Crepe's at Gosier Marina

Last week my Host Parents took me to have crepês for dinner at the Marina in Gosier. It was a beautiful little place that has recently been refurbished. The décor was really sweet, with wooden beams and neutral colours. I liked that they had shelves of books as well!

I first had a savoury cheese crepê with proper sausage, a savoury apple sauce and tomato salsa. It was so good that I forgot to take a photo. After I had a salted butter caramel crêpe. Both were delicious!

Local Breakfast

This definitely tasted so much better than the fruit we get at home that is picked before it is ripe to allow it to travel the UK.

The Melon is from a field where I camped, the Banana from a tree down the road and the Mango actually dropped through the sunroof on my car last week! I'm not sure where the yogurt came from though...

Caribbean Camping

Last weekend I went camping with my Host Dad's family and friends. I was expecting it to be a small group of people but it turned out to be around 60 of them and very similar to the Camp I used to go to with my Dad's family and friends.

The campsite was at one of the most northern points of Grande Terre (the flat island of Guadeloupe). On the way we stopped off at Hell's Gate. This is an area of the coast where the cliff has divided and created an opening that narrows down to almost a river and then reopens. There is a clearing there and the water was calm and clear. 

Everybody kept their tents as close to the trees as possible to try and protect them at least a little from the sunshine! If you go camping in France or Spain you have a tent that is not waterproof as it is so unlikely to rain and it keeps the tent cooler. As it is tropical, there is a lot of rain here so they are the same tents we use in England. Very hot when the sun is already 22 degrees + at 7am.

Talking of the very early sunshine, this was the beach at 7am. This was a pebble beach rather than a sand beach which makes it look a lot like a Dorset beach! The difference being the temperature of the water!

There were some really beautiful shells and pebbles washed up along the beach. How is there so much detail in something that has been bashed around so much?

Late Saturday morning we went and watched Whales! They swim past this part of the island most days and unfortunately as the sea was so rough we weren't able to properly see them, but you could see the shadows under the water. It was fascinating that amazing creatures were naturally so close!

I lasted 2 days and 1 night camping- most of the day time I spent reading in this hammock. It was bliss! I was bitten by some ants though and that seems to have provoked Mosquito's to have a bite now.

The food was very interesting- I was told it was 'poor people's food' as it was all simple and cheap to make in bulk for so many people. Some was lovely, like the Salt Fish for lunch on Friday, or the mini root fritta's that evening. The stuff that was not so great was the lentils in a grey gloopy gravy, which was bearable until I realised there was 'pork' in there. The 'pork' is not really pork. It is the bits of pig which we do not use at home, it is all bright, bright pink, even once cooked and honestly just made me wretch.

Saturday morning we all made dumplings together - a combination of flour and water, for lunchtime. This turned out to be the grey gloopy stuff with the dumplings, red beans and so much 'pork'. My plate had already been served up so I couldn't refuse it. Sometimes I wish I was rude! I left all the 'pork' but had to have the rest. Yuck, yuck and yuck. Next time I will pretend I am vegetarian.

The rest of the food over here has been really lovely so far though! My Host Mum's Mum is an amazing cook and lives just across the road so I am sure I will have some amazing French-Caribbean meals!

Kassav

When you drive over here there are lots of people who stand at the side of the road selling things, this ranges from local fruits- melons, bananas, mangoes, to handmade jewellery or baked goods. The other day my Host Dad came home with some Kassav for me to try.

It is a traditional Caribbean bread which is made by grinding down root fibres to create a flour that has a very nutty taste. They are thin and crispy, similar to a pita bread and the fillings can be either sweet or savoury.

The Kassav that had been brought home was filled with coconut, sugar and some spice.

                 

I now live in the Caribbean!

I have been in Guadeloupe for a week now. I still feel like I am dreaming and will wake up soon, but the photo's are proof this is real!

I am an Au Pair for a family with 3 boys. They are 5, 4 and 11 months. Am I crazy? Most likely! But it is so beautiful and so far the boys have been incredibly well behaved, so my fingers are crossed!

This beach is called La Caravelle in a town called Sainte Anne. We went last Friday as it was my first whole day here and I hadn't really shut up about how amazed I had been on the plane when I saw the colour of the sea! I definitely was not disappointed- I still can't believe these are photo's that I have taken!

I am 'off duty' at the weekends but am welcome to go with the family whatever their plans are. Saturdays are pretty hectic as the boys have Music lessons first thing, followed by Surf lessons and then swimming lessons in the afternoon. Although last Saturday the boys didn't surf we went to the beach anyway. I think I may tag along for this as it would be a sin to miss out on how gorgeous this end of Les Bois Jolan beach is!

As a special surprise for my arrival and Christina's farewell we went on a family friend's Catamaran on Sunday. It was beautiful! We were meant to go to a very tiny island called Les Fajou, however 2 massive Cruise Liners were docked which meant that it would have been super crowded. Instead we just moored in the sea. There was amazing food throughout the day. As an act of thanks here people visiting seem to take a lot of food- I guess so the host doesn't have to work the entire time and I tried some very weird things I wouldn't have before- but all was great.. apart from some weird savoury buns that look like raw sausages..

On Monday night Christina and I went to Gosier Marina in search of Crepes. We also found beers and cocktails! I have never, ever liked beer. I think it smells and tastes foul, but here I have been introduced to Desperado's and I think they are great! It is tequila (another dislike) beer which seems to make it much sweeter and no beer after-taste! The cocktails were also very different to what I'm used to at home- as there are lots of Rhum Distilleries the people are clearly much more accustomed to strong tastes and there was no way I could finish the Pina Colada I ordered! :( 

Gosier beach is stunning- I can't wait to visit it in the day time. They have flood lights so you can swim at night. We didn't make it that far but had a good paddle and ended up half soaked!

On Tuesday we headed back to Les Bois Jolan for Christina's last day. 

The family house is being massively renovated at the moment so for the next couple of months there will be a lot of noise and building going on- so after a good couple of hours of noise from a jack-hammer today I am surprised the baby is still sleeping!

The current plan is to be here until January, but after a holiday back home I may come back until July- who knows just yet though!

A month in Dorset

On Thursday I fly to Guadeloupe, a French Caribbean Island to Au Pair for a family with 3 little boys for the next 8 months! That is less than 2 days away... and I am so excited!

I have spent the last 5 weeks back 'home' in Dorset where I grew up. I've been staying with my Mum and helping my Dad tidy up his house ready to put on the market. I have no idea where this time has gone and I haven't been as proactive as I wanted to be, but I've had a lovely month and have definitely appreciated this beautiful part of the world more than I have before.

I sunbathed with my Nan, who has the perfect sun catching spot.

Appreciated how beautiful the British Springtime is.

Played princesses with Princess Rose and practised changing pooey nappies to prepare me for my time in the Caribbean! 

Ate lunch on the beach on a beautifully hot day in Lyme Regis.

Snuggled and watched films with Lauren (while pulling silly faces!)

Spent a very windy day riding bikes and singing songs along Bournemouth beach with Nan, Ashley, Rose and Arthur.

Had a visit from a Katie for a weekend.

Eggs Benedict and a Hot Chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows.

Baked and climbed to the top of hills to get phone signal - and obviously admire the views!

And ran all the way down to admire the view up the hill.

Had a chat with Wendy the pregnant pig.

Made a fuss of my Mum on Mother's Day.

Snuggled with Marmalade.

 Collected eggs and had lots of cuddles with Ashley, Rose and Arthur.

And finally saw lots of baby lambs that are making an appearance all over the countryside at the moment.

It has been a lovely month, but I am so looking forward to the next 8 months and the amazing experience I'm going to have! (not forgetting the suntan I'll hopefully pick up!)