Day Six : Antigua Holiday

I started out around 8 am – missed my normal coffee stop but wanted to get ahead as things just take longer here.
I finally got to see Rendezvous Bay and walked the road that seems ok for cars. You need to turn by the horse riding tour place just as you have left liberta on the way to Falmouth. Its not so easy to find and I would recommend other beaches and hikes I think but it was still nice to see someplace new in Antigua. It took maybe 50 mins round trip walk and I didn’t feel the need to spend so long there is a pebbly natural beach. The area is going to generated into a top resort I think eventually.

I was now looking to explore a bit more of the Fig Tree Drive area. The Gallery is only open in season so I had always missed it before…So Michelle explained a bit about the Gallery hosting a Caribbean but international selection of works. Sarah the owner also exhibits and she uses gold leaf in some of the paintings which I remarked.
Please make sure to stop by the Culture Shoppe – a stand selling wonderful tasting saroll I think Elaine told me it was a red coloured flower drink ! The red flowers you can see on the drive up. She will give you all manner of info on the area and its right at the point where some hikes can be made (long since well kept) – but you will need to call her about that. So she can help you hike to the summit of the local mountain/hill too. It’s a shame that even on cruise ship day the taxis zip past here and don’t allow the passengers to stop and get a break. She is often used by them however to supply a toilet break ! She needs a little help to develop. Her entrepreneurial spirit will go on ! Get hold of her on 1-268-460-3949 (Home) or 1-268-783-3343 (Elaines Cell) – or just be forceful and stop by her stall – it’s a place to get starfruit and black pineapple and other in season fruits. Just at her stall is a roadway you can drive the 400m down to where a dam is and the start of hikes – but the trails are not at all maintained and you would need a better map and machete. So this is why you need to call Eileen to arrange a guide but you will be hiking the unknown.
I did take some aerial footage of the area I am yet to review. [editors note I poped the drone up and surveyed above the canopy – very undeveloped green hills all around so a hike to the top may give some disappointed views ???]
As I wound out of the trip you get just past Carlisle bay and to the small but magnificently perched Grace Bay. The Monravians were the only ones to educate the slave children in the ruin you can see to the left so it’s the only slave school for children on the island of Antigua. See the image and video.

The community is lobbying for the government to restore this historical landmark. I found out this because a woman approached me about my flying activity on the corner. I had just gotten some footage but AGAIN realised the camera had not been running! I need a system to force me to remember that. I took to the sky.
I stopped to pick up a local woman who needed a lift despite me telling her I was just about to stop at boxers restaurant. I ended up just having coffee and she was still waiting for a lift so I took her as far as darkwood beach where I chatted to a guy from the cruise ship. They really do bring the people in and the atmosphere it’s a very crucial income but not all Antiguan’s benefit!