Six months ago (prior to my arrival at Jungle Bay) if you had asked me where I wanted to get married, my rote answer would have been a church. Preferably a Greek Orthodox one, as my surname is Papadopoulos afterall, but that's a different subject for an entirely different blog. If you had asked me five months ago (one month into Jungle Bay) where I wanted to get married I would still have answered a church. If you had asked me four months ago (and so forth until January 2nd, 2007)my answer wouldn't have changed. But ask me today where I want to get married, and I have to admit that Ian and Jeannete (the couple pictured above)and Claire and Fritz (the couple pictured below) have a great thing going on. As I watched (photographed) Ian and Jeannette officially avowing to spend the rest of their lives together while barefoot on a beautiful island beach, with only the Magistrate performing the ceromony, the wedding photographer (me who also served as Witness #1) and the wedding planner (Glenda Raphael aka Witness #2) I was deeply touched.

Now I admit that it's very important that before reaching any final conclusions about locations, venues, florals, and etc. of my wedding, it is imperative that I first find the right person to spend the rest of my life with. But for now, I will concede that the idea of wearing flip flops down my prospective aisle, has a lot of appeal.

On Being Lost In The Woods

If you have yet to have the wonderful opportunity of being lost in the woods, I highly recommend it. Wait, let me rephrase: I highly recommend getting lost in the woods and then finding your way out.

While waiting to move into my 5th cottage at Jungle Bay on a recent day off, I decided to get some exercise in and hike the Zom Zom Trail at Jungle Bay. Two points about Zom Zom trail.
1. Zom Zom is the trail on our own Jungle Bay propery that historically and is currently used by locals as a fishing point.
2. I had been on the trail once in my second month here, after the new intern on his sixth day at Jungle Bay asked a fellow staff member to guide us there (he was a tad more into the nature thing than I was)

Anyway, the first time on the trail I think I was too focused on keeping up with the pace that I neglected to take notice of the trail, or in some more positive words, I was just putting my complete faith in the guide and enjoying the scenery,. So perhaps my decision to go on the trail my second time by myself and without telling anyone that I was gonig was not my brightest. What is that they say about hindsight being 20/20?

I got lost twice: Once on the way to Zom Zom, and once on the way back to Jungle Bay.

There I was skipping along the trail filled with the euphoria of being surrounded by the beauty of nature, when I suddenly realized I wasn’t really following a trail, but was kind of blindly just walking in the forest. Hmmm, now when did that happen and where was that brook I remembered crossing last time? Fortunately, through the quiet of my pondering I heard the sound of the brook and instinctively (cause I’m "Nature Girl") started walking towards it. My newfound “Nature Girl” pride was short lived when upon reaching the brook I realized I still hadn't found the trail to Zom Zom. Standing at the bank of the river and noticing that going right meant bouldering uphill, and following the brook to the left meant following the bank down hill: I went left. Fortunately, my laziness (brilliance) paid off as I quickly reconnected with the trail and was once again skipping along the path to get the reward at Zom Zom point: An Amazing Panoramic view of the Atlantic atop some massive volcanic boulders.

After thoroughly enjoying my sunbathe on the rocks and congratulating my new found “Nature Girl” instincts, I headed back to Jungle Bay practically singing “La La La” as I headed towards Jungle Bay…over the brook and through the woods back to Jungle Bay I go… "La..." My singing came to a stop when shortly after crossing the brook I found myself not really following any trail (again) and lost in a clearing of identical looking trees. But this time, I couldn’t use the sounds of the river as a guide and blindly starting walking towards what I thought (hoped) was the direction of the trail and Jungle Bay.

There I was zig zagging back and forth through the steep rainforest and even crawling up some steep parts, when my frustration at the situation I had put myself in started to hit. Why had I thought going on this alone was a good idea? Why hadn’t I told anyone that I was coming out here? I had no cell phone to call for help, no hope for help on the way, no helicopters to signal smoke to, no voice to shout for help with (for once my loud voice had met someone louder: the Atlantic Ocean). Looking around me and taking in the colors of the blue green water of the ocean filtering through the green leaves of the jungle, it dawned on me that the only way I could make it out was by myself. In no way is relying on others a bad thing, and I’ve recently learned how fortunate I’ve been in my life to know that help is always a phone call away, literally and figuratively speaking, but as intimidating as knowing that it was just me out there it was also inspiring.

Looking at the blue gree water it also dawned on me that I had seen a similar beautiful ocean view from the path on my walk out here. Another “nature girl” instinct kicked when I figured that as long as I maintained this view it would eventually lead me back to the path and Jungle Bay. Sure enough I was reunited with the path for the second time that afternoon, and euphorically trekked back to my new (5th) cottage. "La La La:

I happened to pass one of the housekeepers on my way back to my cottage who was curiously taking in my Dirt smeared clothes, sweat soaked tank top, scraped up legs, and blinding smile. When I recounted my adventure back to her complete with all my “nature girl” instincts, she looked at me with a genuine smile and pride in her eyes and said “Good for you, Voula.” To which I couldn’t agree more.

So go “Get Lost” until our next adventure.

Take care and thanks for reading,
Voula

DISCLAIMER: I accept no responsibility if you get lost in the woods.
DISCLAIMER 2: Since my experience in the woods, Jungle Bay has put down wonderful white posts that guide you along the path making getting lost a lot less likely

Outside Magazine

Hi All,

Just got word that the January issue of Outside Magazine, with the kayaking article about Dominica, is now available. I posted some additional pictures from the Outside Magazine expedition on our Flickr accountClick Here to have a look , and you can also view some pics from Outside Magazine by by clicking here . Enjoy!!!

On Some Numbers

A thought struck me the other day as I was reading an article about New York city’s recent decision to ban trans fat in its 24,000 eateries. Health and political issues aside, what really struck me about this article was that the number of eateries in New York City (24,000), was approximately 1/3 the entire population of Dominica (70,000). What’s even more interesting is that the two don’t really differ all that much in land area, with New York City only being 71km²or 13.3 square miles larger than Dominica. Put another way, for every three people on this island there is one establishment in New York City where they could dine without being interrupted by a neighbor….Just wanted to share

Some More Numbers of Interest:
New York City
Land Area: 785.5 km² (303.3 sq mi)
Population:
City – 8,213,839
Dominica
Land Area: 751 km² 290 sq mi
Population
Entire Island: 68,902

Take care until the next adventure/observation,
Voula
 
Pictures of Respective Farmers Markets

A Simple Entry On Simple Things…

I know the topic of "enjoying the simple things in life" may seem trite, but as someone who has been living without TV, without her cell phone, without Traffic, without the mass media in general, without flat land, without Starbucks, and many of the other comforts of my old daily life I wanted to share some of the simple things I’ve experienced at Jungle Bay and in Dominica that make me happy:


Enjoying Warm Freshly Baked Bread with Butter…(REAL BUTTER)

Being absorbed in a great book while listening to the sounds of the rain

Catching up with a good friend on a phone conversation that I never want to end

Drinking Freshly Squeezed Juice; Orange, Guava, Tangarine, Mangarine, Sorrel, Passion fruit, Grapefruit

Going on a Run when I feel at one with Nature

Playing a Board Game with great company that I never want to end

Frolicking in a waterfall

Appreciating my family

Admiring, Enjoying, and Being Humbled by nature

Spotting a shooting star in an abyss of stars



If you’re soon coming to Jungle Bay, I hope you expereince some simple pleasures of your own that demonstrate how easy it can be. And if you’ve already come home from Jungle Bay, I hope you found some simple pleasure in your own “jungles” that remind you how easy it can be. Please feel free to share any simple things you experienced while staying with us at Jungle Bay.

Take Care until the next adventure,
Voula

P.S. I swear the Boiling Lake is coming soon

On the Power of

Dear Jungle Blog Readers,

Please accept my sincerest apologies for not posting any new entries lately, but my life hasn't been the same since Jungle Bay was featured in an article in the Travel Section of the New York Times on October 29th, 2006. Okay, that may sound a tad on the dramatic side, but I can't even begin to describe how busy we became in sales and marketing as a result of the article.

Click here to check out the article in the NY Times

I may have underestimated the power of the New York Times since I've always been partial to it (growing up in its burbs). But if the amount of enquires we received as a result of the article is any indication of anything, it's definitely a paper with a large reach far beyond its burbs. We had over a hundred web enquires in the week after it was published, and 10 days later the enquires continue to trickle in. While the majority of the enquires were from the tri-state area, it blew my mind to learn where some of the other enquires originated from. There are too many to list but some of the more notable ones include; Barbados, Ohio, Canada, California, England, Missouri, St. Lucia, and Idaho.

But since the enquires are settling a bit and my life is returning to pre New York Times state, I will be posting more soon....I suspect the boiling lake is coming real soon, as Sam (the General Manager at Jungle Bay Resort and Spa) is seeing through my procrastination strategy. For those that don't know, the Boiling Lake in the Valley of Desolation (so morbid) in Dominica is the world's second largest boiling lake, but the hike to it (and back) is the LONGEST Hike in Dominica (6 hours).

Thanks for reading and take care until the next adventure.

Best,
Voula

On the Unofficial Mascot of Autumn….the pumpkin

I knew since my first Ginger Pumpkin Soup experience at Jungle Bay Resort and Spa that I would eventually write a blog about the “pumpkin,” but decided to wait until it got closer to Halloween when the pumpkin was on everyone else’s mind as well.

The more the pumpkin was on my mind as I prepared to write this blog, the more I realized that the pumpkin is sort of like the unofficial mascot of autumn. Take a moment to mentally make a list of all the things that remind you of Autumn? Can you honestly deny that the pumpkin didn’t make the list with at least one reference to; Pumpkin Pie, Jack-O-Lanterns, Pumpkin etched garbage bags filled with leaves sitting on your front lawn, Pumpkins greeting you on your doorstep, at the office, or on the table, and of course the tragic but occasional pumpkin smashed into the road by some hooligans having fun.

I’m completely aware of my tardiness on the Halloween blog, but you have to understand that had it not been for my friend sending some photos of himself in his costume (very mature) I wouldn’t have had any idea it was Halloween (or even November). And even if Halloween were celebrated in the Caribbean (it’s not) I doubt it would be celebrated in Dominica as Dominicans are too busy hosting (partying at) the World Creole Music Festival and preparing for their Independence Holiday. Independence Day is a relatively new holiday here as Dominica gained its independence from England November 3, 1978, but yet for unknown reasons (to me) kept the driving on the left side of the road.
So as I was beginning to say, none of the indications that Fall/Halloween are arriving exist in Dominica, and your subconscious knows what indicators I am referring to; gluttonous amount of sugar floating around the office, ginormous candy displays greeting you at the supermarket, beautiful fall foliage, ornate Halloween lawn decorations (that are now on par with Christmas displays) the inevitable Halloween Party you need to figure out a costume for, excessive ghost decorations, and last but not least the bountiful appearance of today’s blog topic, the Pumpkin.

For lunch in high school my friend (ironically the same one mentioned earlier) and I frequented a local Bagel Store for lunch with a poster of a woman eating a Gyro that claimed ‘Gyros’ were “Delicious and Fun to eat.” Although, we never really figured out what that meant, it’s in that same spirit I say that in Dominica I have learned the “Pumpkin” is not only fun to say but delicious to eat.

[Say Pumpkin 3x in a row…Pumpkin Pumpkin Pumpkin…. quite a fun, isn’t it?]

In Dominica, instead of finding the pumpkin decoratively on people’s doorstep (or smashed in the road ☹), you’ll deliciously find it on the table, but note that the pumpkin consumed in Dominica has a green exterior.

Name that tropical fruit!
Originally uploaded by Pirate 605.

You can find the pumpkin in many of the yummy dishes at the Pavilion Restaurant at Jungle Bay and in two of my personal favorites, Ginger Pumpkin Soup and the Rasta Man’s Ital . Botanically the pumpkin is a fruit, referring to a plant part that grows on a flower, but in culinary terms is widely regarded as a vegetable and tastes very much like a squash...It is, after all, related to the zucchini. If your pumpkin wasn’t destroyed by a hooligan, be sure to try it in a recipe and the recipe for Jungle Bay's Ginger Pumpkin soup can be found in our Fall Newsletter

Thanks for reading and take care until the next adventure. To check out some fun facts about the Pumpkin, thanks to the wondeful folks of Wikipeida, read below or check it out on Wikipedia.
- The pumpkin is the state fruit of New Hampshire.
- Pumpkins are orange because they contain massive amounts of lutein, alpha- and beta-carotene. These nutrients turn to vitamin A in the body.
- "Pumpkin" is sometimes used as an affectionate term for a loved one
- Pumpkin growers compete at festivals dedicated to the pumpkin to see whose pumpkins are the most massive
- The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,469 lb (666 kg) and was raised by Larry Checkon from Northern Cambria, Pennsylvania in 2005
- However, this record is being challenged by Ron Wallace of Rhode Island, who raised an alleged 1,502 pound pumpkin in 2006
- Using pumpkins as lanterns at Halloween is based on an ancient Celtic custom brought to America by Irish immigrants. All Hallows Eve on 31 October marked the end of the old Celtic calendar year, and on that night hollowed-out turnips, beets and rutabagas with a candle inside were placed on windowsills and porches to welcome home spirits of deceased ancestors and ward off evil spirits and a restless soul called "Stingy Jack," hence the name "Jack-o'-lantern".
- The city of Boston, Massachusetts currently holds the world record for most lit pumpkins in one area: 30,128, set on October 21, 2006, beating out the previous record of 28,952 set in Keene, New Hampshire in 2003.
- Illinois produces more pumpkins than any other state in the United States; Michigan is a distant secon

On Mags, the wonders of an English accent, and the charm of Mother Nature

I’m not really sure what it is about an English accent that makes a person sound more intelligent, but there’s definitely something about it. I would have cast it off as a personal observation, but after performing very scientific research on the matter (asking many of my friends and some guests) the consensus is that English accents make people sound more intelligent and can sometimes make people more attractive….but that’s a completely different subject for an entirely different blog.

I bring this up, because today marks the one month Anniversary of my birthday whale watching excursion with Margaret (aka Mags). Margaret was a guest of ours form Kent, England who had traveled to Dominica with her daughter that was working in Barbados at the time. Margaret possessed everything that one would ever hope for in an English grandmother: She used words like “lovely” and “delightful,” called her bathing suit a “costume” her pants “trousers,” adored animals (especially birds), and had a genuine positive spirit that was an absolute delight to be around.…She was really quite lovely….

As I previously mentioned, Margaret is particularly fond of birds and I caught her adoring the birds of Dominica on a few different occasions…which essentially is the reason I began adoring her. We first met when our paths crossed on the walk to our respective cottages and we struck up a friendly conversation. A little bird began to hover in a nearby bush and in mid-sentence Margaret momentarily paused to admire the bird and then said, “Oh,isn’t that just lovely” and picked up the conversation exactly where she had left off…it was at that moment that I thought she was just lovely.

I am very grateful that our paths crossed that day, and we went whale watching to celebrate our September birthdays that were coincidentally a day apart. Before we left for the birthday excursion Margaret has asked me if I had ever seen whales before: I casually told her that I had seen them once in New England and once in Alaska. She then proceeded to tell me how fortunate I was, and that her birthday wish was to see one on our excursion (so cute). Chalk that up to one more thing I had taken for granted, for I had never considered myself lucky to have seen whales. Today, I feel fortunate for not only the opportunities to go whale watching, but to have also met Margaret whose youthful love of birds, butterflies, whales, and all things nature was quite contagious and gave me a whole new set of eyes to look at Mother Nature through. So for that, I say "Thanks Mags!"

Thanks for reading, and have a lovely, delightful, and charming day.

Until the next adventure,
Voula