 |
| Jolly Beach - Tranquility Bay Resort, Antigua |
We did not know much about the island nation of Antigua
(pronounced ‘Antiga’) prior to being invited by the parents, and nor did we do
a whole lot of research prior to going either.
The 100 sq. mile island is home to 80k inhabitants, relying on tourism
as their number one industry. Located in
the West Indies, it is in the leeward island chain of the Caribbean. Arrival brought us the warm sun, blue skies,
and temps with a low of 72 and a high of 82 daily. This trip was a means to have family time,
celebrate the February birthdays, and to get the heck out of the cold weather,
which proved to be very true the week we left as record breaking lows were
recorded.
We are quick to ask questions about the area, local food and
drink. It’s a pet peeve of ours to see
so many tourists (Americans primarily) seek out the food they eat every day of
their lives, getting excited when they see a familiar sites such as a pizza,
burger, or fried chicken in one of its many forms. Sad but True.
I always recommend Florida as a destination for those with this type of
adventure. Learning that the local drink
is rum (big surprise) was welcome as it is such a versatile liquor to create
beverages from and at least it’s made on the island by Antigua Distillery. Wadadli Lager, made by Wadadli brewing is
also made on the island. Great, bases
covered. We would not want any wine made
in the Caribbean so all was good for the week.
Stocking your fridge from the store is a wise move, as many tourist bars
will charge you American resort pricing for this. Open container, everywhere, including your
car is acceptable. Have fun.
Returning to the food, Fungi is the ‘dish’ of the
island. Really a side, it is typically
served with a protein such as salted fish.
It has the consistency of polenta and tastes about the same also. Goat stew, cow hoof stew, and chicken seem to
the dishes of the island, featured on all the local blackboards of the small
eateries around. Having a serving of the
chicken and goat stew at Joseph’s (Jolly Beach), we were very impressed by the
complexity and freshness of the flavors.
Sides were lasagna (also popular on the island), fresh steamed
vegetables, and black eyed peas mixed with rice. This is what you can expect eating locally,
which is recommended. At English
Harbour, try Caribbean Taste Native restaurant, they do a superb job frying
whole red snapper with all the local sides.
It’s a hidden gem in the neighborhood not far from the harbor, which is
loaded with yachts of grandeur.
What we recommend and enjoyed is a personal island tour, which
can be provided by a local cab driver.
On this tour, be sure to see Shirley heights and English harbor, with
the heights giving you some fantastic views of the island and ocean. We also noticed they offered entertainment at
Shirley heights, something I had wished I checked out as sure it is beautiful
in the evening, overlooking the lights of the island. St. John, the capital, offers a city
atmosphere which appeared to have a cool market but also has the cruise ship
port, making that portion of the city loaded down with lower quality trinkets
and junk, with some great hand-made finds in between. Look closely.
Hiring a captain and small boat for an individual charter is also a
fantastic experience, providing a tour of the coastline, some snorkeling,
lunch, and whatever else suites your fancy.
Our captain was so cool, we invited him to our place for dinner that
evening where he helped Josh prepare steamed stuffed snapper, local style. What a treat!
Antigua, offering the laid-back Caribbean atmosphere,
quality local foods (don’t be scared), no mega-resorts (thank you for that),
gorgeous beaches, good snorkeling, warm and clean waters, and very friendly
residents make this destination enjoyable. So, next time you are in need of a cold rum
runner, gorgeous fine sand to stick your toes in and friendly people, jump on a
flight to this little island of paradise.
