Monday. 2nd February, Granada, 25 degrees

We woke just after 6 a.m. and were out by 6.30 for a couple of rounds of the deck before breakfast. We left the cabin at 8 to do a tour including a spice garden. The Aurora was berthed on a narrow jetty in the capital city of the island, St. George’s.

Grenada is known as the ‘The Spice Island’, and is the world’s leading producer of nutmeg and mace. Although it achieved independence from the UK in 1974 it is still a member of the Commonwealth. It is 21 miles long and 12 miles wide and very hilly!

Immediately leaving the port, our small bus started climbing and it was not long before we were looking back down on the harbour, where the Aurora had been joined by another ship on the other side of the jetty.

The roads were busy with people going to work and children going to school. The buildings were very colourful, often built on stilts above the ground but they are not allowed to build higher than the local palm trees, so no high rise buildings. There was a real mix of habitation with frequent buildings abandoned and falling into neglect. Apparently people leave the island for work and don’t always return. Some do and they will either do up the house or demolish it and build a new structure on the land. Approximately 114,000 people currently live on the island.

Our first stop was at the Laura Spice and Herb Garden. This was an amazing place where our guide showed us around the large collection of herbs and spices and told us how they were used and their remedial properties. We followed her around the garden, where the paths were covered with nutmeg shells underfoot. Herewith a list of the names I noted – there were more! Where possible I will provide illustrations – it is by no means an exhaustive list! While walking we heard hummingbirds but sadly didn’t see any.

Sapodilla or sour orange

Orange and yellow cocoa – used for making chocolate. It is either made on the island or sent to Switzerland for chocolate making. Granada supplies 1% of the world’s chocolate.

There are a considerable number of processes before it becomes chocolate as we know it, it would seem. What fascinates me is how did we come across the process? Did someone wake up one morning and think ‘I know – I think I will make this into chocolate’ ?!?

Then we saw damsons, nothing like ours!

There was then the noni fruit, which smells and tastes nasty we were told, but relieves pain amongst other things!

There were jack fruit

And allspice – Granada supplies 10% of the world production

And Keith’s favourite – the vanilla vine that has to be hand pollinated which is why it is so expensive!

I will stop with the photographs, but we also saw lemon grass, Santa Maria (smelled like mint), dandelion, blue tea, garden balsam, birds eye chilli peppers, Guyanan thyme, black pepper, turmeric, ginger, black sage, cochineal, rosemary, honeysuckle, hibiscus, bay, clove, cinnamon,

Then there was mace from which we get nutmeg

Everyone’s favourite – coffee!

Finally there was a pineapple!

It was rich pickings in the true sense of the word! What an incredible place. We have been to a spice garden in southern India, but I do believe Laura’s garden eclipsed that. Keith made off to do some purchasing and came back a very happy boy!

Leaving the wonderful garden behind we then headed up to the rain forest. On the way we stopped for a bit of refreshment and I had my first taste of the Granada beer.

Very nice it was too!

We continued to climb, with the poor bus engine straining to get up the steep inclines. It is quite interesting to note here that we saw a lot of derelict and abandoned cars by the side of the road. I can only believe that they had given of their best and could then climb the hills no more and retired, to rot and rust by the side of the road.

We eventually arrived at the rain forest. All was very green and lush. It is a national park and there were monkeys about.

We did not have too much time there – so after a quick loo stop where we both took the same photograph from both male and female perspectives!

We decided to explore a trail leading up to a look out point. It was a bit cloudy and had rained earlier in the day so the ground was a bit boggy, but undaunted we trekked on for a bit and eventually came to the look out.

It was on the way down from this, after Keith had just got to the bottom of the steps and we were conscious of our time running out to get to the bus

that we had the biggest surprise of the day. There on the path coming up the trail was Niall Wenborn an old friend from Bristol and there just a few yards further on – a PPP work colleague – Karen Wenborn! We had a very brief encounter as we had to get back to the bus, but how funny was that. I probably last saw Niall and Karen 30 years ago and I meet up with them today in Granada, What are the chances of that!?

Still somewhat stunned, we got back to the coach and set off back to the ship. Just as we got in the bus – and Martin our jovial bus driver and guide hadn’t got in – the heavens opened and it poured. I could not help but think of my two friends who would have been still on the look out path in the down pour! Oh dear. This is supposed to be the dry season!!

On the way back we passed the new cricket stadium. It had be replaced after the last hurricane in 2024.

Having said goodbye to the now dry and lovely Martin – we dropped off our cache of spices back in the cabin and set out for lunch. This involved going through the Sedden Tunnel built in 1880. This is a very busy thoroughfare that accommodates one way traffic (thankfully!) and pedestrians (!) and gets you through to the Marina on the other side. It was trifle narrow,

The tunnel brought us out to what must have been an old warehouse area and after a bit of a hunt we found the place that Keith had identified for lunch – BB’s Crabback, Yet another successful skirmish into the local gastronomy!

After my now almost daily cocktail (!) and Keith on his second beer, we both had the crabback starter from which the restaurant gets its name, then Keith had an Oildown casserole and I had prawns cooked in coconut and mango, Yummy||! Not sure what happened to my hair today……

We then meandered back to the ship and some quiet time, I ventured out later for a bit of exercise, to find that the ship that came in after us and had tied up on the other side of the jetty had set off again and there was a very sparkly party boat out on the bay behind us.

We leave Granada tonight and will be in St Vincent tomorrow.

Granada has been a great place to visit – Martin made our tour such fun with his merry quips about the island and its culture, the spice garden was very special and our meal was just great. Another perfect day in paradise!