Bye Jillian.... And now, we're off to do some more exploring by ourselves!

Woke up early and took Jillian and Maryanne to the airport…hugs, goodbyes, Jer and I got back in the car and promptly drove back to the condo and went back to sleep…. It was only 7 in the morning…. Fun to do that on vacation!
Got ourselves up and going later in the morning… Nice lunch then off to explore the most eastern end of the island.  Heard there were some blow holes and there were.  Jerry was brave and moved closer so I could get a pic.

There is a surrounding reef on this part of the island and there is some historical significance.

Legend says that one night in 1788, the lead ship of a convoy of merchant ships bound from Jamaica to Britain ran a ground on the reef.  A signal was given off to warn off the other ships, but was misunderstood as a call to follow closer and nine more ships sailed onto the reef. The people of the East End gathered together and went out to rescue all the sailors...no lives were lost,The Legend goes on and says King George III was so thankful, he granted the islands freedom from having to pay taxes to the England.  I know it's all true, cuz a waiter told us...he said it was "The Legend of the 10 Sails"
 There was an interesting plant that looked like a net over the vegetation… took a couple pics… just weird, not anything historical.  We also ran into an area that was filled with white butterflies… I mean, all over… couldn’t get a picture cuz we were driving…This island has some real surprises! 

Some homes damaged in Hurricane Ivan were never repaired... 

So many of the cemetaries are built right next to the water... and they always have flowers all over the individual grave sites...

Blow Holes.... I love them! 

 

How's this for a unique sign???? 

Why did the chicken cross the road...?  To make Jerry slow down so Jean could get a picture....! 

 

 

This is the monument to the Legend of the 10 Sails... It supposedly happened way out on the reef...

This little Vacation Villa was for rent.... Wasn't big enough for Jerry and I, so we passed on it.... 

 

Loved this doc... just out into the water....  

 

 

 

Somehow the rain in the Cayman's is easier to take!

Well, it rains in paradise too..... This morning we woke to clouds and then some heavy downpours.... stopped at about 10am... and by 11 we were all in the pool.  It was still overcast, but, we managed to play and have fun for a couple hours.  I think if someone had a video camera, we might have provided some good fodder on  YouTube... Had dinner early... 6:30.... drove up to Tiki Beach and enjoyed their happy hour, then the sunset and then a delicious meal.... what a wonderful, uneventful day.... loved it!

Rum Point, The Queen and some info bout the Cayman Islands

Alrighty… a little history bout where we are, the Cayman Islands…. Christopher Columbus discovered Little Cayman in 1503 because of a wayward wind. The Cayman Islands are a British overseas territory and still have a colonial Governor appointed by Britain. It is located sorta southwest of Cuba. Grand Cayman is the largest of the three islands…get this, only about 76 sq miles and is 22 miles long. They took awhile to develop tourism due to MOSQUITOES! The vast number of them were so severe that it was almost impossible to go out at night without smoke pots to ward the bugs off. We even read of accounts where cattle were being suffocated by swarms of mosquitoes blocking their nostrils (UGH). But, the “mosquito Research and Control Unit” has reduced the problem enormously…Funny thing, the literature we see doesn’t tell us how…. Me thinks, chemicals… but who knows?.... And it’s flat, flat, flat… Hurricane Ivan destroyed so much of the island in 2004… When we drove today, we saw a few homes that were never rebuilt. Enough of that…
Drove to the Queen Elizabeth Botanical Gardens, which is also home to the few ‘Blue Iguana’... The species is endangered and they are attempting to keep them going in this special botanical area. The Queen herself came for the grand opening a few years ago. We walked around for about a mile in the hot, hot, hot muggy weather. We managed to get a bridge picture, saw some Blue Iguana’s walking on the paths… and best of all, we all ‘glistened’ in the warmth…Then off to Rum Point… fun lunch and tried to get a picture to send into the TNT for the publication showing us holding the paper… we shall see… We were suppose to swim with the Sting Rays… BUT… it’s sounding like there is going to be some wind whipping up the water, so we had to cancel that… Dang… but, none of us want to get seasick! The gentleman we talked to said from the looks of the forecast, no boats will really be going out in that area. We shall see!

Just a few tiny plants!

Jerry, Jillian and Maryanne

This nest on this limb was about 4 feet long... no idea what it was....

After our adventure at the Gardens, we drove on to Rum Point... had a great meal... Ended up our server was from Vancouver, Canada... 

Nice view from the table we were at... looking across to the Sound...

Jillian and Maryanne taking a dip in the ocean before cleaning up for dinner....

Eenie meeni miny moe....

Gee... wish I could say we did this and that and this and that... but we pretty much just sawm in the sea... and the pool... then dried out in the sun... then went for ride up the north side from where we are. Stopped for a meal at the Tiki Beach... and, had some conch fritters for the first time. Pretty darn tasty... but mostly, I think it was just the sauce you dip them in. Our waiter, Kevin, was Jamaican and a real cutie! He took great care of us... he also was the bartender, so it seemed our drinks were extra special. As you can see, Jillian couldn't decide which one, so she ordered a bunch! Naw, just kidding...
Got back in the car, kept on going, and found some beautiful, yet rocky beaches... even a bride and groom posing for pictures... Was a bit breezy today, but it made for pretty waves on the rocks. Drove back home, found a lookout, about 5 stories tall (this island is completely, flat... so, so, weird...) Could see from East side of the island to the West side... okay... I'm rambling... but checkout that weird bug with the red wings...