would be perfect. All incredibly romantic. On the waves of Dickenson's Bay the sun is bright red cheeks of a virgin, waiting for the champagne in the room and there is even a carpet of rose petals, that the door Suite colonial paw straight to a four-poster bed. Indeed, with a touch of malice in addition, invites you to dive between the foam overflowing bathtub. Too bad that there alarmed aspects in a inflatable duck.
The Butler has combined another of his return and difficult to break in the idyll. Not resigned to the idea that a guest could only come to the Great Sandals Antigua, award-winning resort and that all couples dream in which, for the hearts in love, is a must at least spend a night in the life.
Not bad. E 'on Sunday night and, as happens regularly on weekends of every week, Shirley Height are having a party. Reggae singers, dancers and sellers of wild rainbow maracas invariably find themselves up there on top of the peak overlooking the ancient port of Admiral Nelson.
Antigua before it was renamed the island of the 365 beaches, "on maps Royal Navy was in fact a far more strategic role: halfway between the Greater and the Lesser Antilles, served as a crucial junction on the route between the Americas and Europe, thus making it possible to control the traffic dell'ignobile triangulation with Africa .
no coincidence that the British, sniffed the logistical value of what today is considered the best port in the Caribbean, he finally seized in 1667 and defended it through clenched teeth. Thus was born the legend of Inglese Harbour, the most formidable arsenal of the Crown, where Admiral Nelson forged his military genius pulping crowds of mosquitoes and straightening crews devastated by rum.
In fact, the real attraction of the evening are the steel band, modern shamans provided to the transit of tin drums (so-called "pan"), which for hours and hours manage to swing the sticks at breakneck speed, creating ladders of notes impossible. In front of their frenzied power, the public seems to fall into a state of extrasensory perception, with his feet in the dust tarantolato dread-lock and twisted to the stars.
This form of relief, which rooted in the anger of African slaves, towards the '30s he met in accumulated oil drums in Trinidad and ended up turning them into deafening machine-gun anti-colonial. That's why, regardless of birthplace sudantillani, the steel band is now the symbol of freedom and a little Caribbean 'voodoo, so he had opened schools everywhere.
With his legendary Carnival, scheduled for last week of July to the first Tuesday of August, Antigua is perhaps the best point of contact between the dances of the ancient indigenous Arawaks, the bright colors of the African immigrants and the swagger a little 'show-off of the wolves of the sea adrift.
The old lookout Shirley Height could instead be the perfect place to meet the man who, in the Caribbean, has already learned all over twenty years ago. White shirt outside the trousers and sunglasses cut dandy, Carlo Falcone is our honorary consul stationed in Antigua. Do you know anyone who has created and operates the second largest marina on the island (in Falmouth Harbor, near the beautiful beach of Pigeon Beach), but between the Olympics in Barcelona and a triumph in the Rolex Cup aboard his yawl "Mariella "even finds the time to get magnate lively local art scene.
"I came here by accident - he reminisces with his unmistakable accent Livorno - because I'd had more than routine business. I uploaded my wife and son on the boat and we crossed the Atlantic together. Antigua is the top for a sailing enthusiast, so I threw the rope and I began working to find a bit 'of space for passing yacht. And here is my Antigua Yacht Club Marina: a place where you can get a cocktail with Herry Pepper, the inventor of the pen, or wink at a Hollywood star. But you're all'Abracadabra or Madison's Casino, is' confident that the island is always someone or something in the air. Just jump on the first shot catamaran. Or maybe a helicopter? ".
Maybe just hold on to the duck float. A while something will have to serve, by golly. The villa of Prime Minister Berlusconi is the easiest to recognize, especially because it has already cornered the best piece of available land on the western coast: With perfect timing, given that the Town government is thinking for a while 'd' establish a national marine park area.
Later, on a spur rock probably broke off from the far Albion, the home of a towering Eric Clapton, who neighbors have Cliff Richards and Jean Paul Belmondo. Just a dip in the bends of Green Island, where a noose left abandoned on a chair seems to allude to the joints of the old slaves, and again on the horizon overlooking Nelson's Dockyard, the only one Georgian port still active within which the epic of the colonization relives his glory through a museum theme, the period buildings partially adapted to hotel and laboratories, but especially in the splendor of the sailing ships anchored near the Boat House.
Antigua is so. Unlike many other Caribbean islands, where the rare historical suddenly appear behind a banana tree and stand out in a vacuum surrounding enigmatic, has managed to breathe new life into his past and to adapt it to the needs of its inhabitants now independent. Think of Harmony Hall, an old mill for processing sugar where our console housed the island's most interesting art gallery, providing space for colorful tribal paintings and sculptures of local talent.
certainly a destination's most prestigious than other residents who have chosen to reserve for ninety Antigua stone bases scattered, some to mo 'garage for the car, who as tower of support for his home, who still as an observatory for the stars. Betty's Hope Solo has never changed its face, giving back the bitter taste of how they could look the sugar plantations until the middle of last century, when the last descendants of slaves persisted in keeping alive the agricultural system of monoculture.
Sometimes it seems even to hear the heartbreaking lament of thousands of blacks who, night and day, were forced to cut, collect, grind and refine the dire reeds, until the strain of fatigue not bend their legs on the ground and the heart in the mud.
It 's the wind howling through the arch of limestone Devil's Bridge, a few kilometers east of the estate Christopher Codrington dedicated to his daughter back in 1674, the wind that mourns the many souls immolatesi the anger of the waves below, to escape a life of exploitation and humiliation.
The same wind that repeats obsessively reels in his Liberta names, Freetown and All Saints, of those who lead meager villages written the promise of a ransom arrived too late and, in the design of their houses, hiding the dream of a ship launched into the arms of Mother Africa.
As at Redcliff Quay St. John's, the historic district of the capital, it has been possible to hide wrinkles and scratches to please the wonder of the cruise in search of wealthy tax-free along the streets of the city exudes an air of charmingly shabby, similar to that of an island survived a storm: the old nineteenth-century cathedral stands still powerful, but he must have lost some pieces on the street, the colorful wooden houses and buildings faded colors show drunk, and the benches of the maximum step rise of biblical wisdom, yet no one sits on.
Perhaps the authentic soul of Antigua has moved elsewhere, under the roofs of the covered market, where the eye of President Vere Bird reminds everyone that the independence of 1981 was a particularly long and shrewd negotiation with the British Crown.
His patience, his care, his decision live on today in the faces s'affaccendano of the many passers-by find the best or shrimp mango cooler, because the Town is the son of the earth and of the many estates that dot the barren countryside of the interior, between grazing cows and trees laden with fruit.
Treasures soon swallowed up in the south by a dense tropical forest, which inevitably forces to Acrobat canopy trails to find the compass among the "mountains" Shakerley (the Boggy Peak, the highest peak, just over 400 meters).
Christian Right Farm, an estate where Local fruit and vegetables are grown under strict organic standards, represents the new face of the island: here it sources such as Verman Banhan the award-winning chef, who at the Hermitage Bay resort has created one of the most popular cuisines in the Caribbean.
The two structures are part of a pioneering project designed environmental sustainability English Andy Thesen, through which visitors have the opportunity to form new methods of environmental respect: the residences of the resort are constructed of materials plus completely biodegradable, have no impact on the area (being camouflaged in the vegetation) and are powered with clean energy (through solar and water recycling).
A point of reference for developing the entire island, making Antigua twice free. From the slavery of the market, but also the blindness of consumption.
the younger sisters
If the only Antigua boasts a different beach for every day of the year, its sister islands, however, should apply as out of competition. You can not say I swam in the best bays in the Caribbean, without having first put foot on the beach rose Barbuda, or undermined the enigmatic Cliff Redonda. The first (www.barbudaful.net) is just a 20 minute flight or an hour and a half by ferry from St. John's (the same distance can be covered, inter alia, on board the new and comfortable catamaran Barbuda Express) and is in fact, a pristine paradise. Beyond the town of Codrington, the historic Martello Tower (a watch tower of the eighteenth century) and the even more ancient Arawaks graffiti in the caves of the Interior, the remaining 160 square kilometers of the island belong only to the frigate, while the rich waters to fish that inhabit the reef. Even smaller Redonda (www.redonda.org), a steep ravine just 3 square kilometers, now completely deserted. Because of its secluded location just west of Antigua, in the centuries it was only a haven for pirates, but its huge deposits of phosphate (generated from the guano of the gulls) lit for a few years the interest of the British Crown, at the beginning of the twentieth century . Ben took another approach, however, the Irish banker Matthew Dowdy Shiell, who bought the island in 1865 and his son crowned King of Redonda. The English sovereigns had always tolerated this noble eccentricity, so that over time there have been several kings, including the poet John Gawsworth and the English novelist Javier Marias. Today there is a fierce dispute between the various claimants, even staged actions with the command.
BUSINESS ASSAULT
not pay disasters combined years of colonialism, the Europeans continue to divide to the Caribbean zone of influence. There are islands pro-British, pro-French or filolandesi, but for some years even filoitaliane. Antigua is one of those, thanks to the interest shown by some of our house VIPs, including the fashion designer Giorgio Armani and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The latter seems to have taken to heart the interests of the Town Government, having promised to Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer to engage local personally to cancel the foreign debt of the island by European leaders. On the other hand, Berlusconi is not just a regular tourist to Antigua, owning several houses on the spot, but is also trying to build four houses for his children and for the Milan players in the area of \u200b\u200bNonsuch Bay. A business that, over the past three years, has seen about 25 million € to the account of the Flat Point (represented by architect Gianni Gamondi, the guru of the Costa Smeralda) and thus of its national support Arner, but finished in the money laundering investigation of the Bank of Italy. The Mayor of Milan Letizia Moratti has instead pledged to solve the problem of poor lighting of internal roads of the island, while many educational exchange projects involving Italian students and Antigua. It is not surprising to find that, under these conditions, Antigua has been found to one of our closest supporters dell'Expo2015 for the award, as well as lavish party in granting the best conditions for the development of building plans. The property prices are very competitive: for a condo are required on average 200 thousand dollars while the cost of land per square foot (equivalent to 0.09 square meters) can start from just $ 125.
A REFUGE ARTISTS
With the continued influx of creative International, fascinated by the rich folk influences on the island, Antigua is experiencing a true Renaissance Caribbean. It 'easy to realize it by looking at the many artifacts that fill the traditional market of St. John's, where the clay is still working with traditional methods or jewelry made with stones and shells. Recently, it has thus created the first portal dedicated to the talents of Antigua (www.antiguanartists.com), which are collected profiles of 25 painters, sculptors, potters and photographers. Among these stands the Italian Debrozzi Dina, in 2011 the island will hold a major staff. However, there is no need to wait so long to get an idea of \u200b\u200bthe beautiful works produced: there is a specially dedicated to local circuit, which allows you to discover more folk side in Antigua starting dall'Hide Out Art Gallery in Piccadilly, to arrive at 'Pottery Elvis or The Art Loft, gradually up to the prestigious Blue Rhythm of Harmony Hall and Art Gallery.
RESTAURANTS
HARMONY HALL
addition to hosting the most famous art gallery of the island, the old mill stone that looks out on Nonsuch Bay experience delightful fusion between Italian and Caribbean cuisine, playing on the use of spices and intense flavors of tropical fruit. Guests can take advantage of the boat moored to a dip sull'amena Green Island. It also works as an intimate inn with six rooms, divided into two villas.
LE BISTRO
In the Hodges Bay is the small kingdom of chef Patrick Lyons, known for his blends French and Caribbean dishes. It is considered a must for Antigua, also because of the numerous reviews and the international presence at the program "The best chefs in the world," airing on Discovery Channel. It offers lobster, snapper, Pete and salads.
Treetops
Lovely restaurant in a nursery, is just five minutes from 'St. John's airport. The menu is based on Creole cuisine, with lots of fresh fish and shrimp of all kinds. Stand the mahi-mahi, the salt fish with mushrooms and seafood salads. Suggested the Sunday barbecue files from 13 to 19, with live music.
HOTEL
ANTIGUA YACHT CLUB RESORT & MARINA
Located on a hill overlooking the marina at Falmouth Harbour, in a central position in the historic port Inglese Harbour, is surrounded by shops, boutiques and restaurants. The new resort includes 49 accommodations, including 19 hotel rooms, 24 studio apartments and six bedroom suites, each furnished with elegant wooden furniture.
SANDALS GRANDE ANTIGUA
Located on the longest sandy beach of Antigua, Dickenson Bay and just 15 minutes airport, offers a special formula "luxury all-inclusive, valid both in the wing" Caribbean Grove "in the new" Mediterranean Village ". It boasts 373 rooms and suites, in 17 different categories, with the option of butler service. One of the 6 better than the restaurants available, it is ideal for water sports and spa treatments.
HERMITAGE BAY
idyllic resort of 25 cottage suites, camouflaged in a green estate of 140 acres, offers 17 of them in the hills, 5 beachfront, plus other 3 at sea level. Eco-Friendly also uses a great spa where they serve the prestigious Dorissima products and a scenic terrace for yoga, pilates and meditation outdoors. They organized a picnic on a boat wild coast, walking along the ancient slave trade, as well as visits to the estate which provides agricultural products for the restaurant, considered one of the best in the Caribbean. Double from $ 830 per night, all inclusive.
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