What a bad day in Cayman looks like!
No sign of wind nor rain nor hurricane Issac this morning.
This is what a bad day on Grand Cayman looks like
- Bad day in Cayman
Arcticterntalk.org
The blog of a travelling psychiatrist and football lover. Who happens to be a halfway decent photographer. Takes a cynical view of the world
Archive for the tag “grand cayman”
Grand Cayman Turtle Farm. The debate – a great place to go and no-one forces turtle burgers to be eaten
There is an inherent danger in listening to people. People have differing and sometimes odd views on any topic. Our plan to go to the Turtle farm was challenged when we heard rumours that visitors were almost forcibly encouraged to eat Turtle burgers ( they are on the menu here), that there was rampant cruelty to turtles and that it would cost 50$ each ( presumably in Cayman Dollars, so US Dollars 60$).
Over a large and some might say excessive breakfast, we decided to go as we have the hire car ( and they are not cheap) and we would take a chance. We were right. The turtle farm is a great place to go. No-one cared if we went anywhere near a restaurant there, the total price for 2 adults and a child was 92$ US ( and that trust me is cheap for Cayman Islands and is about the cost to watch a Brentford home game) and we saw nothing to worry us at all regarding turtle management. What we did see however was amazing.
A huge lagoon with depths and shallows was nicely set up with various land areas to allow swimmers, with snorkels and masks ( free by the way) to swim around if we wished from 11 am to 2.30pm. One swims with turtles and loads of fish. The turtles swim close to you. My worrying finding was that turtles swim faster than me. So my chances for Rio Olympics have gone, but maybe those for the turtles remains. This was the best 2 and1/2 hours of my holiday. Then there were education centres, pools where the turtles could be watched and handled.
Lastly if you plan to go this is the only place on Grand Cayman that asks for Photo ID when using a credit card. An unusual but occasional occurrence abroad. For some unspecified reason using an American Express card gave a 20% discount. So a positive plug for Amex
Turtles
- More turtles
Grand Cayman. Heaven on Earth
Never having been here before my expectations were high but I have been astounded by the beauty of this island. If one thinks of an Island paradise this is exactly what you will find here. The downsides? No football. No sign of Cayman United. And the price of food is amazingly high. Not far off double UK pieces. That aside it is beautiful. The beaches are pristine white, the sea is clean and clear. The people friendly. Many maybe even most people here either dive or have some dive related job. The recent debate has been whether to introduce tax to salaries. There was some proposal to tax salaries 30%, this was then ground down to 10% and then abolished! So no tax. Temperature. Easy 31 deg daytime and 27 deg at night. Bit of rain some maybe even most days.
The best part for me though is swimming to a sort of huge rig about 50 yards off shore and sitting effectively in the middle of the Caribbean sea. Fish swim everywhere. On morning walks along the beach ( that we voluntarily get up for around 6.45am) there are Needlefish swimming about 3-4 metres out to sea, they catch tiny little fish in one sweeping movement. Large shoals of Bermuda Chubb swim around and hope for feeding. There is one huge Mutton Snapper ( called Toby or Bob. Depending upon who you talk to) with a mouth wider than most fish. No jellyfish, as yet. This is a lovely place.
Eating at night is a joy with so many places to choose from. Rackhams by the waterfront in George Town has to be the best! Sunset at Royal Palms comes in second. Third place is a tie at the moment. Best beers? Close thing. Caybrew is great as is Coors light but maybe Whitetip is winning just now. Rackhams however wins for the best burger on earth!
Seven Mile Beach
Sunset at 6.45 pm. Royal Palms Beachfront. Seven mile beach
My home for 2 weeks. 50 metres out to sea. Marriott Grand Cayman
Seven mile beach. Just before sunset.
The tale of an unfortunate EEL that ate a Puffer fish – Photo proof
One of the advantages of having a daughter in the Cayman Islands diving is that I get to see some amazing photos. This one was taken yesterday on the beach in Grand Cayman and the story goes that this eel was spotted in the sea and someone dragged it out. It chose a bad meal choice and I have done that before, but this beats even a Brentford burger….her blog is http://www.seniorbushe.wordpress.com
Those clever at this hour will notice the similarity in our blog titles………there is a story. She was called SeniorBushe by friends of her younger brother………..so hence her blog title………..I just added a little bit on as her father…………
A Great Place
The rants and warblings of an active and some would say disturbed mind. A Brentford Fc supporter and a psychiatrist and photographer. Welcome to my musings and rants.
chris1957
Arcticterntalk.org 