Calibishie

If you saw Pirates of the Caribbean 2 or 3, you've seen Dominica.  It was the perfect location for filming these period pirate movies, and they were filmed near the town of Calibishie, our first destination.

We had decided to arrive a few days before the men's meetings so we could see a bit of the countryside, and so we spent our first weekend in the northeast corner in Calibishie Lodges.  My impression from the photos was that it was a tad rustic and had a small pool.  True, our rooms had no a/c, but surprisingly enough we found we didn't need it.  And truly, I prefer to float around in the pool and cool off, not swim laps, so it was fine, especially since it had lounge chairs for Dan's sunning, and a spot of shade for me to nap in.

Not that we had much time to chill out ... we were going to be there for such a short time that we spent a lot of it exploring the area.  Chris, the proprietor of the hotel, knew just where to go.  He told us that some of the lead actors had stayed in that hotel

We drove down the coast to see the Carib Indian territory and when our stomachs started complaining found a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant along the road to eat at ... they were really surprised to see white Americans show up and just eat what they had on the menu.  Their menu offered a choice of either chicken and rice or fish and boiled potatoes.  As usual Dan ordered one and I ordered the other, so we each could try two different dishes.  They were good, but not distinctive enough to ask for the recipes.

Calibishie Lodges only has a few rooms, and Chris really made us feel special.  Every morning we had fresh fruit juice - carambola was my favorite - and our choice of European, American or local-style breakfasts. If we wanted to eat dinner on site, we had but to tell them and the cook would be waiting for us when we returned in the evening.  There was nothing we could ask for that would not be provided if it was in their power.

Our son Chris wanted to see one of the locations used for filming the Pirates movies so Chris sent us on our way with vague directions that consisted of phrases such as, "Turn when you get to the post at the top of such-and-such hill." We were shocked when we found the turnoff and after driving along rutted tracks -- it would be too kind to call it a road -- found the black sand beach that Johnny Depp had run down in one of the Pirates movies.  Chris had something to remember and brag about, and we got some wonderful shots.  It was absolutely beautiful.

If you stay in Dominica you really should take a break from diving and spend a few days at Calibishie Lodges. The hotel's won the island's Hotel of the Year award for a reason.  It's the perfect base to explore the country's Atlantic coast and visit the Carib Indian territory, and you can't honestly say you've seen the country until you've been here.