Isla de Providencia, Columbia
We were very excited to land here at Isla de Providencia. We knew very little about the island. We knew it’s a small island, a dot in the Caribbean sea. Our charts indicate that it and it’s closest neighbour are the property of Columbia. We were delighted to discover that this charming island is safe for tourists and that the officials and local population welcome you and ask you for nothing.
The island was hit hard by a hurricane two years earlier, and the government has spent some money replacing shore side tourist amenities such as sidewalks, benches and lighting. Some shops and homes are still under the slow process of repair. Some homes under construction or repair are without doors, windows, shutters, and only partially roofed, but you can see people living in them. The small village on the island is a pleasant densely built place with a few small grocery stores, a coffee shop, a church, school government building, a few restaurants, a tiny town square and such things.
Yesterday was a local religious holiday (Joseph‘s Day??), and so shops were closed. Lots of locals went to the beach, and so we went too. We went to the beach by pickup truck taxi. For a dollar each, 9 of us piled into the small box of the Toyota pickup and were driven 4 miles through the countryside to the local beach.
This was our first real beach holiday since we left. We have been on lots of beaches, but this time we just hung out, listened to some tunes, and had lunch at the local beach shack. The kind of thing you would expect to do on a small island in the Caribbean during a religious holiday.
According to local government info, this island is home to the third largest barrier reef in the world. We hope to go snorkeling tomorrow.
There are small iguanas here that are bright blue in colour with a yellow stripe down their back.
Restaurants for locals provide a meal of rice, plantian, salad and your choice of chicken, fish, crab, or lobster for about $5 and beer for about $0.50
We tried to send some post cards today. The post office ( actually the locksmith shop/ motorcycle parts and photocopy shop) doesn’t have any stamps this week.
This is a great place to rest and relax. It has seduced us into staying here a
nother couple of days. If the weather holds we will depart
The island was hit hard by a hurricane two years earlier, and the government has spent some money replacing shore side tourist amenities such as sidewalks, benches and lighting. Some shops and homes are still under the slow process of repair. Some homes under construction or repair are without doors, windows, shutters, and only partially roofed, but you can see people living in them. The small village on the island is a pleasant densely built place with a few small grocery stores, a coffee shop, a church, school government building, a few restaurants, a tiny town square and such things.
Yesterday was a local religious holiday (Joseph‘s Day??), and so shops were closed. Lots of locals went to the beach, and so we went too. We went to the beach by pickup truck taxi. For a dollar each, 9 of us piled into the small box of the Toyota pickup and were driven 4 miles through the countryside to the local beach.
This was our first real beach holiday since we left. We have been on lots of beaches, but this time we just hung out, listened to some tunes, and had lunch at the local beach shack. The kind of thing you would expect to do on a small island in the Caribbean during a religious holiday.
According to local government info, this island is home to the third largest barrier reef in the world. We hope to go snorkeling tomorrow.
There are small iguanas here that are bright blue in colour with a yellow stripe down their back.
Restaurants for locals provide a meal of rice, plantian, salad and your choice of chicken, fish, crab, or lobster for about $5 and beer for about $0.50
We tried to send some post cards today. The post office ( actually the locksmith shop/ motorcycle parts and photocopy shop) doesn’t have any stamps this week.
This is a great place to rest and relax. It has seduced us into staying here a
nother couple of days. If the weather holds we will depart
posted by tobogganride at 6:30 AM
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