days twenty and twenty-one

Sunday’s mission: recover from Saturday’s hike. After 12 hours of sleep, a late breakfast was just what I needed. Embracing the day of rest, most of the girls and I walked over to Fort Young to enjoy the pool. Five hours of swimming, laying out, eating fruit, and sipping pina coladas was just what I needed to recuperate. The pool looked awesome – it’s an “infinity pool,” so when you’re in it, it seems like it just connects to the Caribbean Sea. As we were getting ready to leave, we were treated to a Pirate looking ship on the horizon. As it came closer, its resemblance to a ship from the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie was remarkable – each day I’m reminded how Dominica is so cool! As was continuous throughout the day, the hotel barman was signing along to the constant stream of Celine Dion songs (fact: seeing a large black man hit Celine’s high notes is an unforgettable experience). Dinner was comprised of snacks and a leftover wrap from the Laughing Lobster a few nights back. Sunday – Once Upon a Time night! The episode focused on Snow White, my favorite character, which was a great way to wrap up the day.

A change up from the typical Monday – a guest lecturer, Mr. Shillingford, came to speak to the group. Aka no class and an extra hour of sleep! His talk was all about the banana industry in Dominica and the cultivation of the plant. Here’s some knowledge that he shared: “musa” is the botanical name for bananas, an individual banana is called a “finger,” and the dots in the center of the fruit are where the seeds would be (but bananas don’t have seeds). Learn something new everyday! Felicity, Kristen and I had planned on going to Middleham Falls, but Jared suggested that three girls wandering in the woods was best to be avoided. Instead, we joined Alex and went to Cocorico Café – we wound up running into the rest of the group for lunch. Such a cute place to eat! They have local artwork decorating hanging everywhere, brightly colored walls, and cheap food: good for everyone! I got a cheese sandwich, my new favorite lunch. A cheese sandwich in Dominica is so different than in Delaware, no onions or pickles, but cucumbers instead. Loving the change up. We had a touristy day, walking around the shops and buying souvenirs. Another snacks for dinner kind of day, not going to miss restaurants closing early! A cruise for the program Students at Sea was at port (they travel the globe for a semester and get college credit – so awesome!), so the bar across the street was insanely crowded. Of course our group went over, knowing all the words to the local songs and on a first name basis with the DJs (well, they rest of the group did…my early bedtimes have prevented me from being a frequent attendee). After getting my loud music fix, I went back early and read the book Heaven Is for Real (read it!!! It’s so excellent!), courtesy of Alex’s Kindle. I got in my social activities by hanging out on the roof with the group for a bit, and headed to bed, exhausted.