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Virgin Gorda trip
Virgin Gorda trip
August 2007
Remembered about the off topic thread and thought some of you might enjoy browsing our pics. Warning there are 400+ something pics mostly underwater shots. New digital underwater camera and went a little nuts
We really had a wonderful time and Virgin Gorda is beautiful but if you want anything else to do besides resting and water activites probably not the ideal island....nothing besides resort. We made the mistake of venturing off the resort to a restaurant we had heard about....big mistake:(
Hope you enjoy.
Here is a link to all photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/max2mc/Virg ... August2007
Remembered about the off topic thread and thought some of you might enjoy browsing our pics. Warning there are 400+ something pics mostly underwater shots. New digital underwater camera and went a little nuts
We really had a wonderful time and Virgin Gorda is beautiful but if you want anything else to do besides resting and water activites probably not the ideal island....nothing besides resort. We made the mistake of venturing off the resort to a restaurant we had heard about....big mistake:( Hope you enjoy.
Here is a link to all photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/max2mc/Virg ... August2007
OK give it up...which restaurant?
More details please, because when we go back to the Caribbean, it may be back to VG. Split time there at Guavaberry with STJ in Ap 06 and loved the vibe. Must be REAL low key off season.
Can't access your pics from work laptop, will check em out soon.
More details please, because when we go back to the Caribbean, it may be back to VG. Split time there at Guavaberry with STJ in Ap 06 and loved the vibe. Must be REAL low key off season.
Can't access your pics from work laptop, will check em out soon.
When we come to place where the sea and the sky collide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
-
Xislandgirl
- Posts: 4163
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:03 pm
- Location: Slightly left of center
jmq
I hate to bash restaurants after just one try because everyone can have a bad experience at any restaruant. With that being said it was The Mine Shaft. I don't even remember who told us about it, we were with a big group and someone had heard about it. Anyway, there were 8 adults and only one person enjoyed their meal (I still question their palate). Several of us had ordered fish (mahi mahi) and it was nothing but the dark section of the fish. The view is beautiful though. We probably just should have gone to have drinks and enjoy the view. We stayed at a villa connected to the Little Dix Bay property and had the chef from one of their restaurants come prepare a dinner at the villa (cheaper than eating the buffett night at Little Dix Bay) anyway it was AMAZING!!!!! We enjoyed it so much we asked him to come back for our last night. It is making my mouth water just thinking about it. Here are some pics:
[img]<a%20href="http://picasaweb.google.com/max2mc/Virg ... 8.JPG"></a>[/img]
[img]<a%20href="http://picasaweb.google.com/max2mc/Virg ... 9.JPG"></a>[/img]
If you go back (and haven't already done this) I highly recommend the snorkeling at Mountain Trunk Bay- really cool formations of coral and Savannah Bay-BEAUTIFUL beach and great snorkeling.
I hate to bash restaurants after just one try because everyone can have a bad experience at any restaruant. With that being said it was The Mine Shaft. I don't even remember who told us about it, we were with a big group and someone had heard about it. Anyway, there were 8 adults and only one person enjoyed their meal (I still question their palate). Several of us had ordered fish (mahi mahi) and it was nothing but the dark section of the fish. The view is beautiful though. We probably just should have gone to have drinks and enjoy the view. We stayed at a villa connected to the Little Dix Bay property and had the chef from one of their restaurants come prepare a dinner at the villa (cheaper than eating the buffett night at Little Dix Bay) anyway it was AMAZING!!!!! We enjoyed it so much we asked him to come back for our last night. It is making my mouth water just thinking about it. Here are some pics:
[img]<a%20href="http://picasaweb.google.com/max2mc/Virg ... 8.JPG"></a>[/img]
[img]<a%20href="http://picasaweb.google.com/max2mc/Virg ... 9.JPG"></a>[/img]
If you go back (and haven't already done this) I highly recommend the snorkeling at Mountain Trunk Bay- really cool formations of coral and Savannah Bay-BEAUTIFUL beach and great snorkeling.
That looks like a great trip. Next we have to get over to Anageda and do off shore snorkeling (the Dogs etc).
What villa is that at LDB or is that part of the property?
Yeah we thought the food at Mine Shaft was pretty underwhelming also. Don't think I've ever seen raves about it elsewhere. More of a enjoy the sunset with drinks and maybe some apps/bar food kind of place.
We didnt get up to Mountain Trunk Bay - it the road to there still an adventure?
Savannah Bay is a beautiful beach but the colors and the health of the shallow coral wasnt great when we were there. Looks much better in your photos. Maybe we were in the wrong spot?
Here is a "funny now" story from 06 trip report re our visit to Savannah Bay:
We work our way down to beach at Savannah Bay beach and local kids were romping and chasing chickens on the beach while adults arrived and began setting up canopy and much Sunday picnic fixins nearby just off the beach. Suddenly we hear a couple of goats bleating like crazy and look through the bushes and see that they are being tied up.
My wife gets this really weird look on her face and then she urgently implores me to leave RIGHT NOW. It takes a moment or two, but then I realize what she might be thinking so we hightail it out of there. Not a time for debate or reasoning with a pessimistic animal lover.
MY first thought was that it is a huge stretch to think that those goats might be more than just unwanted guests at that picnic. I think that they just come looking for handouts and they were being restrained so they aren’t pestering everyone and stealing food. But, I decided it was ANOTHER one of those times when I’d rather be happy than right.
When we got back I posted a “goats at the Sunday Picnic” question on a BVI board. Someone who lives on VG responded: “They very well may have been tied up to prevent them from eating the people's picnic! Goats are a common sight on Savannah Bay, as well as chickens, and can be PESTS if you have food with you! It is unlikely that they were being killed for the picnic. If they were going to have goat water or stewed goat, the goats would have been killed elsewhere and the meat prepared before coming to the beach. Many of the goats that you see in the islands are indeed being raised for food, not as pets. But the goats you saw were not on the menu at their picnic, they just didn't want them to eat their picnic!”
I thanked him and asked that he please excuse any cultural ignorance – don’t want to insult anybody and hope I didn’t by asking. What do we know? We’re from New Jersey! Plenty of things happen here that others would find much more upsetting (but not quite like you see on The Sopranos).
What villa is that at LDB or is that part of the property?
Yeah we thought the food at Mine Shaft was pretty underwhelming also. Don't think I've ever seen raves about it elsewhere. More of a enjoy the sunset with drinks and maybe some apps/bar food kind of place.
We didnt get up to Mountain Trunk Bay - it the road to there still an adventure?
Savannah Bay is a beautiful beach but the colors and the health of the shallow coral wasnt great when we were there. Looks much better in your photos. Maybe we were in the wrong spot?
Here is a "funny now" story from 06 trip report re our visit to Savannah Bay:
We work our way down to beach at Savannah Bay beach and local kids were romping and chasing chickens on the beach while adults arrived and began setting up canopy and much Sunday picnic fixins nearby just off the beach. Suddenly we hear a couple of goats bleating like crazy and look through the bushes and see that they are being tied up.
My wife gets this really weird look on her face and then she urgently implores me to leave RIGHT NOW. It takes a moment or two, but then I realize what she might be thinking so we hightail it out of there. Not a time for debate or reasoning with a pessimistic animal lover.
MY first thought was that it is a huge stretch to think that those goats might be more than just unwanted guests at that picnic. I think that they just come looking for handouts and they were being restrained so they aren’t pestering everyone and stealing food. But, I decided it was ANOTHER one of those times when I’d rather be happy than right.
When we got back I posted a “goats at the Sunday Picnic” question on a BVI board. Someone who lives on VG responded: “They very well may have been tied up to prevent them from eating the people's picnic! Goats are a common sight on Savannah Bay, as well as chickens, and can be PESTS if you have food with you! It is unlikely that they were being killed for the picnic. If they were going to have goat water or stewed goat, the goats would have been killed elsewhere and the meat prepared before coming to the beach. Many of the goats that you see in the islands are indeed being raised for food, not as pets. But the goats you saw were not on the menu at their picnic, they just didn't want them to eat their picnic!”
I thanked him and asked that he please excuse any cultural ignorance – don’t want to insult anybody and hope I didn’t by asking. What do we know? We’re from New Jersey! Plenty of things happen here that others would find much more upsetting (but not quite like you see on The Sopranos).
When we come to place where the sea and the sky collide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
We were on VG in October and really enjoyed it. It was still very deep in the low season which we really liked. Realy enjoyed experiencing the island at a time when so few tourists were there. Really felt like we were in the West Indies and had stepped into a different culture. We stayed at Guavaberry. The beaches on the southern part of the island are just astonishing. We did have a look at LDB and Leverick. They're lovely, but not what we'd gone to VG for. The Mineshaft was our favorite restaurant. Actually we ate there twice. Good food, pleasant staff, spectacular view. I posted a trip report on TTOL:
http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/ ... Post747111
http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/ ... Post747111
Lex - don't recall if I gave you props for that TR - awesome.
14 degrees this morning before the sun came up - much rather be sitting under the trees on Spring Bay aka the "Guavaberry" beach gazing out at Tortola.
14 degrees this morning before the sun came up - much rather be sitting under the trees on Spring Bay aka the "Guavaberry" beach gazing out at Tortola.
When we come to place where the sea and the sky collide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
This week is probably a very good time to not be on VG. The founder of Google is getting married on Necker Island. A lot of places on VG have been rented to accomodate a variety of celebrities and power people. Reminds me of the unlucky folks who scheduled a vacation on Marthas Vineyard the week that the Clintons were there.
jmq- the property is on the hillside to the right if facing the beach (u can see them in a few pics) One of the couples we went with our are members of exclusive resorts. Exclusive resorts owns the villas but has an arrangement with LDB for guests to have full use of resort. They have villas all over the world and are usually tied in with a resort. I wish I could say that we were members of ER as well but it is WAY out of our price range.
Mountain Trunk Bay-we went by boat offered by LDB (they offer free boat transport to several spots including The Baths)
Savannah Bay- the good coral was pretty far out. The brain you see in one of the pics is kind of far out and to the left.
[img]<a%20href="http://picasaweb.google.com/max2mc/Virg ... 9.JPG"></a>[/img]
We really loved VG but St. John holds a special place in our hearts, we were married on Hawksnest November of 2006. I like that there is a little shopping, great restaurant choices, trails, and beautiful beaches.
Can't wait to go back!!! Hopefully we will in 2008!!!!!
Mountain Trunk Bay-we went by boat offered by LDB (they offer free boat transport to several spots including The Baths)
Savannah Bay- the good coral was pretty far out. The brain you see in one of the pics is kind of far out and to the left.
[img]<a%20href="http://picasaweb.google.com/max2mc/Virg ... 9.JPG"></a>[/img]
We really loved VG but St. John holds a special place in our hearts, we were married on Hawksnest November of 2006. I like that there is a little shopping, great restaurant choices, trails, and beautiful beaches.
Can't wait to go back!!! Hopefully we will in 2008!!!!!
We also visited VG last year and loved it. Loved that Guavaberry was reasonably priced and walking distance to a great beach.
Lex - You may want to post your trip report in the TTOL trip report section; the BVI forum gets purged after a few months or so. I looked for my TR for someone asking questions here and couldn't find it. Eric confirmed that they don't keep stuff around forever.
Our favorite restaurant was the Rock Cafe. Others weren't great, but not awful; we had more issues with service (lack of); not just island time, but poor. Since it was still off-season (November), I think places kept minimal staff.
We did a day trip to Anegada from VG. Unfortunately, it was rough that day and we didn't get to do much snorkeling, but have heard that the snorkel from Flash of Beauty to Loblolly can be spectacular. The lobster lunch at the Big Bamboo was excellent; as was the service in both the restaurant and the bar.
Lex - You may want to post your trip report in the TTOL trip report section; the BVI forum gets purged after a few months or so. I looked for my TR for someone asking questions here and couldn't find it. Eric confirmed that they don't keep stuff around forever.
Our favorite restaurant was the Rock Cafe. Others weren't great, but not awful; we had more issues with service (lack of); not just island time, but poor. Since it was still off-season (November), I think places kept minimal staff.
We did a day trip to Anegada from VG. Unfortunately, it was rough that day and we didn't get to do much snorkeling, but have heard that the snorkel from Flash of Beauty to Loblolly can be spectacular. The lobster lunch at the Big Bamboo was excellent; as was the service in both the restaurant and the bar.
janet