The Caribbean should be its own continent. It’s a collective of countries and territories all on islands, ecompassing a very large area. There are some sixteen different countries. The US, UK, Netherlands, and France have fifteen territories.
It stretches from Cancun (at the west) to the Bermudas (at the northeast) to Trinidad & Tobago at the southeast. There are big islands like Cuba, Haiti/Dominican Republic, and there are numerous tiny islands with the Bahamas having over 700 in total.
Having been there for business, NGOs (non-government organizations, typically non-profits), and pleasure, we’ve discovered there’s a lot to see. It’s a vacation paradise where there are many opportunities to expand your horizons with a journey. From rest and relaxation, to food, history, the water and all it offers, jungle hiking, tropical fruit, and of course, lots of drinking.
Below are some of the places in the Caribbean we’ve been to.
Cancun
Our trips to Cancun have been for fun. Lots of fun. Staying at All-Inclusives can be relaxing. Snorkling, sailing on a Catamaran, or simply sitting by the pool. Good stuff. You can also go to Cirque du Soleil JOYÀ for a reasonable price.
Bahamas
Admittedly, we weren’t unhappy being able to travel to the Bahamas for business, twice. We decided to spend a few extra days and enjoy the island weather. We traveled with a friend and work associate whose family lived there.
Dining at the Graycliffe restaurant in Nassau was wonderful. There was a guy up front whp was rolling cigars. He had been Castro’s private roller for twenty years. The most expensive wine there was over ten thousand dollars (you read that correctly). Despite the potential of decandance, you could eat there without breaking the bank.
After Abaco Island was devastated by Hurricane Dorian, we went there representing Foundation Builders International, Inc. to assess the best way to open a trade school to allow the residents to be trained to repair their own buildings as well as fixing vehicles and boats.
Haiti
Strictly business here. Gary was called to be on a team assessing the Port au Prince utility infrastructure six months after the massive earthquake in 2010. It was quite an eye opening experience and simultaneously a privilege to serve the people of Haiti.
Dominican Republic
Engineers Without Borders (EWB) can take you all sorts of places. When it took Gary to the DR as a scoping effort for a water treatment facility, everyone’s first thought is “I’d love to do that”. Until they hear that you’re staying in a house with no air conditioning, lots of mosquitos, and cold “showers”. The electricity only ran approximately two hours per day. The shower was more like dipping a bucket into a tub of cold water to pour over yourself.
So, definitely not a resort atmosphere, as we were up in the mountains where the real people live. Repurposed metal roof being used as siding for a shack with a dirt floor.
And yet the one great thing there is that the people are amazing. They’re good people.
Trinidad & Tobago
Dianne was working for a non-profit. She hates heat, bugs, and food cooked by others. She absolutely loved being with the island people. The mission involved working for the local people getting some larger tasks accomplished that they were not able to either afford or were physically capable of.