I had two experiences recently that made me all the happier that Airbnb exists. 1. A vision of paradise When my Airbnb host in Guadeloupe, Thierry, offered to take me to see a sight only locals know about, I jumped at the opportunity. I’ve used Airbnb to book accommodations before, but usually it’s been a place…
The Rum Museum in Guadeloupe
I posted before about Guadeloupe’s quirky banana museum. Well, that wasn’t the only quirky museum I found there. The Musée du Rhum, or Rum Museum, is another one of those small museums filled with odd, disconnected collections of objects. But first, a disclosure: I was given free admission (normally 6 euros) in exchange for writing this…
La Soufrière Volcano hike in Guadeloupe
As you might have guessed from my description of walking to Le Carbet waterfall #2, I’m not much for walking or hiking. It’s not that I don’t enjoy a pretty view or like to catch sight of a colorful bird or picturesque waterfall. I do. It’s just that I’m terribly out of shape, and that’s…
Deshaies, Guadeloupe: The Paradise in “Death in Paradise”
Visiting Deshaies in Guadeloupe, the setting for the BBC series “Death in Paradise” was a bit surreal for me. Have you ever visited a theme park? Disney’s Main Street, for example, or Harry Potter studio, where the designers do their best to create a feeling that you’ve been transported to another place or time: a…
Two Coffee Plantations in Guadeloupe
First of all, a confession: I don’t drink coffee. It’s not that I’m some sort of puritan; it’s just that I don’t like the taste. People say I could develop a taste, but I just don’t see why I would want to. When others drink coffee, I drink tea. Nevertheless, I visited two different coffee plantations…
Carbet Waterfall #2: A Rainforest Walk
Although it rains in Guadeloupe a bit much for my liking, the rain does have a few positive effects: a gorgeously lush, green environment, and gloriously full waterfalls. (Zie Nederlandse versie beneden.) Given many waterfalls to choose from, I chose Carbet Waterfall #2 because it would involve a walk, but not a serious hike. Carbet…
A quirky Banana Museum in Guadeloupe
If you’ve read this blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m a fan of quirky, small museums. The Maison de la Banane (Banana House) in Trois-Rivières, Guadeloupe, certainly falls into that category. I knew this was going to be one of those odd little museums as soon as I pulled into the little parking lot in…
The night noises of Guadeloupe
It was four in the morning when I began writing this post. I just arrived in Guadeloupe last evening and, with the six-hour time difference, my internal clock told me it was well past time to get up. Seeing it was still dark out, I lay there listening to the sounds of the night and…
Packing for a solo trip
My packing is done—except for a few toiletries—and I’m ready to go! I leave on Tuesday for a month-long solo trip to Guadeloupe, Martinique, then to visit family in Connecticut, then to a TBEX conference in Spain. In June I’ll leave on another solo trip, this time for two months. Besides the issues of solo…