Anguilla, Anguilla, Anguilla: part the seventh

THURSDAY

We'd decided the night before that we would get an early (for us) start and head to Geraud's for breakfast.  We arrived shortly after 8:00, where we had so much trouble deciding which two pastries to try that we got three instead: coconut, peach, and pineapple.  One cafe au lait and one breakfast tea brought our total to a whopping US $10.  We lingered there for what turned out to be over an hour.  My husband and I are still not accustomed to asking for our check when we're ready, so we sat there, reading & waiting, waiting & reading 'til we realized what we needed to do.  It all worked out perfectly, though, because we had wanted to stop at the wine store next door anyway, and they opened right as we got up to leave.  Fortuitous, no? 

Geraud's: A pleasant place to linger for breakfast

 We bought a couple of bottles of white wine and asked the lady where we might find a bottle of Beefeater gin to purchase.  My husband doesn't particularly care for Gordon's or Tanqueray, the two brands we most frequently encountered in the shops, so we were happy to drive around and find the two places she recommended.  We found it at a place called, I think, Island Liquors & Gifts, where we had a fun time chatting with the lady working there--and much to her amusement, we purchased another sarong for my husband, this time in a bright tangerine.  It took a moment to convince her that it was for him and not for me, but by the time we left, we all agreed that it would be fun to see the men of Anguilla sporting these lava-lavas.  After all, there are very good reasons that the men of the South Pacific wear them and I daresay that they would hold true for the Caribbean as well. 

Road Bay, AKA Sandy Ground, seen from Back Street

 After driving around a bit more, including a stop at Irie Life to purchase a souvenir for our house sitter, we head back to Caribella for that afternoon where I finally make contact with Ronnie Bryan to meet up for the rental car paperwork.  I really do love that about Anguilla in general and Ronnie Bryan specifically--that we can have a rental car for eight days and that *I* am the one contacting him about getting the paperwork done.  (He was off island for a few days when we arrived, thus the delay.)  Barnes Bay was looking as beautiful as I've ever seen it, so it was a good day to stay "home" and swim & read while waiting for Ronnie.  He showed up about an hour later than expected, so the three of us shared a beverage and chatted about Boston and bicycling and his trip to India, where he was last fall when we were on the island.

 

Barnes Bay at its sparkling best

More Beautiful Barnes Bay

As soon as Ronnie leaves, we immediately leave for the SandBar in Sandy Ground, eager to arrive there by sunset.  We got there just in time to settle into our chairs out on the deck before the western sky put on its nightly show.  I ordered a Sea Cooler, one of the most refreshing cocktails I've ever had the pleasure of sipping with its cucumber juice, lime, fresh mint, and rum, while my husband ordered a drink quite out of character for him, and with which he was a little disappointed--something creamy with banana and coconut and rum.  Entirely too sweet for him, at least before dinner, so I suggested that he ask our server if she could put it in a refrigerator to keep it until after our meal. 

Sunset at the SandBar

Yummiest drink ever!

      Speaking of which, we're of differing opinions on our meal that night.  We ordered four tapas to share: cubed watermelon with olives, feta & basil; panko crusted shrimp, chicken satay with a peanut sauce, and cayenne carrots with garlic & honey, hold the cilantro.  Despite the watermelon dish being served with UNDISCLOSED CILANTRO, I liked it and the rest of the dishes, with the shrimp perhaps being the most pedestrian.  I loved the spicy, sweet garlicky carrots that also came with pinenuts, despite not being a general carrot fan.  My husband, however, thought the overall meal was in the range of pretty good, not beyond that.  Still, it's a very good value no matter how you slice it, because even with a shot of rather expensive rum from Whiskey's Rhum Bar, our meal only came to about US $60, plus additional tip. 

Sunset seen from SandBar

Apres-sunset sky still looking beautiful