Dispatches from Anguilla (Pt 1)

Anguilla is just the same as we remembered it, except maybe a tiny bit busier.  We’re back at the Viceroy in one of our favorite rooms overlooking the ocean.  Everyone here is so nice and welcoming, the room is perfectly peaceful, and I know a quiet nook to hide out on the beach away from the crowds.

I’ve read a couple of books so far, and I’ve also found myself spending a lot of time watching the sand crabs.  They’ll pop up out of nowhere, digging their little tunnels – it’s fascinating to see how they carry up a load of sand and then hurl it away.  They’re pretty skittish (I imagine it’s because they’re wary of birds?) but if you sit quietly, they’ll appear.

The water is as beautifully clear as ever.  Here’s a little video from our snorkeling excursion in Little Harbor…

We’re eating at all our favorite places (more to come!) but in the meantime, here’s a quick sample – so to speak – of what we’ve been eating.

Our current favorite light lunch is at Bamboo at the Viceroy.  It’s called Joyah Bread, and it’s a sort of layered salad with grilled flatbread, a creamy Caesar-type Parmesan dressing, an optional add-on of grilled snapper, then greens dressed in lemon vinaigrette, roasted peppers, olives, red onions, cucumber, and cherry tomato.

Split between the two of us (D also gets an appetizer, like conch fritters, if he’s coming back from scuba and extra hungry), it’s just right.  The combination of flavors and textures works perfectly together, and the snapper is a must-add – it’s light but makes this a substantial enough meal to carry me through to dinner.