There were so many beautiful landscapes to explore on Dominica, either with a local taxi, on foot or by rental car. Yes, we dared to drive! One day Bounty showed us his hidden treasure places. We had a short drive to Glenville, a part of Portsmouth, where we parked the car and went for what we thought would be a short hike. We were a little bit inpatient and often asked Bounty, how long we still had to go. “We are almost there” was his consequent answer. The muddy trail along the tiny river led us to a dwell where hot water springs from the rocks and feeds the small natural bath tube hidden in the rocks. It was pure joy and relaxation to let the warm water soak body and soul. So peaceful.
So relaxed, we were ready for another adventure and drove to Chaudiere pool, a waterfall with a great basin in the north of Dominica. The road was bumpy and we were very happy to have 4/wheels drive! On the side of the road, an opossum shows up, but quickly hides in the bushes.
Chaudiere means boiler, an expressive word for the beautiful, natural pool carved out of grey rock, fed by a calmly cascading downpour from the turbulent river above. Elma Napier describes it so well in her book, “Black and white Sands”
Few things in life have been more lovely than yielding to the current in the Canyon pool, floating face upwards in the soft water, looking to the sun, to the twisting lianas, to the green lace of tree fern…At the Chaudiere there is always the even monotonous sound of the river, rising in anger only after heavy rain.”
Bounty jumped right into the froth and bubble of the natural pool from the five meter high rocks, but we took the easy way wading. The sun was shining on the dappled water, refreshing on the hot day and we enjoyed it so much!
Fresh Water Lake and Boeri Lake
Another day Kish and Lee took us on a tour to the southern parts of Dominica. We drove high up in the mountains and as the weather was chilly and cloudy, only Nilla took a short swim in the Fresh water lake. The hike up to the Boeri lake twisted up through pale green, dark green, olive, emerald, red and silver cloud forest. We had both rain and sunshine and along the path grew wild white begonias, which are eatable.
Titou Gorge Falls
One place we had heard a lot about and really wanted to see was Titou Gorge, which means “little throat”. The smooth cliff walls of the canyon was formed by volcanic lava which cooled and split open, leaving this natural cave. Equipped with life jackets we floated and swam right inside and adored the high walls canopied of interlaced trees. At the end we found a gushing waterfall, sparkling with light filtered from the forest above.
After this Scandinavian tempered morning, it was time for the hot sulphur springs in Wotten Waven. We soothed our cold muscles in the naturally hot water and rubbed our skin with peeling sulphur mud. We felt so rejuvenated and relaxed on the way back to Portsmouth.
With reggae karaoke in the evening at the Loft we were immediately tapped into the calm, relaxed and soothing feeling of the reggae rhythm.
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