Royal Mt. Carmel Falls

I made what may be my last trip (in the near future) to Mt. Carmel falls last Friday.
I went out on a high note, sliding down the falls without injury!

Read more a more detailed post about my first visit to Mt. Carmel here.

More Hashing!

I did my 6th hash yesterday and realized that I've only blogged about 1 hash - my first!  Weird!
They are all so different and worth being talked about. silly me.
read more about hashing in Grenada  here.

I'll just focus on the last two, those freshest in my mind  #694 and #701.
Before 5th term started Lee and I got to do a hash together!  Probably his first and only hash experience in Grenada.  But it was a fun one!
It was in St. David's near the government housing scheme that I took clothes and food to with All 4 Christ last year.  It was a beautiful hike through streams, mountains, and jungle.... and there was a DOWNPOUR and we got completely soaked, which made the ride home a little uncomfortable and smelly. haha

lots of people in Grenada love to hash!

the best part about hashing is that no matter how tired you are after climbing  mountain and no matter where you are in Grenada you can see the ocean from the top!

follow the paper trail!

I made friends with a 3-legged dog

These are pictures I got off of the resident hash photographer on facebook :)

Lee and I deep in the jungle!

 Hash #701 took place last night and was one of the most beautiful hashes I've been on as of yet... but also one of the longest!  We were "hashing" for well over 2 hours.
It was located on the north eastern side of the island, near Belmont Estates in what I'd call "farm land".  We saw SO many fruit trees and cocoa growing... as well as lots of other interesting bits too.

My status last night said :

Went on a hash tonight with Chris, Emily , and Jessie... I picked up avocados from the ground, hit my head on a cocoa pod, then Chris tripped on a coconut, Eden danced in the street with some locals, I found pieces of broken tiles, saw a man burning tuxedos in the middle of the jungle (super suspicious), scaled down a hill holding onto a rope, and emerged from the jungle in the dark to the sounds of Justin Bieber. interesting night.

 Haha! It was so crazy and so much fun!

I loved all the bamboo in the area, so pretty!

these pictures were stolen from Becky.... I should be getting my camera soon though!

the super weird man burning tuxedos in the middle of the Grenadian jungle....... why anyone here would ever burn clothes in beyond me unless there is something strange going on... I didn't stop to ask questions.

Cocoa that I hit my head on! haha only in Grenada!

Who wants to hash with me next week?!

Hashing - On, On!

I can't believe I never blogged about my first hash experience!

What is a hash you ask?? Well depends on who you ask, some say its "drinkers with a running problem" but I just say it's a crazy, hike through the mountains.
It's so much fun! here is their website

It is however followed by people drinking, but only if you chose to.  It's perfectly acceptable to drink water... and necessary after sweating for hours in the jungle. lol.

My first hash was in St. Paul's parish.  They have hashes every 2 weeks, and I really want to go on the next hash as well!!
It was definitely a strenuous hike... maybe because I had done this new yoga class and played a kickball game the night before.... and had gone to the hash straight from working on the garden project at PAM for 3 hours with a hoe and machete.... haha.  I could barely get out of bed the next day!!

I was so happy that two other SO friends, Nicole and Misha went as well so I stuck with them through the hike, which was helpful the several times we thought we were lost. haha. at least we were together!  They mark the trail with piles of shredded paper so you know which ways to go, but a few times it seemed as if the paper had led us astray.
Alfonso went as well... but for unknown reasons he decided to take the runners trail and we didn't see him the entire time.

everyone ready to go! 

the paper pile telling us where to go

Nicole and Misha.... haha.

hiked a mountain and found a kitten! 

Hiking through Grand Etang

you'd think that being sick for a week I'd have tons of blog updates... I mean I really had nothing else to do, but blog, but I didn't.  Every time I wanted to, I just felt too tired... like blogging takes a ton of energy? I don't know... anyway... I have lots to update about!  I just spent the previous week living a fabulous Grenadian vacation! and I want to talk about all the cool things we did... starting with going to Grand Etang!

Last Thursday, we went down to St. George's and caught the #6 bus to Grand Etang... $6EC per person... much less than a taxi.  Lee even skipped school for this event!!! for the first time ever!! haha
So we pile into the reggae bus and the guy just keeps adding people... so Lee and I end up sharing on of the fold out seats, about 12 inches wide. seriously. My body was turned completely sideways and I was pressed up against the window... even so we headed off into the mountains!
and when I say mountains, I mean actual mountains. We drove up to the highest drive-able point in Grenada, 1910ft above sea level... up winding, steep roads.  Several times the wheels squealed going around corners and I was convinced we were going to tip over and roll off the mountain... and my life would surely be over because I was protected by nothing but the window!
As you're going up the mountain there is a a very noticeable change in scenery and temperature... it really is a rainforest. while at sea level we are experiencing a horrible drought and there isn't a speck of green grass left... up there things are lush and green (even though I've heard they haven't had much rain there either) but maybe it retains it's greenness because it's so much cooler.  It instantly becomes much more comfortable of a temperature.
We found out once we got there that there was a charge of $5EC or $2US per person to enter the trails and lake area... when we went before with the school it was covered, but whatever... Grenadians have got to make their money somehow and tourists are willing... and it's worth it!

Grand Etang Lake is also where Grenada has been getting a lot of their water during the dry season.  It's a crater lake that sits on top of one of Grenada's extinct volcanoes.

this is the panoramic view I put together...

We hiked around the entire lake! not my idea... but Lee led us down the trail and I followed... but it was fun!  We saw a lot of cool stuff... Grenada's plant life is so interesting to me.... not only do they have palm trees, fruit tress, nut trees, flowering trees, regular trees with big leaves, and huge 300 year old trees... they also have cacti and bamboo growing all over the place.... weird. but I like it. and there are so many beautiful flowers! 

 collage I made on picnik.

once we emerged from the jungle we went up the hill to get a view of the lake

At the top of the hill, where the buses let you off they have lots of little shops set up for souvenirs, snacks, and drinks... and men playing music and making up songs.. and women with fruit on their heads wanting you to pay to take a picture with them. that's the job I want. dressing up and having people pay to take a picture with you....... hmmmm perhaps I can set up shop at Canada's Wonderland this summer while Lee is working ;)  or at least at Niagra Falls... I just need an idea of a getup.

anyway, before we left I was so happy to see some Mono Monkey's come out to see if anyone had any food for them... they weren't as scary to me this time, they were cute. but I still didn't get close.  I was sad to hear that a lot of the monkeys died in hurricane Ivan :(  they weren't actually meant to live here anyways... they were brought over from Africa, but hopefully those little monkeys are busy multiplying!

Mt. Carmel!

Wednesday the SO took a trip to Mt. Carmel... which is in St. Andrews about an hour away (we live in St. George's.. on the very southwestern tip) millage wise, it was probably like 10 miles or something (the island is only 20 miles long total!) but because we drive on crazy little roads that go up mountains and around crazy curves and the top speed is probably 40mph.... it took an hour.

It was well worth it though.  I sat in the front seat of the taxi/van to avoid getting claustrophobia or sick, so I got to see a lot of the countryside and the drive told lots of interesting stories.
The driver was a young guy, probably in his mid 20s.  Had he been born in America he would have been an actor or musician or famous athlete or just plain good looking.... and here he drives a taxi and owns chickens. and he's probably doing really well for himself by their standards. and he is. he was  very nice.

He told me the reason why there was a repulsive smell at one point was because there was a sugar cane factory that shut down one day and left all the sugar cane to rot! uuuuuuugh who knew sugar could smell so bad.
He pointed out some small houses that were given to squatters who lived on government land in St. George's.... and they put them FAR from St. George's. I still don't understand how people get up to these homes, even though he said there were roads.

He told me about rum, the schools, where the rich people live, about owning chickens, mangoes... and laughed at us a lot.... foolish Americans, and Canadians, and lots of other nationalities :)

Everywhere you look here there is an awesome view... the highway runs pretty close to the shoreline because it is so mountainous in the center of the country.  Every time I see the ocean over a hill or around a curve I'm still amazed.

Once we got to Mt. Carmel we hiked to a gorgeous waterfall.

and got under it! 

 

 

 this was supposed to be our panteen pro-v commercial :)

 

 

Sarah, Me, Cristina, Sherry, and Amber... fellow SOs 

Then we hiked to another waterfall not far away... Grenada is over flowing with beauty. I cannot believe so much is contained on one small 20X12 island!

 

lots of people slid down these falls like a slide.... but I didn't.

I was chicken.
I partially regret it and partially feel like if I had gone, I would have been the one to get hurt.

I don't like to take unnecessary risks. especially in foreign countries. and especially when Lee's not around. 

but everyone else had a good time! and we'll go again in the fall so I may go then.... 

Once we came out of the jungle (and yes it is literally a jungle) we saw another amazing view 

aaahhhh I love Grenada.