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The Tahitian Islands
 The Pearls
of Paradise
By Alina R Cabral/Deborah K. Grenon
Photos by Fran Grenon
Once more, my desire to travel to an exotic and far away destination arises. “So
many enchanting locations to visit”, I said to myself as I reached for the
phone to call Mikael at the VIP Escapes. A must do! After all, my previous experience
with them traveling to France, was a trip that I will cherish forever.
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Cheeca Lodge
Barefoot Elegance in the Keys
By Valinda Almeida
 Nestled on 27 private
acres of lushly landscaped property nudged against the Atlantic Ocean, Cheeca Lodge’s
classic elegance has attracted top political and sports figures, as well as honeymooners
and families, since its opening in 1946. With more than 1,200 feet of palm-fringed
beach, this AAA-rated Four Diamond resort is home of the George Bush Presidential
Retreat and the Curt Gowdy Lounge. For many years, former President George H.W.
Bush hosted an annual bonefishing tournament headquartered at Cheeca Lodge to raise
money for charity. Curt Gowdy, known as “the voice of the Boston Red Sox”
and “The American Sportsman,” was involved in the effort. Staff members
told me that Gowdy’s widow had been there the week before my visit and former
President Bush had been there two weeks prior. An important feature of this barefoot
playground is the wooden pier jutting 525 feet into the ocean holding sway to boats
embarking on fishing tournaments, diving and snorkeling trips and sunset cruises.
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Nevis
Queen of the Caribbees
By Valinda Almeida
 What
I’ll remember most about the small Caribbean island of Nevis are the
mango-eating green vervet monkeys, rum punches topped with freshly-grated nutmeg,
herds of goats and sheep roaming free with no human guide, the array of sturdy old
sugar mills transformed into luxury plantation inns, and a cast of colorful characters.
Set like an uncut diamond in the West Indies, this volcanic isle covered in tropical
rainforest offers a rich experience untouched by most visitors who continue to seek
the already-discovered shininess of the more popular and crowded tropical vacation
spots surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The smaller
of the two-island federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, separated by a two-mile
ferry ride, the English-speaking Nevis (pronounced NEE-vis) encompasses 36 square
miles and has 11,000 permanent residents.
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