October 26, 2015

Caribbean Sea

On Board the MS Royal Princess: Day Six

St. George’s, Grenada

 

[NOTE: I’ve grown weary of writing the usual bullshit narrative; so I’ve decided to dispense with it and present the raw notes I took on my iPhone instead.]

 

St. George's, Grenada in the morning.
St. George’s, Grenada in the morning.
The cruise ship docked at St. George's.
The cruise ship docked at St. George’s.
Painted tires and rocks on the side of the road in Grenada.
Painted tires and rocks on the side of the road in Grenada.
Dougaldston Spice Estate.
Dougaldston Spice Estate.
Inside the processing building on Dougaldston Spice Estate.
Inside the processing building on Dougaldston Spice Estate.
Sliced nutmeg fruit with the seed and crimson aril visible - the seed is the source of nutmeg and the aril is the source of mace.
Sliced nutmeg fruit with the seed and crimson aril visible – the seed is the source of nutmeg and the aril is the source of mace.
Different spices grown in Grenada, laid out on the table.
Different spices grown in Grenada, laid out on the table.
Cocoa beans laid out on racks and left to dry in the sun.
Cocoa beans laid out on racks and left to dry in the sun.
Stream and banana trees at the Dougaldston Spice Estate.
Stream and banana trees at the Dougaldston Spice Estate.
Central Depradine Street in Gouyave, Grenada.
Central Depradine Street in Gouyave, Grenada.
Many sacks of nutmeg inside the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station.
Many sacks of nutmeg inside the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station.
Heaps of nutmeg drying out on multi-tiered trays inside the processing station.
Heaps of nutmeg drying out on multi-tiered trays inside the processing station.
View of one of the long trays the nutmeg is drying out on.
View of one of the long trays the nutmeg is drying out on.
Closeup of the nutmeg, Grenada's "black gold."
Closeup of the nutmeg, Grenada’s “black gold.”
Dirt road and a tall palm on Grenada.
Dirt road and a tall palm on Grenada.
Mount Saint Catherine, the highest mountain on Grenada.
Mount Saint Catherine, the highest mountain on Grenada.
Road on the way to Grand Etang National Park.
Road on the way to Grand Etang National Park.
Grand Etang Lake, in the crater of an extinct volcano.
Grand Etang Lake, in the crater of an extinct volcano.
Looking toward a hilltop in Grand Etang National Park.
Looking toward a hilltop in Grand Etang National Park.
Mountains seen in the distance from Grand Etang National Park.
Mountains seen in the distance from Grand Etang National Park.
Carib beer, brewed in Grenada.
Carib beer, brewed in Grenada.
Plants and trees in Grand Etang National Park.
Plants and trees in Grand Etang National Park.
Ginger flowers.
Ginger flowers.
Annandale Falls.
Annandale Falls.
Another view of Annandale Falls.
Another view of Annandale Falls.
Stream flowing away from the falls.
Stream flowing away from the falls.
Closeup of Annandale Falls.
Closeup of Annandale Falls.
"Thank God for U.S." and "KGB Behave" graffiti on the ruins of a building - referring to the 1983 United States–led invasion; the citizens of Grenada are genuinely thankful for the U.S.'s military action (making them somewhat unique in the world).
“Thank God for U.S.” and “KGB Behave” graffiti on the ruins of a building – referring to the 1983 United States–led invasion; the citizens of Grenada are genuinely thankful for the U.S.’s military action (making them somewhat unique in the world).
Fort Frederick.
Fort Frederick.
Looking northward toward the center of Grenada from Fort Frederick.
Looking northward toward the center of Grenada from Fort Frederick.
St. George's and the MS Royal Princess, seen from Fort Frederick.
St. George’s and the MS Royal Princess, seen from Fort Frederick.
Yellow flowers in Grenada.
Yellow flowers in Grenada.
Closer view of St. George's and the cruise ship.
Closer view of St. George’s and the cruise ship.
Street in St. George's.
Street in St. George’s.
St. George's seen from the cruise ship.
St. George’s seen from the cruise ship.
Looking south toward Grand Anse Bay, Grenada, from the cruise ship.
Looking south toward Grand Anse Bay, Grenada, from the cruise ship.

-wake up at 06:10, shower, dress, get ready

-tour started at 07:50, drive through St. George’s

-Grenada holiday, most places closed; although they let us into the spice plantation and nutmeg processing plant

-then National Park for a short rest, view point of lake, and beer

-waterfall, Fort Frederick, then back to pier, having to walk through a shopping mall to get there, back on ship just just before 13:00

-lunch at Horizon Court: iced tea, salad, mashed potatoes with gravy, carrots, string beans, salmon, seasoned fish fillets, and a seafood stew consisting of calamari, scallops, clams, and shrimp; followed by dessert of coffee, cookies, and a raspberry and mint

-booked a tour for tomorrow on Bonaire

-back to room, showered

-watched ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ (I prefer the 1958 film, ‘The Ten Commandments’, and I don’t really like that movie; too bad Ridley Scott couldn’t just follow the Book of Exodus or make an interesting film based on the Bible, a la ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’)

-watched ‘Foxcatcher’, an uncomfortable and unenjoyable film, which I guess means the filmmakers stayed fairly true to the history (during an intermission I talked to a performer, Paul Tanner, a vocalist who does impressions of singers, came on board today, performs the next day and leaves immediately afterwards)

-dinner at Horizon Court: seafood and avocado salad, smoked whitefish, turkey scaloppine, slice of pork loin, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, buttered chicken dish (Indian), nuts with honey, slice of Munster cheese, cranberry sauce, and iced tea

-grabbed more nuts and cheese, brought it to my room

-walked around and watched two very talented dancers on deck 5 midship do some pretty amazing moves, most of which had the woman standing on her husbands shoulder, held out perpendicular to him, upside down, and contorting her body

-ordered room service (Cabernet Sauvignon and gin)

-watched ‘Love and Mercy’

-listened to some music and fell asleep around midnight

 

An open journal or an exercise in narcissism.