(Pork) Dreams of the Caribbean

The Baths at Virgin Gorda

You may recall that back in March we here at Amateur Traveler participated in a contest call Pork Passions Pursuits in my role as a blogger sponsored by the National Pork Board. There were 5 different $5000 prizes and one of them was in travel. Specifically:

The Traveler Is your life-long dream to attend a pork roast on the beach in Hawaii? If you are begging to take your passion for pork across land and sea, you’re a Traveler!

I am please to announce the winner Kate who entered a story (below) announcing her goal of a pork filled beach-side buffet in the Caribbean. You can read her story below.

Some Suggestions

Kate does not just want to visit the Caribbean. “I want to LIVE there. And I plan to one day. I’ve been there numerous times and have experienced several different islands. I still want to do the British Virgin Islands. Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada. Virgin Gorda is lush and mountainous and has those Seychelle-esque rocks. Anegada is flat but has those perfect beaches with the white sand that looks as if its been poured from a sack of sugar.”

Here are some suggestions:

Gary Arndt @everywheretrip

Larry Page and Richard Branson also have private islands there. BVI is a lot of high end stuff. Lots of yachts go there. They do have full moon parties in Trellis Bay.

Chris Christensen @chris2x

My favorite beach in the world is The Baths on Virgin Gorda. Getting there is half the fun as you walk through half submerged caves created by large boulders;

Ben @BenCushwa

North Sound of Virgin Gorda has a great mix of resorts, beach bars, and ample mooring spots for boaters. No BVI trip is complete without a stop by Foxy’s and the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke. Trellis Bay on the north side of Beef Island is great for local food. Check out The Last Resort there too.

Deb Andrews @CLP_Deb

BVIs are spectacular from the water. Specially this time of the year. Stay cool and wet and sail around them.

but the prize to the most unusual advice goes to:

Catherine Mack @catherinemack

I have never been, but as a keen outdoor swimmer, I would kill to do this swim trip of the BVIs with SwimTrek

That’s right, you swim between the islands. Sort of like a really really bad boat trip.

Kate’s Winning Entry

The Caribbean is famous for pork barbeques. The accompanying scenery excites my eyes, as well as my taste buds. Vibrant green landscapes backed by the impossibly blue sea; colors I’ve only encountered in a box of crayons. I’ll savor the finest pork while drinking in every shade of blue imaginable. I’ll explore–free of maps and free of spirit–allowing my internal “pork compass” to point me where flavorful experiences are waiting to find me.

Caribbean cuisine is a fusion of flavors, having origins as rich and diverse as the people who live there. Succulent pork, dressed in a splash of tropical fruit flavors, accented with a pinch of West Indian spice is delicious with a capitol D. There are infinite ways those exotic island ingredients can be combined into an inspired bounty of recipes to pamper my pork palate island style. It haunts my culinary dreams.

A beach buffet I defy anyone not to fall in love with includes pyramids of pork, a staggering choice of cheeses, and row upon row of fresh local veggies and fruits, including figs with twigs still attached. Not even a sterile, air-conditioned supermarket could homogenize the incredible richness and variety of island food. Add to that a shaded place to sit, a pork-perfumed breeze, sandy beach, sigh of the ocean, and the decision that life doesn’t get any better than this.

I’d find my other taste of heaven snorkeling, while sea turtles gaze with prehistoric serenity and sting rays float like aquatic bed quilts. Beneath them, a giant living canvas unfolds with intricate coral sculptures and endless varieties of sea life, all co-existing in perfect harmony. It would be hard leaving without an enhanced sense of wonder for the natural world.

Simply sitting in a lush garden sampling a pork roti, surrounded by botanical masterpieces erupting in riots of color, adds romantic flavor to any dish. Pure pork pleasure. I’m smitten with pork–the nectar of life.

My pork-fueled Caribbean adventure has me drooling with desire. I am evangelical about pork. A pork barbeque on the beach is the culinary altar where my taste buds worship. Indulging in tasty pork morsels around a bonfire creates a deliciously rustic ambiance. A stunning sunset. An exquisite meal. An evening of pork perfection. Submerging my toes into the sands of islands steeped in history, while the warm Caribbean breeze whispers ancient secrets of tempestuous times past. Spoken like a true pork pursuing pirate. Arrrg…