The grit always takes me by surprise. It’s only when I see the abandoned cars with weeds coming out of the windows and the corrugated tin pieces as entry ways that I remember. The initial view of Dominica isn’t a Caribbean postcard.
Our apartment is a refuge compared to Mero beach, and yet the village is where we want to spend our time. When I walk in the mornings, I wave to familiar faces. The business of the day is already in motion – brushing teeth at the communal water tap, braiding children’s hair, setting out extra fruit and vegetables to sell from the porch. I breathe it all in and get a dose of burning firewood and diesel fumes at the same time.
As a family that loves to explore new places, why are we drawn to this spot again and again? There is so much more to understand with each visit. Dominica reveals itself in layers. After the grit, comes the waterfall hikes, the local johnny cakes and the broad smiles when a whitie says “OK, man!”
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