Day 16: Ecotourism

I had plans to see an old sugar plantation today, but my AirBnB host, Kevy, asked if I wanted to tag along with him and a friend to see some of Guadeloupe's more natural offerings.  Excited to see Guadeloupe through the eyes of a local, I quickly agreed!

He and his friend Nico took me to two waterfalls and a beach that all boasted swimming and great views of the island. 

The first stop was Cascade aux Ecrevisses:

Located in the national parc, the site can be easily accessed by a paved path.  We hung out for a bit there, then headed over to Chute d'Accomat:

This site is located deeper in the forest, which meant it required some climbing to get to.  (I feel in the river once). BUT I got right back up and made it! I felt very adventerous. 

Finally, we went to a beach in the Northwest part of the island.  By the time we arrived there, it was late afternoon, so we stopped for a quick drink and then watched the sun begin to set:

ti punch

I tried the Ti- Punch-- the local specialty.  Pro tip: it is just a very large shot of rum with a lime slice.  (Really, I had hoped for some mixer/ fruit juice in addition to my alcohol).  I did not finish it-- I probably would not have made it out of the restaurant if I did!

Our last stop was the Marina in Gosier for crepes:

The marina looked like a typical American beach town, with small shops and restaurants lining the water.  I felt very much at home! I ordered a delicious crepe and Kevy and Nico pointed out some other good restaurants in the Marina.  After being solitary for so long, I enjoyed having company for the day! Talking with locals also gave me perspective on some of the things I'd seen (ex- Kevy said that he had never seen a parade for 14 juillet! It just isn't a big deal in Guadeloupe, which explains my experience earlier this week!)

After a long day, I am exhausted and ready to sleep! But tomorrow, I will be back on my research grind, meeting with one of the authors I met on Saturday and heading out to see some sights.