This weekend has been another busy one...it started with an island tour courtesy of the SO organization that went from 10am-5:30pm and we literally went around the WHOLE island. We started off at the two forts from the French/British colonization times [maybe...I don't really pay much attention on historical tours, I know, I know...bad me...] and then we went to Carib's Leap, where several Grenadian prisoners jumped to their deaths rather than surrender to an opposing army [British or French? Again, bad me...] and become slaves. We went from there to the best part of the tour [in my opinion]: the Belmont Estate. First off, I think its hilarious that everywhere I go has something named Belmont, but beyond that, it was just generally awesome. They also have several animals there, including goats, from which they make great goat cheese [I brought some Garlic & Chive cheese home to my husband and I and I'm pretty sure we will finish it by tomorrow...we miss having great cheese!] Belmont Estate also produces the chocolate for the Grenadian Chocolate Company, and it is AWESOME. We got a bar of it from the store a week or so ago, and it reminded us of Theo Chocolate - the only organic, fair trade chocolate produced in the states [and discovered on our honeymoon] in Seattle, WA.
We had the option of eating lunch there, but I had brought mine with me, so the other girls and I who ate our own lunches were able to explore a little more than everyone else who had to sit down and eat. We discovered the array of mimicking parrots, the billy goat, regular goats, meaner donkeys, slow tortoises, and the historical decor from the original estate. Once everyone was finished with lunch, we went on the official tour of the chocolate processing "plant," and we were even able to "walk" through the cocoa beans [they still use a person to "till" the beans every half hour by walking through them - this helps the beans dry out quickly and evenly...interesting. I feel sorry for whoever has to eat the chocolate aided by my feet...ah well. I was able to bring some more chocolate home to my excited husband, so that was also cool. After the tour, we went to the old airport. It seems like it was just deserted one day, with no explanation or clean-up. There are still buildings advertising duty-free goods, and two or three airplanes that have just been left to rust and inhabited by plants. We were not expecting to find the official guard dog of these planes, however: a full grown male cow who was not about to let any of us get too close. He charged at us twice, but once was enough for me - I headed back to the bus :) We were also supposed to go to a rum distillery, but we ran out of time. I didn't really mind, I think everyone was ready to get back by the time we did - for some reason, riding in buses takes it out of you. I got quite a few pictures, so I am only going to post a few "key" shots...we'll see :)
We had the option of eating lunch there, but I had brought mine with me, so the other girls and I who ate our own lunches were able to explore a little more than everyone else who had to sit down and eat. We discovered the array of mimicking parrots, the billy goat, regular goats, meaner donkeys, slow tortoises, and the historical decor from the original estate. Once everyone was finished with lunch, we went on the official tour of the chocolate processing "plant," and we were even able to "walk" through the cocoa beans [they still use a person to "till" the beans every half hour by walking through them - this helps the beans dry out quickly and evenly...interesting. I feel sorry for whoever has to eat the chocolate aided by my feet...ah well. I was able to bring some more chocolate home to my excited husband, so that was also cool. After the tour, we went to the old airport. It seems like it was just deserted one day, with no explanation or clean-up. There are still buildings advertising duty-free goods, and two or three airplanes that have just been left to rust and inhabited by plants. We were not expecting to find the official guard dog of these planes, however: a full grown male cow who was not about to let any of us get too close. He charged at us twice, but once was enough for me - I headed back to the bus :) We were also supposed to go to a rum distillery, but we ran out of time. I didn't really mind, I think everyone was ready to get back by the time we did - for some reason, riding in buses takes it out of you. I got quite a few pictures, so I am only going to post a few "key" shots...we'll see :)
Fort.
Carib's Leap view...we could see other islands! [sorry you can't see them here...]
What up.
Yo, Billy...good luck getting back in your cage...
Raw nutmeg! How cool, huh?
RAW CHOCOLATE!!!!!! It was weird, kinda sweet, a little slimy...interesting to say the least.
Everyone turning the chocolate beans.
I have "sock patterns" on my feet, haha :)
Chocolate Tea done AMAZING!
Oh geez.
Yesterday, we bought a car.
Yep.
One of Marieke's MBA professors was selling her car since she is
leaving the island after living here for 3 years. We all went in on the
cost and got a really awesome deal, and we hope to be able to sell it
for a little bit of profit, or at least even for the price we paid when
it gets time for us to leave. Cars don't depreciate much here - any car
[the cheaper the better] is always in high demand among students. We
are going to try to keep driving to a minimum, but it will be nice to
have for store trips, when people visit, and when we want to get a
little further up the island without paying bus fees, etc. It's a
little weird to realize that I don't need to take the bus for
everything. I'll post some pictures later. Ryan and J are very excited
that it is a "manly" color [grey], haha.
But
along with doing that, J was able to take a good study break and he and
I spent some time on Grand Anse Beach. It was very relaxing and nice
to hang out together for a while. After that, we came home and he got
ready to go back to campus to study and go to his Bible Study. Marieke
came to hang out for a while during that time, and then they switched
again when she left and J came home. I was able to talk to my dear AJ
before he came home, too.
This
morning we went to church, and now J is on campus and I came home to
make dinner for tonight as we're having some friends over :) Black bean
"burritos" are our go-to food for the masses :) And I think we will
enjoy some chocolate tea with homemade pumpkin spice syrup [it's really
good, actually!] and some pumpkin cookies for desert :) I was missing
our home church again today, but every Sunday seems to bring on all my
"missing" feelings. I'm grateful to have fellowship here, too, but I
deeply miss our church family back at home!
Anyway,
it's been a long weekend, but very good nonetheless. We gotta cram
these weekends full of fun whenever we can! :) I hope everyone's Sunday
was full of rejoicing in the Lord's grace and glorious mercy in sending
Christ for our sins: allowing us to have life to the fullest if we turn
in repentance to receive this grace and are, with full assurance of
faith, living in obedience to Him.
Grace, peace, and much love to all.
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