Day 7: Village Life

Chaudiere Pool

We decided to spend our last full day exploring the area around Calabishie. We take a drive through the banana plantations, and then go to Chadiere Pool, as we heard it is a beautiful pool deep in the rainforest.

A sign on the main road directs us through the small mountain village of Bense and after asking directions, we continue to an unpaved rocky road. There are no signs, and the undergrowth becomes thicker and thicker. It also starts raining lightly, and I am afraid of getting our SUV stuck in the middle of nowhere. Convinced that this couldn't possibly be the way, we turn around.

On the dirt road as we head back into town, we run into a man planting banana trees in front of his house with his cutlass (a machete used for every possible agricultural task). He offers to show us the way to the Pool "for whatever donation we are comfortable with". He gets in the SUV with us (machete and all) and guides us back to along the same road to about 15 feet from where we originally turned around. In the grass is a small wooden sign "Chaudiere Pool, 2482 feet".

The man takes us down to the pool, which requires more river crossings. Although we certainly didn't need his guide services, it was still interesting to talk to him about his life.

The pool is cold, but Andrew has fun jumping off the rocks into the pool below. We take a longer trail back, and I'm glad because the trail through the rainforest is gorgeous. I just can't get enough of the green.



A land crab greets us at the pool. He's big, but he seems even bigger when you're taken by surprise. These guys can get huge, and apparently are quite tasty.

Batibou Beach

Next, we're off to find Batibou Beach, a site where they filmed parts of Pirates of Caribbean II. The directions we originally were given were "Drive over five bridges from town, then turn down the first dirt road on your right. Be sure to count even the small bridges." We wisely ask for more directions, and end up picking up a local who says it is on his way.

We pass a bridge and he tell us to turn down a small overgrown dirt path. There's no way we would have recognized it as something you could drive a vehicle through. As we drive down the path, our self-designated guide tell us with a slight note of sadness that the land is owned by a family, but the father passed away and the son moved back to England. As a result, the land and the roads have slowly fallen into disrepair.

As we round a corner, we see that the road has been completely covered by a mudslide. As we inch close the SUV gets stuck in the mud and we spend some time getting the SUV out (thank goodness for four-wheel drive).

We decide to walk down to the beach from that spot. The beach is beautiful with palm trees hanging over the water. Our guide walks down with us, hangs out for a bit to chat and watch us swim. He then disappears down the beach. I have no idea where he could possibly be going because the beach is totally deserted and there doesn't appear to be an sort of civilization anywhere close.

Plantation Mill Ruins

On the way back to Calabishie, we stop to investigate some old ruins that we've passed on the road many times. The buildings are decreipt and slightly creepy. Looking through the iron barred windows, you can see the rusted machinery still inside, as if the whole complex was just abandoned. We're not sure if the thick iron bars were to keep thieves or, to keep the slaves in.

A happy cow.

A pink tree in Calabishie. The fushia petals carpeted the ground so thickly that you couldn't see the ground. When the sun reflected on the ground, the entire tree was lit in a bright flourescent fushia light.

Myrtaceae Eugenia pomerac jambos (Malay apple)

Village Life

We head back to the grocery store for dinner, and the cook and her daughter sets up a table in the back of the store, on the beach over looking the water. It makes for a nice final meal in Dominica.

Afterwards, we met up with Ken and Carol (from Veranda View) and some other local expats at Coconutz, a quirky beach grill/bar owned by Carol Ann, a Canadian emigre. She's tremendously excited about her new venture, and eagerly gives us a tour of the place, which was once a tiny shop.

The atmosphere is lively and celebratory, and we have a fun time talking with the expats about Dominican life. We also get the scoop on Calabishie, proving that small town gossip exists in all parts of the world.

I ask about an area in town where every day the same men just hang out all day long. Carol Ann explains that they don't need to do that much work in order to get by. And many don't have families to support because they don't marry. Children are raised by their mothers, and many children don't even know who their father is. This explains the single status of many of the men we've met, and why when I ask "Do you have any children?" the reply is usually "I'm not even sure how many."

Typical Dominican building.

Some of the expats invite us on a run to the rum shacks in town, and soon we find ourselves walking down a dark path hidden from the main road to a rum shack that can only be described as "jumping". The tiny shack is full of men cheering a cricket game, and outside, a dozen or more people gather around a raucous bingo game. Another rum shack is dominated by a loud dominos game.

The expats are regulars, and they seem to know practically everyone. They are heartily welcomed everywhere by name.

The shelves behind the counters all have curious glass bottles of liquid with various leaves, fruits and twigs. It turns out to be rum, infused with the flavor of spices and plants. Andrew orders a glass and the bar owner warns "It's VERY strong."

A few drinks and a couple rum shacks later, we're done for the night.