MyraMark: Family Weekend

I was counting down the days to when I got to see my parents in Grenada! And when they finally crossed through those mysterious airport doors, it was a wonderful sight!

They arrived on Wednesday (the plane landed about 8:30pm; but then customs and baggage claim took almost an hour). We waited on a couple's parents to also appear through those doors, and when they did, the 7 of us hopped into a taxi on our way to the Grenada Grand. ...where there was also a line to get checked in. The lobby was full of parents and their students who had made it through the customs lines before our parents did. So after the short 10 minute drive to the hotel, there was another 30 or so minute wait before they were actually in the room (could you imagine waiting 30 minutes to check in to your hotel in the states?!?). And of course, after putting our stuff down, getting comfortable and then deciding to go eat, we notice that the restaurant was closed. So we ate at the bar that over looked a pool and you could hear the beach that was only 25 feet away, but you couldn't see it! I left before the burger got there (probably after waiting about 30 minutes) and right as I was walking, by myself after 11pm at night, an SGU Mont Toute bus was there just in time to take me straight home! I sadly do not have any pictures from the first night, but it was just nice to see my loving parents in the flesh!

Here are pictures from Thursday. Mark went with me this morning, but he had class at one that he had to be back for. We were going to eat at Umbrellas, but they don't open until noon. So we decided we'd be back for dinner! We ended up having lunch at our apartment--nothing fancy, just sandwiches! But my parents got to see my dorm and experience the small setting for themselves! Somewhere along the lines, we put up the hammock, played around with the all too confusing power situation in our dorm, and tested out the blender!

The "boring" pool, by comparison.

Not sure what Mark was thinking...maybe I said, "hey Mark, jump in on the middle of this picture!" But I didn't.

I couldn't get over how beautifully landscaped the whole resort was!

And here's the legacy pool! This is one of the waterfalls! (It's a huge pool!)

My mom cooling down. It's way more humid than we are used to!

The guys. Just laying around. I wish I was better at that!

walking along the beach; breathtaking views!

Enjoying happy hour at the hotel while waiting for Mark to finish with class and something else to meet us for dinner!

Umbrellas has awesome sweet potato fries and huge sandwiches and the most American food on the island! (It's owned and operated by a Canadian woman!)

Mark didn't have class on Friday, so we spent more of this day relaxing! My dad got up and did some sailing on the beach. They came into campus (on their own!!) to check-in at the school for all the events. We walked all the way to the Caribbean House, and waited for just a little while before circling through the stations where we were handed our tickets and "freebies." Then we went outside where they had catering from the Belmont Estate, which I had eaten at the week before! According to the schedule that we had just received, the lunch was supposed to have started an hour earlier, so we figured it was almost done and we'd probably wait around for it. Because of my mom and mine's eagerness and keen ability to anticipate the "get in line" call, we were the first in line, first through the line, and first to discover this meal costs additional money... so funny they wouldn't have told us that earlier or mentioned it on the schedule or been on time! But anyway, it was cheap ($15ec, or $6US when I had paid $60ec the week before and got an appetizer and desert but pretty much the same rest of the food) and we were hungry! It was good food, too, just a little cold is all. After most people had gotten through the line, they brought out the ice cream! We were not first in line for this, but by the time we got up there, we also discovered this was an additional charge! But they were glad we got it as they loved the nutmeg ice cream--a must try in Grenada! After lunch, we walk past the Caribbean House to the edge of the peninsula to see the great views! Then it started raining and we stopped at another covered place for the good views! (I'd like these pictures if you have them, Mom!) Anyway, the first official Family Weekend activity (beside registering and this lunch that popped up on the schedule but took a little longer in actuality) was Fish Friday. We took 7 bus loads from the various hotels of parents and their students (in some cases, some of the 4th termers didn't go since they had big tests to prepare for on Monday). I think the meet time was at 6:00? We left around 6:30, drove about 1.5 minutes, then waited another 30 minutes for all the other buses to get there. Then we drove about 15 minutes before the bus in front of us broke down (seriously smoking), and we waited there for about 45 minutes for another bus to come take its passengers. Then we drove the remaining 45 minutes to get to Guoyave (pronounced like the guava fruit, minus the "a" at the end). Things were particularly inefficient this weekend. haha. We emptied 7 buses of hungry people, and needless to say, all that waiting we did put all of us in line at the same time--for more waiting. It is a neat little scene every Friday, but I could care less to go again with over 200 people at the same time. The drive back was much less eventful, and I was happy for that! We were exhausted when we returned and called it a night! Here are our pictures from Friday!

Waiting for the bus in front of the hotel. The yellow bracelets are the "tickets" for the night!

Standing at the "bar" look at the back of the people wearing traditional clothing who are playing drums. There is always a drum ensemble, but they usually just wear street clothes. Very cool and entertaining anyway!

For Saturday, this is when the "Family Weekend" takes off and we are just non-stop busy. But at least we can answer "where did the weekend go!?" Keep in mind, this was Mark's first time really out exploring the island, and even some of it was new to me! It started out with a brunch (that didn't cost extra!) where we got to hear from several admin about the school. This was more pertinent to students' parents than my own, but I'm glad we got some food out of it! Then we went on the island bus tour! First stop was the vendors market (literally next door to my parents hotel--we waited on the bus for an hour to drive 1.5 minutes and get out and be rushed through there--why did we have to wait???). Next stop: Fort Frederick!

Fort Frederick sits overlooking most of the island, including right behind what has developed into the main city. It isn't much, but the sites were beautiful. A plaque at the entrance says that is never fired a shot out of anger.

Next stop was the Spice Basket (one of those that was new to me!) It's still in the process of being developed, but it is a cultural center with a huge stage and other little shops. It's colorfully decorated and beautifully landscaped and will soon be another great tourist attraction for the cruise ships!

These are carnival decorations that were in a back room in the theater building. Carnival is a lavish festival they have in Grenada in August and we can't wait to see it next year. We came in the night of the last celebrations and got to our room at 1am. No celebrating for us!

Our fleet. That's too many people to travel with at once (hint for next year).

On to the next place! Annandale Falls!

I love the lushness!

And back on the road! Below is a random doorway that shows you how devastating Hurricane Ivan in 2004 was to the island. Most is rebuilt or torn down, but there are areas that are still in need.

Pretty views on the bus ride! Traveling to the sites was great, but traveling between was almost enough! It is a bit scary when you look out the window and can't even see the edge of the road though!

I don't know how everyone else managed to miss the monkey encounter! They were walking down to the Grand Etang Lake and I found a guy that was traveling with us that knew how to call the monkeys out of the forest reserve! We had two friends that came out to say hi and eat our banana bait!

I love these plants! Seriously so cool looking--this pic doesn't do it justice

Eerily still lake in the middle of the island! I've climbed that mountain behind it!

We are "following" this bus. The roads are so curvy in some spots...

When we got back, we walked to the main Grand Anse area close to my parents' hotel and had dinner at La Boulangerie; I had been meaning to eat here for awhile, but why not make the first time with my parents and husband!

I just wanted a calzone! Not a huge pizza folded in half! (This was supper yummy, and Mark got to eat it for left overs while I was in DC!)

After dinner, we caught a bus home and my parents got some ice cream from Rick's. Sad we missed that as Mark has yet to go there and experience the really creamy goodness! Sunday morning, we went on a boat that was not a catamaran, as advertised. But I guess when you get 180 people, you have to use the party barge!

Beautiful views of the carenage while waiting for departure!

This is the public hospital. I hear most of it is unairconditioned.

About to embark on the snorkeling part of our trip at Flamingo Bay!

Sometimes it's just cool to have a waterproof camera! These are sea fans and such!

The best part about flamingo bay (which I had never been to before this trip!), is hunting for sea glass!!

And it is plentiful here! Look at the green and clear pieces. Literally handfuls of it!

Upper deck of the boat where Mark and I spent more of our time (it wasn't as crowded and it wasn't as windy)

My parents stayed underneath and enjoyed the breeze and the shade!

Our second stop on the boat trip was to the BCB beach, which is the one just past the main Grand Anse beach, yet I had never been before! Yay for new places!