Despite designing and building a big house – especially when you consider that it’s for just two people – we’ve found that space is at a premium in certain areas. So it was great to discover these beautiful folding bamboo stairs. An incredible combination of beauty and practicality, from Bcompact Design.
Guadeloupe
Stucko the Iguana
Green iguanas wander around our property – we usually see at least one a day, climbing the giant tamarind tree, hanging out by the pool, or eating morning glories. They tend to be pretty shy and skittish, and we enjoy coming up with names for them. This guy was originally named Loki because he wasn’t quite so shy, but after this little adventure, we renamed him to Stucko. He’s borderline friendly now, having learned that we definitely mean him no harm. 🙂
Mourning Doves
Among the dozen or so varieties of birds we see every day in Guadeloupe, there are three kinds of doves: mourning doves, ring-neck doves, and turtle doves. The mourning doves are constant companions – they hang out on the terrace or by the pool, chasing away the ring-necks whenever possible; they perch on the roof, peck for seeds, and of course coo constantly.
And Continue reading
Green Heron, Blackbirds in Guadeloupe
We are visited by tons of birds every day: large numbers of birds and many different species. While we see blackbirds and at least two different kinds of doves every day, this green heron is only an occasional visitor, so I feel lucky to have gotten him on video, however briefly.
Rare sighting of a beautiful green heron, plus lots of blackbirds, including a youngish one squawking constantly to be fed.
An Iguana Tail Tale
This is the story of an iguana in Guadeloupe. Iguanas come and go on our property – some we recognize for a while then never see again, while others are anonymous creatures that we never get to know. Sometimes they wander in our front door – and then usually get freaked out when they see us and hide in ridiculously small gaps behind appliances and furniture for a day or more, then sneak out when the coast is clear. Other times we barely spot them racing across the driveway or hanging out on the periphery. Generally speaking, they are extremely shy (though there are exceptions). Despite their sometimes fearful appearance, iguanas would much rather take flight than fight. Continue reading
Before and after the hurricanes
There’s nothing quite like before and after photos for showing the effects of hurricanes. Continue reading
Hurricanes in Guadeloupe
We’re coming up on our 4th anniversary here in Guadeloupe, and this is the first year that we’ve really been affected by a hurricane. Continue reading
Guadeloupe or Guadalupe?
When I tell people I live in Guadeloupe, they often think that means Mexico. Interestingly, there are a number of towns and an island named Guadalupe (pronounced “gwa da loo pay”) in Mexico (and other Spanish-speaking countries), and I’m not sure which one they’re thinking of.
In any case, I don’t live in Mexico: I live in France. Continue reading
Going to Guadeloupe
With the launch of cheap, direct flights from the US in 2015 and expanded dates and airports in 2016 – not to mention the full-page spread in NY Times Travel in 2017 – Guadeloupe is becoming a popular destination for Americans. Here’s a bit of advice on getting here.
If you live on the East Coast, you’re in luck, because extremely cheap flights can be found from New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), and Baltimore/Washington (BWI), as well as from Fort Lauderdale/Miami (FLL). If you’re not near one of these airports, you still might be better off flying to one of them to take advantage of this much cheaper second leg, courtesy of Norwegian Air.
Note: Guadeloupe is an overseas French department, and up until 2015, 90% of its tourists were from mainland France. This means that French is the official language and English is not yet widely spoken. To make the most of your trip, I recommend that you learn French.
Buying property in Guadeloupe
In early January 2014, our offer was accepted – and the insanity began in earnest. Continue reading
