You might remember that I included Antigua in my Travel Bucket List in January, well we made it and wow, it was amazing. It’s such a beautiful island and the people there are so kind and friendly. As you might expect from a Caribbean island, the vibe is super relaxed and this hits you straightaway. I’ve even brought a little back with me, driving and walking around yesterday I realised I wasn’t in a hurry like I usually am in London; I’m not sure how long this will last but let’s see.
We spent the first couple of days partying with our friends in the lead up to their wedding and then we partied some more to celebrate. The wedding was held at The Carlisle Bay, a luxury resort with tasteful decor, lush surroundings and a gentle breeze off the sea. I was teary eyed throughout the ceremony (I’m awful for this at my friends’ weddings) but pulled myself together soon afterwards. The tipple of the night was a delicious old fashioned rum punch which helped us dance the night away, barefoot in the sand. It was a wedding I won’t forget anytime soon.
Shirley Heights the night after the wedding was worth the crazy 45 minute taxi ride across the island (be warned taxi drivers either drive very slowly or very fast along the hole-ridden roads). We were welcomed with stunning views, steel drums and the smell of the most incredible barbeque.
We stayed at the Cocobay Resort, in a beautiful setting on a small cliff overlooking the sea; surrounded by cacti, banana plants and palms. Our little waterfront cottage had everything we needed, including an outside bath, hammock and plunge pool. Pelicans flew past our balcony just a few metres away and the bright blue sea spread-out wide in front of us.
Both Dan and I are foodies (he’s a classically trained chef) so we insisted on trying a few local delicacies, conch and dumplings, both of which could be found a short walk along the beach from our resort. The conch came in the form of fritters which were served with a sweet tamarind sauce at a beach restaurant called The Nest, they were so good; they also served a mean coconut shrimp. We sampled dumplings (by special request) at Dennis Restaurant. They were served with salt fish and pickled coleslaw; I enjoyed them but wouldn’t be in a hurry to have them again. Whilst we’re talking about food, Sheer Rocks is a must, their coconut fish stew was heavenly.
All photos were taken with my new Olympus PEN E-PL7 which was given to me by Fashiolista and Olympus. I’m genuinely in love with this camera, it’s been so easy to pick up and use. If you’re a blogger, I’d recommend it.