driving Dominica

0830 Martin came by to pick us, George & Jan Todd, Henry & Christine Gilbert, and Bruce up for a  road trip to the other side of the island.   We piled out of his skiff and into his van for a semi-harrowing drive around the island on the wrong side of roads just like the DR. He handled it well and no dents or dings.  We stopped every mile or two for him to go to the roadside and pick a plant or herb and describe all the uses for the fruit or leaves. He also picked mangos and coconut for us to eat.  I swear, there are so many medicinal plants here I don’t see how anyone dies!  We stopped at an old Willie Wonka Chocolate Factory except Willie was deserted by his rich family & investors so he has to make chocolate by hand.  We just about broke the springs in Martins van loading all our chocolate into it.  From there we went to a Caribe Indian building a dugout canoe from a single tree.  Any cracks or leaks were filled with  heated sap which smelled like pine rosin.  From the we drove down the scenic Atlantic coast to the Caribe Indian reservation where we bought loads of woven baskets.  And made it back by 1600 hrs. a very full day of nothing but amazement.

papaya ?

i forgot

typical mountain community

another

sweet sop?

growing everywhere 

passionfruit 

beach bar on Atlantic side

same spot

going to see days catch at a beach bar stop on the Atlantic side

also had about 30 fish & 10 more lobster 

first church in Dominica

dinosaur rocks  notice the lobster diver

coastal community

wild almonds

brand new

cocoa pods waiting to be processed

cocoa beans on drying table

star fruit

door of bolata wood so dense in has to be drilled before nailed

calabash that they use to make bowls, similar to our gourds but no handle

It's name is Red Rock but it is red clay

one of many wild cashew trees we saw.  the nut is beneath the red fruit.

Mississippi red clay gullies in Dominica

beauty and goofy, you have to guess who is who!

the blue plastic bagged bananas are for export to China, they don't like the yellow

 Caribe basket stand where George is in shock after paying for Jan's baskets

more unhappy Caribes

made from one tree using an adz for lower hull & chainsaw for upper

keel hand shaped with an adz

caribe boatbuilders proud of their project as they should be 

Add caption

banana & coconut plantation with Atlantic in background

Martin preparing midtrip snack