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Though they've seen many governmental changes over the years and more recently suffered a devastating hurricane, The Cayman Islands are still capable of providing a lovely and relaxing vacation experience. Grand Cayman is the largest in this inviting cluster of isles in the western Caribbean, and hosts millions of tourists each year. There's a reason for its enduring popularity - many reasons in fact.
First, there's the beach. It's pretty much a given that a Caribbean island is going to have attractive stretches of shoreline, but Grand Cayman's Seven Mile Beach is a mighty fine specimen to behold. Beach enthusiasts name this as one of the finest in the world, and the ample resorts and activities here cement its reputation as popular, accommodating and a pleasure to visit. The reef makes it fun for snorkeling, the bars will quench any thirst, and any necessary gear can be easily acquired. Quite simply, it's the best.
Top-notch conditions make diving and snorkeling popular activities throughout the island. Seasoned underwater explorers are happy to check Grand Cayman off their lists of places to see in their lives, and newcomers should feel welcomed to give it a try. The water is exceptionally clear and the marine life is abundant around the many reefs and walls. Especially worth a look is Stingray City, where a plethora of friendly stingrays float along the sand bars in the shallows and interact with people in the water. Feed them, touch them, and generally be amazed by these wild and beautiful creatures.
While in this region of the island (the northwest) feel free to stop by the other touristy spots. Hell is a place of strange beauty due to the black rock formations, and it gives visitors something to joke about. Sending a postcard from Hell or picking up a T-shirt satisfies most people's curiosity for novelty well enough. Cayman Turtle Farm showcases thousands of turtles of all shape and size, exemplifying why the Cayman Islands were originally named "Las Tortugas" (the turtles).
The eastern part of the island is less developed, so those of you who enjoy straying from the beaten path might be able to cook up a little adventure or just claim a quiet stretch of sand. Cars drive on the left side of the road here but Americans can rent them (after showing a valid license and paying a fee) or there are buses and taxi cabs readily available in most parts of the island. Tourism drives the economy of Grand Cayman, conveniences tend to be plentiful.
History is another reason to appreciate Grand Cayman. In the capital city there are the Cayman Islands National Museum and Fort George (what remains of it, anyway), and Pedro St. James Castle and the Cayman Maritime Treasure Museum are also worth taking a look at if the island's past is what floats your boat. Colonial influences and indigenous personality come together in an interesting way (as these things usually do) and add another dimension to a vacation that could be all about mindlessness.
Not that you shouldn't spend plenty of time lounging on the beach, sipping fruity drinks or floating in the salty sea. In order to properly forget about work, school, stress and responsibility there must be lots of sunning and a few naps. Indulge in all that Grand Cayman has to offer - you did come all this way, after all.
Another indulgence not to be overlooked is a Grand Cayman Vacation Rental. Dozens of delicious properties are sprinkled around the island like so many accommodating jewels just waiting to be taken up by savvy travelers. Small and modest beach cottages, elegant villas, sophisticated condos and more have a way of opening their doors to reveal a host of unexpected amenities. Who know it was possible to whip up some scrambled eggs, sunbathe on a private deck or stroll to the beach minutes upon waking with a cup of coffee in hand?
Staying in a vacation rental opens up a world of possibilities on an island that is already quite promising. Arrive with a detailed itinerary in hand or let the winds of fate lead you along; either way a trip to Grand Cayman will be a journey that is sure to restore and relax your world weary self.
Visit HomeAway.com and peruse the vacation rentals here and anywhere else youÂ’re thinking of visiting.
Poetry Contest Grand Prize Winner Gottardo DiGiacopo
In April of this year, Eber & Wein Publishing selected yet another Grand Prize winner of the National Amateur Poetry Competition. This time, the spotlight is on Gottardo DiGiacopo from Mahwah, NJ, whose poetic talent caught the eyes of the judges and earned a unanimous vote. Out of approximately 11,000 submissions, DiGiacopo's poem "Darkroom" made its way to the winner's circle.
With an air of nostalgia, "Darkroom" encapsulates a setting that entwines the past with the present through a common theme: out with the old and in with the new. Quiet nightly reflections, however, bring back days long expired. While admiring his mastered technique of exhaling cigarette smoke in "world-class silvery rings," the subject takes this hour or so and resurrects bygone days of career dreams, reckless lifestyles, and secret aspirations. Beneath the present world, what was once a basement photo lab is now a retreat that harbors memories, dreams, and tangibles from the subject's past. A nightly ritual of reminiscence enhanced with a cigarette and a beer, this private time and space used to unwind is a vehicle that sends its frequenter back in time to days of "catching salamanders" and "removing hooks from the stiff lips of fish." The personified trio of supporting characters—the bottle opener, book of matches, and baseball glove—are more than just necessary tools. They too are part of the vehicle; as his cohorts, they await his return each night, serve him well, and together they "hide." The shelves that no longer contain materials once used for developing film also exude a sentimental sadness, reminding the reader of the digital capacities of today's world where manual tasks that once brought feelings of pride and pleasure are now completely antiquated.
However, while sentiment is certainly one of the stronger elements of this poem, DiGiacopo also employs strong descriptive language and sensory imagery, which, in illustrating a vivid scene, gives "Darkroom" profound artistic appeal. Another poetic element important to the poem's theme and tenor is the symbolism of light and darkness throughout, often juxtaposed and possibly connected to the significance of the "i."
One thing our judges found perplexing was the lower-case pronoun "i" used throughout, and although several possible explanations were offered up, when asked, Gottardo provided the most profound answer of all. "I wanted to show the loss of an earlier identity, one that was perhaps more egoic and self-involved, but which is now evolving to something more spiritual in middle-age. Also, in Latin/Romance languages, "I" is an unimportant pronoun that is often dropped because it is explained by the verb conjugation . . . it is only capitalized if it starts a sentence. It's Americans and imperialists who are so attached to the mighty high I."
A mason by trade who only started writing poetry six years ago following a local $75 writing workshop, Gottardo is no stranger to art. Having worked with stone and cement (an art in and of itself) since the age of seventeen, DiGiacopo took a break from masonry in the 1980s to attend the Pratt Institute in New York where he earned a B.F.A in Fine Arts. There, he concentrated on photography and mixed media installation and developed new aspirations that would later inspire his writing. His major influence, however, is "ongoing life." In referring to a near-death experience he had as a boy, a "wild teenage-altered state" in the seventies, his study of art, the family he has with his wife Stephanie of twenty years, the deaths of close loved ones (including his father just recently), and his everyday suffering from multiple sclerosis, Gottardo claims, "Life is all the fodder one needs to write."
Like all of our past winners, Gottardo DiGiacopo is an everyday person. And whether speaking of his writing or his life, it became quite obvious to us that he couldn't be a more humble, unpretentious human being. He mentions in a letter, "I do read poetry regularly . . . and I'm blown away by how remarkable a form of saturated communication it can be—and how thoroughly outclassed I am." In this case, however, one thing is clear—DiGiacopo did the outclassing, and we couldn't be more pleased with our selection. Here at Eber & Wein Publishing, we were thrilled to name him a grand prize winner, excited to feature "Darkroom" on our website for all to view, and look forward to reading more of his work in the future.
To enter our contest, send one original poem 26 lines or less to the following address:
Poetry Contest
244 Fifth Avenue
Suite 1900X
New York, NY 10001
Poems can be written on any subject, in any style. Only one poem per person per contest will be accepted.
About the Author
President of Eber & Wein Publishing, B.A. in English, M.A. in Literature, former high school English teacher
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