MAKE A RESERVATION TODAY

CLOSE

STAY


CLOSE

DINE


CLOSE

FUN

Overnight VisitorCruise VisitorResident


CLOSE

DIVE

Overnight VisitorCruise VisitorResident


CLOSE

SHOP & RELAX

Overnight VisitorCruise VisitorResident


CLOSE

WEDDINGS


CLOSE

Shelly’s Kaibo Trip Report 2011-includes Botanic Garden

HOME Forums General Discussion Topics about the Cayman Islands Trip Reports Shelly’s Kaibo Trip Report 2011-includes Botanic Garden

Viewing 15 posts – 1 through 15 (of 26 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #5296
    Shelly
    shelly
    Member

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2482.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    We spent a wonderful, relaxing month in Grand Cayman. We had 1 day of rain and a few rains at night. The first 10 days were a bit windy and cool enough that we didn’t need air conditioning at night.

    We found a few new restaurants on the quiet side of the island, Italian Kitchen where we enjoyed a number of meals and Kurts Kitchen where we enjoyed a lunch.

    We stocked up on Cayman meat patties at the local grocery store because it seems like the big stores are always out of meat patties by the time we get there.

    Kaibo added sand to their beach this year. It’s always fun to watch. Big piles of sand are dropped off and then the machines spread it around and men then rake it smooth. They did the same thing at the condos 2 years ago.

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2418.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2419.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    We had a number of wonderful meals at Kaibo. Upstairs, which is open this year Thursday thru Sunday nights and has a tasting menu that was excellent. It included an onion and goat cheese tart, poached and roasted grouper, sliced steak, and pot of chocolate dessert, I’m missing the 5th course…was it soup or salad? I can’t remember. On another evening we ordered ala carte and loved the baked herb-crusted cayman mahi mahi, and the Tenderloin. The sticky banoffe puddling for dessert was delicious.

    Downstairs at the beach restaurant, our favorites are curry grouper which is served on a plate with regular silverware as opposed to many of the things that come in a basket. The mahi mahi sandwich on a baguette along with the fabulous French fries is a lunch time favorite. They have updated their menu, with many new additions, but I really did miss the fried onion straws. They have great non-alcoholic smoothies too. I had the strawberry mango.

    On Tuesdays nights, there is the barbecue at Kaibo and the band Bonafide plays from 6-9. We really enjoyed their music. Sometimes we just stopped over for a drink and to listen to the music.

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/photo-17.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    Next to Kaibo is the kitehouse where you can rent stand-up paddle boards and kayaks. They also have a bioluminescent tour by boat or by kayak. The biolum tours are run on nights without a full moon.

    I tried paddleboarding this year and it was a lot of fun. You need good balance and a firm core—it’s pretty easy—however my grandson told me that when he did it at camp he kept falling in. There were a number of days that were not conducive to paddleboarding because the wind or currents were too strong, but I did get to go 4 times.

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/photo-8.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    In the mornings, we walked up to Rum Point . We got there early while they were just raking the sand and cleaning up. Usually we are the only people there. On one windy day at Rum Point Pier we saw these 2 groups of birds. One group of one kind of bird at one side of the pier and another group of another kind of bird on the other side, all standing facing into the wind.

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2473.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2472.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    I convinced our group to go to the Botanic Garden. We hadn’t been in a few years and as always enjoyed the beauty and serenity of the place. There is a new cactus garden that is in the process of being built. We enjoyed walking on the boardwalk through the orchid garden which is a few years old. Although this is not the season for orchids to be in bloom, we did see one and saw where lots of baby plants were attached to trees.

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2497.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2503.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2507.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    The color garden is always beautiful.

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2486.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2485.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2491.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2484.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2529.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2531.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2534.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2537.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2538.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2545.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2549.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2550.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2576.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2546.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    I love the cayman cottage and sand garden.

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2514.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2515.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2517.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2516.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    We only saw one iguana standing guard over a trail.

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2567.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2568.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    and a turtle

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/photo-27.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    and a snake-they are harmless grass snakes.

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2562.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    We took a few walks up to Starfish Beach and saw a couple of starfish close to shore.

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2423.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    There was a single egret that was hanging around the beach at kaibo.

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2459.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    Here are a few signs we wouldn’t see at home

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/DSCN2563.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/photo-19.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    Driving to east end one night for dinner, we saw a rainbow…although my husband didn’t stop soon enough for us to get a great picture, I think you can still see the remnants of it if you look carefully.

    http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m299/shelly41/rainbow.jpg” alt=”” title=”” class=”bbcode-image” />

    Another wonderful year in Grand Cayman. Looking forward to our return.

    #60262
    Brakker1
    brakker1
    Member

    Beautiful pictures, Shelly! Thanks for sharing. We haven’t had much rain lately here on the Brac but we’ve sure had plenty of wind and waves. During January we are having an iguana count (only on the Brac) and have been catching them, weighing and measuring them, then tagging and releasing them. As of now we’ve caught 73. Loved those pictures of the blues, which we don’t have.

    #60263
    Divesergeant
    divesergeant
    Participant

    Holy mackerel, great report! Thanks for taking the time to do it and to include the pics. Being able to upload the pics directly to the guide makes it much easier.

    So, um, when can we expect to see some actual videos of you paddleboarding???

    I had to laugh at the picture of the sign warning about falling coconuts. I started hearing Barefoot’s song about that in my head and now I can’t get it to turn off!

    DS

    #60264
    Shelly
    shelly
    Member

    DS

    Thanks—Actually my husband did take a video, but it’s pretty short and I don’t want to expose my body to you more than I have to.

    I didn’t upload directly because I was having problems.. I did it the old fashioned way through photo bucket, but it seemed easier than it had been in the past. I didn’t have to resize. I think it did it automatically….who knows?

    Brakker: I read about the iguana count-have fun-how many do you think there will be?

    Shelly ?

    #60267
    Divesergeant
    divesergeant
    Participant

    Mrs DS and I could get into the iguana count. We checked out the iguanas on Little Cayman last year and they were cool.

    http://www.caymanactivityguide.com/forums/userpix/19021_P4080003_2.jpg%5B/img%5D

    DS

    #60268
    Brakker1
    brakker1
    Member

    Shelly,

    We have ten days left of iguana-hunting. So far we have caught two today. As you would expect, the first ones processed were the “easy” ones. They get scarcer as the days go by. We have exceeded my expectations, though……. I had predicted we would get maybe fifty/sixty.

    DS,

    I recognize “Stubby”. He’s the “town receptionist”!

    #60271
    Shelly
    shelly
    Member

    brakker

    how do you catch them?

    Shelly:-)

    #60272
    Brab T
    Brab T
    Member

    beautiful pix (altho a couple are ‘missing’)

    i can see the rainbow

    so….what did you think of paddleboarding? …really? ?

    loved the signs…you’re right….something you don’t see in the states!

    #60273
    Shelly
    shelly
    Member

    Brab…I liked paddleboarding, but only did it for 30 minutes each time because I was out there alone. It was calm and peaceful. Would have been more fun going with another person. It was a nice change of pace from sitting on the beach.

    I used to windsurf, so it was easy for me. You kneel on the board to start out, and then stand up when you’re ready. The water was calm and I just went here and there. I saw a couple of starfish in front of Pools of the Kai when I was paddling around. If I had been with someone, I would have gone to starfish beach, but I didn’t want to go around the point where no one would be able to see me.

    DS—is that a different kind of iguana-it’s not blue, but a handsome guy anyway.

    #60275
    Brab T
    Brab T
    Member

    awesome! will have to keep paddleboarding on the ‘maybe do’ list ? sounds like fun!

    oh…and I don’t blame you for not going around the point! If I were alone, I’d most certainly stay in view of other peeps!

    #60277
    Divesergeant
    divesergeant
    Participant

    I think there are different types of iguana on the different islands, the ones on Little Cayman are Rock Iguanas

    The Cayman Islands National Trust’s has info here about the Iguanas Iguana Info.

    When we were on Little Cayman last year we went to a presentation about how they tag and monitor the iguanas. I recommend it highly.

    DS

    #60280

    Great report, Shelly!!

    Really loved all the pictures, especially of the flowers! You’ve convinced me that it might be time to go to the Botanical Garden again. Haven’t been since the year it opened!

    By the way, the only reason a couple of your pictures didn’t show up was because they were missing a “[” in front of the first “IMG”. Easy for me to fix, so now they are ALL there!

    Char

    #60282
    Brab T
    Brab T
    Member

    scubachar wrote:


    By the way, the only reason a couple of your pictures didn’t show up was because they were missing a “[” in front of the first “IMG”. Easy for me to fix, so now they are ALL there!

    Char

    i knew that, but couldn’t fix like you did. Thank you! Saw all of them this time…lilypad… I can look at the same pix over and over….

    #60283
    Brakker1
    brakker1
    Member

    Shelly,

    When the iguana count is finished I will try to post some information and pictures…….. if I don’t forget.

    #60284
    SherryC
    SherryC
    Member

    Shelly….thanks for sharing the pictures. Always makes me wish I were there when I see the pictures. Glad you had a great time!

Viewing 15 posts – 1 through 15 (of 26 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

MAKE A RESERVATION TODAY

CLOSE

STAY


CLOSE

DINE


CLOSE

FUN

Overnight VisitorCruise VisitorResident


CLOSE

DIVE

Overnight VisitorCruise VisitorResident


CLOSE

SHOP & RELAX

Overnight VisitorCruise VisitorResident


CLOSE

WEDDINGS


CLOSE