Hi all, I hope that the holiday season treated you well.
I spent my Christmas and New/old years very quietly.Christmas was a peaceful day at home …alone..then on to a friend’s house to make a lime (hang out) in the afternoon. I love being at their house around that time of year, because their mom is Christmas crazy and goes all out with decorations…though it’s the food and alcohol and company that interests me.
In the West Indies we have a very strange tradition of buying all new EVERYTHING for Christmas. I’m not one of those people. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!! And if it breaks, try to fix it first.
Old years day (Dec 31st) is usually spent in Bequia 
….well my friends and I generally spend it in Bequia. There’s dinner and parties, warm weather, and white sandy beaches..a good time is usually had by all. Bequia is one of the most relaxing places I’ve ever been to, it’s like a whole other little world in itself.
This year however ( as well as last year actually) i spent old years day and night, on mainland. I like to think that that moment when the clock strikes midnight, it the time for lovers young and old to welcome the new year together, and I’m not skillful enough to kiss my own lips, so I opted out. I stayed in and watched the Dick Clarke special, drank some wine and read a book….oh Kindle I do love you.
On New years day I slept and ate, then it was off to a Cooler fete..you pretty much pack a cooler with what you want to eat and drink, pay your entry fee and hang out with friends having a merry old time. The next day was a holiday, and as we usually do, we jumped in a speedboat and headed to one of the black sand beaches (unique to volcanic islands) and had a cook out with friends. In St.Vincent a goat cook is a normal public holiday ritual. January 2nd was no different. We saw groups of people on beaches along the coast doing that very thing. We joined another boat and anchored on Mt. Wynne beach, on the Leeward side of mainland St.vincent. 
The men, let me repeat that, THE MEN generally do the cooking. Oh happy day!! And the men we lime with, can cook. They did the goat 3 ways, curried, stewed and in a broth (aka, mannish water, or boil up). Please let it be known that I am impatiently awaiting the next holiday, and hoping for good weather so we can once again made a road trip (on the seas) to some destination, to relax in the sun and water while eating good food, drinking good alcohol and just basking in the glow of good friends.
Beach Files 