Living in Grand Cayman

One of our favorite places for Sunday brunch (very popular “activity” in Cayman) is at the Portofino. It is located at the very tip of the eastern part of the island. From George Town, it will take +-40 minutes to get to depending on how fast one drives or if you are stuck behind a very slow moving car as it is often the case here!

I though I would mention this place since we enjoy going there for brunch & dinner alike.  Its not as fancy as some of the 7-Mile beach places,  but the prices are very reasonable for what you get and is extremely peaceful at that end of the island ; away from all the “hustle & bustle”.

For those that do not venture much outside of George Town, just getting to the place is worth it.  We usually drive along the coast, then after brunch simply drive in the same direction until we get to Frank Sound Rd (the road that crosses the island) and then back towards town.  There are some great places for pictures and also a quick stop at the blowholes which can be impressive if there is lots of wave action.

Here are some shots taken from where we were sitting on the outside/ocean view terrace.

On a windy day, there will often be kite surfers ; very impressive show.

Here is their website. I have no affiliation with them, but am definately happy to talk about this place that we like a whole lot.

http://caymanislandsdiscounts.com/Portofino.htm

Final item of note, Julie’s best friend Genevieve, is here with us for a 3rd time!  Each month of March, like clockwork, she has visited us.  First year she was alone, last year with her mom and this year with her aunt Lise. Here they are at Cayman Kai with a few starfish that we found along the shore.

I have featured this beach in a few pictures in the past but never really talked about it.  This beach, although somewhat unknown to most on the island, is definitely one of our favorites. This beach can be found on the southern coast of Grand Cayman, about 2 miles before getting to Savannah. The entrance is just beside a small cemetery … very easy to miss.

Its not the most pretty, nor the most fun spectacular  for snorkeling, but has lots to love!

First things first ; we had Julie’s sister, her BF Emmanuel & his parents over for a week.  They had a great time exploring the island and we loved having them over!

Now back to Spotts.  When you get to the beach, this is what you see!  Understand why I like this place so much?

The swimming is so-so, but if you snorkel, you are in for a treat.  80% of the time I get to swim with sea turtles. You can also see loads of Conch (do not take : its a replenishment zone), lobsters (do not take either …) and stingrays.  I have even seen a moral eel and some tarpon.  The bottom is not very spectacular, but the wildlife makes up for it.  A friend of mine even swam once with a massive Manta ray there!  Must have been great.

Here is a picture from the pier of a turtle surfacing for air. They like the area since there is lots of sea grass which they eat. Be quick on the camera if you try to take a picture like this ; they only surface for 2-3 seconds every few minutes.

When we have guests we usually take them to Spotts for dinner & sunset.  Since Emmanuel & his parents are from France, wine was a must for this meal 🙂 Dinner on the pier!  Very nice.

During summer time, Spotts beach is also great for sunsets.   (In winter its too far north and is over land)   If you have ever been in this area of the world, you know how fast the sun sets.  The three pictures below are at about 2 minute intervals.

One of the “wilderness” activities in Cayman is the Mastic trail.  We know many people that had done this relatively easy hike, so figured we had to do it!

The trail starts/ends near Frank Sound Road (The road the crosses the island) and on the North Side on the drive to Rum Point.  The trail is about 2 miles long and is not a loop, so whatever you walk, you will have to walk back unless you park a car at each end.  Julie & I walked about 3/4 of the way starting  from the North side.

The trail is the red line below.  If you go, you will see the signs that are easy to see if you are looking for them.

The trail took us into relatively thick woods.  However, due to (I assume …) hurricanes in the past years, most trees where very short.

Quite a few pretty flowers & plants to be seen.  A word of caution: we were told to wear long pants since there are some venomous plants along the trail. Beware of what you touch.

We saw two rather large snakes during our 1.5h hike.  No worries … there are no venomous snakes in the Cayman Islands 🙂

A woodpecker! I had no idea they had these here. We heard a few Cayman Parrots, but did not actually see any.  If you are lucky, you can also see blue iguana’s along the trail.  In summary, if I were in Cayman for only a week, it would probably not be at the top of my to-do list. However, if you are here for a while and want something different than the beach as well as a leisurely stroll, the Mastic trail is a lovely afternoon activity. Oh, and there are no entry fees!

Long time no post!  I have been extremely busy at work, traveling and enjoying the beach with my wife & in laws who just went back to Canada a few days ago.

We had a great time with them as do most expats when family comes to visit.  Here is a family picture at Spotts beach.   Notice Bijou, our lovebird on Julie’s shoulder 🙂

One of my travel destinations took me to the Island of St-Lucia!  WOW.  What a nice place. Unfortunately I only had one day to see the island. However, I took full advantage of it.

Here are the most recognizable landmarks of St-Lucia (and a UNESCO world heritage site), the “Pitons”.

At Soufrière, there is a dormant (or semi-dormant if you ask me) and very smelly volcano.   It smells like a million rotten eggs but is super interesting.  You can see the hot steam and bubbling mud in the pits. Definitely something you do not see everyday.

Final picture from St-Lucia ; there are 10 or so natural waterfalls around the island like this one.  Its refreshing and lots of fun! I think you will agree.

The title of this post is “Bio-bay” which is a definite highlight and discovery we made in Cayman just 2 weeks ago.  The Bio bay Kayak tour is as follows.  From the Kaibo yacht club (Near Rum point for those unfamiliar with Kaibo), you leave just after sundown on sea kayaks for a +-45 minute paddle. You follow the shoreline and the guide/owner Tom who really knows his stuff, so no danger at all even though its dark. The real payoff is once you reach a closed bay.

The water becomes bioluminescent when you move the water such as with your paddle or hand!  Seriously … we were all freaking out! 🙂 Its amazing and totally not what you would expect.  You unfortunately cant take a picture of the phenomenon since it apparently does not come out.  In any case, I highly recommend you try it out.  Its well worth the price and the evening drive to the North side.  Just make sure that you are able to paddle a Kayak for 2X45 minutes (there and back) Below is the link to the Web site.  Tell Tom that Micho sent you!

http://caymankayaks.com/bio-baytour.html

Happy new year everyone!!!

I wish everyone health, happiness  & prosperity in the new year.   Lots of fireworks here in Grand Cayman last night. As soon as the clock hit midnight, we went out side to see the numerous firework displays.  There were lots in our neighborhood, but we could also see those all the way in George Town & elsewhere. They lasted till around 12:30.

About that prosperity thing above, it would seem that those prospering enjoy spending new years in Cayman.  Cant really blame them! Here is a quick picture of the private jet parking at the airport. I counted around 15 or so Lears, Challengers & Gulfstreams.  Normally there are only 2-3 at any given time.