There is Beauty in the World

HAUNTED HOUSE, Harbour Island, Bahamas.  Nestled by the Harbour Island Marina and AcquaPazza (a fabulous restaurant by the way), are the remains of a once sprawling mansion that belonged to a wealthy family.  Legend has it that the table was set for dinner, when the entire family vanished.  Decades later, a wealthy couple purchased the house.  The wife entered the house and left shortly after, refusing to step foot back in it.  In the 80’s a fire claimed the house.  What remains now are faded pink tumbled walls, making it the perfect backdrop for wedding photos during the day, and beautiful candlelit soirees in the evening…if you don’t mind the spooky sounds whispering around you…

http://www.oncewed.com/41413/wedding-blog/real-weddings/harbour-island-bahamas-wedding-pt-2/

CLIPPER IMPORTS at ROSE MANOR, Eleuthera, Bahamas.  Shopping in the island’s capital, Governor’s Harbour,  just became a whole lot more fun.  Located half-way “up the hill” from the bright yellow Pyfroms liquor store, Rose Manor has re-opened its doors under the new ownership of Clipper Imports.  This adorable boutique is brimming with fantastic finds - all at great prices.

Eleuthera is just not known for its shopping.  People may challenge that Eleuthera is not about shopping in the first place.  But sometimes, a girl just needs a little fix…a keepsake, that every time she wears or looks at it, she will think of that special little out island in the Bahamas.  Even better if that keepsake comes at a bargain price, which it is does at Rose Manor.

Enter through the welcoming doors of this homey boutique, and you’ll see racks of colourful sundresses, tables of stunning jewelry, and hutches displaying silver turtles and jewelled candle holders.  The abundance of beautiful merchandise flows down the hallway into two more rooms.  There are Bahamas t-shirts, swim coverups, artwork, keychains and home decor items.  A red and blue sailboat catches my eye.  I pick it up to take a closer look and am delighted to discover that it is only $5!  It has a little oar, and the word “Eleuthera” painted on it.  I smile to myself knowing that I have found my special keepsake to bring home.  My friend has chosen a cute hand-sewn heart ornament for $1 and a Bahamas bag for $10.  We pay and chat for a while with the owner’s sister-in-law, Monique, and learn that she also teaches yoga, meditation and ball exercise.  We set off merrily on our way, happy that there is something fun to do when it rains in Eleuthera.

GO LOCAL in Eleuthera, Bahamas.  I always make it a point to stop in at Island Farm at least twice during my stay in Eleuthera.  Once, in order to stock up on fresh locally grown produce and sauces, and then again, to pick up more of their tasty all-natural sauces to pack in my suitcase to bring home. This place is a huge treat for me.  At home, during the summer months in Canada, I wait patiently for the once-a-week Farmers Market so that I can buy local produce like this.  In Eleuthera, it’s available to me 6 days a week.

Owned by Clyde Bethel, Island Farm is located on the Queens Highway, a mile south of Church Street in Palmetto Point.  Clyde is a gracious and friendly man, married to a wonderful woman named Anne, who manages several properties around Eleuthera.  When you first enter through the white wooden gates of Island Farm, it may appear like it’s simply an open-aired stall selling a few local items. But this place is so much more.  Visit early in the day and you’ll find fresh baked breads, cinnamon buns, jams, sauces, fruits and vegetables (grown just a few feet away).  Baked items are offered Tuesdays and Fridays and are often gone within 15 minutes of opening.  The sauces, dressings and other locally produced condiments are more than just delicious - they are gourmet.  Items like fire-roasted salsa, garlic jelly, spicy pickled okra, fresh herb dipping oil, banana nut jam, papaya pepper hot sauce, peas & rice mix, jerk sauce, stir fry sauce, pestos and salad dressings are only a small example of the wonderful goodies offered here.  

The soul of Island Farm exists in the farm itself.  During my last visit to Eleuthera, I had the good fortune of bumping into Clyde, who gave me a tour of his farm.  Impressive is an understatement.  I had no idea of the farm’s extent before.  Clyde started the farm a few years ago with a half acre, which has since grown to 10 acres, and plans for expanding another 2 acres very soon.  Now the farm supplies a wide range of vegetables to most of the restaurants in Eleuthera.  Clyde attributes much of the farm’s success to the excellent people that he has working for him. 

Island Farm is open 9-4 daily (closed on Sundays).  They also offer free WiFi.

Oh - and I feel that I must mention some trivia about Clyde.  He is the son of Mate (of Mate and Jenny’s pizza place in South Palmetto), the cousin of Dr. Seabreeze (Cebric Bethel), and he has Canadian ties too - he went to school in Winnipeg for a few years ;).

My best wishes to Clyde, Anne and the rest of the Bethel family for continued success.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POVihQuhdFs&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLE9752C5737BB4B7A

WALKING ON WATER.

TEN BAY, Eleuthera, Bahamas.  This is my beach. Called it. Stamped it. No erasies. Everyone who visits Eleuthera seems to claim at least one beach as their own. It’s common to have a top 5 favourites list, but there’s always one special beach that keeps you coming back for more. For me, that beach is Ten Bay. I admit that it wasn’t my favourite from the get go. It’s not that I disliked it; it just didn’t seem as dazzling as some of the other beaches around Eleuthera. When I first laid eyes on it, it was covered in seaweed. I thought that it’s pale gold sand couldn’t compare to the shimmering pink sand of the Atlantic side beaches. It didn’t have fun caves to explore, underwater passthroughs, or cliffs etched with a hundred names. It just seemed flat. And then one day, I saw Ten Bay at low tide, clear of seaweed, and sand sparkling like champagne. It was breathtaking. And with each visit, I fell more and more in love with it, to the point now where a day can’t go by without me dreaming of Ten Bay. I began to see it’s true beauty when I looked through its waters as clear as glass. I saw sea urchins, red star fish, sand dollars, and conch shells. I found it’s cliffs and crevices filled with life and treasures. I met an author at Ten Bay who was staying on the island for 9 months writing a book and we spoke for hours while floating about in the shallow waters. I have even met the resident stingray, Sherman. I have learned that there is a mysterious abandoned tea house that stands near the beach entrance. I have befriended an extra special potcake dog who will appear out of nowhere to keep you company for the length of your beach stroll, and then disappear with a wag of a tail. I have learned to count on when the tides are rough and the winds are chilly on the Atlantic side, that Ten Bay will be warm and inviting. With water so calm, I have come to appreciate that this is the best beach to bring young children. And at low tide, the water at Ten Bay is so shallow that I am simply amazed that you can walk a hundred feet out and appear as if you are walking on water.

GLASS WINDOW BRIDGE, Eleuthera, Bahamas. Standing on possibly one of the most narrowest places on earth, I can see the stunning contrast of the calm turquoise sea on one side and on the other, the deep blue menacing waves of the Atlantic. The bridge used to be a natural formation of rock, destroyed by a hurricane and since replaced by the man-made bridge seen in this picture.

ELEUTHERA, Bahamas.  Seeing Eleuthera for the first time is like magic.  It’s like Christmas morning.  It’s the best present that anyone has ever given me.  As we flew over those clear turquoise waters, my heart choked up into my throat.  I had done a lot of research on Eleuthera in anticipation of this trip.  I read that it was next to impossible to get lost driving here; a long skinny island with one main highway stretching through it.  Armed with my printed maps, we hopped into our SUV rental at North Eleuthera Airport, and proceeded South, or so we thought.  It turns out that getting lost in Eleuthera is possible, but it turned into one of the best experiences that I have ever had.  The photos you see here are of what we saw when we decided to pull over before turning around.  We got out of the vehicle and breathed in the fresh, warm Bahamian air.  We listened to the sound of calm.  The colour of the water was mesmerizing.  The stilts left over from an unfinished building project claimed by a hurricane, added even more dazzle to the scenery.  This was beauty so profound and unreal that I couldn’t believe that I stood before it.  I felt blessed.  This was the moment that I spit up my heart that was lodged in my throat and left it there…in Eleuthera.