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You can enter your own text or HTML here. WELCOME TO UNIT #58 Please read our instructions pages carefully; they are designed to help you maximise the use of our facilities and minimise problems; only in this way can we serve you best and keep our costs as low as possible to prevent increases in our charges for your vacation villa. We'd like you to note that the coral wall below the counter is the owner's hands-on addition; all the coral was collected by the owners and their friends and guests in 1990 from sites on the East End of the island. Living coral ripped from the reef was thrown by huge waves hundreds of yards inland, most notably during the great hurricane of 1932. This was the last "blow" that truly devastated the islands, causing the loss of 20% of the population of Cayman Brac from a tidal wave after the hurricane passed thru. Efficient preparation and modern construction prevented any casualties from the even more destructive Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. Gilbert, the lowest-pressure hurricane in recorded history, swept by just thirty miles south of Grand Cayman in 1988. Each piece of our coral was lovingly chosen to fit in the wall; the footrest was inspired by the one at at the Sunset House bar on South Church Street (a perfect place from which to watch sunsets whilst meeting locals). As well, the general open appearance of the unit is enhanced by having eliminated the cumbersome closet in the kitchen. This is a costly owners' renovation in contrast to all but three of the other units at Villas. DRIVING ON CAYMAN: A valid driver's license is needed to rent automobiles, jeeps or motor scooters to tour the island - but remember as a British Crown Colony, we drive on the left in Cayman .... the rules of the road are completely opposite from those to which you are accustomed. Be especially wary of looking RIGHT first before entering the roadway and in negotiating all intersections. Our rule of thumb for newcomers is to advise them to look four times: Because our natural tendency is to look LEFT first, you simply will not break that habit; so just look LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT and then RIGHT again before committing yourself. Remember when in heavy traffic to always hold your gaze to the RIGHT! Locals traditionally stop or slow down to allow cars to enter the roadway and for pedestrians to cross the road, so be on the lookout for this courtesy. This often extends as well to allowing cars to cross their half of the roadway in front of you to try and ease into traffic heading in the opposite direction. You will know the locals by the yellow or orange license plates, whilst tourist rentals have white plates. Unfortunately, younger Caymanians driving souped-up cars not only drive too fast for the heavy traffic conditions, but they also are much less likely to observe the traditional Cayman courtesies of driving. The most detailed map of the island is put out by International Map Services Ltd and costs CI$4.50 at the nearest Esso station on West Bay Road It is called the CI Street & Dive Site Map. It should also be available at Hampstead's Office Supplies, located both on Airport Exit Road and in the Galleria (Blue) Shopping Center on West Bay Road. Our "Villas" are 3 miles north of town, and less than that south of West Bay. Turtle Farm is less than 10 minutes away along the West Bay shore: just bear left at the first road past the stop sign as you enter West Bay. The road to West Bay also takes you to Hell - the post office and gift shop is a unique experience along with the eroded rock formations --just go to the very end of West Bay Road and turn left. You can't miss it: Club Inferno - a local hangout not recommended for tourists - is in the middle of Hell! Enjoy Cayman's well-paved roads to isolated beaches and quaint villages. It takes about 45 minutes to drive straight to the East End, passing through Prospect, Spotts, Savannah, Boddentown and Breakers - and only a bit longer to Rum Point. But you can easily spend a full day driving slowly around the island, stopping whenever you can drive off the main road down to the beach on dirt tracks - most are easy to drive. The easiest way to the East End: head toward town, turn left onto Eastern Avenue at the signal, go to the end of Eastern and then left onto Shedden Road. The only confusion is that where Eastern ends, a smaller road bears off left from Shedden. So when you turn left at that signal, make sure you follow the main road as it splits off to the right. The main road now detours around the lengthened airport runway, and the name changes to Crewe Road, but just follow that main road as it repeatedly changes names in typical English fashion to Red Bay Road, Jackson Road, Poinciana Drive, Shamrock Drive and Church Street in Boddentown, and finally Eastern Highway - just don't look for any street or road signs! Immediately after you see the road sign announcing Savannah, the road widens as it sweeps around a broad right curve. On the right you will see a three-foot high concrete beehive - this marks the entrance to the home of Otto Watler, one of the most interesting of Cayman's creative citizens. Otto is justifiably proud of his home-produced honey, his technologically superior hydroponic tomatoes, and his parrots. If he's not too busy, you'll find both he and his wife most delightful hosts. Traveling on, you can stop if you wish and just walk around the old community of Boddentown, once the center of island life before the end of slavery in 1835. The first house on the seaside (right) past the turnoff to North Side on East End Road is the home and workshop of one of the island's more interesting artisans and characters. Tom DeWitt makes coral and gold jewelry for the merchants in town; if you catch him on a good day, he'll sell to you at wholesale. Call him at 947-2280 to see if he's around - or whether he's out catching his next lobster or conch dinner. Tom and his lovely wife Vandeen can give you an entirely different perspective on what's really important in life...... A few short miles beyond, past the Blow Holes, lies the old fishing village of East End. Native weaving can still be obtained here - ask anyone where Mrs Myle Conolly's house sits - on the sea side of the road just past the playing fields; she will not only show you her goods but also introduce you to very talented artisan friends who live off the main road. Two miles beyond East End is Wreck View. Just across the road is the home of Mrs Eileen McLaughlin, who makes beautiful handbags and other native crafts. A delightful person just to meet.... After passing (or stopping at) the rapidly developing Tortuga Resort, you continue along the remote and quiet northern shore along the Queen's Highway - only built in 1982 through virtually undeveloped land - with many great places to stop and enjoy totally deserted beaches. On the Way to Rum Point, the native craft shop at the junction in Northside is a great place to browse and enjoy the quiet of the country. The rapidly developing Rum Point area is worth visiting to see the magnificent new homes and the new Hyatt property. A modern restaurant and gift shop along with a reproduction of the old Wreck Bar with afternoon chicken and fish sandwiches completes the quiet setting. The swimming there is exceptional also, with a sandbar running well out into the water. This is now available by ferry from the Hyatt; check with them for the schedule. On your return trip, you might wish to stop for refreshments at The Lighthouse at Breakers, formerly an open air restaurant. A total renovation, with air conditioning and more, simply destroyed the old charm, but we have heard excellent reviews on their Italian cuisine. And at Savannah, you can turn left at the store and go to the end of the road, where Pedro's Castle is under reconstruction. The oldest known structure on the island, it has a fascinating centuries-old history. Coming back to the main road, you can't bear left again off the main road until South Sound Road, which will take you past many of the finest homes on the island off on the seaside as you return through town on South Church Street. FACILITIES & SERVICES: If you are a new visitor to the island, please recognize up front that Cayman's standard of living is amongst the highest in the world, with virtual full employment - and a business and political stability to be envied. In that costs are higher than in the less wealthy islands, the trade-off is that no-one bothers you on the beach hawking their goods or is looking for handouts. The Cayman dollar is pegged at $.80 to the US dollar, and there are no problems in using either currency anywhere on island. The vast array of goods and services available on the island is startling. Foster's Food Fair (located conveniently just a long city block south of "Villas" next to Coconut Place, with a larger store just west of the airport) and Kirk Supermarket (at the junction of West Bay Road and Eastern Avenue on the way into town) feature everything you would find at home. Locally baked pastries, plus many exotic European, English, Latin and Caribbean foods not seen in the States are offered here. Foster's are open 7am-11pm daily - except Sunday; Kirk's is open only until 9 pm. The nearest liquor store is across the road at the Falls Shopping Centre; there is one at Coconut Place as well. All licensed beverage stores close at 6 pm daily - and are closed on Sunday. Beer is NOT sold in the markets, only in the licensed beverage stores and at select service stations until 10 pm. There are several shopping centres on island, the most notable being the Galleria (Blue) and West Shore (Red) Centres on the inland side of West Bay Road, and Seven Mile Shops and Queen's Court, both on the sea side just beyond Treasure Island Resort, all heading in to George Town. The major hotels, including the Westin, Radisson and Treasure Island, all have shops in their arcades, and we have shopped at Oasis at the Holiday Inn for years. You will be impressed with the quality of goods available here. Try to avoid town on days when cruise ships are in - the traffic and pedestrian congestion can be horrific. Just beyond (south) of the Hyatt entrance and before Galleria is a small group of shops, the far one being Frankie's -- THE place for fresh fruit and fruit shakes on island. For pure goodness and refreshment, Frankie's worth a special stop. Ask him for his green discount coupon - it's easy to drink up nine of his shakes in a week- the tenth is free! A mile South of town on South Church Street, beyond Coconut Harbour on the inland side of the road is Pure Art, an art shoppe with a charming potpourri of native arts and crafts. But you can seek out fine native Caymanian artisans and their work from West Bay to East End. Local artists own and exhibit there, and this shop is a great place for finding some very good quality paintings, prints and crafts. There also is a delightful little shop in the "Museum" facing the sea just behind the appliance store at the four-way-stop in West Bay. WHAT TO DO: Close to Villas, there is outdoor dancing nightly (except Sunday) next door at the Holiday Inn. For the more adventurous, Coconut Harbor, on South Church Street, is one of the locals' favorite hangouts. If you deem yourself an expert dominoes player, this is the place to be. But beware; Caymanians take their dominoes very seriously!! Next door the other way, George Davidson delights the 4-7 Happy Hour crowd daily at the Westin Lobby Lounge with his lovely original piano renditions. George is a most personable entertainer who also still plays several nights a week at Benjamin's Roof in Coconut Plaza. Another new Westin entertainer is steel pan artist Earl LaPierre at the poolside bar outside on Wednesday,, Friday and Saturday evenings. Earl also performs every night but Sunday in the open foyer at Treasure Island; he's worth going to hear; you can just sit & listen - and Treasure Island even features hors d'oeuvres. By the way, just upstairs is Roland and Laurie's "Rustic" Top of the Falls Restaurant - Roland reciting the menu is a real treat in itself. We've heard word that they may be planning to move, so check with them (949-5324). This introduces us to the delightful subject of eating out. A week or two on Cayman should convince you that you didn't come long enough to even begin to try all the good restaurants. It seems to us that some of the restaurants just keep getting better and better, whilst others seem to have lost their edge. Most importantly, you need NOT dress up to go out to eat in Cayman, unless you schedule a special occasion at one of the upscale hotels. Our favorite "local" for years has been Benjamin's Roof, located in Coconut Plaza just before Foster's Food Fair supermarket. We generally ask owner Michael to fix whatever is his freshest catch - which they gladly will prepare any one of four ways for you. Benjamin the parrot is long gone but you can meet his successor Conan. The underwater videos are hypnotisingly mellow, but the real entertainment is George on the piano four nights a week - check to be certain he is there. Be sure to try the obscene desserts and the outrageously sweet native cocktail specials. All of your imagined superlatives hardly do justice to the ambiance and setting at The Wharf, located on your way to George Town, just before Eastern Avenue on the seaside of West Bay Road. Chef/owner Clement's location can't be topped for a most memorable evening -- even to the fish feeding at 9 pm nightly. But it's at the most expensive end of a cost spectrum that has no real "low end" restaurants. Even if the food is not up to expectations, The Wharf makes for a wonderful and most memorable final evening on island. Grand Old House is under new management and has a history and tradition of fine dining in Cayman. It also is a favored luncheon spot for the power brokers of the financial and political community. It is located in a (yes) grand old house on South Church Street - just go completely through town and less than a mile beyond, on the seaside. But some of the finest superlatives on fine food are emanating from just across the road at the clubhouse of The Links at Safe Haven. Expensive even by Cayman standards, the food has been simply without peer recently. David Bailey seems determined to outdo everyone with their culinary presentations and service. Much appreciated is the nearby EATS in the Falls shopping center, just across the street and north of "Villas." Owner Brad has done a superb job, and their stir frys are very tasty. But by far Brad's best is his baby-back ribs - even as much as we like Michael's ribs at Benjamin's Roof. You compare them! We also think EATS has the best breakfast and lunch menus as well, which can be really tempting as we are only a hundred yards away! An interesting change of pace we recommend highly is Chicken, Chicken, in the West Shore (Pink) Shopping Plaza. Tasty wood-fired broasted chicken with fresh hot and cold veggies and corn bread makes for inexpensive but very healthy meals. Manager Tom presides whilst the talented young owners are in California operating the second of this smash success idea in quality fast food. And a few doors down in the same shopping center is Captain Morgan's, a Local's favorite place for steaks cooked at your table. Another really neat spot is Durty Reid's, a bar and down-home restaurant worth the ride out to Prospect right on Red Bay Road. 'Nam Vet Durty features "warm beer, surly help & lousy food" along with other insults, but in fact has fresh lunch buffets and the largest hamburgers you'll ever see offered on any menu! -- along with a friendly ambience and seven TV's playing four different football games each Sunday afternoon in the Fall. ....Durty's kinda into sports, the Redskins and the USMC. Back on Seven Mile Beach, Mike's Lone Star Cafe offers more casual atmosphere, basic Tex Mex and lots of sociable beer guzzling whilst enjoying the 50 inch TV. Situated incongruously next to the grand entrance to the Hyatt, Mike offers different specials each night in a collegiate atmosphere. Fun for all, and we know you'll enjoy the T-shirts on display! Crow's Nest, located on the seaside on South Church Street, has been a favorite and lovely outdoors place to dine on South Sound with a long-respected reputation. We are addicted to their carrot leek & potato soup - and the spicy coconut shrimp are a forever favourite; they've finally given in and screened in their outside dining area, but the early evening view -- and especially the sunset -- is still delightful with a South Sound breeze. If you want to try native island food, Liberty's at the end of West Bay Road (then turn right past John Cumber School for about 250 yards, on your left) is the best bet. Best during the week - and go early! They serve their home-cooked dishes buffet style only three nights a week - that's the time to go - and they do run out! ...for good reason!!! When you choose to eat in, you can buy fresh-caught fish from about noon 'til four (earlier in the day on Saturday & Sunday) on the waterfront across from where Harbour Centre Building, where Mary Street ends at North Church - j"f@! P |
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