Celebrating Caribbean Color
Why do people travel to the Caribbean islands? Why, time after time, are Caribbean island getaways so enduringly popular? The easy answer: sand, sun, sea.
And those are good answers, because let's face it, the West Indies earns an A++ when it comes to natural beauty. Add in coral reefs with brilliant tropical fish, and lushly green hills (in places like Jamaica and St. Lucia) and this island chain is undeniably one of the most spectacular destinations on our planet.
But...can we suggest an additional reason? And that is: Caribbean color. The houses and buildings are simply amazing! Like this one in Petite Anse, Martinique:
Zickie, our daughter, and I wandered through this small fishing village, and were enchanted by the design and vibrant paint. Like this small building in jubilant green and yellow:
Or, this past summer, when we were staying in Deshaies, Guadeloupe (on Basse Terre island), a shop called Le Pelican:
Then there is a street in Roseau, on the island of Dominica, famed for its gorgeous landscape:
Roofs are peaked so inside the heat rises; windows allow the island breezes to flow. Shutters can be closed in case of tropical storms. Many of these elements involve practical considerations. But the blue siding and yellow trim? That just feeds the soul.
You don't need to be an architectural expert to be seduced by the colors -- of the house -- in the Caribbean. Something within us responds, without hestitation. Yes, I want to live there! Visit there! See...that place.
What do you think? Does the tint of Caribbean houses effect you? Is this a draw? Are you like Zickie and me, lured in by the unpretentious island beauty?
(Photo credits: all photos by Zickie Allgrove, except Roseau, Dominica by Roger Wollstadt from Flickr)