Monday 8th February

Grenada

Yet another Caribbean island that's had to cope with devastating hurricanes and that nevertheless raises a smile for its visitors.

Hurrican Ivan ripped across Grenada in 2004, destroying most of the nutmeg trees and 90% of all buildings. With substantial international aid the island has made a fairly good recovery, but there are still gutted buildings all over the capital, St George's.

Another blow to the island was the bloody coup d'etat in 1983 and the subsequent invasion by the USA. On today's bus trip we were shown the yard in Fort George where the democratically-elected Prime Minister and half a dozen associates were murdered. The rebels were sentenced to death after the coup was crushed but the sentences were commuted to long terms of imprisonment. The island is so peaceful nowadays that these events hardly seem possible.

The tour today was advertised as taking place on a 'Creole Bus'. This was a large van that had had the section behind the cab removed and replaced by a wooden structure that looked a bit like one of those old-fashioned Gypsy caravans. It seemed a bit creaky and clapped out, but it coped magnificently with the very steep roads in and around St George's.

The last part of the excursion was 90 minutes on one of those improbably beautiful beaches - you know, white sand, turquoise sea, clear blue sky and a nearby hut selling cold drinks. I had a complimentary Rum Punch - like everywhere else on this cruise they put a huge amount of rum in it, and it always takes me by surprise. Today, the barman grated some nutmeg on the top - delicious!

You have to fear a little for Grenada, though. There's no breakwater to shelter the docked cruise ships from the wind blowing in from South America and its associated waves. Consequently, even moored against the quay the Constellation and the Sea Princess next to us were bouncing up and down, straining at the mooring ropes. As we sailed, the captain said that a couple of ropes had actually snapped. On our tour today, our guide said that Italian ships don't call at Grenada any more after one of them a few years ago lost most of its ropes like this. You'd hope that someone would see the economic sense of building a more sheltered haven for these large ships before they all cease visiting.

It's a 'sea day' tomorrow and I doubt that there'll be much news. However, maybe I'll be able to fill the gap with a couple of excellent jokes that Harry, the Jewish bloke on our dinner table, has been telling :o)