Greetings! We recently returned from a trip to Grenada (country #88), an island in the West Indies, where we were able to experience various parts of the small island nation. Below, you will find information and photos from our trip.
Grenada (greh-NAY-duh), known as The Spice Island, is actually made up of three islands (Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique). It covers 133 square miles (214 square km) in the West Indies, with the eastern part of the Caribbean Sea and the western Atlantic Ocean surrounding what is referred to as the “tri-island state.” Grenada has a population of 110,000 people, and one of their most famous natives is Olympic track and field champion, Kirani James, who was born in Grenada, and has given back significantly to his country of origin.
HISTORY of GRENADA
Grenada was given its name by the Spaniards in the 1520s, taken from the Spanish Granada (grah-nah-dah). It was first settled by Amerindians from South America, and was then ruled by the French in 1649, until they ceded to the British in 1763. Grenada was granted independence in 1974, and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, with King Charles III as their head of state. In 1979, a coup d’état occurred, resulting in the overthrowing of the government, and establishment of a new government led by Maurice (pronounced “morris”) Bishop, who was a lawyer trained in England. He was later arrested and executed. Maurice Bishop is seen as a national hero by many in Grenada because he educated poor people (encouraged them to read and write), paved the way for them to go to university in Cuba and Russia, started insurance in the country, and liberated women. His execution resulted in an invasion by the United States of America in October of 1983 to assist with stabilizing the government. The US subsequently withdrew in December of 1983, and the Grenada government has maintained political stability since then.
THE SPICE ISLAND
Grenada is known as The Spice Island, and is particularly known for its export of nutmeg, which grows throughout the island. The nutmeg is processed in many ways, using all parts of the nut, including the red covering over the inside of the nut called the mace. Grenada is also known for its cacao (cocoa) plants, including the Criollo cacao plants, which are only found in Grenada, and from which most of their chocolate products are made.
Grenada is also known for their rum manufacturing. Many of the rum factories use only sugar cane and water (no other ingredients) to produce their rum, and some age the rum for extended periods of time, while others do not age them at all (beyond 8 days).
Interesting Fact: Kirani James was the first Olympic gold medalist from Grenada, winning the 400m in London in 2012. He went on to win the silver medal in the same event in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, and the bronze medal in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, also in the 400m. He received an athletic scholarship to the University of Alabama, where he won two National Championships (back-to-back) in track and field in his first two years.
Grenada has a few native animals, including monkeys and birds, and has no venomous animals. The geography is lush and green, and consists of beaches and rainforests. Grenada is part of the “hurricane belt,” and has been hit by three hurricanes, the most recent of which was Hurricane Ivan in September of 2004, the first in 49 years.
This is a beautiful island with very kind people, and while we saw quite a bit of the island, we look forward to returning to explore more of its beauty. Until next time, take care and be well…