Bahamas

We have done our fair share of traveling the month of February. This winter is a bit of a mixed adventure. Our friends just moved into their place which took many arduous years to complete so we made a plan to go and hang and enjoy their new digs. It was an extremely relaxing few days which is always an added bonus.

We spent one day at Highbourne Cay and spent the night. It defines the beauty of the Bahamas. Warm and sticky with insanely soft white sand dropping into deep blue salty water and that rhythm of Island life which pulls you in quick.

The banana birds are aggressive animals, fearless of people and lovers of grapes

We took a boat out to a small island only inhabiated by iguanas. The skipper gave us long wooden skewers that we stacked up with grapes. Out of the board, onto the beach where we held out our skewers and iguanas would race out to grab the grape in their mouths. Very polite timid animals as they never fought over the stick but let the first one who had the nerve to jump out of the fray get their treat.

One evening we had dinner at Shima, located at the Island House Hotel, probably the best food on the island. The chef, Dave Rogers, who made his way here through Melbourne, is quite talented.

Wine began to flow as the dishes began to come out. Here are some of the highlights. We started with a few raw fish dishes. Always a good start. His take on a spicy salmon roll topped with a crispy popcorn fish on top. The mixture of warm rice, raw fish and that crunch mixed together was delicious.

The most creative dish that blew us all away is the egg dish. We each got an individual egg that was soft inside topped with fried sweet pieces of tamarind and a jelly sauce on top. It has to be popped inside the mouth just to let the combination of flavor and runny yolk burst in your mouth leaving a spicy tang. Warm pieces of naam to mop up what’s left in the bowl.

Shoft ribs braised for eight hours in coconut milk. Many other dishes all with flavor, spicy, sweet and tang.

Dessert of sticky black rice and bananas was a nice end to our meal.

There really is nothing like these skys.