I can't talk about the plants on Anguilla without first mentioning the goats. They are everywhere. On empty lots, in front yards, in the street, on the cliffs, little tiny baby ones on laps indoors...you get the picture. So its amazing that anything grows here and is not eaten by the goats. Even more mind-blowing is the lack of goat on dinner menus. Everything that is alive here is using every ounce of determination to grow and stay alive. So the plant diversity is low and trees rare. I'm going to show you a few of my favorite specimens. On my last full day in "The Rainbow City" (as their license plates read), I stumbled across the Department of Agriculture. Their motto says it all, "Farm Today or Starve Tomorrow." How True! I was a little surprised to see orange soil, like in Georgia, but more surprised at how small all the plants were. The 'local' produce I saw for sale in a grocery store consisted of tennis ball-sized bell peppers and chicken. What I learned is that the limiting factor is water. This tiny island has NO natural fresh water sources, so of course farming is a challenge! Fresh water is even a challenge for residential use. I was oblivious to this fact while staying in rental tourist villas. Once I moved to a local resident's spare bedroom (through the couch surfing network) I learned that buildings served only by 'government water' often run out of water between noon and 8 pm. So she stockpiled plastic buckets full of water in case she needed it in those 'ration hours.' I stopped at a fruit stand one day and purchased a pineapple, mango, and green (but ripe) bananas from a neighboring island to the south called Dominica. Next time I travel to the Caribbean, I want to go to the lush jungle paradise known as Dominica. They supply most of the produce to the island nations that is not imported from Florida or South America. Let me take you on an architectural tour of Anguilla's homes. Like much of hurricane-prone south Florida, this tiny island finds refuge behind thick walls of cinder block and cement. Ancient relics of the colonial past stand among playful homesteads. It did not rain a drop the ten days I lived on this hot rock. One day I gathered up the courage to walk to the beach at mid-day. I didn't make it a block before someone stopped to ask me if I wanted a ride because it was too hot outside to walk. My destination was 10x farther than his but the driver took me the whole way. Hitchhiking (or car-angels as I like to think of them) was the best way to get around the island, as there is no public bus system. I don't consider myself a 'tourist' so expensive taxis are also out of the question. Everyone I met was super friendly and they want you to enjoy their island as much as do. On one such journey, my car-angel even let me drive his car so I could experience driving on the left side of the road. As a former British colony, Anguilla retains certain British affects, like the Eastern Carribbean currency with the queens head on it. Only government employees get paid in EC, and the only stores that list prices in it are groceries-everyone loves the US dollar :) Don't try to use euros, they are not welcomed. |
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