Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Sari Sari Falls, Victoria Falls, Jacko Steps, And More!!

IF YOU HAVE 3 MINUTES, THIS VIDEO OF THE HIKING/CLIMBING IS BREATHTAKING!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axzrik-xOmk

It was another weekend of hiking here in Dominica, as we finished up the last of the hikes for the island. As of now, we have completed EVERYTHING in all the tourist handouts, as well as many hikes that are off the beaten trail and not targeted towards tourists. We started the day by venturing back towards the Diablotin area into the Sindicate  National Park. This park is the only location in the world where you can view Sisserou parrots in their natural habitat. We arrived at the trail around 8 in the morning after an hour long drive from our home. Once we hit the trail however, we were reminded that we were indeed in a rain forest, as it began to lightly rain for our entire hike. The hike through the trail was very flat and manageable, one of the most defined trails we have seen on the island. We wandered the trails listening to the sounds of the birds overhead, but were unlucky and ultimately saw no parrots during our hike. It still was a beautiful area of rain forest though, with incredibly large trees looming overhead, and dark root systems tangling through the underbrush. It was a short hike, but one that amply prepared us for the rest of our long hiking day.
Me In Sindicate Nature Reserve



The next destination on our itinerary was the town of  Bells, an area on the east side of the island. Here, we decided to embark on one of the oldest and most culturally relevant hikes on the island; The hike to Jacko Steps. The story of Jacko dates back to the colonial era, when African slaves were bring brought over in masses to the Caribbean islands for work in plantation and for exportation to America. However, many slaves that were brought to Dominica had a unique advantage that other islands simply couldn't provide. The vast uncharted rain forests and mountains provided a perfect hiding place for runaway slaves to disappear into the wilderness and establish camps where they could live their lives freely away from their slavers. These runaway slaves were called "Marooners," and at the height of the slave trade, Dominica had at least 13 established Marooner settlements hidden throughout the island, However, Jacko was seen to be the major ringleader of the Marooners. Jacko established his settlement in the mountains by the Layou river, which allowed him the luxury of freshwater, as well as mountains for safety. Here, Jacko and his followers carved the famous steps into the side of the mountain to allow easier transport for supplies and his men up and down the treacherous mountain path. During the Marooner Wars of the 1790's and 1810's, Jacko's camp was the main target for the British, and eventually was where Jacko was captured and killed.

    Our hike started at the base of a river where 3 young children were more than eager to show us where to cross, and lead us up the road to the Jacko Steps trail head. Here, we met a woman who charged us 10EC a person to use the trail which was on her families land, which we gladly paid and began the hike up to the steps.

A Large Citrus On The Farm



Following The Children

Crossing The River With The Children



A Wisconsin Esque Sign




 The hike started out with a steep incline, but soon leveled out and turned downhill as we approached the steps. The trail was very narrow, with us walking along a cliff face, being extra care not to fall and tumble to the world below. We finally reached the steps after a half hour or so of hiking. The steps resembled a corridor carved into the mountains, with a moss covered hallway emerging up from the mountains below. We carefully walked down the treacherous slippery steps, and were a little disappointed to find that there were only roughly 10 steps carved into the mountain. I guess if I were a marooner I would be spending my time on finding food and staying hidden than carving long elaborate stairways too. Regardless, the steps provided a very unique view of the island and it's history, and the view down the stairs was actually rather cool. We then proceeded to turn around and head back up the trail and head to our next destination. On the way back, we crossed the river a second time, waved good bye to the kids and their puppies, and prepared for our next planned hike of the day. The trip to Sari Sari falls.

Catherine On The Steps



Sari Sari falls was an unexpectedly beautiful hike. After being literally chased down by a local who insisted on being our tour guide, we after several attempts told him we were capable of the hike alone, and began our journey into the jungle. The trail head first takes you through a small farm, where a lone cow was grazing and many baby coconut trees were growing. However, where the farmland stops, the dark jungle began, and we soon found ourselves immersed once again in the Dominican rain forest. We could hear the sound of rushing water from down below, and after navigating the trail for awhile, soon found ourselves at a flowing river where the trail comes to an end. We decided to cross the river, wading knee deep through flowing water and slippery rocks, and were lucky enough to pick up the trail on the other side.
Crossing The River


 Here, a hidden fishing tent confirmed to us that we had made the right decisions, as clearly people cross the river to frequent this spot. We continued up the path where we encountered another river crossing, this time more shallow and traversible than the first. We crossed, and waved hello to a group of 2 hikers and a guide who were returning from the falls, and who reassured us the hike was most certainly worth it. However, after the other group had passed and we crossed the river, we soon found ourselves lost among the overgrown vegetation and the towering boulders we needed to scale to attempt to re-find the path. We constantly were scurrying up and down rocks, looking for any sign of a trail. We looked for any moss that could have been rubbed off the rocks by passing by hikers or any broken spider webs that would signify we were on the right path, but didn't find any. Just as we were about to head back towards the start and give up, Phil found a small opening in the foilage that lead to a more defined path. We followed the path that took us deep into the mountains. and ultimately lead us back to the river. Here, we had to scale just a few more boulders and we were able to see the falls billowing down from the mountaintop.
Admiring The Falls From Afar


From here, we could admire the falls from afar, however, I wanted to see the basin. So, I decided to scale the rocky bluffs to try to get to the upper area of the waterfall, having to swing holding boulders like spider man and climb like a cliffhanger to reach the very top. Once I reached the top, the view was extraordinary, with my teammates down below me looking like ants in comparison to the mighty Sari Sari Falls. Here, the wind from the falls blew tremendously hard and made the journey back to my teammates all the more treacherous, as the falls cloud of mist had soaked all the boulders and handholds I needed to return to the lower basin. Once I was reunited with my team mates, we took one last look (and selfie) of the falls, and began the fun climb back down to the trailhead. The hike was slippery, but we ultimately were able to complete the journey, and start to head to the last item on our itinerary, Victoria Falls.

Me Towards The Top On Right

Me Towards The Top


Victoria falls was said to be one of the more confusing hikes, as we were told you have to cross the river over six times to reach the roaring falls. However, after conquering EVERY other hike on the island without a guide, we were confident in our abilities to finish our last major island hike. The "trail" started right at the waterfront, and instantly disappeared into the riverbank. Here, we walked up and down the banks trying to find where the trail could possibly be picked up on the other side. After finding a reasonable crossing point, we forged the river, taking care not slip into the knee deep water, we picked up the trail on the other side of the river. This part of the trail took us through a small grassland, with ferns and beautiful red flowers lining the path. However, as abruptly as the trail had started, it once again disappeared into a riverbed, this time with faster moving water, and MANY more boulders. We crossed the river a second time, and picked up what appeared to be a trail that took us slightly upstream and STRAIGHT up into the mountains. The trail was so steep and long that we had to climb with our hands in front of us to hold the ground and remain on the path. After climbing this vertical trail for a half hour, we made the executive decisions that there was no possible way the falls could be up this high, as the trail stopped at a cliff face that would require some serious rock climbing skills to climb. Furthermore, we had climbed so high we could barely see the river below, and decided the falls couldn't be much higher than the river, and decided to scurry back down to the river level. Unfortunately for us, there wasn't a trail that lead further upstream, and rather just many boulders that were littered throughout the fast moving water. We crossed the stream several times going up river, hoping to find a spot where the trail could be re picked up. Unfortunately for us, it appeared there was no trail to pick up. I scouted ahead, scaling the boulders and contouring the forest edge looking for any sign of a trail that could possibly lead us further up the river, but found nothing. We found a pair of old boots, several stacked rocks, and a soda bottle that assured us that people had indeed been this way, but with the fast water and the enormity of the boulders, we decided it would be impossible to simply climb our way up river. So, with daylight quickly fading and disappointment in our hearts, we opted to turn around, and return to the falls with fresh spirits tomorrow. We then proceeded to return across the several river crossing and return home. Once home and with delicious Fusion Village food in our bellies, we researched pictures and video of Victoria falls, and compared them to the pictures and memories we had of our hike. This, along with some helpful trip adviser reviews, gave us confident that we could return the next day and conquer Victoria Falls once and for all.


We woke early once again the next day, this time more eager to conquer the falls than we had been before. However, after voyaging out to the east side of the island, we decided to start the day with a shorter hike that was not listed in any major tourist documentation. This was the hike to Glassy Pool, a roughly 1 hour hike that took us from the roadside down through the forest along an ocean path. The trail offered absolutely stunning views of bays and rock faces, all with waves crushing into their sides and sending sprays of foamy water directly into the air. We continued along this path for a half hour. Stopping only for small scenic overlooks and to chase the numerous lizards (and one small snake) that kept darting along the trail edge.

A View From The Trail


A Nice Scenic View


Hiking Down To The Rocks

Group Shot On The Trail


 However, once we reached the bottom, we were in awe that this location was not in any major tourist itineraries. What lay before us was one of the most beautiful tide pool rock structures that I have ever seen. Jutting into the ocean, a large volcanic slab of rock with crystal clear tide pools and crashing waves lay before us with beautiful mini jungle islands surrounding us on all sides. With gitty smiles we all began scowering the rock faces and observing the tide pools interesting aquatic life. Inside the biggest tide pool were many trilobites and even a single colorful fish that must have been washed in there by a large wave that hurled him over the rock side. The views here were incredibly amazing, and after dipping my legs in the deepest tide pool, we relaxed watching the waves for awhile and chilled on the rock. We stayed at the rock for a long while before returning back up the trail to return to Victoria Falls and conquer it once and for all.

Inside The Largest Tide Pool

Michael On The Rocks



Once back in the Victoria Falls area, we started hiking down the long driveway earlier to avoid having to pay the fee to use the trail they try to hit you with when you get out of a vehicle at the trailhead. So we tiptoed passed the entry point, and once again began to make our way across the riverbank and across the rivers.  We found our way back to where we had lost the trail in the first place, and encountered two other lost hikers from St. Maartin who were very happy to have us attempt to guide them along the rocks. We decided that we simply had to continue up the boulders, and climb higher up the river in order to reach the falls, and with much teamwork, we were able to throw ourselves up over many of the steep ledges. Many of the rocks were very slippery, and we were constantly crossing back and fourth across the deep STRONG river trying to find the best spots to climb further up. At points the water was up high on my back, and I had to swim across to the other sides with my large backpack helping to float me across.

Crossing A River


Climbing Some Rocks

We eventually ran into a group of tourists and a guide who ensured us that we were close, and that we simply had to climb up boulders for another 20 minutes and we would arrive at the falls. We continued up river, at points having to rock climb large boulders directly vertically. However, when we rounded the final river bend and could see the mighty Victoria Falls billowing before us, we knew all our troubles had been rewarded. Towering over us was probably THE most beautiful waterfall that we have seen to date on the island. We climbed higher to reach the basin, and when we finally were close enough we ripped off our shirts and ran down to the water.

Reaching The Falls!

At The Falls!

Vines Hanging Down From The Rocks Above


 Group Selfie!
The water was refreshingly cool on our sweat ridden bodies, and the wind from the falls was so strong it was hard to hear our voices over it's tremendous roar. Once in the water, the force of the falls was so great that the current kept forcing us backwards, and we had to swim constantly against the current to make any progress. I couldn't wipe a smile from my face the entire time, and I cannot remember a time where I was so giggly and excited in my life. Swimming in the basin was probably one of the happiest moments I have had on the island, and by far one of the most fun swimming experiences I have EVER had. Swallow birds kept flying over our heads, as the darted at times insanely close to our bodies as if to try to ward us off from enjoying their favorite spot on the island. We swam for a very long time until we were fatigued from the current and cold from the cool mountain wind. Still, as we toweled off, we kept smiling, as I think the time we had at Victoria Falls is the most I have seen my group smile in the last 10 weeks. When we finally decided to return down through the boulders and back towards the trailhead, we did so with high spirits, knowing that we conquered the last major obstacle on the island, and had accidentally saved the best for last.
Swimming In The Falls!


Swimming Selfie

King Of The World


Hiking Down
 Swimming Over To Explore The Small Cave

Climbing Down A Small Falls







Monday, July 13, 2015

Loan Meeting, Emerald Pool, Morne Diablotin, And Soccer

THIS IS A VIDEO OF OUR CLIMBING OF MORNE DIBLOTIN. THE PICTURES DO NOT DO IT JUSTICE OF HOW TIGHT AND CRAMPED THE CLIMBING WAS. CHECK IT OUT!



It was another productive week here in Dominica. On Wednesday we met with a wonderful lady at the Produce Lab in the Botanical Gardens. Here, we worked with her all day to make a variety of natural products on the island. She walked us through some of the behind the scenes gardens that grow local herbs and remedies, explaining to us what each herb is used for throughout the walk. After we returned to the lab, we proceeded to make a large batch of dehydrated mango's for the local coconut cheese producers to use in their recipes. We cut roughly 20 fresh mangoes and laid placed them in the dehydrator. While they were cooking, we then proceeded to make coconut butter, which is a delicious treat made by finely grinding dried coconut and coconut oil. We then proceeded to make local granola, using many local fruits and grains in the batch. After that, we tried making coconut flour, using some of the trash that would typically go to waste from byproducts of making coconut oil. We did this by dehydrating the coconut grindings, essentially turning them into a flour. The whole time we cooked we laughed and enjoyed the company of Sister Natt, who explained to us all the wonderful healing properties many of the local herbs have. Certain herbs were excellent for fighting cancers, while others were used to increase fertility or re-tighten skin after a stroke.

The Produce Lab


Working on Dried Mangoes


On Thursday we were once again guests on a national radio program. This program was by far the most in depth one we have had, and we spoke for over an hour and a half on the work we are doing. We had MANY people call in to ask us questions, and to share their concerns about having Americans come in and work in Dominica. Many of the callers were scared that we would steal their ideas and return to america to make our own factories to produce Dominican products. Other callers shared grievances against the United States for stating coconut oil was bad for human consumption in the 80's due to its saturated fats and cholesterol, and were very unhappy that we hurt their economy. However, some of the callers were genuine and interested in what we were working with, and were thrilled to see us helping improve the Dominican economy and help empower women. Overall, I spoke very well on the air, and every time we are featured I am reminded at how much I enjoy radio, and how much I enjoyed my time at WLTL. I may look into doing Flyer Radio when I return to school in the Fall. It is very neat being featured on so many news outlets, and it is amazing how many people recognize us just from hearing and seeing us on the news. I have had many people come up to me and ask if we were the ones on television or radio, and it is a very interesting experience to be a sort of celebrity on the island. After the radio program, we returned back to the produce lab to make more coconut flour and work on a few other natural herbs. Here, we made local teas and powders by dehydrating local bush leaves and removing them from their stems. We did this with two separate kinds of plants, and the smell of the teas was amazing. We tried making more coconut butter, and the second batch proved to be more delicious than the first. We are planning to meet with Sister Natt again this week to show her our coconut flour bread and work on a few more projects with her.

Another Radio Station We Were Featured On


A Cool Intersection In Roseau

 On Friday, we had a meeting with the Aid Bank, a national organization that provides loans for entrepreneurs hoping to start or grow a business. We presented a slide show presentation of the equipment we are hoping to purchase, as well as brought in the producers of the product to meet with the Aid Bank as well. The presentation went very smoothly, and professionally, and we really did an excellent job on selling the idea to the bank. They were very excited to see us working with women to help women grow their business and become strong entrepreneurs. I have noticed that many of the small businesses I have been to on the island have been run by women, which is rather unexpected for such a small island. After the meeting,After we had done all we could, we took some coconut flour with us to attempt to make bread at home, and caught a bus to Emerald Pool, one of Dominica's most beautiful waterfalls.

 The bus ride was roughly 45 minutes long, but could have been completed in under 30 if our driver drove like all the other fast drivers on the island. However, we arrived in one piece, and after waiting out a little bit of rain, we proceeded to the falls. This hike was really not much of a hike at all, but rather a leisurely walk down a well established path, The trail wound through the jungle, but only for roughly half a mile before we reached the scenic destination of Emerald Pool. Here, a large waterfall gushed over moss covered stones from 20 feet high, flowing into a semi hollow cavern before the cool water found its way to the neighboring stream.
The Beautiful Emerald Pool Falls



I changed into my swim suit behind some boulders behind the falls, laughing to myself as I stared at the behindside of the waterfall thinking "There it is... The Backside of Water". After I finished chuckling at my Jungle Cruise Ride joke, I joined my fellow groupmates who were wading out into the water to explore the falls. Being the only one who changed into a swimsuit, I dove into the water and swam right up to the falls, letting the pouring water massage my head. It was rather scary at times feeling the water crashing on my head, as I prayed the current above hadn't swept up a large rock that could come plummeting down and hit me on the head in a loony tunes esque manner. Luckily I survived the endeavour, and proceeded to climb the rocks behind the falls, taking extra care not to slip on their slippery moss.

Climbing By The Falls
The Falls and I
There it is.... The Backside of Water
Cavern of the Falls

We relaxed by the tranquil fall for a half hour or so before our goosebumps began to rise and signaled to us we should hike back to the start of the trail. I didn't bother changing back into my normal clothes, as the swimsuit I was wearing was already basically dry, yet another head nod to the material engineers of REI. After hiking back through the rain forest path, we were able to catch a bus back to Roseau, and another bus back up to our home in Eggleston,
Group Shot 1


Group Shot 2



Upon returning, Paola and I proceeded to take a walk to the retreat center. Along the way, we encountered several locals around our age who we stopped and chatted with. A boy on a bicycle came down to "check" us as we were returning from the retreat center. "Checking," to my best understanding, is when somebody sends another person (usually  younger boy on a bicycles) to go send word that a person is looking for you. In essence, it's the equivalent of sending a carrier pigeon since not everybody has cell phones. We followed the boy, who's nickname was Goku up the road further than I have ever walked before. Here we walked through larger farms, waving to the family members working on them along the way. We finally arrived at Joshua's house, another boy who I have met in the village, and chatted with him for a while while he tinkered with his bicycle. The kids in my village are very proficient with bicycles, and can fix them up with very limited supplies in very innovative ways. After chatting, we returned back to our home and grilled grilled cheese sandwiches to prepare for our most difficult hike yet; Morne Diablotin.

Leaving Bright And Early From Our Home


We awoke at 6am the next morning to get ready and catch buses that would eventually get us close to Morne Diablotin. After wolfing down some eggs and peanut butter toast, we hit the road and headed for our Eggleston bus stop. A few days prior some kids broke/stole/ our bench by the bustop, which makes waiting for a bus in the sun a little rougher. However, our bus driver soon proceeded to pick us up in a Pickup truck with safari seating in the back, and drove us through Giradel and into town. The open air of the pick up truck is much nicer than sitting crammed like sardines into a large van for the 20 minute bus ride into town. Once we were in town, we proceeded to the larger bus station in the city. Here, different bus drivers yell at you and sometimes grab you trying to usher you into their van instead of someone elses. We chose the most full van that appeared to be leaving the soonest, and hopped in. We drove for roughly 45 minutes to the other side of the island, where we hopped off the bus at the sign that pointed us in the direction of Morne Diablotin, the tallest mountain on the island. Unfortunately for us, we did not realize that the beginning of the trail head was still an hours walk up the road from the main highway, and since we were starting roughly from sea level, the entire journey from here on out would be up, up, and up. We trekked through beautiful mountain surrounded farmland, as the smell of fresh mango's, avocados, and bananas wafted through the air. It is amazing how much sweeter the air smells here than in any other place I have visited, as every breath you take refreshes the senses and reminds you that you are truly on the Nature Isle. We reached the trail head around roughly 9:40, just 50 minutes before the last recommended time to attempt the hike. The sign stated that it typically takes 2 to 3 hours to reach the top of the mountain, and another 2 to 3 hours back.
At The Trail Head

 Already feeling tired, we set up on our quest up the mountain. At first, the trail was very well defined. It lead us up STEEP hills through beautiful rain forests with the largest trees on the island I have ever seen. Many steps along this part of the trail were considered "Michael Steps" meaning they were so large only Michael could possibly attempt to climb them.

The Easy Part Of The Climb


However, after the first hour of hiking, the trail became much less defined, and we soon found ourselves face to face with large down trees and dense thickets of Kaklen tree roots. To even use the word trail at this point would be an overstatement, as here the trail had entirely disappeared, and we were forced to literally climb through dense tangled tree branches and literally rock climb up some steep rock faces. At points the roots were so tight and would constrict movement so much that we had to take off our backpacks and pass them along to the others just so we could wiggle through some of the tight spaces between the constricting roots. The mud at this point was incredible, with the jungle floor being covered in feet of mud that would go up over my ankle if I were to accidentally step down. Because of this, we were forced to stick to the trees, climbing, swinging, and crawling along branches to avoid our boots from being ripped off of us in thick mud.

Large Kraken Roots Block Our Path


Gotta Go Under



Welcome To The Jungle

A Nice Clearing


Climbing every higher through the dark jungle, we finally made our way to the top of the mountain. Here, the wind was very intense, and the weather was extremely cold. We were literally inside of the clouds at this point, leaving no breathtaking view, but rather a surreal landscape where all earth seemed to disappear into a veil of white. In fact, it was so cold at the top, that we couldn't even eat our snacks at the top, and had to retreat back into the jungle to eat. However, since everything along the rain forest mountain is wet and muddy, we couldn't sit down to eat or rest, and instead had to stand as we passed along peanuts, crackers, and baggets
Getting Towards The Top

ON THE TALLEST POINT IN DOMINICA


It was at this point that I began to feel my sickness coming on. Between the altitude, large consumption of water throughout the day, and extreme muscle fatigue, I began to feel nausea overpowering me. We continued down the mountain climbing back through the nest of branches, jumping over branches and ducking under roots, with every step of the way my stomach and I fighting a constant battle. I puked for the first time roughly 20 minutes into our descent, sending terror to my fellow group mates further through the bush, as they heard strange noises coming from up the mountain, and hearing stories of the wild boar that pillaged this mountain. They were relieved to discover it was only me puking my brains out, and we continued through the bush. Unfortunately, we lost the "trail" completely at one point, and were lost among the endless tangled tree branch's trying to find the way out. Lucky for us, Saehan spotted an opening in the thicket several feet above all our heads, and we climbed up the branches and were able to regain our bearings and recognize the path we came in on.I continued to feel nauseous the entire way down the mountain, throwing up one more time, and fighting the urge to throw up a third time every step of the way. While the way up proved to be an exhausting but fun time swinging between trees and scurrying up boulders, the way down for me proved to be an exhausting battle. By the time we had finished the hours of climbing and swinging, my stomach was feeling a little better, as I was not jerking my head around every few seconds trying to climb or swing under low branches. By the time we reached the bottom of the mountain, we had logged roughly 6 hours on the mountain, plus the hour long hike to get to the trail head. By this point I had lost my nausea, and we rinsed our boots in a nearby stream before we finished the journey with an the hour walk back to the road About 40 minutes into our final trek, a pickup truck stopped and let us hop in the back, and proceeded to drive up to the main road.

We Made It

 Lucky for Phil and I, the pickup truck was going back to Roseau, and they offered to let us stay in the back and drive us into town. We were thrilled, as we now didn't have to wait for a bus to pass, or sit cramped in a tiny bus for the 50 minute or so car journey back. Relaxing in the back of the truck as the car sped along the beautiful highway, contouring mountains and beaches was a heaven for our tired legs and battle worn bodies. I would argue that the ride back to Roseau was the single most relaxing ride of my life. When we arrived back in town, we stopped by Whitchurch, our favorite grocery store, and purchased Gatorade's and snickers to celebrate our successful journey. We then caught a bus back to Eggleston and slept the most amazing sleep I have ever slept. It truly was a mountain of a day.
Cruising In The Truck


Beautiful Dominica

One More Selfie


Oh Country Roads

Mud Caked Legs After Diablotin




On Sunday, I walked down to the retreat center to set up my hammock and read amongst the jungle backdrop. However, several young boys came down to chat with me and hang out. I asked them if they wanted to play Frisbee up at the ball field up the road, and they were more than happy to jump at the opportunity. We hiked back up the road and grabbed the Frisbee from Shirley's house, and then proceeded up the road to the ball field. A lone cow stood grazing in the field, the town's sole lawnmower that keeps the field at an ideal length. We through the disk for an hour or so before we decided to set up a pick up soccer game.

A view of the Ballfield




 As some of the boys ran to get other kids, I was taught the Dominican way of making soccer goal posts. One of the boy's helped me to cut down a large stalk of bamboo with a machete (or cutlass as they are called here), and proceeded to cut it to the proper lenght. After cutting 4 equal sized stalks, we hammered them into the ground with a large stone at opposite ends of the playing field, and separate into 2 small teams for the game. As we played, kids would come and go, and Phil even came to join us after a little bit of playing, We played soccer for roughly 2 hours, with different folks stopping to join in at different times throughout the game. Even an adult who was passing through the field stopped to play for a few minutes with us. It proved to be a wonderfully fun active Sunday, which everybody enjoyed.


Making the Goalposts For Soccer


Some Kids Enjoying My Hammock By The Ballfield



A Cow Watches As We Play Football

Today I hope to go down to the retreat center again and continue reading Angels and Demons, Perhaps I will go on a hike to the neighboring town of Giradel if the weather holds out. I have 20 days left in Dominica, and I hope to make the most of them. Thank you for following my blog, I hope to have an update soon!

-Michael