Click to view slideshow.Besides Dominica’s billing as the nature island, it’s also the only island in the Caribbean which has a surviving population of the Carib Indians. We didn’t get a chance to visit their territory, but we did experience Dominica’s rainforest up close and personal, as you can see from the photos.
Our second day in Dominica dawned with a jog through Roseau. Jason and I, along with the ship’s running club, hit the streets for a 4 mile run (which felt like 10, I feel so out of shape already!) Steady warm rain misted over us for the entire run; little did we know how absolutely soaked we’d get later on in the day.
Dominica’s rugged nature includes mountains, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, thousands of tree varieties: we saw almond, coconut, mango, papaya, poinsettia, palm, and banana (can you see the green bananas in the photo?) The whole family had signed up for a hike to Middleham Falls, an impressive 400 foot cascade in the heart of the rainforest. Our guide, Peter, (he’s holding some coconut art in the photo), guides groups on this 4 mile hike 2-3 times a week, so we were in good hands. The plan was to swim at the base of the falls so we were wearing swimsuits, shorts, and Keens, and carrying towels in our backpacks.
The lushness of the rainforest blew our minds….we’re used to the Pacific Northwest’s green beauty but the rainforest’s shades of emerald were surreal. Besides seeing the native banana tree, Peter pointed out the aphrodisiac tree and insisted Jason and I pose for a photo in front of the whole group! He also picked a bunch of lemongrass and after a couple twists of his hands, passed it around so the group could inhale its lemony scent.
Soon into the hike the rainforest drizzle kicked up to a torrential downpour. I am not exaggerating. We sloshed through swollen creeks, and skirted over uneven vines while the rain dumped on us. Poor William was not a happy camper – his tears spilled from real fear. The rain was so heavy we couldn’t swim in the waterfall pool. No matter – we got so drenched we looked (and felt) like we’d churned through the falls, as you can see from the photo.
In the afternoon the sun radiated again and Roseau had come alive. We poked around the markets, sampled the famous rum punch, and took in the sights and sounds of this ecelectic island town. From my observations, the Dominicans show a lot of pride in their island and the people we encountered were engaging and chatty, eager to share their knowledge of their home. Someday I hope to return and tackle the mental list I’ve started: Try canyoning. Ride the tram above the rainforest. More hiking (with a rain slicker!). Go snorkeling again, this time on the North coast.
As I type this, our ship is smoothly sailing up the muddy brown Amazon River! It’s a welcome break from the ocean. After Dominica the trade winds made it so rough no one could walk on the ship without holding onto a railing! Seasickness is a total drag and makes life really difficult. It’s nice to feel somewhat normal again. Yesterday we cruised at O degrees latitude – right on the equator. We will disembark in Manaus, Brazil tomorrow.
