Dominica 4

Portsmouth is in the northeast corner of the island and hosts Fort Shirley, an old British fort. Not like Portsmouth at home, of course, but the naval link was there because of a major battle fought between the French and British navies that ended in the transfer of Dominica into British hands as a result. It is also the area of the Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3 film sets of Johnny Depp fame. We drove up high into a volcano crater on what seemed to be a fairly new road, well worth the trip, before we stopped of at Indigo, an art gallery and home of a French roots artist. She came here, after time in two other islands, met her husband and set up home and gallery in the bush in an incredibly rustic building of natural materials, together with a tree house. Their son lives in another nearby. Orlando Bloom, of Pirates’, spent a lot of time there and is featured in her Visitors’ Book. He also got the family access to the film set and there are several photos of them with the lead actors in costume. No photos of her place were allowed, which was quite understandable but also a shame not to be able to show it to others.

We found Batibou Beach for a quick dip and then No 1 Lookout, with its fine vertical drop elevated loo, not quite of 5-star standard, but carrying a risk of falling in to unknown depth! Mark laid on another fine dinner to top off the day, as we watched fireflies in the trees, listened to the ocean and looked at lights in Martinique and a cruise liner bound for Barbados, before he played a few numbers on the piano. Quite idyllic!

Lastly, on the morning of our departure, we scrambled down to the rock beach below the hotel, rather hot and demanding for me, an adventure for Jean!