A Hidden Caribbean

The Caribbean boasts a bounty of tropical paradises beyond compare, yet some are better known than others. Nestled at the end of the Grenadine Island chain like a gem at the end of a necklace lies one such secret, the spice isle of Grenada. I have had the fortune to visit the island dozens of times over the past decade, and it has become the epitome of beach-side bliss in my eyes. However the first feeling that comes to mind when picturing the island is one of contradiction. Grenada is a place where you can enjoy first class accommodation and facilities, yet still bears the scars of the hurricane which devastated much of the island in 2004. It is a place where one can enjoy world class diving in the morning and be walking amidst the rotting remains of derelict plantation buildings by mid-afternoon. On my most recent visit I was taken on a hike into the mountains by Grenadian hiking legend, Telfor Bedeau. Our destination was the site of a camp once used by revolutionary Julien Fédon, during a slave rebellion in 1795. While the camps remains have been retaken by jungle was not unwilling to give up its hidden treasures. Lying amongst the leaf mould and roots were musket balls and even the rusting remains of swords for those with sharp eyes and large pockets. While you have to do a bit of digging to uncover the early scars of Grenada's history, more recent wounds are much closer to the surface. In a spasm of uncharacteristic upheaval the country underwent a communist revolution from 1979 to 1983 when it was liberated by the USA. However instead of the nascent bitterness which tends to follow in the wake of liberation, there are precious few signs that communism ever had a foothold here. One of these is the abandoned Pearls Airport, where Soviet Antonov planes, gifted by Castro's Cuba, quietly rust in the company of unimpressed goats. Visitors will find that the southern half of the island is aimed more towards tourism with a wide range of hotels from immense resorts to chic seaside hideaways. The bustling capital of Saint Georges offers the opportunity to buy local artworks, designer brands or the freshest plantains you have ever seen all within a stones throw of each other. However for all of these offerings, the island still feels as though it is teeming with a potential which has yet to be realised, yet to be achieved. It is also home to some of the best sushi I have ever encountered. As I said earlier, the feeling of contradiction is still going strong.