Driving the twisting and sometimes hair-raising narrow roads with spectacular views and lush vegetation is hugely enjoyable, however it also involves the negatives of traffic jams, congestion and parking woes wherever it is you want to go. Down on the southern tip are the Etangs … salt marshes and beaches … but cars were parked for miles – both sides of the road – half in ditches, canted at ludicrous angles. Another highly-rated beach area was Anse Dufour, with black, volcanic sand. Same thing here … the access road reduced to single lane by parked cars … predatory, circulating cars, drivers hunched over steering wheels, eyes darting, ready to pounce.…

Now to explore further afield. There are road-side stands and little market stalls wherever you go … coconuts, bananas, homemade juices, in the smaller ones … more variety, spices, locally produced honey, etc. in others. Best sticking to where the locals shop. (Sorry … I included the photo in the Martinique post) North toward St. Pierre took us through Fort de France – we’ll have a chance to visit before we leave on Friday. A small fishing village looked enticing so we detoured to see. A red-roofed church, old balconied buildings reminiscent of France and New Orleans graced a square and decorative fountain. As Glen described in his post “Parlez…

What a difference a day makes. Blue skies … coffee on the patio … little black finches perched on the chair backs, begrudging every crumb of the baguette that Jocelin brought us this morning … and, if you weren’t careful … hopping onto the table to investigate your plate. Bright red hibiscus dancing in the breeze while TWO kinds of hummingbirds zoomed and hovered. An iridescent green one, and a tiny crested one with a natty hairdo https://en.martinique-tour.com/discover/fauna-and-flora/the-birds/ But the VIEW … straight downhill to the bay … turquoise water and scattering of boats. A magazine-worthy picture. South .. past a lookout of Diamond Rock where a slave ship broke…

Martinique not only is part of France, it is fiercely French. It seems as though you can only get here from a place where French is spoken. One of our co-guest/crew members on Eye of the Wind had to fly through Montreal to get back to St Louis, Missouri. Those returning to Europe had no option but to fly to Paris. Typically when you go to a beach in a tourist location and you will hear a United Nations of languages. Not here, just French, In fact we have never been to a place where so few people speak English (or are unwilling to do so). Good thing Jennifer and…