Dominica - It is NOT the Dominican Republic

I sat next to a lady from Dominica on a plane, and she was quite emphatic - she was NOT from the Dominican Republic. She painted a glowing picture of her island and recommended that I visit. That is one of the reasons that I picked this cruise because I wanted to see if for myself. We are going to visit twice - this is the first visit.

Roseau from the ship in the morning

I had originally picked to do the four hour bus trip with a walk to the Emerald Pool, but a flyer came out which said that Accessible Dominica which had an optional and shorter walk to a pool at another waterfall was available, so I switched. That trip wasn't until in the afternoon. I understand that the authorities in Dominica want to restrict the access to the Emerald Pool in order to keep it from being spoiled by tourism.

Bob's photo from the ship

Bob went out and took pictures of the town from the deck in the morning.

Dominica Museum

The capitol city where we docked is called Roseau, which is pronounced Rosey OH.

After breakfast, we walked out into town. Bob carried an umbrella

Bob leaving the ship and steel drum player

Steel drum player

Taxi rate list

Crosswalk to the museum

as it was raining lightly off and on, and more on than off. First we went to the Dominica Museum. It is on the second floor and was small but interesting, and didn't cost too much - it was $3 US each. It also allowed an opportunity to get out of the rain, and take some photos of the ship, harbor

Ship next to the port building

Washing off the ship

From the museum - Vans gathering for tours

and market from the second floor.

From the Museum looking down on the Square

Relief map of Dominica in the museum

The website says:
Housed in an old market house dating from 1810, the museum’s permanent exhibit provides a clear and interesting overview of the island’s geology, history, archaeology, economy, and culture. The slave trade, and the Fighting Maroons—slaves who resisted their white slave owners and established their own communities—are particularly informative.

Pre-Columbian display in the museum

An ordinary person's house

Living room of a Plantation Owner

Sceptre of authority

Outside the museum was a craft type fair.

Craft Fair in the rain

clothing hung in a stall

I had a hard time finding stuff that didn't have very loud garish colors, but I bought a pink T-shirt and a dark pink dress for two of my granddaughters. After I got them I found out they were made in Thailand and China, and were not local. Oh well. I did get some EC coins for two of the grandsons. When I was walking around the market, I saw this door with a sign on it stating the the use of the "Public Convenience" was $1.00.

Pay Toilets

I didn't try it out, but I have also heard that one should always carry toilet paper when visiting Dominica.

The Duty Free Emporium

Storefront

was on the ship recommended list which usually means that they are more expensive. We could see the shop from the ship - it was right on the main street. They had Land™ leather goods,

Handbag display

casual wear for men & women, alcohol, tobacco, sunglasses, indigenous crafts & souvenirs. We went in and looked, but didn't buy anything

Royal Bank of Canada

I went to the tourist information place and asked if there was any place to buy coffee, because I thought I might buy some coffee for some of my children and their spouses. and she said there was a place called Bello (pronounced Bee Low) but they were closed because it was Saturday. I probably should have bought some baskets which were nice, but I didn't decide about that in time.

Grass baskets at the Roseau market

Maybe I will get some when we come back.

We went back to the boat, and were tired already, so I ate an apple and we didn't go to lunch. When we went out for the tour, they packed us into a bus with several walkers and wheelchair people.

Aisle of the bus

I sat in the back on one side and Bob sat on the other side. It was still raining off and on but Bob said he didn't want to carry his umbrella and really we didn't need it.. The transportation that the cruise ship lined up for us to go to various island locations on tropical islands in the Caribbean was usually some kind of van. They drive on the left with (mostly) left hand drive. So for the best photos, sit on the right. That side of the road is further from the side of the van.

Vans at the bottom of the hill

Roseau remains an old time colonial capitol. I think many cruise ship visitors do not know what that phrase (old colonial capitol) means. It means

Streets of Roseau with open gutters

the compact city has covered markets,

Barbed wire on the top of the walls

Rusty metal roofs and fences

and distinctive corner houses - plus "ramshackle West Indian colonial houses with louvred windows, intricate fretwork,

Window shutters

Under a balcony

and sagging second-floor balconies held up over narrow streets by stilts."

Balcony over a shop

Vendor stand along the street - vendors have umbrellas

Cruisers used to the sanitized Disney version of the past think the town is poor (which it is) and dirty rather than colorful and atmospheric.

Botanical Garden

We went through the botanical garden and saw the school bus that had been donated by the Canadians, but was crushed by a falling tree during a hurricane before it could be put into service. I didn't get a good photo on this trip. We went up to a lookout (near the prime minister's house) over the city, and I got out and took some photos.

Items for sale at the overlook

Roseau from the overlook

Our ship from the overlook

From the ship, we could see several church steeples,

Telephoto of church from the ship

but apparently in Dominica, the cemeteries are grouped in a central location and not at each specific church. When the first tour took us up to an area overlooking the city, we could see the graveyards spread out in front of us. There is an Anglican cemetery, a government cemetery and a Catholic cemetery.

Several graveyards from the overlook

Cemetery below the overlook

The Anglican graveyard is next to the Savannah, which is an open green square used mainly for sports, especially football. About 340 yards northwards is the Catholic cemetery, and opposite to it--on the side of the Botanical Gardens--is the Government cemetery.

Catholic cemetery is situated on a land granted to the Church by King George III in 1766. According to Honychurch, it was a move that King made in order to recognise the importance of the French planters in his new colony. Ten acres (about four hectares) of land area on the hill between Central Roseau and Newtown was given away and except for a small portion that was donated to Methodist in 1865 when the original 99-year grant ended, it still remains in the possession of the Catholic Church.

We also passed the graveyards in the bus and I tried to take a picture of them from there

Cemetery from the bus

Eventually we worked our way out of the city traffic onto the coast road. We went past the Sun Princess which was docked way out of town

Sun Princess docked outside of town

in what looked like a cargo ship area.

Looking through razor wire at the Sun Princess

I would not have liked being there AT ALL.

Little fishing boats

Crossing a river

We stopped for a potty break.

Tourists with umbrellas

I got off and went even though I did not really need to under the concept that you go whenever there is an opportunity.
The only problem with the tour was that the first step of the bus was too high for most people (including me), and they had no step stool. Plus they had to store the walkers etc in the aisle.

The roads were very steep and twisty, and the bus often sounded as if it was laboring. Eventually got to the waterfall, which was very pretty (and very photogenic) but wasn't that spectacularly tall.

Waterfall from above

Waterfalls

Bob looking over at the falls

There were concrete steps down to the level of the stream,

Steps going down to the river

and a boardwalk to walk along the side of the stream.

Walkway going to the falls

One of the men was going to swim in the pool, but he said it was only about 18 inches deep - not even enough to float in.

Lady in a red dress at the bottom of the falls

Bananas and a banana flower at the falls

Colorful foliage

Wildlife at the falls

BIrd of paradise flower

They had fruit and drinks for us there, but I wasn't sure whether they were free or not, so I just took a small wedge of watermelon. There was a whole table of grass baskets for sale

Grass baskets at the top of the waterfall

We drove back to town by the river. We could have gotten out to take pictures there, but the majority decided not to stop.

River

House beside the river

Crossing the river

Stone building

The tour guide sang to us, and told us stories about the plants and how to make home remedies of them while we drove back to town

Telephone

Returning to the ship

From the ship in the evening

Moored sailboats

Dominica has a lot of water sports available. You can go whale watching - twenty two species of whales and dolphins have been identified in the island’s waters. Sperm whales are frequent visitors.
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Whale watching boat coming in to dock

You can snorkel or SCUBA. Douglas Bay is great for snorkeling. The more adventurous (or those with a car) can travel further a field to Toucari Bay, Capucin or Batibou Beach. You can also sail a hobie cat, windsurf, kayak, water-ski, jet ski, or go tubing

The pilot boat

Mountains in clouds

Mist over the mountains

Appetizer

My ribs

My Bananas Foster dessert

Making Bananas Foster

Fruit plate

Soup

Bob's dessert was

Coconut tapioca pudding

Towel donkey holding the breakfast menu

Tomorrow we will be in Barbados