Turks & Caicos Islands – May 2010 (Part Four; Saltmills, Regent Village, and Jimmy’s Dive Bar)

DAY FOUR:  Tuesday, 11 May 2010

            Dave woke up at 6 am again.  No problem again, as the sun was not risen.  Lee slept in until 7, and at that point we walked the beach together towards the Leeward section (where Dave had walked yesterday).  This time, we went a bit further up than Dave had gone solo, and were certainly in the marina area (or close by, as judging by the residences nearby).  As this was certainly a less-walked area, there were things to be found.  Lee found a couple small shells suitable for Aislynn’s hermit crabs.  Dave found many different good-sized conch shells, but settled on keeping two.  One was simply the first Dave had found, the other was one that had been worn down and resembled a modern art sculpture.

After the walk and back at the RWI beach, the plan was to get out to the shops today, and have an early lunch (so an appropriate early dinner could be had later).  After checking out some places at the Saltmills and Regent Village (pretty much the main extent of the shopping district in the area), Dave & Lee headed to the little co-op near Grace Bay Car Rentals.  From there, a trip to Mama’s Gift Shop (at Ports of Call), where you always the sour (yet amusing) attitude.

After finding the alternate Pizza Pizza location closed (Pizza Pizza La Terrazza, which Todd had mentioned), Dave & Lee had lunch at Jimmy’s Dive Bar.  Lee wanted to eat light, and just ordered an appetizer of cheese nachos, which turned out to be bigger than Dave’s entry.  Dave had the jerk chicken wrap, which was very good.  The ice cream parlor we were going to hit was skipped, because there wasn’t any room.

There was a little bakery near RWI, so the idea had been to stop by and grab something for the next morning.  The bakery turned out to be a nice little café.  Dave & Lee just got some pastries for the next morning.

Dave did have to point out to Lee how the number “one’s” were written to look like little triangles.  Dave mentioned the numbers were written like that in France too.  Since the Eiffel Tower had three tiers, and Dave’s family wanted to go to the third tier, when the tower lady wrote three triangles on a piece of paper, they thought she was agreeing that it was the third tier to be the destination (when actually the tower lady was trying to tell these stupid tourists that it would be one-hundred eleven Francs to get to the top).  The lady at the bakery found the story pretty amusing.

When it was time for dinner, Dave & Lee went up to Coral Gardens to find the Mexican restaurant called “Somewhere.”  Nestled on the beachfront, it was a tri-level seating terrace so all the views of the sunset would be good.  As it was further southward down the island, the sun from this vintage point appeared it would set over land (around the Northwest Point region), as opposed to the view of over the water from RWI.  Lee found the sangria to be less-than thrilling, but the guacamole dip she enjoyed.  Dave had a chicken burrito that rivaled the one he had in Austin’s Hula Hut.

Dave & Lee returned to RWI to watch the cloudy sunset, and listen to the white-cap waves created by the high wind.  A local gentleman selling his water colors stopped by and told some tales of the crooked TCI government officials which ins some way involved relations with underage girls and/or Jamaican drug lords.  As the gentleman was a little difficult to understand, it was hard to get a clear picture of what exactly was happening.

Dave continued the evening with his customary rum punches, although tonight he was up to his third before Dave started feeling buzzed.  Just a little aside about the rum punches here.  Put a jigger each of four different flavored clear rums in a glass (one jigger equals a half-shot or so), fill with a fruity punch thick mixture, add a jigger of dark rum, and garnish with one of the following:  Cherry, orange slice, or pineapple wedge.  So the rum punch fills in total about a quarter of the glass (and looks a little higher when ice was added).  Keep that picture in mind.

On Saturday, Dave got his first rum punch from Tim, and the second from Jean-Luc.  Dave also had Jean-Luc (who happened to be present) make the “no ice” one that would be drank the following morning.  Sunday, Dave had two more rum punches, each made by Jan-Luc.  Monday, Dave had the banana colada followed by the rum punch.  There’s a reason for being a little repetitive here.  Any time you can get a bar tender who recognizes you (and knows you tip well), they start to “add” to your drink.  In this case, Jean-Luc was the Captain of the starship “Get Dave Drunk.”

Dave noticed the rum punch he had Monday night was a little stronger.  And when Dave got each of his rum punches Tuesday night, Jean-Luc was putting in a full-shot of each of the rums, and all three of the garnishes.  Yes, the mixed drinks Dave was having were pretty much half-alcohol.  Hell, have fun on vacation!

The high winds were creating a lot of waves that Dave & Lee enjoyed watching after sunset (during rum punch number two).  Dave drank the third one on the patio listening to the sound of the surf, and the wind blowing through the trees.

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