Providenciales and surroundings... The suggestion of the Caribbeans at Turks and Caicos

 

Left home twenty-five minutes after midnight and never, in so many years, we've had to go on a trip to a time so strange ... Our goal will be, once again, the Caribbean and more specifically the island of Providenciales, Provo for his friends: a strip of land of origin Reef, 40 kilometers long and 5 wide, part of the archipelago, and the state independent within the Commonwealth, the Turks and Caicos Islands, located about 900 miles southeast of Miami and in front of the northern coast of Santo Domingo.
Fifteen minutes after the start, we enter the highway at Faenza and 1: 00 we are in Bologna, but not fly from Felsineo but from Milan Malpensa ... Continue so in this starry night of spring, with eyes that are inevitably heavy. Sabrina and Frederick indeed succumb to the temptation to sleep and fortunately the radio to keep me company, while around 2:00 am overcome the Po and half an hour later we are ahead of the Lombard capital.
We walk across the ring road west and then follow the signs to the airport, we arrive at the Parking Go, where we leave the car for the next ten days, at 3:20 am.
Accompany us with a shuttle to Terminal 1 and there we put on hold the opening of desks Air France ... We are in sharp advance and we must wait nearly two hours, but eventually boarded the bags directly to Providenciales, although we recognize in Miami, and we withdraw our tickets booked for the first time, as the whole trip, not an agency, but through the Internet, the site of Expedia.
We pass through the metal detector and get to sit facing the door many 5A until, rose sull'Airbus A320 airline's trans, at 7:46, a slight delay, we do not take part directly in Paris, identified as flight AF 2415.
Rose a few thousand feet fly over the Valle d'Aosta, with visible Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn, but all the Alpine snow ... Then cross the curious geometry of the French countryside and passed on to the extermination agglomeration of the capital, where we also recognize several monuments, we landed at the airport Charles de Gaulle at 8:51.
We move without losing time from Terminal 2A to 2F and found the American Airlines counter at once we get in the queue for check-in ... So once again passed through the metal detector, without too many minutes to burn, we embarked on AA flight 63: a huge Boeing 767 that at 11:31, almost on time, the wheels off the ground by addressing the North Atlantic there lead to Miami, Florida.
Shortly after leaving us with a providential lunch, then the system clock on the arrival zone (six hours less) ... and in the blink of an eye is again early morning.
Nearly ten hours of flight are so many, especially in broad daylight, but they pass without major bumps and 14:35 local gliding gently on the runway of the MIA (Miami International Airport) ... so here we are, after a few months, once again in the States, even if only in passing.
We pass the customs without problems and then let's recognize our luggage ... but we expect an unwelcome surprise, it is missing a suitcase, and immediately began making a mental list of what must be contained because we give it up for some time, although we will ensure you reach your destination for today ... Hope, but I have serious doubts!
So we try a little 'gloomy boarding for Providenciales and through the door 2E we get on American Airlines Boeing 737 with a few minutes late, at 19:12, takes off for the Caribbean island ... AA Flight 625 rises above the clouds while the sun is surely setting. The journey, however, is short and happy touch the ground at 20:22 in desired goal.
Withdraw our suitcase surviving, let's reporting the loss of the other and then look for a taxi to accompany us to the hotel.
We're tired and down the street blaring also encounter a procession led by two newlyweds, which makes us lose a bit 'of time, but eventually also arriving at the Comfort Suites Turks and Caicos, we will host for the duration of the holiday ... We immediately deliver the keys to room number 167 and we can finally go to rest ... with a thought to our dear suitcase dispersed ...

The change of time zone you can not just say digested, so we wake up quite early, but has remained idle in between the sheets.
Without breakfast, included in the price of the room, we leave the hotel with the intention of renting a car as soon as possible ... Nearby are several companies, so we go to Avis, but we do not find the means that we were looking for ... A short distance from the Hertz office has yet to open its doors, then we're going to take information from the Deep Silver (a local tour operator) about the possible excursions to do in the area.
The lady who is at the counter is Italian, even with the origins of our city (Small world!), So we have no problems understanding what the programs ... especially the fact that the main hike we wanted to do today and then there is no earlier than 10/15 days.
After a short consultation, family of course, decide to take part ... and the departure is immediate: we go with a handful of people on a bus that takes us close to a marina. Here we are provided with masks and fins and in less than no time we boarded a small boat to sail in the direction of Middle Caicos.
Just taken off and unleashed a short-lived downpour in style Caribbean soon after the sun is shining again.
Ride the waves of the beautiful blue sea along the coastline of North Caicos, the third largest island of the archipelago, with its 116 kilometers square, inhabited by less than two thousand souls. Un'azzurrissima we venture into the lagoon, then the narrow channel lined with mangroves that divides North from Middle (or Great) Caicos and we land on the latter ...
It 'a flat limestone island, 124 square kilometers wide, the largest of the Turks and Caicos, but it is almost deserted, with its paltry three hundred inhabitants ... and one of these we also come to take a taxi to take us along the only road to this, to the Conch Bar Caves.
In the central part of the island is developed one of the largest cave systems of the entire Caribbean region, together with stalactites, stalagmites and underground lagoons, so do not lose the opportunity to visit ... We follow, each with a flashlight in hand, almost total darkness, a guide who enthusiastically shows us the most diverse geological curiosity. In fact the place, home to many bats, it is also classified National Park, but as we expected in the end turns out to be nothing exceptional, especially when compared to many other caves in Europe, if not Italian.
We return to the sunlight when it is already past noon and edged up to our taxi we go for lunch, a few kilometers in the north coast, the wild Mujadin Beach ... The slope, a long stretch of clear sand, stretches the foot of a steep cliff, and is very spectacular view from above, as is bordered by a blue sea, more than ever, but today, unfortunately, windy and big waves strike the shore at the expense of water transparency, which in some photos at home having made the place look like an immense pool.
Spend a bit 'of time on that lonely beach, which despite everything has a special charm, then a full belly, first regained the road, so our boat ... while I notice with some dismay, that my only shoes (the others are dispersed in the suitcase) are breaking.
We walk back all the way by sea later in the morning and stop for a swim and a bit 'of snorkelling off the coast of North Caicos, where we see some coral and other colorful fish ... We then another pleasant but brief stay in a beach postcard on which we allow ourselves only a walk looking for some shells. Finally we call on Little Water Cay, also known as Iguana Island: uninhabited coral island, now a protected area on which they live are safe and great-looking lizards really archaic, that were it not for the dimensions just seem to come out of a scene Jurassic Park.
After this last visit, and after an awkward wave, which has almost completely wet we reach the end of the excursion ... A nice walk after all, but that could be better if only we had a little 'more luck on the weather.
Back at the hotel, now in the evening, found unfortunately, as feared, that the bag has not arrived yet ... Then we go up in the room to clean up as much as possible and then go out for dinner in a nearby locale (the Pizza Pizza), where we eat a good plate of pasta, then we run down to rest because the dreaded jet-lag has not let go his grip.

We get up quietly and around 9:00 we consume our breakfast ... We try to make everything look normal, but my long beard now says that something unusual is there because you need to shave was, coincidentally, in the other case, the missing.
Eventually we rent a car at Avis, or rather a "grinder" self-propelled, a Daihatsu Charade (Targa TC7196) of a beautiful turquoise color, which is a whole program ... With that we move then along Leeward Highway, the main island. We stop to spending in a supermarket and then go to the beach at The Bight, in the westernmost part of a large and spectacular Grace Bay.
We placed in the shade of some umbrellas, probably public underfoot with a nice soft white sand, facing a stunning sea agl'occhi reflections undeniably Caribbean, and behind some apartment blocks under construction ... what a pity, soon at this rate throughout the cement will have invaded the bay. For now, however, we are the only swimmers within a few hundred yards and try to enjoy as much as possible, the place, running quickly in water to consume a first, idyllic, bathroom.
At noon lunch with our lavish sandwich and then we are dedicated to complete relaxation, trying to stretch as much as possible the nerves ... He goes so practically the whole day, talking about weather that is also wonderful, if you exclude some annoying gust of wind.
By mid-afternoon accompanied by an American woman and her daughter at the Comfort Suites: we were journeying along the seashore, and now, tired and cooked to perfection, they were desperate for a taxi ... So I take this opportunity to ask the reception of the suitcase, but no news, then I go back to the beach from Sabrina and Frederick and together they begin to resign myself to having to do without our things (but especially my own).
Shortly after 17:00 the sun goes behind a thick cloud and we're leaving the hotel to prepare for dinner.
Eat our meal in a restaurant (the Calico Jack's), near the Comfort Suites at around 20:00 and then we start towards the airport so as to request information, in no uncertain terms, about the damn suitcase, because at that ' It foresees a flight from Miami.
Bench American Airlines tell us to go and look directly into the arrivals hall, but there is an automatic door and fail to enter ... Back then the bar, but in the meantime, they are all gone, and a waitress explains that the airport is closing its doors only to reopen the next morning ... so the discomfort is growing exponentially and especially Sabrina seems to take it bad!
On the way back we stopped at the supermarket to buy some good basic necessities: toothbrush, toothpaste and shaving as necessary (now looks like a caveman!), Then we move in religious silence to the hotel ... We cared for, finally, and in religious silence as we go to sleep ... What a pity though, in this way to ruin a nice vacation ...

I struggled all night between information counters and conveyor belts in search of suitcases disappeared ... I get up from bed that are more tired than when I was lying there ... But I do everything to hide it, and at 8:00 o'clock an alarm do to calm everyone.
We have breakfast and then we move with our Daihatsu, and the weather today is not even clear as we would like ... Almost resigned we stop to buy some article of underwear, and then continue towards the airport ... I passed, glowering, and we go in the south of the island, the view extends to the right on the blue ice, almost unreal, the lagoon of Chalk Sound, and finally at Sapphire Beach.
The beach, although small, is charming, washed by crystal clear waters and fine, with sublime shades of color, thanks to the sun that finally came into the open.
We enjoy a long bath, but feel immersed is a little 'difficult because the sea level far too low ... but it is easily overcome discomfort and in less than no time is almost noon.
In the central part of the day, the clouds returned to take over, plus a few drops of rain, and before lunch, between faces rather stretched leave Sabrina and Frederick on the beach and in anticipation of another flight arriving from Miami, I went again to the airport, hoping to return with good news ... but I doubt.
Parking the car in resounding "no parking" and I come back to the American Airlines counter ... Like last night telling me to go and look directly to the videos, but you explain ... I ask so customs can check my suitcase ... The customs officers, quite a large woman quintal of type Mami, but in uniform, tells me to wait fifteen minutes ... Rest then anxiously waiting, then I go back to the office and make me go ... A great strides to reach the arrival lounge and there, among many other cases, I find ours! ... It will certainly come today (I do not want to think otherwise, but the familiar Caribbean rhythms leave me some doubt on this) and it seems a strange object they were only three days since I saw it, but it seems to me a life ... He passed through customs and are also open to me asking what's inside: only clothes, I say, because for some time now I have only one I'm wearing ... "Have a good day," she says, and go out triumphant!
Arrival at the beach from Sabrina and Frederick and from afar, with broad gestures, I express my victory ... Thus, once the calm, everything is more beautiful, and it is amazing how much the loss of a suitcase can influence a vacation ... Lunch on Sapphire Bay and then return to the hotel to take our trophy.
Finally wear sandals and go to the beach in the northern part of the magnificent Grace Bay, near the Club Med ... The sea is unfortunately a little 'rough, but came back the sun and its colors are amazing.
Do a swim and even evening between the light and shade of the clouds that pass over our heads very fast (although these are the Caribbean) ... In a climate finally relaxed holiday and we stayed so long on the shores of the ocean: it is fine and we also enjoy a fiery sunset.
The weather can change suddenly in the evening and then we go out for dinner when it rains hard ... vents during the night, we hope tomorrow the sun disk and return to shine high in the sky.

The sky is still dark when we get up and when we consume our classic snack earlier in the day another violent downpour rages ... there only remains to wait for better times.
We retreat into waiting room and we hear the phone, and with great regret, of the early return of the grandparents from their trip to Turkey, due to a physical problem ... apparently there is something worse than losing a suitcase!
After less than an hour the rain stops and the distance you can also see a few spots of clear sky ... Meanwhile, let's go out and do the classic daily shopping, then we move towards the north-west tip of the island and reach the Conch Farm.
The beautiful shell-pink called "queen conch" or "queen conch" was part of the local diet even before Christopher Columbus landed in the New World. Today over forty million are caught each year embrasure in the shallow waters of the Caribbean islands and the sea of Caicos produces about four million, but the collection is to blame for the declining wild fisheries. The Conch Farm, opened in 1984, is the only breeding embrasure in the world and his goal is to export one million of shellfish annually from reserves that contain three million at the various stages of growth.
As the sun comes out we make an interesting and original tour, starting from nurseries to reach the sea front, where the splay after almost a decade, completing their growth.
About noon, the sky now clear, we leave the Conch Farm and go in search of a beach in which to spend the rest of the day.
We try, nearby, at Leeward, where, however, the sea is rough and the beach probably reduced the bone by a storm, judging by the umbrellas folded, so we decide to change the shore.
We go in the middle of Grace Bay, near Point of Grace ... There the sea is really wonderful and amazing reflexes, so we stop in the nth umbrella for public use ... In recent days is already the third time that we take advantage of these structures and in any other holiday we happened to have free use of those facilities power, so that I can unconditionally pay my compliments to the administration of Providenciales.
We, needless to say, a nice bathroom, and then we enjoy our daily angle Caribbean, while unfortunately mountain heavy clouds on the horizon and not far away a storm broke out ... Later it starts raining on us, but not strong, so we maintain the position ... The sun reappears later in mid-afternoon, giving us another glimpse of the beautiful day and eventually a sublime sunset.
At dusk we collect all our things and we return to the Comfort Suites and then go out to eat, eat great seafood in a restaurant nearby (the Caicos Café), concluding a day not quite started, but finished beautifully.

Let's go in the direction of the north-west of the island, the least populated and also the less touristy ... Indeed, from a certain point on, the road is unpaved, albeit in good condition.
We follow the directions to Malcolm Beach, a bay on which I had some references, and armed with patience to reach ... but it is a disappointment, with the sea very rough and the beach, reduced to a minimum, almost nonexistent.
So let's go back a long way on our path and then we venture between a low and dense vegetation to North-West Point: there the sea is calm and beautiful, even with the reef just offshore, but the shoreline dotted algae is not convincing either too much or Sabrina Federico, so we decide to finally take the road to Grace Bay.
Following the coastline we go to Blue Hill, one of the three original settlements in Provo, and along the main road we see some wooden houses, painted in typical Caribbean shades, then we arrive at the beach on the south end of Grace Bay, near the Turtle Cove Marina, where is Smith's Reef, a significant coral reef located a few tens of meters from shore.
In the company of Frederick I go exploring with mask and snorkel ... Been some nice fish and some interesting shapes, then we decide to change back to shore again because the place where we camped was beaten by a temporarily annoying wind.
We are heading in the same place yesterday, near Point Grace, but even there the atmosphere is somewhat disrupted and the sand flies in abundance greatly irritates Sabrina.
Lunch, given the hour, and then we put ourselves back on the move looking for a sheltered place ... We end so Sapphire Beach, on the south side of Providenciales. There seems not the wind blows and it is fine ... until, late in the afternoon, arriving out of heavy clouds block to fail hopelessly what remains of the day ... but will also partially ruined the wedding plan that is consumed on the beach a few meters from us.
A little 'annoyed just before sunset we'll go to the hotel, we go out for dinner at Pizza Pizza, for which the operator is an Italian (Genoa), by which a chat room and then we retire, ending a day not just my luck from the meteorological point of view.

The sky is finally clear of clouds when we get up.
Consume our usual breakfast and then we move to the south of the island to see the Chalk Sound National Park, a vast expanse of shallow water, blue and turquoise, green dotted with rocky islets.
We follow all the road running along the southwestern edge of the large inner lagoon, dotted with beautiful villas with magnificent views of the amazing body of water, to where the asphalt ends and where there is another strange pond, this Once completely red, probably because microscopic algae that grows in high salt concentrations.
On the way back we then put on research, on the open sea of Taylor Beach and effort we can find access to the beach, hidden among a number of private properties, but eventually they come to the head.
The bay, all in white and soft sand, is completely filled with a thin film of water shimmering crystal ... certainly a beautiful sight ... a little 'less beautiful, absurdly, is bathe as diving is rather difficult ... Not since, however, accept the usual, hateful, cloudy damper that even before the noon start to mount inexorably!
We remain at Taylor Bay until early afternoon due to the alternation of light and shade among many sun and shade, as long as it does not take over and finally the accumulation of clouds and that does not make its way out ... Then we collect all our things and we ran toward Grace Bay, as far as possible antipathy condensation of water vapor, up to Club Med in the north ... There's still a little 'sunshine and spend an hour quietly, then ... We continue to argue with the clouds ... notice that!
Falls a few drops of rain, but undeterred we show the muscles and we remain on the beach ... until sunset, when the sun briefly reappeared on the horizon, beyond the hideous body cloudy, then sinking into the Atlantic Ocean.
We return to the Comfort Suites with the long shadows of evening and for dinner we go to Calico Jack's, so I can enjoy once again the lovely valley, and then we retreat into the room, because in Providenciales do not even know what the night life.

Today is a week since we started, but it is also the last full day we will pass on the island of Providenciales ... and should not be in the best way to start, because the sky with a thin veil hinders the warm rays of the sun (... but look, 'what's new!?).
We go to breakfast and then shopping at the supermarket, then we go to see one of the few places in Provo still unknown to us: the eastern one, which is Long Bay.
In this part of the island there are no paved roads, but there are villas Hollywood, and directions to get to the beach are practically non-existent ... In the end, struggling a bit ', find access to the sea even if, as expected, the beach is particularly exposed to the fury of Aeolus and the waves, which struck with great insistence on the beach, make a stop at Long Bay essentially impossible.
We return to Grace Bay, a timid sun peeps out and arrive at Point Grace, where we stop for an hour because of repeated and annoying gusts of wind force us to change the new zone.
Staying in Grace Bay we are so further north, at Club Med ... There, the bursts are less strained and camp, while the sky opens and ... Alleluia! ... sun comes out powerfully in the open!
Over time the day is done then more and more beautiful, although it continued to blow a breeze and the sea rather than sustained no signs of stopping its swell ... However, weather the entire afternoon talking about becoming the best vacation ... So we can spend time at the beach ... Until the end, fiery, sunset and another marriage, meanwhile, has been romantically consumed a few meters from us.
With darkness approaching the upper hand over the light we return to the Comfort Suites and later we go to dinner, to the delight of Frederick, with a nice pizza ... by Pizza Pizza, then back to pack in anticipation of the impending departure.

E' il giorno del rientro in Italia ... indossiamo pantaloni lunghi e scarpe chiuse, chiudiamo il conto dell'hotel, carichiamo tutti i bagagli sul nostro "macinino" e partiamo in direzione dell'aeroporto.
Lascio Sabrina e Federico con le valigie di fronte alla porta delle partenze e vado a riconsegnare l'auto a noleggio, con la quale sull'isola di Providenciales abbiamo percorso 333 chilometri.
Ricondotto da un addetto dell'Avis all'aeroporto mi ritrovo con il resto della famiglia ed insieme affrontiamo in check-in ... Salutiamo le nostre cose, che vorremmo possibilmente rivedere in quel di Milano, e poi, oltrepassato un futile metal-detector, ci mettiamo in attesa del volo AA1080 per New York.
I tempi sono piuttosto lunAnd the 'day of the return to Italy ... wear long pants and closed shoes, we close the hotel bill, we load all our luggage on the "grinder" and head towards the airport.
Sabrina and Frederick I leave with the bags outside the door and go to the departures drop off the rental car, with which the island of Providenciales have traveled 333 kilometers.
Reduced by an individual square of the airport I find myself with the rest of the family and together we face in check-in ... We greet our things, we would like to possibly revise that of Milan, and then passed a futile metal-detector, we start waiting for the flight AA1080 to New York.
The times are quite long and we must be patient enough, but eventually we get on American Airlines Boeing 757, which almost right on time at 11:40, off the runway in the direction of American cities.
Below us flows the Caicos archipelago, Providenciales including of course, then through the open sea and after less than three hours, at 14:32, we touch the ground at JFK in New York.
Cross again the U.S. Customs, collect the bags and this time both boats immediately to Milan ... We pass without problems the last checks and reached number 39 on the door we relax a little 'eating a well-earned snack.
Punctual just get on the flight AA198, but due to some passengers in excess start with about an hour late ... American Airlines and the Boeing 767 takes off a few minutes before 19:00, while over the window, between the dense mist, just see the skyscrapers of Manhattan ... Hello America, hello New York ... soon, perhaps very soon!
We climb above the clouds and once stabilized the broken system, the clock on the Italian zone and in an instant is ...ghi e dobbiamo pazientare abbastanza, ma alla fine saliamo sul Boeing 757 dell'American Airlines, che quasi in perfetto orario, alle 11:40, stacca dalla pista in direzione della metropoli americana.
Sotto di noi scorre l'arcipelago delle Caicos, compresa ovviamente Providenciales, poi attraversiamo il mare aperto e dopo meno di tre ore, alle 14:32, tocchiamo terra al JFK di New York.
Attraversiamo ancora una volta la dogana statunitense, ritiriamo questa volta entrambe le valigie e le imbarchiamo immediatamente per Milano ... Oltrepassiamo senza problemi gli ultimi controlli e giunti alla porta numero 39 ci rilassiamo un po' consumando un meritato spuntino.
Puntuali saliamo sul volo AA198, ma a causa di alcuni passeggeri in eccesso partiamo con circa un'ora di ritardo ... e il Boeing 767 dell'American Airlines prende quota pochi istanti prima delle 19:00, mentre oltre il finestrino, fra la densa foschia, s'intravedono i grattacieli di Manhattan ... Ciao America, ciao New York ... a presto, forse molto presto!
Saliamo sopra alle nuvole e una volta stabilizzata la rotta sistemo le lancette dell'orologio sul fuso italiano e in un attimo è ...

Running toward the Atlantic at night ... We have dinner and then we have breakfast within a few hours, and dawn on the old continent ... Then we begin the descent towards Malpensa, where we landed at 8:52.
Withdrawn (unbelievable but true!) All baggage, including the umbrella, shipped to bet more than anything else. Go call the shuttle of the Parking and shortly after 10:00 we're on our way home.
We walk along the bypass west of Milan, then the A1 to the south, so around noon we are in Reggio Emilia and half an hour later in Bologna ... Fila away smoothly and at 13:00 we leave the motorway at Faenza to be at 13:10 at the gate of our house.
Another gem of the Caribbean can be conquered, so to speak, although we lacked a bit 'of sun and consequently we had to endure too many clouds and too much wind ... but there is no particular Grace Bay with the sea flat, if not then a bit more serenity in the early days, because of the suitcase disappeared ... So, all in all a nice holiday, but not one of the more fortunate that I remember.