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FORT LAUDERDALE |
Ft Lauderdale is
a city of islands held together by an intricate web of canals, rivers, bays
and waterways hundreds of miles long. Needless to say, boating is a favorite
city pastime, whether zooming along on a speedboat, enjoying a fishing
charter, or cruising the coastline by yacht. Beautiful homes of every size
and style make up the bulk of this primarily residential area. By the beach,
a leisurely stroll can be taken along the new landscaping wavewall design of
the beachfront promenade. But this city is anything but sedate. Once a
spring break hot spot, the town still has an energetic and colorful
nightlife. Nearby, charming Lauderdale-By-the-Sea is home to one of the only
living coral reefs in the US accessible from shore. Las Olas Boulevard, a
shoppers paradise, is the chic new shopping and trendy dining area of
downtown. If sports are more your inclination, dozens of golf courses and
hundreds of public parks allow you to absorb the great Florida outdoors.
Cultural arts are also popular. Water taxis bring theater-goers from
throughout the city to the Performing Arts Center on the water.
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| San Juan |
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American-owned Puerto Rico is the largest and
most populated of an archipelago of several islands. It is a
rectangular shaped island with fertile coasts and a rugged, fairly
mountainous interior with lush rainforest. The island is one of the
most densely populated areas of land in the world, with more than a
third of the three million-plus inhabitants living in the busy
capital, San Juan.
Numerous American companies operate on the island, while
tourism remains one of the main industries. Christopher Columbus
first landed on Puerto Rico in 1493. Fifteen years later Spanish
conquistadors arrived and fought off the objecting native Taino
Indians, killing a large number of them. The first governor was
Ponce de Leon, who had previously travelled with Columbus and who
thought the island might be the location of the Fountain of Youth.
When this proved not to be the case, he left the island to continue
his quest elsewhere.
Spain continued to develop the island, exploiting its crops of
sugar and cotton and expanding its maritime activities. The Spanish
hung on to the island in the face of rivalry from the English,
French and Dutch, before losing out to the US in the 1898
Spanish-American war. The status of the island was consolidated by
legal statute in 1917, when the population was given US citizenship,
but not the US vote.
The capital of San Juan is divided into two distinct
areas. One, the walled old town, is reflected in delightful Spanish
colonial buildings, cobbled streets and ancient churches, the other
in modern hotels, restaurants and casinos. The cultural mix of the
population is also distinctive, a combination of Taino Indians,
Spanish and other Europeans, Africans, Americans and, more recently,
Cubans. As one of Puerto Rico's best known citizens, Ricky Martin,
once said of his country: "It is not one thing, it is one thousand
things together and even if I could list them all, it would be
better to simply say Puerto Rico; maybe this is why I find it so
easy to sing in Spanglish, the language spoken in the quarter where
I was born."
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| St. Thomas |
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This is one of the most beautiful regions in
the world. Charlotte Amalie is the capital and major passenger port
of the island of St. Thomas, which together with St. Croix
and St. John form the principal islands of the United States Virgin
Islands. St. Thomas lies at the crossroads between the
Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
The islands that form this archipelago were at the centre of
volatile economic and political negotiations concerning numerous
trade routes. The Portuguese first used them as their base for trade
with the New World. In the tattered pages of his ship's log,
Christopher Columbus described these islands as being particularly
beautiful. They were virgin, unexplored and mysterious lands.
Formerly a part of the Dutch West Indies, the islands became an
American territory at the end of the first world war, and its
inhabitants eventually became American citizens. Today they have a
representative vote in the American Congress, through their governor
and although they pay taxes to the American government, they cannot
vote in presidential elections.
St. Thomas is certainly the most cosmopolitan of the
three islands. Charlotte Amalie, has always attracted large
mercantile ships, even before the arrival of the transatlantic
passenger cruisers, and tourism has been the major maritime activity
for the last few years. To protect the island and preserve its
beautiful coastline and beaches, its lush countryside and natural
surroundings, the government has enacted environmental laws. There
are many protected areas including the beautiful Virgin Islands
National Park that covers over half of the island of St. John. The
park was donated to the American Government in 1956 by magnate
Lawrence Rockefeller.
Its beauty has enchanted the likes of Christopher Columbus, Sir
Francis Drake, Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Woodrow Wilson,
Charles Lindbergh and Eleanor Roosevelt, not to mention, navigators,
pirates, historians, painters, men of letters and villains.
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| Catalina Island |
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Catalina Island is Costa's exclusive
island idyll off the coast of the Dominican Republic and offers an
unparalleled beach experience. Add in an excursion to the Dominican
Republic and visitors can look forward to a bonanza of culture and
relaxation.
The Dominican Republic lies on the eastern side of Hispaniola
Island, with Haiti on the opposite side, in the centre of the
Greater Antilles. The Dominican territory is characterised by
mountain peaks and sprawling plains. The central Cordillera area
features the highest peak in the Caribbean, Pico Duarte, which soars
to 3157 metres. The mountain is considered to be the geographical
centre of the Antilles, amid beautiful green valleys. To the east is
a large peninsula featuring the 1,000 metre peaks of East
Cordillera. There are 1600km of coastline, featuring numerous coral
reefs. The climate is tropical, with temperatures averaging about
25C and the humidity tempered by Atlantic winds, which bring
significant, though not excessive, rainfall.
The island was discovered by Columbus in 1492, after being
shipwrecked. Like most of the Caribbean, it has European and African
influences, resulting in a distinctive mix of cultures. When
Columbus landed, there were approximately 100,000 native 'indios',
who were almost wiped out by Spanish colonists who found the island
was blessed with fertile soil and deposits of gold. Large numbers of
African slaves were imported to work the plantations. In 1844, when
the island became independent, 90 per cent of the population were of
African descent or mixed race. In the years since, the demographic
make-up of the island changed considerably with black emigration to
Haiti and an influx of white farmers, a policy promoted by the
Creole elite.
Situated on the coast, not far from Catalina Island, is
the tourist resort of Casa de Campo, designed by celebrated
architect Oscar della Renta. The resort features top hotels and
highly regarded golf courses. Altos de Chavon is found here,
modelled on a 15th Century Mediterranean-style village. The work of
Italian Roberto Coppa, the village features houses in golden-coloured
stone and a river running through jungle landscape. The village was
a location for several scenes in the Francis-Ford Coppola film
"Apocalypse Now". Altos is also the home of an artists' colony and a
selection of exhibitions can usually be found. Other attractions
include an amphitheatre and archaeological museum which houses over
2,000 finds from the native Taiano indians.
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| Casa de Campo/La Romana |
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Although they are relatively new destinations
for tourists from Europe and the United States alike, the Dominican
Republic and La Romana, a city on the island's beautiful
eastern coast, have been attracting visitors for many centuries.
Their vocation is the legacy of what anthropologists have
identified as the island's earliest settlers. The Taino Indians are
thought by historians to have been a friendly, peace-loving race who
farmed the land and lived quietly and simply in harmony both with
nature and their fellow men.
Extensive historical evidence of the Taino people has been
painstakingly collected and can now be seen in the country's two
main museums in Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata. Historians who have
studied the island's social and cultural development believe that
the Dominican Republic had a highly complex structure. So much so,
in fact, that Santo Domingo and La Romana (which was once
much smaller than it is today) were once considered the only two
cities on the entire continent.
Fact or fiction, legend or history... what is certain is that
Taino farmers had their own manuals for farming and fishing, and led
highly active lives with plenty of religious activities as well as
work. Evidence of this has been passed down through inscriptions and
various artefacts, most of them made from the ceramics at which the
ancient people of the Dominican Republic excelled.
The first hint of revolution arrived of course with Christopher
Columbus's first voyage. The explorer landed in the bay on 5th
December 1492. He founded a small village, setting in motion a
process of colonisation which soon led the island and its various
activities to grow beyond measure.
La Romana emerged as a city of traders and seafarers.
Its port became a flourishing cultural hub thanks to its close
linguistic ties to the nearby coasts: art and music did the rest.
Santo Domingo and La Romana have always been a focal point
for trade, wellbeing and entertainment, although they have only been
recognised as such universally in the past few decades.
La Romana is not only a thriving, bustling port: it is a
beautiful city which boasts all the positive aspects of sea trade.
La Romana lies towards the eastern area of the island: with
the town of Punta Cana it is the key focus of culture and tourism
along the entire coastline. La Romana is also known for its
vicinity to San Pedro de Macorìs. Americans are more than familiar
with this small village which nestles among sugar cane plantations:
it has been feeding the US professional baseball league with
natural-born talent for many years.
Near to La Romana lie some of the most stunning beaches
on the American continent, including Bayahibe and Dominicus. A short
hop from La Romana and the coast, the Saona and Catalina
islands have also become enormously popular tourist destinations in
recent years. These paradise islands are the ideal location for
lovers of the sea at its most unspoilt. Here the beaches stretch for
kilometres, and swathes of white sand are lapped by the turquoise
waters. It is the perfect setting for a number of beautiful nature
reserves, foremost of which is the Parque Nacional del Este, or
Eastern National Park. The Park is considered an international
heritage site and covers an area of over 420 square kilometres.
Saona Island and the village of Bayahibe lie within the park.
In this setting, La Romana is shaking off its image as a port
and emerging as the capital of a booming tourist trade. Every year
thousands of tourists flock to its beaches, seeking their own corner
of paradise where they can forget the stresses and strains of daily
life, at least for a few days.
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| Nassau |
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Nassau is the capital city of the
Bahamas, a group of islands 50 miles from the coast of Florida,
named 'Baja Mar' by Spanish settlers. Christopher Colombus was one
of the first Europeans to visit the islands, and called the
inhabitants 'lucaiani', derived from 'lukku-cairi' in their native
language, meaning people from the island.
The first foreigners to have a substantial presence were
British Lutherans who settled there after abandoning Bermuda in
1647. They made their home near Nassau, which is on New
Providence Island, and developed a substantial maritime trade. The
islands' commercial activities soon gained the unwanted attention of
pirates, who for some 70 years terrorised the islands.
Among the more notorious pirates were Barbanera, Morgan and
Anne Booney, as well as the legendary Blackbeard. The Bahamas' close
proximity to America encouraged trade between the two, particularly
during the American War of Independence in 1776 and the
Anglo-Spanish War. But following the American Civil War, the Bahamas
suffered lengthy and frequent periods of economic downturn, which
lasted until the end of World War II.
Tourism became an increasingly important source of revenue,
particularly after Castro came to power in Cuba and Americans had to
look for an alternative nearby holiday destination. The Bahamas
became part of the Commonwealth in 1969 and gained full independence
in 1973. The capital Nassau, a fiscal haven, is rich in
history, tradition, charm and folklore. Established in 1656, it has
survived the colonial age, piracy and economic recession. Only
ancient city walls and fortresses testify to the city's former
troubles.
A number of gardens and fountains punctuate the busy city
streets, lined with a host of restaurants, bars and duty-free shops.
The port is the busiest in the Bahamas, with a constant stream of
yachts and passenger ships arriving and leaving. And there are a
number of glorious sandy beaches nearby, both on New Providence
Island and its sister Paradise Island, connected by bridge from
Nassau. |
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Grand Turk is the administrative and
political capital of the Turks & Caicos Islands and
Cockburn Town has been the seat of government since 1766.
This
small island is bursting with turn-of-the-century Caribbean
charm.
Founded by Bermudan Salt
Rakers some three centuries ago, its Bermudan British
colonial architecture amidst the colorful, Caribbean-style
local dwellings make Grand Turk worth a visit.
Donkeys, horses and cattle
were the means of transportation during the salt industry,
and these animals are seen still wondering the streets and
countryside of Grand Turk.
EVENTS
Every summer Grand Turk
becomes party town. In July Grand Turk is host to the annual
Grand Turk Heineken Game Fishing Tournament, a
fun-filled event for local and visiting sportspeople as well
as party enthusiasts. Also sometime between June and
September, Grand Turk parties down again with a week full of
dancing to island music, sporting challenges, local food and
much fun and other events to break up the heat of summer..
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Grand Turk is six miles long and just over
a mile wide. Like the other islands, Grand Turk is blessed
with miles of quiet sugary beaches and is close to
several uninhabited cays just waiting to be explored. At the
north point of the island, a channel to the sea gives access
to North Creek, the only hurricane shelter for yachts
traveling between Nassau and Puerto Rico.
WATER SPORTS
Grand Turk excels in providing
spectacular diving, snorkeling, fishing and sailing.
Grand Turk is consistently rated among the top 10 dive
destinations in the World. The warm Atlantic Sea waters are
filled with marine life ranging from a tiny seahorse to
manta, eagle and sting rays, green and hawksbill turtles,
dolphin, shark, whale shark and the magnificent humpback
whale. Diving is just a 5 minute boat ride offshore to the
7,000 foot vertical wall. On the top of the wall divers
enjoy diving through the incredible coral formations and
sand gullies.
Grand Turk diving is relaxed, boats go out
with one-tank and easily return to shore for an hour
interval before going out to the government's marine
conservation parks for the second dive. The local dive
operators have combined efforts forming an organization to
'Protect Reefs & Islands from Degradation and
Exploitation' ensuring that the reefs are managed and
used with respect.
AN OASIS OF DIVING ON GRAND TURK
Story & Photos by Kathy Borsuk
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SIGHTSEEING ON GRAND TURK
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Grand Turk houses the
Turks & Caicos National Museum which displays
span the whole of human history in the Turks and Caicos,
from Indian occupations starting at 700 AD right up to
modern times, the arrival of John Glenn after his historic
three-orbit space flight in 1962. The Turks & Caicos
National Museum also has a Natural History gallery with
displays on the Geology of the Turks and Caicos and Reef and
Island Ecology. The recovered artifacts of the "Molasses
Reef Wreck" (1513), the oldest known European shipwreck
in the New World, are displayed along with manuscripts,
prints and items of art and culture relating to the history
of the Turks & Caicos Islands.
Marta's Photo Gallery of Grand Turk
- Lucayan Gallery Exhibit in the Museum -
Turks and Caicos Islands
postage stamps will surprise and delight you beside being a
lightweight souvenir from the islands. An ever-changing
variety of collectors stamps and post cards are available
from the Philatelic Bureau on Church Folley in the Franklin
Missick Building, open Monday - Friday. Stop in and tell
Girley hello.
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A lighthouse and the remains
of a United States Navy Base are located on the northeast
point of the island. The remains of a U.S. Air Force Base
are on the west coast.
This Grand Turk U.S. Air Force tracking station which began
in the early 1950s until it closed in 1984.
On Feb. 20 1962
astronaut John Glenn, in the Project Mercury Space Program,
became the first American to orbit the earth and his space
capsule splashed down in Grand Turk waters and was brought
to the island for a medical checkup and post flight
de-briefing.
A first hand account of this historical event includes
postage stamps and a special envelope autographed by John
Glenn, which would be of interest to stamp collectors,
postal historians and those interested in Turks and Caicos
Islands history.
Photographers enjoy old
Bermudian-style archtecture, gates and doorways, beautiful
turquoise waters and colorful plants that set Grand Turk
apart from the other islands with its endearing Caribbean
charm.
MORE
GRAND TURK PHOTOS
More to date, you can now visit the Grand Turk Cruise Port
and watch the cruise ship tourists and visit the shops and
Jimmy Buffet's mega restaurant & bar Margaritaville.
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| GRAND TURK HISTORICAL
INTRIGUE |
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The Turks and Caicos Islands have been
documented by H.E. Sadler who spent years of research
writing this delightful, easily read history book full of
colorful pictures and fascinating history capsules.
For students of history, residents and visitors to the
Islands, this work is a revealing and authoratative account
of the Turks and Caicos Islands from the earliest times to
the present and an indispensable tool for further research
on the Turks and Caicos. To find out more
click here.
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A considerable amount
of archeological research has been done by the
Earthwatch Institute, Dr William Keegan and Betsy Carlson,
on the Coralie Site located at the north end of Grand
Turk on the edge of North Creek. The archeology is done
under the aegis of the T&C National Museum and the Florida
Museum of Natural History, Gainesville. Volunteers are
recruited through Earthwatch, but they are not responsible
for the research.
For historical details see:
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