Seven Ways Pelee Island is Like a Caribbean Backwater

Our one cloudy day on Pelee.

1. People wave to each other from cars. There are so few people on the island’s roads that basic friendliness is a given.

2. Consumer goods are shipped in. Scarcity is the rule, not the exception. A sign at the Co-op last Tuesday requested that people wait until Wednesday for vegetable and dairy perishables if at all possible.

 3. Visitors fall asleep early. Shops close early and the one sceney restaurant around (see below) stopped serving its Friday fish fry last week at 9 pm.

4. There’s a restaurant associated with the island's Anchor & Wheel Inn that serves fried fish and has a Caribbeanish theme.

5. The population swells in season, from between 150 and 300 (accounts vary) to around 1000 (again, accounts vary.)

6. There are aggressive biting insects, especially in the aftermath of storms.

7. It is impossible to find a wireless Internet connection. Seriously impossible. When a visitor makes an inquiry on the subject he is told to relax and enjoy his vacation.

More substantive musings on Pelee can be read here.