Category Archives: Caribbean

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and government representatives from eight member countries met with Airbnb officials to discuss Airbnb's growing presence in the region and to address areas of mutual cooperation as outlined in an agreement signed in February.

According to the CTO, the sharing economy is driven by consumers who decide with their pocketbooks what they want to do and where they want to stay in the Caribbean.

"It is our responsibility to speak with Airbnb and other players in the sector to get the maximum benefit from this phenomenon," said CTO Secretary General Hugh Riley.

Discussions covered safety and security, standards, policies, the importance of the region's cultural heritage, and how Airbnb is expanding economic opportunities in the region, said Riley.

Airbnb and CTO will share aggregate data and research, explore ways to make the sharing economy more inclusive and develop a set of policy principles and recommendations.

"Those are factors that we were able to cover and we are extremely happy for the level of interaction between our members and Airbnb," Riley said.

Currently there are 41,000 Airbnb listings across the Caribbean and a typical host in the Caribbean earns approximately $3,900 a year.

"We view this as a first step in building a lasting partnership that will democratize travel, create thousands of entrepreneurs and allow a greater segment of the Caribbean to truly benefit from tourism," said Shawn Sullivan, Airbnb's public policy director for Central America and the Caribbean.

Earlier this year Anguilla, Bermuda, Curacao and Jamaica each signed partnership agreements with Airbnb that outlined similar goals.

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Airbnb meets with Caribbean government reps: Travel Weekly - Travel Weekly

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One does not simply act opposite Jack Sparrow.

Brenton Thwaites, 27, grew up in a world where Johnny Depps Captain Jack Sparrow was an almost instantly iconic comic creation, a character pop culture embraced with open arms from the moment Depp debuted him in the first Pirates of the Caribbean film in 2003.

Now, Thwaites is the star of the fifth movie in the Pirates franchise, Dead Men Tell No Tales (in theaters May 26), but stepping up as Henry Turner, the new face of the series, means sharing a certain amount of screen time with the reigning one.

My first scene with [Johnny], if Im remembering correctly, was the scene where Henry is trying to convince Jack Sparrow to team up with him and find this ancient treasure that could one, help Henry, and two, ultimately save Jack so, a lot of things going on, Thwaites says with a chuckle. Backstory- and exposition-heavy scenes can indeed be tough for actors to pull off, but they were hardly the present daunting challenge.

I just remember being absolutely terrified, like Id never acted in my life before doing this scene, says Thwaites. I just remember thinking, How am I going to stand there and talk to Johnny Depp for three minutes, opposite a character that Id grown up with in my teenage years? Its not going to be possible.

Ultimately, of course, it was and the actor even calls the exchange one of the finer scenes he had on the film.

Beyond the Sparrow of it all, themere idea of being in Pirates was enough to evoke a certain giddiness out of Thwaites, but thatjoy is only compounded by the early praise thats lauded the film for its return to the originals romantic and comic (but decidedly not rom-com) roots. It means everything, mate, and that was the goal that [directors Joachim Rnning and Espen Sandberg] were going for, says the Australian-born actor. That mix of darkness, adventure, love, and swashbuckling were something that none of us had really seen on the screen before, and it was so fresh and exciting and it was the goal for number five to bring all those elements back to the screen, all those ingredients that made such a tasteful cocktail in the first one.All those, andrum.

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Pirates of the Caribbean 5: Brenton Thwaites on filming with Johnny ... - EW.com

Tucked away between Guadeloupe and Martinique is unadulterated Dominica (pronounced dom-ah-nee-ka ). Because its often confused with the Dominican Republic and lacks direct long-haul flights, the destination has predominantly remained under the radar. But with few places left in this world that feel unspoiled, the country truly stands out. A favorite of Vogue s Fashion News Director, Chioma Nnadi who used to live on Martinique and brought her family and friends to Dominica twice because she loved it so muchshe blissfully sighs when I tell her Ive just returned from the verdant island. Everything about Dominica is kind of magical. The fact that it feels like a small village, but has so many natural and unexpected wonders packed into one island, is beyond anything I have ever seen before. If youre expecting a picture-postcard Caribbean beach scene with powdery white sand, then you wont find it [there], but thats also what makes it special, she raves. With two-thirds of Dominica covered in rain forest, 365 rivers weaving their way around the land, and a number of volcanoes and waterfalls, youll wonder whether or not youve been transported back to the Jurassic period. Dont expect to come here for white-glove service the way you would in St. Barth's or Grand Cayman , but rather to get a taste of what local, unsullied life is like. Seeing how the indigenous Carib communities, which still build very traditional wooden houses literally on stilts, live was super-memorable, recalls Nnadi. Now, whos ready to pack their bags for the Caribbeans Nature Island?

Hike Waitukubuli Trail The longest in the Caribbean, coming in at 115 miles, its recommended that you walk one segment a day, which would lead to a whopping two-week hike through the mountainous terrain. Its no easy feat, but for the truly ambitious, its a scenic bucket-list endeavor that will put you face-to-face with sulfur springs, local farmers, and picturesque waterfalls.

A waterfall cascades into the ocean. Photo: Courtesy of Christina Liao

Sail Around the Island For those who want a quick glance of Dominica without all the work of a grueling 14-day trek, hop on a speedboat and motor your way around. On the northern end youll come across Douglas Point, otherwise known as Split Rock, named after the slab of stone that halved underwater upon separating from its cliff, as well as a waterfall that cascades directly into the ocean.

Visit Boiling Lake Be forewarned that this is known as one of the most difficult hikes you may ever endure. Located in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, the islands UNESCO World Heritage Site, it takes about six hours round-trip and requires scaling steep inclines and trudges through sludgy mud and multiple rivers. Its strenuous, but for the avid hiker, totally worth it when it comes to the panoramic views of the rain forest and a pit stop at a natural Jacuzzi before reaching the worlds second largest boiling lake.

A canopy of trees shrouds you from the beating sun as you travel up the Indian River. Photo: Courtesy of Christina Liao

Paddle Through the Indian River Dont worry, your guide will be the one doing the rowing, but the calm and serene Indian River is a must for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean, where a few scenes of Dead Mans Chest were filmed. The original witchs hut is no longer there; however, a replica stands in its place and tourists would be none the wiser if they werent told it wasnt the real thing. Enjoy cruising underneath the canopy of trees, and channel your inner Jack Sparrow at a riverside bar upstream.

Whale and Dolphin Watching While theyre most prevalent in April during mating season, Dominicas resident population of sperm whales can be seen year-round. Head to the southern end of the island to catch glimpses of the largest toothed whale, as well as a myriad of dolphins as they playfully jump in and out of the water.

Go Bird-Watching or Forest Bathing For those who have the patience or want some quiet time in the backwoods, consider heading up to Syndicate Forest with a man known as Dr. Birdy in search of the endemic Imperial Amazon parrot, the elusive blue-headed hummingbird, and more. Or, for those who need to decompress and are hoping to shut their mind off from the outside world, consider forest bathing , in which host Terri EarthDancer says the goal is to reimmerse ourselves in the hidden power of nature.

KeepinIt Real, a great spot for a rum tipple and fresh seafood. Photo: Courtesy of Christina Liao

KeepinIt Real A small shack on the beach in Toucari with five tables and a rolled-up hammock stretching across a quarter of the restaurant, its the perfect spot for some homemade rum punch (a ubiquitous tipple on the island) and fresh fish off the grill, dressed simply with vinaigrette and served with rice, plantains, and vegetables.

Iguana Caf Owned by a Rastafarian man and his wife, this little shop (two tables and one narrow countertop) doesnt look like much from the outside, but the food is packed with soul and flavor. Seafood is a must here, and if you get to choose the sauce thats used in your entre, go with the coconut pumpkin optionyou wont be disappointed.

Pagua Bay Bar & Grill On an outdoor deck overlooking the Atlantic, regular diners here will tell you everything on the menu is good. Stop by for a quick lunch of fish tacos, but if you plan on having dinner, make sure to phone ahead, as its reservations only.

Sunset Bay Clubs Lobster Palace As its name suggests, this spot is known for the delectable crustacean, and although their size resembles that of a large langoustine rather than a full-size lobster, they are freshly caught and portions are generous.

A view of Secret Bay, an intimate hotel in Dominica. Photo: Courtesy of Secret Bay

Perched on a cliff on the northwest side of the island is Secret Bay , an intimate property consisting of eight tree housestyle villas and bungalows, all outfitted with terraces and several with heated infinity plunge pools. The eco-hideaways made from sustainable materials (which, by the way, were all assembled by hand) integrate harmoniously with the lush surroundings, while each of the villas expansive balconies allows you to sink into nature even more. Fall asleep to the waves crashing against the rocks and wake up to singsongy chirping and butterflies fluttering around the trees before a chef arrives to prepare your breakfast. Here, things are done a little differently. Save for a couple of decks, there arent any communal spaces. Meals are served in the comfort of your accommodations; a yoga instructor will stop by if youre in the mood for a morning stretch; and a masseuse will pop in for your afternoon treatment (ask for Margaux LaRocque, who really hones in on your problem areas)its all about making things as convenient as possible for the guests. But if you do want a change of scenery, head down to the Souce Shack, where you can have a drink and watch the cooks at work; venture over to the black-sand Tibay Beach; or grab a kayak (paddleboards and snorkeling gear are also available) and make your way to Secret Beach, where a strip of soft white sand only accessible by water awaits you. Its truly a romantic getaway, where you can do as much, or as little, as you want.

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Dominica Travel Guide, the Caribbean's Nature Island - Vogue.com

Miami Herald

After drownings in cruise ship pools, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean add lifeguards Miami Herald The announcement comes two months after Royal Caribbean International also decided to start posting lifeguards at every pool, including in the adults-only Solarium area. The change began in February with the Oasis of the Seas; all remaining ships in ... Norwegian Cruise Line adds LIFEGUARDS to every ship after pool drownings on boardExpress.co.uk all 87 news articles »

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After drownings in cruise ship pools, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean add lifeguards - Miami Herald

Breaking Belize News (blog)

Lisa Shoman speaks about Caribbean sex myths and the recent murder of 'Princess' Breaking Belize News (blog) By Lisa Shoman: It is 2017. It is past time that Jewelizeans stop thinking about women as providers of sex, and men as consumers. It isn't for men to demand/ask and for women to submit/give. Having sex is an eminently consensual act between two ...

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Lisa Shoman speaks about Caribbean sex myths and the recent murder of 'Princess' - Breaking Belize News (blog)

For a long while, it was thought that Keira Knightleys Elizabeth Swann would not be returning for the latest Pirates of the Caribbean sequeldespite the fact that Orlando Bloom is in the movie, as is her characters son (played by Brenton Thwaites). But a new international trailer reveals she is definitely back.

This Japanese-narrated trailer is actually packed with new snippets from the film (still, sadly, no ghost sharks to be found), but by far the most intriguing bit is a new shot of Knightley in action as Elizabeth. And by in action I mean, shes staring off at something just off camera and thats pretty much it.

Despite all the rumors, it makes a ton of sense for her to return, given that her grown son is a major part of the story in Dead Men Tell No Tales. But how will Elizabeth appear? It makes sense that Orlando Blooms Will will be back looking only slightly older, thanks to his supernatural duties between filmsbut could Elizabeths appearance be a flashback, or will she have a more prominent role somehow?

We wont have to wait much longer to find outPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales hits theaters May 26.

[Comicbook.com]

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New Footage From Pirates of the Caribbean 5 Reveals the Return of Keira Knightley - Gizmodo

Michael Wenye Li / Sun Assistant Photography Editor

As English Professor Ishion Hutchinson recounted his past, his voice carried what he called the melody of his home of Port Antonio, Jamaica.

The spirit of Caribbean-ness and those kinds of things, theyre so intertwined in the psyche, he said. Yes, you suffer from this wound, this immense desire to want to be there, to be engaging with the physical landscape and so on and so forth but those things are inside of you.

The sea is inside of me, the Blue Mountains would be my nose, he laughed. Its really big.

The story of the Caribbean is still unfolding, as Hutchinson put it and he has played his own substantial role in shaping that story.

A poet by profession and by nature, Hutchinsons most recent work, House of Lords and Commons, is something that Dan Chiasson of The New Yorker calls timeless.

The collection, which was published last September, has earned Hutchinson a National Book Critics Circle Award and, most recently, a Guggenheim Fellowship, which is awarded for exceptionally creative ability in the arts.

I have nothing but gratitude, he said about his recent successes. As a poet, youre coming from a space or place of intense privacy. And then it gets out that youre a poet, and theres a lot of fear and trembling. I have been fortunate with people who were encouraging.

Michael Wenye Li / Sun Assistant Photography Editor

Prof. Ishion Hutchinson recent recipient of the National Book Critics Award discusses the value of poetry.

Hutchinsons roots to poetry are embedded in his home, which he characterizes as having its own unique endurance.

My specific awakening to poetry is tied to that belonging, he said. If you have had a childhood in the Caribbean or anywhere, but speaking specifically about the Caribbean you know you have been touched by all of history, from ancestral pasts that have been obscured, right into the very beginning of the modern world. So that nexus of past, history and the uncertainty, at times, of what will be is always, I think, in the bloodstream of a Caribbean person.

Hutchinson grew up on the poetry of British Romantic poets, and he said that a particular high school teacher saw promise in his early poems and gave him exercises to do outside of class.

I grew up with people who were illiterate, not because they chose to be, but because of circumstances, he said. These are people, too, who were very supportive of some random boy with a pencil and a notebook. And I feel that they responded to that image of a boy because theyre projecting a certain hope for a future wherein more boys and girls would be excited about running around like anthropologists trying to write down everything around them, owning things in their very language and speaking for themselves.

The poets biggest inspiration, however, is the recently deceased Saint Lucian poet Derek Walcott, who showed Hutchinson what it meant to write about home.

[He] was a big surprise and revelation to me, Hutchinson said. A writer from the Caribbean who wrote the landscape in his wrist. Lots of his images were close to the ones I lived in, so there was an immediate recognition. That was thrilling to read and try to emulate.

In his first year at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, Hutchinson was to meet his idol and do a workshop with him after winning scholarship in Walcotts name.

I knew his work much better than I knew him, the man, but I also had occasions of talking with him, he said. Other workshop members and I met at, I believe it was the Hilton Hotel in Kingston, where he sat at the head of the table, and everybody else sat just terrified.

After obtaining his undergraduate degree in English, Hutchinson embarked on a voyage to New York University, where he received his Masters of Fine Arts in what he considers a sort of reverse colonization.

Its a mixture of accidents and desperate last decisions that led me to an MFA, he recalled. I heard about it from a friend who said, you could actually go to the States to study poetry, which sounded to me like the most alarming thing anyone could have said.

Hutchinson taught at four universities including the University of Utah, where he obtained his dual Ph.D. in Creative Writing and English before settling in Ithaca. As a poet, Hutchinson said he strives to embody the spirit of his relations and home and to honor the support system behind him.

Theres something very ennobling about being a writer, and its nothing to take for granted, especially when youre from a place where the history has always been against you, he said. I want to, when I write, honor the spirit of the illiterate, kind people, like my grandmother, who is in the texture of the language.

Hutchinson added that part of being a writer touches upon being a reader, and he strives to appease the shadows of the writers admires. To him, engaging poetry is an electrifying experience.

Every day, every new poem, every other story is an opportunity to change your life, he said. For me, you can only touch your heart I mean literally hold your chest when a poem enters poetry. It is so powerful. It silences you and makes you remember your body.

Poets are a version of evangelists, Hutchinson claimed generators of experiences that do not simply collapse down the page, but exist in readers for generations to come.

The poets that you love, they do something to the blood ratio, he explained. Certainly, what Emily Dickinson says is true, it takes the top of your head off. It makes you want to go out and break shit. But you dont have to go out, necessarily, you could break shit inside of you, and find ways of agitating on the level of making your language not co-opted by the machinery of real politic.

To Hutchinson, poetry is a continuous process, and he strives to emulate that in his work and his teaching.

Its the ongoing, ever-burdensome not just thinking with thoughts, but with feeling about this desire of wanting to possess something so large, he said. I think about that a syllable at a time.

Rachel Whalen is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a news editor on the 135th Editorial Board and can be reached at rwhalen@cornellsun.com.

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CORNELL CLOSE-UPS | Award-Winning Poet, Professor Captures 'Spirit of Caribbean' - Cornell University The Cornell Daily Sun

Royal Caribbean Internationals dress code policy for its main dining rooms seems to be having an existential crisis.

Last week, the eagle eyes atRoyalCaribbeanBlog.com, an unofficial blog managed by fans of the cruise line, noticed that Royal Caribbean had added shorts to its list of approved attire in the main dining room on casual nights. Although the writer wasnt certain when shorts had been added to the text, the blog linked to an archived version of the Royal Caribbean website on WayBackMachine that showed shorts were not on the official attire list as recently as August 2016.

But earlier this week, awriter for the same blog noticed that Royal Caribbean had switched its dress code again,dropping shorts, tanktopsand t-shirtsfrom the main dining rooms list of casual, smart casual and formal dress codes.

Now posters on RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com are weighing in-- strongly--on both sides of the argument.

A user named Dawn caught the crux of the matter in this seemingly no-win situation for the cruise line.

Nice work Royal Caribbean. Half of us hated you last week when you allowed shorts. Now the other half hates that you changed it back. And both sides hate each other.

User Brandon weighed in firmly in favor of the policy.

IMHO [in my humble opinion], dinnertime in the [Main Dining Room] is a more formal atmosphere and calls for slacks at a minimum. If one does not want to wear slacks, there are plenty of other great food options on board. Having said this, Royal does not even call it "required attire" it is "suggested attire". We all know they don't enforce the "code," but I'm glad it exists to give people a guideline. Will my vacation be ruined when someone walks through the MDR in shorts, a t-shirt and flip-flops? No, but I will not be the person going to a [Main Dining Room] dinner in shorts.

But Brandon makes a salient point that truly enforcing such a code could be a difficult endeavor, especially with a passenger who refuses to play by the rules.

Other passengers made the case for being able to wear shorts on vacation. Adam Harmon commented:

I am on the Harmony right now. I wore shorts with a nice matching polo on our first dinner. Honestly, it felt great. I still felt "dressed up" and not out of place. I understand that people go overboard and don't respect the MDR, but to me, nice golf shorts and a polo constitutes nice casual wear. I'm on vacation in hot weather when I'm used to 40 degree weather back in Indiana.

"It was great wearing shorts and not sweating through my shirt for once. I think it turns many people away from cruises thinking that have to dress up every night. I understand I can go to the windjammer but it isn't the same experience or quality of food as the [Main Dining Room.] If you want a place that everyone dresses formal every night than pay the money and go to a specialty restaurant.

Others, like James Buswold, recommended an alternative:

"...since most of the [Main Dining Rooms] are 2-3 levels they should have the "formal" people sit in the lower main since that is where the most room is and made the upper levels more "casual" or visa versa. This would have given people a choice."

It is important to note here that neither of the above-mentioned dress code policies were officially announced by Royal Caribbean. Which means the policy switch could be nothing more than the efforts of an overeager staffer who simply cut and paste the wrong text in a web update and Royal Caribbean later rectifying that mistake.

Wed love to know, though, whats your opinion on proper attire when dining on cruise ships?

Excerpt from:

Cruise confusion? Fans weigh in on Royal Caribbean's dress code flip flop - Fox News

By David Jacobson, Temblor

See earthquakes in the Caribbean

At 1:23 a.m. local time, a M=5.6 earthquake shook the eastern rim of the Caribbean near Antigua and Barbuda. Several aftershocks were also recorded, including a M=4.8 approximately one hour after the mainshock. Fortunately, this region is sparsely populated, and according to the USGS, no greater than light shaking was felt. Having said that, over 100,000 people were exposed to shaking and 42 people reported feeling the quake on the USGS website.

In the area around todays quake, which is known as the Lesser Antilles, much of the seismicity is the result of subduction of the North American plate beneath the Caribbean plate at a rate of approximately 20 mm/yr. This subduction has not only caused earthquakes within the subducting plate, but helped form a chain of active volcanoes. According to the USGS, todays earthquake occurred at a depth at 20 km, while the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre assigned it a depth of 40 km.

Even though the Lesser Antilles is one of the most seismically active portions of the Caribbean, over the last century, few earthquakes have exceeded M=7.0. Having said that, on November 29, 2007, a M=7.4 quake shook the region, and in 1974, a M=7.5 quake caused significant damage in Antigua and Barbuda. Therefore, the region can experience damaging earthquakes.

Based on the Global Earthquake Activity Rate (GEAR) model, which is available in Temblor, this M=5.6 earthquake should not be considered surprising. The model, which uses global strain rates and seismicity since 1977 forecasts that a M=5.75 earthquake is likely in your lifetime. To check what the likely earthquake magnitude is in your lifetime anywhere on earth, click here. Should any more aftershocks occur or should there be new developments, we will update this post.

References USGS European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre National Office of Disaster Services

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M=5.6 earthquake shakes Caribbean | Temblor.net - temblor

News & Observer

Caribbean flavors, heritage shine in Raleigh cookbook author's debut recipe collection News & Observer Cookbook author Brigid Washington's philosophy about food is described in two words: availability and authenticity. Those words stood out in Washington's mind as she created the recipes in her debut cookbook, Coconut. Ginger. Shrimp. Rum.: Caribbean ...

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Caribbean flavors, heritage shine in Raleigh cookbook author's debut recipe collection - News & Observer