Shopping Turks and Caicos

Victoria is our coffee lady and she roasts coffee beans here on island.

Victoria is our coffee lady and she roasts coffee beans here on island.

While my sisters were visiting we did some shopping for items to take back to Canada and the UK. Our favourite and top of the list for must have is Victoria’s coffee. She roasts the beans here on island and her beautifully packaged coffee blends are available in many shops on Provo. A friend of long standing, the photo on her coffee label is one that I took years ago out at Malcolm Roads. We thought it would look great on her coffee labels and it sure does.

The green coffee beans are slow roasted to perfection for that oh so good cup of freshly brewed coffee.

The green coffee beans are slow roasted to perfection for that oh so good cup of freshly brewed coffee.

 Victoria and TCI Coffee Roasters is the first and only speciality coffee roaster on the island.

Tina introduces Victoria and her coffee to her wedding guests....each received a very special blend as a gift from the bride and groom.

Tina introduces Victoria and her coffee to her wedding guests....each received a very special blend as a gift from the bride and groom.

 Victoria’s coffee is found in many of Provo’s shops including FOTTAC or Flavors of  the Turks and Caicos in the Regent Village on Grace Bay.

Althea Williams shows Eve the wide selection available in her store.

Althea Williams shows Eve the wide selection available in her store.

Fottac carries delicious Bamberra rum cakes which you can taste while shopping……samples are available and Althea’s rum punch is to die for. We could have stayed there all day just sampling all the edible items. Bamberra rum is for sale along with three different flavors of rum cake, mango jam, hot sauces and jerk rubs. Our guests over Christmas and New Year all received a gift basket containing Bamberra rum, mango jam and TCI Coffee Roaster’s coffee.

Althea shows us samples of products she carries in her store called Fottac.

Althea shows us samples of products she carries in her store called Fottac.

My sister Eve told me today that she showed co-workers her photos of our beautiful islands while serving some Bamberra rum cake and coffee. It was a great success especially as it was freezing cold out side in Montreal today.

Here's Eve at Daniel's Cafe on Middle Caicos...... note the bottles of hot sauce and condiments.

Here's Eve at Daniel's Cafe on Middle Caicos...... note the bottles of hot sauce and condiments.

We stopped in at Daniel’s Cafe in Middle Caicos for a late lunch…………amazing fresh fish catch of the day (Parrot fish they told us) with peas and rice. We simply raved over Marilyn’s tamarind hot sauce. I called her up the next day in order to buy some more so that my sisters could take them home.Marilyn made up sealers of delicious Tamarind pepper sauce for us.

Marilyn and a sealer of Tamarind hot pepper sauce that she made and brought into her shop for us.

Marilyn and a sealer of Tamarind hot pepper sauce that she made and brought into her shop for us.

Marilyn was at her store in Ports of Call on Grace Bay…..watch for her home made special sauces . You can buy some items at Gus’s also called Pay Less.
Chalice Ferguson at Mama's Gift's in Ports of Call shopping centre.

Chalice Ferguson at Mama's Gift's in Ports of Call shopping centre.

Last but not least are my good friends Chalice and her sister Mama. They have a wonderful store with souvenirs of all kinds and a friendly very happy type of service to their shoppers. I send all our guests at Harbour Club Villas to Mama’s in Ports of Call . You’ll find all kinds of gifts, T-shirts and souvenirs there.
Well, I know we enjoyed finding all these wonderful items in the stores on Grace Bay… most with an island flair.
Enjoy!!!!
Marta

Middle Caicos Part 2

Looking back towards the hidden little beach from the paved path.

Looking back towards the hidden little beach from the paved path.

We headed to the beach at Mudjin Harbour. What a spectacular stretch of pure white sand beach with big roller breakers coming in. I went straight towards Dragon Cay as the sand was pretty much exposed across to the Cay.

Looking along the beach at Mudjin Harbour towards Dragon Cay.

Looking along the beach at Mudjin Harbour towards Dragon Cay.

The natural sand causeway from the beach to Dragon Cay is exposed at low tide.

The natural sand causeway from the beach to Dragon Cay is exposed at low tide.

A picture perfect setting as we pose for a photo together by the rock pool.

A picture perfect setting as we pose for a photo together by the rock pool.

When a friend of ours was here a few months ago the pool was about nine feet deep with fish swimming in it. Last week the water was only about four feet which means the sand is filling it in. Mother Nature has a way of surprising us as these pools appear and disappear.

I coaxed....."forced" Eve to get into the pool even though the water was quite cold. Better her than me, I say!

I coaxed....."forced" Eve to get into the pool even though the water was quite cold. Better her than me, I say!

 

Beautiful view looking through underneath the overhanging rocks.

Beautiful view looking through underneath the overhanging rocks.

View of the tidal rock pool beside Dragon Cay on Middle.

View of the tidal rock pool beside Dragon Cay on Middle.

We had a lovely day and my sisters were thrilled with their birthday present as they had always wanted to visit another of our beautiful islands. The quiet and tranquil islands of both North and Middle Caicos filled with friendly people will be remembered through these photos.

 

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Middle Caicos Part 1

Ahhhhhh........what a heavenly piece of paradise on Middle Caicos

Ahhhhhh........stunning...what a heavenly piece of paradise on Middle Caicos at Mudjin Bay

As a special birthday celebration for my two sisters, Anna and Eve, we headed off to North and Middle Caicos for the day.  A short ferry ride and an open jeep waiting at Sandy Point and we were off.

Our first stop was a visit to the Indian Cave on Middle Caicos

Our first stop was a visit to the Indian Cave on Middle Caicos

We hopped into our jeep and headed along the coastal road past the amazing aqua blue waters of Bottle Creek and across the crumbling causeway. What a sad sight to see all the rubble and rebar sticking up and it sure gives you an bird’s eye view of what a hurricane Cat 4 can do. We first went to see Indian Cave which is just past Conch Bar and is a large cavern with skylight holes through the ceiling.

The Indian Cave was once inhabited by the Lucayan Indians.

The Indian Cave was once inhabited by the Lucayan Indians.

We were in awe as we took in the breathtaking view from the bluff overlooking Mudjin Harbour and Dragon Cay. One more stop before heading onto the beach where I wanted to find a beautiful rock pool a friend had told me about. I was hoping it was still there.

View from the bluff looking along the coast line towards the hidden beach.

View from the bluff looking along the coast line towards the hidden beach.

I made Anna and Eve go down the hand chiselled steps carved into a hole that tunnelled down and opened up at this wonderful little gem of a beach.

I made Anna and Eve go down the hand chiselled steps carved into a hole that tunnelled down and opened up at this wonderful little gem of a beach.

A flight of cement stairs opened out into a hidden little beach.

A flight of cement stairs opened out into a hidden little beach.

Our wonderful day on Middle Caicos will be continued as we try to find the pool that was there by Dragon Cay in early December. I was sure hoping the wave action hadn’t filled it all in with sand.

It is difficult to describe the natural and awesome beauty of Middle Caicos.

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Turtle Rock

Snorkeling out at Turtle Rock this afternoon was fantastic........calm waters and oh so clear.

Snorkeling out at Turtle Rock this afternoon was fantastic........calm waters and oh so clear.

We anchored off Turtle Rock for a lazy afternoon………..we had lunch and drinks along with some good snorkeling. This unique rock formation looks like a turtle and is part way between South Dock and Osprey Rock on the south side of Providenciales.

Unusual rock sculptures jutting up out of the water.

Unusual rock sculptures jutting up out of the water.

The water was “cold” for those of us that have been on island for so long but nonetheless, I braved the water to get some close shots of these unusual rock formations at Turtle Rock.

Barry will do anything for a beer as he "hangs" around Turtle Rock.

Barry will do anything for a beer as he "hangs" around Turtle Rock.

I had to bribe Barry with extra beers to make him pose for the camera.

I had to bribe Barry with extra beers to make him pose for the camera.

Lobster for dinner as we hailed a passing fishing boat.......four nice sized lobster tails.

Lobster for dinner as we hailed a passing fishing boat.......four nice sized lobster tails.

A nice sized grouper along with a parrot fish were caught that day.

A nice sized grouper along with a parrot fish were caught that day.

The snorkeling was amazing through a channel between the rocks and since it was low tide, we were in three or four feet of water.

Come snorkel with us here on Providenciales and in the other islands of the Turks and Caicos.

 

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Sapodilla Bay Afternoon

A picture perfect day on the beach at Sapodilla.

A picture perfect day on the beach at Sapodilla.

We started off by deciding to go out to Leeward Beach. We took a detour going totally in the opposite direction because Anna wanted chicken wings from Sweet T’s for lunch on the beach. I suggested since we were so far from Leeward that we head for Sapodilla Bay. I hadn’t been out there for a good two years and had forgotten how beautiful this beach is.

The tide was going out and the water had formed these ripples in the sand.

The tide was going out and the water had formed these ripples in the sand.

We loved the clear, shallow water and as the tide went out, the water created ridges in the powdery white sand.

Sapodilla sunshine as Anna and Eve enjoy the rippled waters.

Sapodilla sunshine as Anna and Eve enjoy the rippled waters.

A lone sailboat sails into Sapodilla anchorage for the night.

A lone sailboat sails into Sapodilla anchorage for the night.

Put Sapodilla Bay beach on your list of places to see when you head down to the Turks and Caicos Islands. I’ll see you there now that I’ve re-discovered this gem of a beach.

 

 

 

Marta

 

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com