What happened in Miami last year?

The hurricane season has started. Last week, we received a national advisory that a category four hurricane named Beryl was headed our way. This caused a lot of anxiety on the island, with everyone rushing to stock up on groceries and board their windows with plywood. Some might say we were overreacting, but those people probably hadn’t experienced the devastation of Hurricane Ivan. Although I wasn’t there, I’ve heard stories from friends and even my husband, who experienced it firsthand. Since then, the locals have been more alert and take extra precautions during hurricane season. It’s always better to be prepared and have nothing happen than vice versa. The government now requires new houses to be built according to specific guidelines to ensure they can…

Today was one of those slow-paced Sundays where we didn’t really have a plan—we just drove around Mandeville with no particular destination in mind. Most of the shops were closed (as expected in the countryside on a Sunday), but that didn’t stop us from exploring and soaking up the scenery. One of the most interesting places we passed by was what my husband calls the “Red Lake.” He told me that when he was a little boy, people believed the lake turned red because nearby factories used to dump chemical waste into it. 😳 These days, it’s no longer a lake—just a wide expanse of reddish dirt. According to one of the locals we spoke with, my husband’s story checks out. They said the dumping…

Since it’s almost carnival season (but has been postponed until further notice), I will take you to trip down memory lane with me in last years celebration! Batabano Carnival  is an annual festival held in the Cayman Islands every month of May. The island is home to more than a hundred nationalities, most (if not all) of which participate in light of community spirit. It is a cultural celebration filled with music, dance, food, costumes, heritage and culture, and ofcourse booze! lol. It is a pretty young carnival that has only been going on for 30 years (thanks to Rotary Club!) The highlight of the festival is the street parade composed of masquerade bands and *drumroll please…..* exotic costumes! Last years parade started from the Seven…

The Crystal Caves are one of Cayman’s natural tourist  attractions located in a lush tropical forest. Amongst the forest and caves are captivating tropical plant and animal life. Millions of years ago, the caves were all underwater. As time passed, sea levels began to lower and land became visible. The caves were formed due to water erosion. These were used as hideouts or hurricane shelters by the pirates hundreds of years ago (yes, pirates of the Caribbean were actually a real thing!), and according to legends some of their treasures were hidden here! I went to see the site like around a month or two ago before the pandemic went crazy and I was with two other cruise tourists. Our jolly tour guide would every…