Setting

10/13/12

I wanted to take a minute to show you around the island a little more! Unfortunately with school craziness I haven't been able to get around and see the sites all that much, but I've included some pictures from  my first week here. I am going to make an effort to make a few trips during the rest of this semester: at least one down to the big city of Roseau, and one hiking trip to the boiling lake and through the Valley of Desolation (talk about a great name). For now though, here we go!

This is along the Indian River (on the north part of the island, pretty close to my school). This is one of the filming sites for the second Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Pirates is ridiculously big here; this was near the site of the witch's cabin. 

 This is just along the Indian River, but it was such a photogenic tree!

Very rainforesty here! I try to remember it is the obnoxiously large amounts of rain (it's been raining for the past few days here virtually non stop and is supposed to continue for the next few. I'm planning on staying inside! It is technically a tropical storm right now, I hope it stays that way! It was first classified as just a tropical wave...I don't even know what that means!) that keeps it this way! It really is beautiful, very tropical!

 This is another site that was used in the Pirates movie. I believe the witch's cabin was right to the left of that debris. It's so funny, even in my favorite restaurant here (Tomatoes) there are these signed photos from Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. Everywhere you go they are talking about Captain Jack! 

(Google Images)

He's basically a local celebrity. That baffles me a little bit though because there are no movie theaters here...I guess they must get movies in (or on the internet), but it doesn't seem like it would be such a big deal here. It definitely is! Fine with me, I just wish I could be Elizabeth Swann for Halloween! It will never again be so appropriate!

 Another filming site...plus I just thought the sun was reflected all cool. 

I need to get some more flower pictures in here, everything is so bright! It reminds me of California in that way, I really like all the flowers. These are two from along the Indian River. 

These are the boats we took down the river. We didn't even have to paddle! The school arranged guides who did that for us! Just a lazy river boat trip for us!

 This was at the outlet of the river to the Caribbean Sea. 

Heading to the interior! When we did a brief hike to Trafalgar Falls (see previous posts) we got to see a little more of the interior of the island. Very much like a tropical rainforest! It actually reminds me a bit of New Zealand, the only other place I've seen a tree fern!

The island is very geologically active! This is a fumarole. There are around 7 volcanoes here and as such there are numerous steam vents, fumaroles, and hot pools! Apparently it's quite popular to soak in some of the hot pools-- sounds like a good stress-relief method for after finals!

Overlooking the city of Roseau! Roseau is Dominica's biggest city with about 15,000 people. It is on the south part of the island-- about a 40 minute (and very windy) drive from here!

 Overlooking Roseau. 

What I'm really interested in when I visit a place is seeing how people live. Dominica is definitely not like home in so many ways. I think it's really poor here, especially in cities outside of where the medical school is. I really think the school has brought so many jobs, restaurants, stores, etc that the rest of the island just doesn't see. 

 I do love all of the bright colors for homes though! 

 The streets of Roseau. 

Roads are all very narrow here, virtually one lane. You also have to be on the look out for dangerously large pot holes, more pictures to come. Roads are extremely windy and unlike the US, directions seem hard to come by. There are virtually no road signs, there are no traffic lights on the island, and to give directions I pretty much say "the white house on the top of the hill, past Tomatoes." The other thing is (to make it even more like driving on an obstacle course) apparently people just put things in the road if there is a hole. You might just see a big rock, which lets you know there is a big pothole. You might even see a cow crossing!

A church! Dominicans are quite religious, one cab driver told me probably 70% of people or so go to church on the weekends. I thought it was beautiful building in an old kind of way. 

That's it for now! Hopefully I will go on some trips coming up here and will have more pictures to share!

Have a great weekend everyone!