Tropical Splendor

Once you get beyond beach, there's a lush tropical splendor to this island that reminds me of Kauai in a sorta funky Caribbean/Central American way.

We're staying up on a hill overlooking the sea with a lot of jungle in between us and the Caribbean. 

This is the special screen effect on the sunset as seen from our second floor outdoor living room.

Walking down the hill, we stroll by all sorts of tropical landscaping along the road.  On the last rise before the beach, we trek through the mosquito zone (the wind dies in that area) where I frantically start waving my arms to try and ward off those dengue devils.

While I've been told most of the fruit is imported from the mainland, banana and papaya trees can be spotted up and down the mountain sides on the island.  The plant beside the bananas above is helliconia.  Coconut palms are all over the place.

This tropical flower on a thorny stem is my favorite in the yard here. 

 

Here's our favorite stand down in West End where they sell the fruits of the splendor!  Pineapple and papaya were on my breakfast plate this morning!

We're off to the beach today, so I'd better get off the porch!