I Found A Little Gem!

Beauty in its infinite glory!  Turks and Caicos.   The bluest of blue skies and water; everywhere you look you are surrounded by such an inspiring color.  In November 2010, I visited Providenciales (known to many as "Provo"), one of the many islands making up the Turks and Caicos Islands.  How truly amazing!  I cannot find enough adjectives to define this island's beauty.  Still what appeared to me to be in its developing phase, there was definitely no shortage of wealth on the island.  This was evidenced by the many outstanding resorts that lined Grace Bay as well as high-end shops and designer boutiques that you can find along Grace Bay Road. 

I was extremely impressed with the accommodations and services provided at The Sands at Grace Bay Resort and found its location to be well within walking distance of most amenities.  The grounds are absolutely spectacular, colorful and very well-manicured.  The resort also contains a full-service spa, offering services from manicures and facials to body wraps and massages.  There was no better way for me to end my vacation than with a facial and massage.  How exhilerating.  I left there feeling like a new woman!  Sands at Grace Bay also has a full service restaurant named Hemmingways serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.  The food was excellent and the prices were well within reason.

Because the island is still developing, it is definitely a perfect destination for those looking for a more relaxed vacation as there is not much by way of entertainment.  However, each resort offers its own entertainment as well as a variety of motorized and non-motorized water sports.  And for those looking for a little more excitement in the evening, you can find yourself playing a hand of blackjack at the Casablanca Casino about a mile down the road.  Despite the fact that the government built covered bus shelters at designated bus stops, it never did implement a bus system.  So unfortunately, the island, at least at that time, did not have any public transportation in place.  However, despite that fact, the casino did offer a complimentary shuttle service to and from your hotel for your convenience.  Some of the resorts are also equipped with bicycles for those more adventurous.  They actually served as a really great way to get around locally and I had a lot of fun.

Turks and Caicos has some of the most beautiful beaches I have seen.  Powdery white sand slips through your toes as you walk for miles uninterrupted along the beach.  The colors are amazing and you can certainly come home with some great memorable photos.

As with most all destinations, you will always find shopping available.  So if you're looking to bring home some souvenirs, there was definitely an abundance to choose from.  There are also some local boutiques offering island fashions for reasonable prices. 

Providenciales is a very meticulously clean island with a relatively small population.  It was really a refreshing experience to vacation somewhere that felt like it was all at your disposal.  It was like you didn't have to share it with anyone.  Definitely a very relaxing holiday.

So if you can see yourself kicking off your sandals, hanging out on a lounge chair on the beach under a tiki hut staring at the ocean for miles just relaxing, then Turks and Caicos is definitely your place! 

 

I'll be back soon with more stories of travel ...

Hiatus is Over ~ I'm Back!

ARUBA

Welcome!  ("Bon bini" in Arubian). 

I am back, after a brief hiatus and I am anxious to share with you more adventures.  Having just returned from Aruba only a few months ago, the memories are fresh and vivid in my mind.  What a beautiful and exciting place! 

Aruba is one of the three sister islands that form the Dutch Antilles and what are referred to as the ABCs:  Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.  The weather was perfect; the sky was blue, white sand beaches and crystal clear waters.  One of the most cleanest beaches I have seen to date - Palm Beach, Aruba.

There are two popular areas of Aruba that tourists enjoy; Eagle Beach (located minutes from the capital city of Oranjestad and commonly referred to as the "low-rise" area) and Palm Beach (located approximately 20 minutes from the airport and city center).  I enjoyed my stay at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Aruba which shared Palm Beach with other known resorts as the Mariott, Hyatt, Radisson and the Riu Palace, to name a few.  The "Palm Beach Strip", in my opinion, is a self-contained area for all those vacationing on Palm Beach, with access to many restaurants, local vendors, boutiques of all kinds, a movie theatre, convenience store and an indoor mall even featuring high-end designer shops.  The Strip had a very new and extremely clean appearance, well-maintained by the locals.  Everything was within walking distance and easily accessible.

No trip to Aruba would be complete without a trip to Oranjestad.  There is public transportation available so you can just hop on a bus and enjoy the ride into town, only 20 minutes away.  There you will see the island's true flare and what it offers by way of its traditional dutch architecture.  Since Oranjestad's harbor is where the cruise ships port, there is an abundance of shopping offered to all tourists from local souvenirs to high-end designer merchandise, much of which is duty-free.  I must have counted approximately 15 jewelry stores in just a 2 block radius alone!  Amazing!

When the sun goes down and after enjoying a lovely dinner, casino gambling is a popular entertainment for many.  Most all of the resorts have casinos but tourists are welcomed in any casino on the Strip.  I tried my luck at a few hands of blackjack; so the key word is "tried."

In stark contrast to the beauty and calm waters of Palm Beach, the opposite side of the island, much less inhabited, is worthy of a trip to see its natural rugged beauty.  Whatever you do, do not forget to bring your camera for some great shots.  As part of the tour, you will even have the opportunity to visit a gold mine ruin, and trust me when I say, there is no gold to be found - unfortunately!

The island as a whole is a friendly one and the Arubians are very nice people, easy to talk with.  Because the locals make you feel very welcomed, you can't help leaving with the desire to return.  Aruba is definitely a destination worth adding to your list.  A good time was had by all.

Talk to you soon.