Hello Guadeloupe!

It was just like coming home...which, I guess, is to be expected when you've travelled to a same location 5 times! Even through all the frosty green de-icer that caked the plane windows from Montreal all the way to Guadeloupe, I could just make out the edge of the lush green jungle and brilliant blue ocean. When we began to descend into the warmth of a tropical 28C climate, the window cleared and I saw Port-Louis, recognized the streets, imagined the route we would later drive in my head. Even with the stuffiness of this head cold that won't let me rest, arriving at our familiar Airbnb, chatting with Carole about the changes about town, unpacking my overstuffed suitcase, all of this made me feel as though I was breathing just a bit easier (even though I really wasn't. Stupid cold).

Did you know that most shops are not open on Christmas, even if you are on vacation? We never take this for granted, and always come prepared with a box of pasta and cans of tuna in olive oil. This has become our traditional Christmas dinner, even if we arrive to discover that a wonderful Airbnb host has taken pity on us, and stocked our fridge with a few essentials so we don't go hungry! Still, tonight we opted to enjoy our pasta, accompanied by a glass(or two) of the homemade rhum punch from Carole, laced with cinnamon and star anise, and tasting of Christmas in the tropics. It paired perfectly with our Christmas cookies and cherry loaf from home, too.

Now, it's time for a good, long sleep. Tomorrow, we'll get reacquainted with the town, buy our morning baguette and get some groceries for the week. Maybe we'll head down to the beach to dip our toes in the water, but really, we've got no plans. I guess we'll see where the day takes us.

Windows frosted with de-icing product

De-icing the plane in Montreal