CATLYN VOYAGE: Dominica, Rosseau.

At first light we sailed towards the island of Dominica faintly on the horizon. The sail was great with the wind on the beam, and the slightly choppy sea pushed us forward. We had the lures out and were hoping for some fresh fish. Soon we picked up a mooring for 10US$. Marco stayed on Catlyn, while the rest of us, very lazily took the dinghy to the closest jetty in front of the Anchorage Hotel.

We thought of flagging down a local bus, but for some reason there was none, and we walked into town. It was quite a walk in the humidity and heat, but eventually after asking a couple of people we found Customs and Immigration hidden at the back of a building, the Ferry building, with no signage whatsoever. We stood in a huge empty room with two wooden desks, no chairs and an office door. Luckily a man came out of the door, and we read his t-shirt…Customs and Immigration. The process went smoothly.

On our way to the Customs, we saw the colorful umbrellas of the women with their fresh fruit and maybe some vegetables. Johan only found a couple of aubergines, chillis and beans, the rest was so expensive that we left without. I was craving an ice cream again…I could see the sugar cone in my hand, I could smell the vanilla of the soft ice cream, and I could taste the cold against my teeth, I am prepared to forget about the chocolate flake in the middle…

We found a supermarket, and Joe found a box with 8 ice creams inside! Not soft serve, but it will do! I can eat two and they could each eat three before they melt. Sorry for Marco, sitting on the boat. But it was still not my ice cream day.. I almost opened the box before the girl could scan it, only to find a very small bit of previously melted and then frozen again piece of yellowy white in a corner of the little plastic bag. The crusty sugar was all that was left on my fingers, and while looking at Joe trying to eat this tiny piece of ice out of the corner of his plastic, I was disgusted and demanded my money back! I could believe that this old sugar frozen for how many times was to be my ice cream. Joe tried to take another quick bite, but I bundled everything back into the box, and we left with a refund! Maybe next time?

Our next stop will be the Botanical Gardens, Joe decided, just to calm his mom`s spirit and to help her forget about the sugar crave, and maybe to find water to rinse the stickiness of her fingers. Aargh no! Dead tired after miles of walking, and dead craving something cold, we walked into the Gates! Indeed not the Pearly Gates, and indeed not the Garden of Eden! We realized that it is just green lawns with trees and shrubs here and there, and at the first tree Johan decided to lay down for the day.

A beer! I will settle for a beer! And believe it or not, I do not like beer! It is bitter! But we gathered up and walked to the closest bar for a cold beer!