. We joined in on a volleyball game that some Antiguans and Americans were playing and then jumped into the ocean for another swim, just as the sun was setting. Then we came home and made pizza. Here we are on the back deck ready to consume our dinner. It was about 8 o'clock but already pitch black. We had some good conversations about God's guidance and hearing Him speak to us.

Goodnight ta ya'll! (That's how Jill and Burton talk - they're from Tennessee and it's starting to rub off on me!)

Adventures in Antigua

Narrow, windy roads. Goats wandering across the street. Humid air. Juicy mangoes and pineapples. Brown, slender mongoose. Ocean waves breaking. Fans blowing. Cars whizzing past on the "wrong" side of the street. Bright flowers. Vegetation I had never seen before.

These are just some of the sights, sounds, and tastes that I've experienced since arriving in Antigua. And, even with Heather and Burton having to study for an exam all day yesterday, I have somehow managed to experience so much already. Attended a white coat ceremony for some of the medical students at Heather's school. Got a tour of her campus, met many of her classmates and professors, sat through a two (or was it three?) hour ceremony, and never felt so white in my life before (everyone there was either African-American or super tanned).

Yesterday, Heather and I visited with Her Excellency, the Governor General of Antigua. Heather's friend and neighbor is a retired Antiguan and he and the governor general have been friends since they were little. We went over to his house to meet her and she turned out to be a most pleasant lady. Just before we left, Mr. R. walked with us through his orchard (full of trees and bushes I had never seen before) and he plucked three papaya to give to Heather.

Later in the day, Burton's sister, Jill, and I spent some time at a beach by a resort. And I got to see and touch that which I have only ever seen on travel brochures or my friends' honeymoon photos: white sandy beach, blue lawn chairs under palm trees, ocean water that was warm (but just cool enough to still feel refreshing)...

Heather is writing her last exam right now. Then we're going off to some other beach for some snorkeling!