< return

my personal, big excursion was the granddaddy of hikes on the island, the hike to boiling lake. this hike consists of 4 hrs up and down mountains through the valley of desolation, past the hot springs and to boiling lake. boiling lake is a large pond in the top of a mountain that perpetually boils water. a swim would be fatal. the valley of desolation is mostly rock where you actually walk over little fissures that spew boiling water and steam. since there is so much sulfur in the water, no plants grow which is how it achieved its name.

to add to the challenge of the intensity of the hike, it rained for most of the day. and due to our elevation it was very cool, so we hiked at a fairly good pace to stay limber. a soak in the sulfur hot springs helped, but after 8 hrs of hiking, i was totally done. though we spent a fair amount of time in the heavy clouds, the view was incredible. but because there was so much rain, i couldn't pull my camera out as much as i would have liked. imagine walking along a crest of a mountain where 3 ft on either side of the hike and you'd never hear a person hit bottom. quite a hike. pepper was my guide and i give kudos to him for his endurance. few guides do this arguous hike. but you gotta do it. contact pepper to be your guide.

during my hike, lois, kids and marvlyn went to a Dominican beach. the sand is black and they enjoyed some more leisurely activities. Dominica is not known for its beaches. people do not travel to Dominica for the sand and sun. it is more of an eco-lover's destination. it is no wonder a large chunk of Dominica is a UNESCO world heritage site.

we drove parts of the island from top to bottom. our family hikes were a wonderful education. ché was fascinated by the massive trees and willow never made a peep in her snugli. everywhere we turned, the natural beauty had us gasping. what a step away from the urban jungle we inhabited less than a year prior.

mangoes were so plentiful, they lay on the roads. lemon grass grew everywhere. we picked it for herbal tea. pineapples were 2 for $5 EC ($2 CDN). fresh milk in the super market was $20 EC ($10 CDN) for 2 litres. since the island is so vertical, there is no grazing land or dairy industry. milk comes from off-island.

we will definitely return to Dominica. it is a quiet paradise which brings such a sense of peace. the bonding with nature is invigorating and soothes the soul. the people are fabulous and make you feel like you belong.

click here to read the trip advisor report which lois wrote and posted about Chez Fie Doudou.

•••