Mel On The Go

Christmas in the Caribbean

Are you a Christmas fanatic who shops all year round for decorations and gifts or more of a Scrooge? If you are the first, then visit the Caribbean anytime after October. Christmas in the Caribbean starts early: all the malls in St. Lucia were decorated and Christmas carols blasted from the speakers when we were there in November.

Since readers liked last year’s photo blog from Florida, here’s one from the Caribbean, mostly Martinique, where Santa and other holiday decor is the norm. The majority of the festive ornamentation is traditional and (fake) evergreen and wreaths abound, but I prefer the original and surprising celebrations, like the relaxed Santa in the display in Sainte Anne, Martinique.

Caribbean Christmas display — Christmas display in Sainte Anne

Martinique Street Art

A French island, Martinique exudes style. With modern cities and beautifully dressed residents, it’s no wonder the art is impressive. Walking around the different towns, I photographed some of the Martinique street art. I don’t know much about the murals, but I know I like what I see!

Fort de France Street Art

The biggest town in Martinique, the capital city also has the most public art I’ve seen in the Caribbean. I’ve done some earlier posts about street art but this is the first this year.

We spent a weekend in Fort de France to experience the top quality music of Martinique Jazz Festival and I snapped some photos of the murals in the streets.

Photographed near the Martinique Jazz Fest

Near the Martinique Market is this reproduction of a photo of old Fort de France

The Best of the Grenadines

We have been to the Grenadines four times, including our elopement in Union Island in 2004. We love these islands and of course our best of the Grenadines is subjective but could help you if you plan to visit.

I already wrote about why this country is great for cruising so here I detail our favorite places to go and things to do in the Grenadines.

About the grenadines

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is located just north of Carriacou, the northern island of Grenada. Even though Bequia and Union Island have nice protected anchorages, they are just too far north for insurance companies to allow us to stay there for hurricane season. Fortunately there’s enough to do in Grenada to keep cruisers happy. Before and after hurricane season, St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a great place to spend some time. Here are some of the things we love about it.

Hurricane Beryl devastated the southern Grenadines, including Union Island and Mayreau, leaving many people homeless. If you want to help rebuild, here are some fundraising links.

Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary, Bequia

Bequia is one of the more populous islands in The Grenadines, and a great place to base a Grenadines getaway. It’s also a top Caribbean destination for families, and one of the reasons is the turtles!

Mel On The Go

Christmas in the Caribbean

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