Victoria Falls Dominica



Wow, is all I can say about this trip, this country and all its beauty.  The people here are so very friendly, hard working and I can truly say I feel I have new Dominican friends.  Poncho my boat boy (he’s really not a boy) arranged for me to go to Victoria Falls with some other cruisers here in the harbor.  He picked me up at the boat and we collected the other participants, Iain and his wife Ruth from Scotland but have be living in Turkey for five years, then Renee and his wife Jeanette from Switzerland.  We met up with our tour guide Miguel and driver Silencer.  We then drove across the island up very steep roads and as we ascended the jungle became denser. The interesting thing here is the drop offs on the side of the roads in some cases is thousands of feet.  The government planted bamboo all along the sides which grow to 40 feet and higher so that if you run off the road you just spring back on the bamboo, pretty cool and way more attractive than metal railing. Miguel stopped all along the way to point out different plants and trees.  Bay leaf trees are abundant and the crushed leaves smell wonderful, they have a factory which presses bay leaf oil. Along the way we did have a blown tire in which Silencer and Miguel had changed in two minutes flat, I think this happens all the time.  We saw trees I have never seen like fern trees and flamboyant trees with their bright red canopy blooms.  Banana trees heavy with fruit everywhere, coco trees(chocolate) , coconut and ground ferns abound. One of the most beautiful I thought were the ginger lilies (see Pic), papayas, and bread fruit along with orange trees with fruit as big as softballs.  They also grow coffee and have a processing plant here within walking distance to me, I will check it out and buy some if I can.  After a considerable ride we came to a dirt road to Victoria Falls. These falls are one of the largest on the island. Moses a famous Rasta owns much of the land here and lives off the land. Moses has a simple wood and bamboo house and cooks and eats from wooden bowls and cups and has a Rastarant that he serves Rasta veggie soup on occasion. He’s all about living from nature, renewable resources and causing no harm to the land. We met Moses briefly then Miguel guided us to the river and our hike to the falls.  We had to climb rocks and wade through the river crossing from side to side about a dozen times, waste deep on some crossings hanging on to roots and rocks. It was for sure not a trip for cruise shippers or the out of shape. After arriving at the falls it was an incredible site, the wind and mist blowing in your face felt nice an cool. The water has a milky color due to so much sulfur and iron coming out of the boiling lake mixing with the river; nothing lives in the river due to this.   Miguel grew up here and has only been to Martinique in his entire life, he said he would like to visit the US but smokes to much gaunga daily to do that.  Miguel has two children and works hard to provide for them.  After hiking back down we visited with Moses for a while and he gave me his Rasta birthday blessing, he is a wise man (see pic).  We then drove to Trafalgar the highest city in Dominica for lunch at a café on stilts over another river ravine. I had fish with salad, bread fruit, rice, plantains and sweet potato and it was to die for good.  Of course I washed this down with three or four Kubulis just to rehydrate.  Miguel and Silencer then took us to his father’s place called Wotten Waven where he has hot mud pools, cool springs baths and hot baths.  They also have a small zoo with tortoises, peacocks, rabbits, possums and such.  Miguel explained he bathes there every day and how he catches freshwater shrimps from his stream for dinner. They use large bamboo pipes to duct the cool spring water or the hot volcano vent water to various tubs and ponds. He showed us a plant that grows everywhere here they make tea from called “man make man” the leaves are green but the tea turns red.  It’s a natural Viagra and Renee told him he would like to buy a kilo now please……ha.  I went into the hot pool and wow it felt so good as the water is full of sulfur and iron, Miguel said it will make me ten years younger! I didn’t want leave but by now it was 4 o’clock and the trip was ending, so they brought us back to the dock and I was tired and my feet hurt but could not of had a better birthday!