Commentary Swallow Xu*
Confined in Macau these days and taking the government’s advice ‘Please persist….reduce leaving Macau’ (funny yet official translation), like most people, I cannot travel near and far.
Yesterday I was feeling so nostalgic for the Caribbean that I called a few good friends there.
‘Sista! …’ The high pitch way they speak immediately lifted me up in this gloomy atmosphere.
Love in 1st sight + secret weapon
I fell in love with the Caribbean at first sight, when I was awed by the ethereal sky, turquoise, transparent sea outside the window as the plane descended to Sint Maarten, the Dutch part of my destination island.
Knowing about my travel plans, my Macau friends sounded the alarm, “You’re going to one of world’s top 10 dangerous regions. Careful!” Therefore I arrived on the island dressed humbly, in a big loose shirt and Thai pants, and besides the luggage I carried a strong umbrella - my secret weapon suggested by my Macau kung fu master with whom I’d practised self defending martial basics for 2 months. Not long after, I lost that secret weapon, hehe.
Fantastic
I stayed on the island’s French side called Saint Martin, at Fantastic, a boutique hotel run by a Haitian family facing the Royal Marina, a yacht dock with white yachts against clear blue waters and sky – like a perfect watercolour. I enjoyed Fantastic’s pool, swimming with some black teen members of a football team from Guadeloupe. Here, air is light, colours bright, in harmonious contrast: white (yachts, clouds), blue (sea, sky), shiny chocolate (skin), golden (croissant, big smiles), colourful (Creole food, fruit, markets, arts, culture)…Fantastic! After a month or so, I bought my bicycle and have since rode it for years on the island…
Music filled
In the Caribbean on various state islands, the hot air is filled with music. People play music, R & B, Reggie, Soca, Calypso, live or from speakers, on the road side, on the beach, at home, in the yard…accompanied by dance, chitchat, BBQ, drinks, ‘wah wah’, laughter. I once lived next to a weekend restaurant. Every Saturday morning, I was woken up by lovely sounds, at times by the Soca hit “Hello”, at times by a classic tune. All year round on every island, you can have live music shows (many times thematic and festive, like the weekly Reggie night held at the breezy, spacious seaside bar with rich food offerings by various vendors and with an extension platform out over the sea for moon bathing), as big festivals at carnival villages or beaches or as small gigs in a bar, restaurant or roadside location.
And, can you imagine a road BBQ stall with a DJ scratching and eaters dancing in zest amid smoke rising up from two busy BBQ stands? Visit this BBQ on Saint Martin and have a feel!
Sun, Sand, Beach, Sex
I’ve kinda forgotten Thailand since I encountered the Caribbean, for the sun is no hotter, yet the sand is whiter and softer, the beaches are expansive, more pristine and tranquil, and the water is sexier lol. But Caribbean people’s slogan Sun, Sand, Beach, Sex may indicate their pride in the three natural gem elements plus passion (sex). Indeed, nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, with a distance as far as a 4+ hour flight from the US and 9-10 hours from Europe, these are the world’s less trodden destinations, with much less crowds of tourists. Among them all, Anguilla, a British overseas island (with a population of only 15,000) close to Sint Maarten/Saint Martin, voted Best Island in the Caribbean in 2018, boasts some of world’s best beaches, with even less tourists as an offbeat premium destination. A full day on its Shoal Bay will be well spent as you throw yourself into and out of the translucent water, sip a cocktail, swing your body a bit with the nice sea breeze and music, visit the local nonagenarian lady artisan Auntie B’s handicrafts stall, chat a little with enthusiastic locals in their best English in the Carribbean region…Aya, don’t forget to try a lobster meal. All Caribbean islands are blessed with beautiful beaches and islanders just love going to the beach. The beach is for family and friends to get together, socialising or simply chilling out.
Carnival
One should not miss carnivals on the Caribbean islands. Everyone has one in its own right, unique and authentic, in a different period of the year, attracting revellers from other islands/countries. Lots of carnival music with its apparent beats, parade and dance day and night nonstop. The carnival culminates with J’ouvert Monday (J’ouvert in Creole French means “dawn” or “daybreak”, as J’ouvert Monday kicks off at dawn.) You have to rise at 4 a.m., even reluctantly. But when out there you can see very crazy, eye -opening things that sober you up, like thick black petro painting all over body, female bodies tempting each other with sensual dance, or even water from hoses wetting the crowd unexpectedly, apart from fancy costumes, hair dressing and accessories, sexy bodies (yes, slim or fat no matter) and just WOW. While feasting your eyes, join the crowd, moving dancing after the trucks with live carnival bands storming the air with boisterous singing and music, until reaching the destination – in Anguilla, it’s a beach called Sandy Ground, where the party goes on, with boat races, performances that attracts a huge dancing waving crowd, and lots of good food and drink as well as happiness.
*Swallow Xu is a Macau based translator and travel writer
A man walks along Shoal Bay in Anguilla in September 2015. Photo: Swallow Xu Caiyan
