Today it's a slow day at Long Bay In Antigua, it's Sunday so one would expect this but it's also a particularly beautiful day with the sun shining, as it tends to do, puffy soft cottony clouds and the usual quiet breeze, which traveled across the Atlantic and is now puffing down our bay to cool us. There are, at present, a multitude of soft yellow butterflies, flitting about all over the area, which give the whole day a Never Never Land quality that is so special when experienced first hand. Honestly I have traveled far, to many different countries and places but never in all my travels, have I experienced days like the special days that are natural here in the Caribbean and especially here at Long Bay.

The main reason for my extra appreciation of today is that while I was relaxing in an easy chair in my living room, admiring the the wonderful view of the bay, a single butterfly choose to enter the room through the open french doors and it spent 90 seconds with me, imagine 90 seconds, time it with a second hand it is quit a long time. This butterfly was just floating around in front of me, at eye level, about three feet away, magic actually. While I was watching this butterfly I actually spoke to it, assigning it human like awareness, and yes it seemed to react to my speech for as I told it, "it should continue on its mindless way", it suddenly but slowly made it way out the open french doors off to do what butterflies do.

After it left I was just contemplating the experience when upon me came a wave of calm. My thoughts were serine and I suddenly felt as though, in spite of my insignificance, I was a part of the world. Obviously I wanted to share the experience so I am posting my words to the net. For those of you who have never been to a small hotel in the Caribbean but have mostly chosen the safe all-inclusive route, I wanted to offer you my thoughts on what you might expect to experience if you decided to venture outside your normal comfort zone. Choosing a small local vacation Hotel, Inn or Resort rather then the traditional manufactured Caribbean resort can result in a far better experience for you the traveler. Not only will you have an opportunity to see what our Caribbean is like but you can also get away from what you know and then, truly have some special stories to remember and share with friends once you return to the "REAL WORLD"!

If you do decide my words have inspired you to seek and patronize one of the Caribbean's small properties for your next getaway I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised. Most of the small intimate Resorts, Inns and Hotels in the islands are run by owners who are there on site, to ensure your vacation is a success. These small places may not have the infrastructure that the All-inclusive's have but what they lack in fixtures and fittings they make up for, 10 time over, in style a local character.

I strongly suggest if you would like to experience a similar feeling to the one I had, this day, on your next Caribbean holiday or vacation choose a small locally owned Inn, Resort or Hotel.

a' Bientot.
Chris, Host/owner Long Bay, Antigua.

For more info on Antigua's small locally owed  properties visit www.antigua-vip.com.