Colors are bold and bright in Antigua; nothing is subtle. The blues are profound, whether the aquamarine of the ocean or deep blue sky.
CNS Photos by Nicole Mouck
|
|
Travel brings the joy of diversity. While I'm content in the midst of downtown Chicago, I can be equally happy swerving to avoid goats in the road on the tiny island of Antigua, one half of a two-island nation in the Caribbean. If you're checking the map, to find Antigua and sister island Barbuda, follow your finger east and slightly south of Puerto Rico.
Jolly Beach Resort hugs a curved band of beach punctuated by palm trees on the southwest coast. At either end, green peaks contribute definition as neighboring islands compete for your attention. Taken as a package, it's the tropical daydream people envision when they tune out their boss on a bad day at work.
Pretty as it might be, Jolly Beach is only one of more than 300 beaches on Antigua. In democratic fashion, each is open to the public, whether you're Eric Clapton or a T-shirt vendor. Clapton has a residence on Antigua. From a distance, it looks palatial.
The resort is an all-inclusive property offering a wide variety of water activities, plus five restaurants. Reservations are required for their three specialty options, but the international buffet is open daily, no reservations needed. From lunchtime until midafternoon, the Coconut Grill operates poolside. I ordered jerk chicken from the grill, a dish I've attempted to reproduce at home, with little success. My attempt was raw inside, yet charred on the outside. Theirs was done to perfection and spicy enough to make my lips tingle. It was necessary to sip two frozen pina coladas to even out the flavors.
The resort hosts weddings throughout the year. They arrange nearly as many ceremonies annually as Antigua has beaches. The favored spot, a wedding gazebo, looks over the main pool and ocean, though some opt for a ceremony on the beach.
Regardless of price range, every room at the resort has a balcony. Morning coffee tastes infinitely better with an ocean view. Back home the colored leaves were falling fast, but not on Antigua; all plant life was abundantly green from brief, refreshing showers.
Jolly Beach Resort in Antigua hugs a curved band of beach punctuated by palm trees on the southwest coast. Pretty as it may be, Jolly Beach is only one of more than 300 beaches in Antigua.
CNS Photos by Nicole Mouck
|
|
Jolly Dive shop operates at the resort and frequents a spot called Cade's Reef. The shop offers a resort-training course for beginners and can also take certified divers. The daily sea creature report from my diving spouse included an eagle ray, large barrel sponges, a shark, octopus and huge lobsters.
We arrived on the evening of Nov. 1, the date for their annual Independence Day celebration. Twenty-five years ago they separated from the British. Tea and cricket are still in evidence and a high percentage of visitors come from the U.K. Driving is on the left, another vestige of English Colonialism. British carriers have direct flights where you step on a plane in often-overcast London and step off into the brilliant sunshine of Antigua.
Our open-air jeep tour lasted from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., including a meal and swimming stop. During lunch we happened to see four cows ambling along the beach. That was a new one.
The sound and light show at Dow's Hill Interpretive Center encapsulates Antigua's entire history into a 15-minute span. Visitors sit on swivel chairs as the show moves around the room. Swivel chairs must be a big hit with the under-10 set.
Colors are definite in Antigua; there's nothing wishy-washy. The blues are profound, whether the aquamarine of the ocean or deep-sky blue, and the greens are verdant.
One morning was set aside for a trip to the capital city of St. John's. The resort has a shuttle to town and the drive takes about 25 minutes and returns at noon. Don't expect to see any high-rise structures in this capital city; most are smallish, mom-and-pop-style establishments. Once there, I trekked to the small cemetery outside St. John's cathedral. The cemetery was soothing. A number of the time-worn grave markers were tilting or had completely fallen over. Yet the picture they presented was exquisite, like Venice, where decay is significant to the sum total. More like a city park, residents sat on tomb slabs as if they were park benches.
Antigua's Jolly Beach Resort hosts weddings throughout the year. Some opt for a ceremony on the beach, but this is the most favored spot, a gazebo that overlooks the main pool and the ocean.
CNS Photos by Nicole Mouck
|
|
A lime-green lizard draped itself upside down over the tombstone of Samuel Smith, who departed this life in 1758. His round, beady eyes watched me with the calm assurance of a long-term resident who knows no threat among the souls in the churchyard. He held his spot, I left to explore.
I'm still determined to make a decent batch of jerk chicken. I'll keep you posted.
Kathryn Lemmon is afreelance travel writer.
— Copley News Service
IF YOU GO
For more information go to:
•† www.jollybeachresort.com
•† www.jollydive.com
•† www.antigua-barbuda.org.
GO
Generalinfo
