Guadeloupe: home of the no worries attitude and falling mangoes

“That’s the third time this year her windscreen has been broken by a falling mango.” My host relates this anecdote as we watch the neighbour discover her three-time broken windscreen, shrug and pick up the vandal mango to peel it for a snack. This is Guadeloupe. A Garden of Eden, dripping with fruit and populated with people who can always see the bright side, a mango falls onto your car? Well that’s one more perfectly ripe mango for the fruit bowl. This is the home of the no-worries attitude.

Two butterfly-wing shaped islands make up Guadeloupe, Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre. Basse-Terre is home to mountains, volcanoes, black sand beaches and mangoes galore. Tropical rainforest cloaks the mountain range from the intense sun hiding waterfalls, rapids and lakes.

Its neighbouring island Grande-Terre is dramatically different, appearing entirely flat and covered with fields of cane sugar. That is until you drive into the centre of the island to find the unique and stunning “Grand Fonds” or ‘Great Depths’. These are valleys without mountains. Driving along a ridge that bridges one end of these depths to the other the land drops away almost vertically on either side, dropping below sea level at some points and entirely covered with a blanket of vegetation. This unique landform creates an unsettling illusion of being at the top of a mountain, at the same level as the pristine beach behind you, a mountain range in reverse and quite spectacular.

Bananas to sweet potatoes, vanilla pods to chilli, everything thrives here. The vast river network, perfect white sand beaches and plantations of coffee, cocoa and cane sugar as far as the eye can see, make you think of paradise, if not for the roads. Unfortunately Guadeloupe is over-run with cars, however this does mean that the roads, cutting through mountain ranges and stunning fields, are the best way to see every inch of this pair of islands. Pull over to take in the view for a few moments or for an impromptu ramble in the forest or along the coastline.

Hiking in the rainforest is a must in Guadeloupe, the paths are cut through the dense forest sweating with humidity, so dense it feels like there is a wall of vegetation on either side of the path – you needn’t worry about losing the way as it is the only route through the forest where there is enough space to fit between the vine covered trees. Bring plenty of sandwiches to sustain a gruelling 2 hour hike to the Chutes du Carbet waterfalls, you will not be disappointed with the magnificent views. Other lighter walks such as to the ‘Etang l’As de Pique’ (Ace of Spades Lake, so named as it takes the shape of a spade from a deck of cards) are incredibly rewarding. Almost every path will lead you to a glorious view whether its across a valley down to the coast, a series of tumbling and churning waterfalls or a glassy lake.

Etang l'As de Pique

There is plenty to see in the National Park of Guadeloupe, with the active Soufriere (meaning sulphurous) volcano to climb and volcanic springs to bathe in on the way back down, but Guadeloupe is not just one huge national park. For those more interested in culture and arts there are museums a plenty to guide you through a fascinating history. Guadeloupe has welcomed a near constant stream of new-comers and settlers since Columbus’ discovery. First came the British, Dutch and French settlers who brought African slaves and then Chinese and Indian workers. For a pair of islands that can be covered in less than 2 hours by car, the demographic of inhabitants is incredibly diverse. With them, each of these newcomers brought something to add to the melting pot of Guadeloupian culture, cuisine, language and architecture. Guadeloupian creole language is generally considered the language of Guadeloupian ancestors and yet it is made up of a melange of French, Dutch and several African dialects. It is still spoken informally today despite the official language of the region being French, as a result there is a sense that Creole is the mother tongue and French the language of daily life. This mixed up cultural identity has inspired many writers to try and find what it really means to be Guadeloupian and a vibrant and successful literary culture has developed as a result.

Visit the museums in Pointe-a-Pitre to discover this unique history in detail. In particular visit the Musée Saint John Perse, a converted colonial house dedicated to the Nobel prize winning writer, and the Musée Schoelcher dedicated to Frenchman Victor Schoelcher partly responsible for the abolition of slavery in the French Caribbean islands. Other than museums and the occasional spice market Guadeloupian towns are primarily residential and functional so have little to offer a tourist. Spend as much time as possible in the beautiful and rich countryside or on the coastline. To learn about and taste the best of Guadeloupian exports, visit the Bologne Rum Factory (January to June) and the coffee plantation (year round). Learn how chocolate is made at the Maison de Cacao and taste the cocoa at all stages of production, from fruit to finished product.

Guadeloupe’s beautiful landscape and relaxed atmosphere will make you think time has stood still. You will be reluctant to leave this bubble of no-worries attitudes and falling mangoes.

(In July I spent three weeks in Guadeloupe, a pair of French-Caribbean islands, staying with a retired french couple and exploring the beautiful scenery, tasting mouth-wateringly exotic fruit and meeting loads of wonderful Guadeloupian people. Having described exactly where and what Guadeloupe is to many of my friends and family I thought I'd share a little guide to gorgeous Guadeloupe here. This doesn't come close to the real experience, so get going to Guadeloupe if you can!)

Rae Morris at the Jericho Tavern, Oxford 9/3/12

Without a word of introduction a petite young girl creeps onto the stage and starts to sing, catching the crowd off guard as her rich voice fills the room and fills the gaps in conversations. Within a minute Rae had drawn the audience away from their chatter and their seats, towards her as if hypnotised by the sound of her stunning voice. There we all stood transfixed, in the palm of her hand. Thus began a  consistently strong performance at Oxford's favourite pub-come-venue the Jericho Tavern.

Tiny as she is, Rae Morris must be filled to the core with voice and she's just got to let it out.

Then she spoke, and once more took the audience a little by surprise as she thanked everyone for coming in a husky, whispery voice. Rae is incredibly timid when she speaks, but her singing voice is royally rich and sumptuous, as if all that confidence and power is saved for the music.

The only word that really seems to fit her pre-amble persona is 'endearing'. Rae Morris is the picture of endearing as she sips on a can of diet coke, adjusts her laid-back cable knit jumper and thanks the audience profusely for their praise. "I am just so full of thanks"

Everything about this girl is real. Her hair curls freely and is big enough to be the source of all her vocal power. Even her anecdotes paint a picture of a girl absolutely absorbed by her music and otherwise she is the epitome of the anti-diva. Speaking about tour-life she says how rather than being 'all rock and roll, we find ourselves just drinking loads of brews and getting early nights'. She tells us of her fussy eating habits and how she's having 'such an amazing time [on tour] but I seem to get less and less confident each time'. This lack of confidence is only noticeable when she is speaking, as soon as her words are set to a melody she finds a power and assurance you'd assume to be impossible of a girl so meek and mild in speech.

Regardless of her timid pre-amble, when Rae sings she has a presence as big as her hair, controlling her voice and shaping it into perfectly formed swells and whispers exuding emotional expression.

In 'Day One' she sings with a bluesy style interspersing warm drawn out notes with quick whispers. The husky edge to her sweet tone gives her a sound akin to a younger, fresher Alanis Morrissette.

'Don't Go' is one of the strongest of her tracks, this track could be a big'un, giving her a great chance to show off her impossibly strong voice and soulful style. The set is strong throughout but perhaps half an hour is as much as can be sustained with this fairly limited style of relaxed, soulful ballad style. Perhaps she'd benefit from a band behind her or even someone jumping in on percussion once in a while. If anything, having someone else on stage might give her that little confidence boost she needs between songs. That being said her voice is exciting and vibrant enough to keep the audience transfixed and every note seems to come from the depth of her soul. It was half an hour of uninterrupted 'wow'-factor.

Rae Morris is a natural, she has very good control of her powerful voice and the potential to go really far as a performer. Every note is a pleasure to hear and she is a charming, if somewhat self-deprecating, character. Saying at the request for an encore "I don't have to do another one if you don't want" and of course, with a voice like that, that's exactly what the audience did want!

Rae Morris is endearing and incredibly talented.

Have a watch of her set on the BBC Introducing stage at Reading 2011;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8A8Z_4l1L0

'Day One' - Rae Morris:

20's Revival: Swing your way into the new year

It was 1930s America. The market had crashed. Alcohol was prohibited and unemployment was at a record high. The Great Depression may have brought our spirits low but a clandestine culture of speakeasies and swing music brought spirits to martini glasses, making this one of the most entertaining periods of the twentieth century.

Oscar de la Renta's homage to the Roaring 20s

What goes around comes around, fashion is cyclical. As trends from decades past come swinging around the corner it should be no surprise that they coincide perfectly with world events and public feeling from that infamous first time around. 

Hence in this time of global recession, 20s and 30s revival is everywhere. Flapper dresses and drop-waists are all over the runways and art deco design is having a comeback. Most exciting of all these renovations is the growth of the electro swing genre. 

Swing music is undeniably the perfect antidote to depression great or small. With a rhythm that leaves you no choice but to dance, recessional blues can be swept off the dance floor making way for those who choose to dance their troubles away like its 1929.

The likes of Caro Emerald and The Asteroids Galaxy Tour (The Asteroids Galaxy Tour – The Golden Age) invite us to indulge in the rich sounds of a big brass band and get you tapping your feet in a matter of seconds. The allure of the Jazz Age is soaked in gin and fun, everything from dresses made to move, to the thrill of a covert club. So why not recapture the exuberance and excess of the swing music from the time. This is more than gangsters, this is about lavish parties and dresses dipped in sequins and bristling with fringe; a little less Bugsy and a little more Gatsby.

You could say this fascination with the jazz age has been brewing for decades, but with the explosion of the electro swing genre, the upcoming release of Baz Luhrmann's film interpretation of The Great Gatsby and the drop-waisted embellished dresses gracing both couture catwalks and high street shops, this is the moment to embrace the fat cat lifestyle for the sake of a little escapism from the brutal reality of this recession.

In the interest of keeping january blues at bay I see no reason not to explore the thrills of electro-swing music, it has certainly brightened up my month already. I suggest you dip your toes into the likes of Caravan Palace and Club des Belugas. Not forgetting my personal favourite duo, The Correspondents. They will blow you away by perfectly colliding swing samples with dub-step and dance beats, there is no end to the variety of their influences and Mr Bruce is possibly one of the best front-men I have ever come across. Get involved, you will not be disappointed.

The Correspondents - Myspace

The Correspondents on Spotify

New Year New You?

Has anyone ever literally turned a leaf over? If its the kind of leaf that we find whilst on the obligatory New Years Day walk then in my experience the other side is either grotty and covered in mud and other unthinkable things, or it is nearly identical to the first side. Is this cliche really what we want to peg our hopes for the coming year on? Does the reality tell us something about the nature of a new leaf?

I am starting to see the pessimism involved in the inevitable desire to re-make ourselves, kick those annoying habits or finally go for that radical haircut. Everyone has had one of those days when we feel like changing everything about ourselves. We see a role model or friend who seems to be 'doing' life better than us and then feel the chill as that sickening feeling of jealousy and dejection grows as we realise this is who we want to be, but aren't.

Appearances are deceiving. Unfortunately this fabulous person sitting across from you is probably battling their own insecurities, possibly rooted in how gracefully you just dealt with an awkward situation or the way you never seem to say stupid things like they do. We look for the good in people, we envy them, we are experts at spotting someones attributes and yet we are terrible at doing the same for ourselves.

Although this feeling, this need for reinvention can spring up on us at any moment, but I can't help noticing that we make life particularly difficult for ourselves in January. I won't go on about all the fabulous indulgence that comes with Christmas and New Year festivities, mostly because you all know exactly what I mean and have probably been talking about it in disbelief for days. "I ate x many mince pies?!"  We might think every year that next year we'll do things differently, or at least that we won't eat enough to feed a village in Somalia, resulting in a food-coma on the living room floor. But we do. Because when it comes to indulgence, things don't change.

So it is inevitable that if I continue on with this sweeping generalisation, condemning everybody in western civilisation of being stuck in their gluttonous festive ways, I will conveniently introduce my contempt for new years resolutions. January comes swinging around with a bad hangover and fluffy memories of an over priced and underwhelming New Years Eve. Self-confidence in tatters as a result of munching more mince pies and mulled wine than we care to remember, apparently this is the moment to focus on our flaws and shortcomings? The timing could not be worse.

The pessimism of new years resolutions, sounds like I'm about to harp on about how nobody ever sticks to their new rules for living so why bother. However, as ever I am waving the flag for optimism and telling you that if you are sure this is a change worth changing then you can achieve anything you want. But are you sure it is a change worth changing? Really, what I am lamenting is the pessimism and self-deprecation involved in picking a resolution or several. Dwelling on the negative is no way to start the gloomiest month of the year. I've established that we are to harsh on ourselves and melancholy January is certainly not the time to focus on our hang-ups.

January is gloomy enough (more on that later...), so in my humble - eternally optimistic - opinion, lay off the resolutions to lay off the chocolates. There are ways and ways of reinventing yourself or giving yourself a new outlook on life. Surely with a resolution to cut out chocolate or snacks or your favourite bad habit you will only set yourself up to fail (because lets face it that habit is a habit for a reason). Yet it would be better to focus on new things to try or explore rather than depriving yourself of your favourite vices. In other words, a new years resolution to learn to cook, learn a language or go somewhere new could change your life (yikes that's cheesy) and maybe give you a fresh perspective.

I have probably contradicted myself here. If you really want to change, then I believe you can do it (this is impossible to say without sounding like a special k advert, sorry) but the likelihood is that you will break a restrictive resolution. So instead of focusing on whatever flaws you think you have, remember you're awesome and then try something new, or be sucked in to the pessimistic jaws of january.

In the meantime maybe my favourite gypsy band Molotov Jukebox can cheer you up on this windy and grey day in January...

Review: We Were Evergreen

Photos taken by Dan Korkelia www.dankorkelia.com

Last night at The Borderline this cutesy but cool parisian trio warmed London's hearts with a sell-out show to make everyone smile. Their kooky sound - think of a ukelele accompaniment to a light hearted game of ping-pong - leaves you smiling from eyelashes to toenails. There really is no escape from the happy-go-lucky, carefree vibe they pour into the room. I emerged from the club afterwards in the centre of London feeling like I'd just been led to the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow by a unicorn playing a ukelele, but not in a trippy way...

Am I making any sense at all? Its surprisingly difficult to describe We Were Evergreen without underselling or sounding like a flower fairy. This band is like no other I've ever come across.

Lets establish the basics. There are three lovely parisians on the stage surrounded by a variety of fun looking instruments to play with. A girl in an impossibly cool and understated outfit stands to the right, playing a xylophone and glockenspiel and singing lovely harmonies. She beams from ear to ear, exuding pure glee to be on stage. With pixie cuteness she makes you want to get up on stage and join in, until you realise this may ruin the vibe somewhat and that its probably best to leave it to this talented trio.

On the left is a slightly edgy guy, a genius with a loop pedal. He builds the backbone of the music with dextrous use of an array of, often overlooked, percussion instruments, not to mention the occasional foray into beat-boxing. He follows this by playing the bass, ukelele and guitar and jumping in on vocals. This man is a musician from head to toe so he'll pick up any instrument he finds and churn out a catchy riff or bass-line, he's no front man, he forms the entire skeleton of the band.

Meanwhile the fantastic front man with a cheeky grin leads the band through their set singing about trees, children, penguins and memories. He leads the vocals, plays the ukelele and the guitar and keeps on smiling the most genuine smile I've ever seen.

What is great about We Were Evergreen is they don't stop at just plain cute, they push their songs further into the realms of electro to give these catchy hooks a bit of a kick to keep you dancing, and they do incredibly well without a drum kit per se. Their innovative use of percussion is possibly my favourite thing about them, no cow-bell is spared to give a variety of sounds and beats.

If one thing is certain, this band are genuinely thrilled to be performing, and their music is as cheery and light-hearted as they are. They'll instantly put you in a good mood and will have you smiling all day.

The only thing left to do is stalk them on youtube and spotify....I've given you a head start see the links below and I urge you to absolutely go and see We Were Evergreen live if they are performing within a million miles of your home...

My favourite version of my favourite song...

Another lovely song...

And their spotify page:
We Were Evergreen


Enjoy...

One Day: Review

Every chapter of this book pulls you into the lives of Emma and Dexter on 15th July of a different year from 1988 to 2007. Sometimes they are together, sometimes apart, occasionally they get on, but it is clear that they love each other from beginning to tragic end. 'One Day' is unique, hilarious and stunningly written throughout so that by the end you feel like you've been there for twenty years through the ups, the downs and all those missed opportunities.

Emma and Dex meet on 15th July 1988, the night of their graduation. After an awkward morning following their one-night-stand they must go their separate ways, but that is just the beginning of their intensely complicated friendship.

Dexter dives straight into two adventurous gap years travelling the world, living a charmed life. Rich, gorgeous and charismatic, the world is like putty in his hands, as are the many women he encounters. Meanwhile Emma is stuck in a rut in a Tex-Mex restaurant in London, wondering how she ended up there and how on earth is she to get free and make use of that glittering potential that only Dex seems to appreciate.

However Dexter's life of Riley has an expiration date, which he hurtles towards with the grace of a drunken elephant crash landing a plane. Dex is forced to grow up despite his Peter Pan attitude and becomes trapped as his various vices catch up with him. As Emma gets her life together Dexter is unable to keep up. This pattern weaves its way through the novel, Emma's up and Dexter's down then they're up, down and confused all at once and never at the same time. As their relationship develops and dwindles over the years, they try to keep track of their own complicated lives and it certainly takes a life-time for them to find that same page they both need. 

This will-they-won't-they rollar coaster is enchanting, enthralling and impossible to put down. One Day made me laugh, cry and laugh a whole lot more. David Nicholls keeps you guessing as you leap from year to year dipping into the successes, disappointments and catastrophe's of Emma and Dexter's lives. I found myself excited at the beginning of each chapter to know what had occurred in these charmingly flawed brutally realistic characters' lives, as if catching up with old friends after a year apart. I emerged from this book (finishing it on 15th July might I add) feeling like I had known Emma and Dexter for twenty years and already missing them. Call me crazy but thats how involved I became in their extraordinary, and yet, surprisingly ordinary story. 

I am now exceedingly excited for the film to come out on 26th August and I urge you all to read this smashing book before seeing the film. Here's hoping Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess can do it justice as they tread that tricky tight-rope of literary adaptations, I have a feeling they'll carry it off with style.

La Dolce Vita

Italy is bursting at the seams with culture, from Roman ruins to renaissance artists it is impossible to visit this beautiful country without diving directly into its culture. As a result it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and is also one of the most commonly written about in travel magazines and sunday supplements. I could fill you in on the stunning Basilica's I saw or I could describe the electric atmosphere of Venice and the understated beauty of Verona. However you've probably read it all before and the cultural aspect of my Inter-rail trip was only partly responsible for making it unforgettable, the rest came down to the hostels we stayed in and of course, the people we met. 

I had notions of what a hostel might be like - dorm rooms full of snoring teenagers, shower blocks and canteen style breakfast rooms. To an extent I was right - each hostel had dorms, showers and a breakfast room but the similarities ended there. In reality hostels are incredibly individual, each one is different from the last in clientele, atmosphere, and, unfortunately, cleanliness. Not only that, but part of the charm of each hostel is the way its atmosphere fits in completely with the character of its location, a lot can be learnt about a place by the hostels found there. 

We started our trip with a pit stop in Turin, an industrial town known for car manufacturing and winter olympics and not a whole lot else. The hostel here was huge and impeccably clean, everything had a smooth, modern surface and absolutely zero character - just like the car factories full of robots that inhabit this city. We felt like we could be anywhere in the world and not a single one of my 600 photographs was taken in Turin.

The next stop was Como, unbelievably picturesque Como. As we arrived at this family run hostel we were greeted like long lost friends by a textbook stereotypical Italian "Mamma". Ostello Villa Olmo is laid back, almost horizontal, and full of really lovely people. As you walk into the reception slash dining room your eyes are immediately drawn to a wall covered with postcards and drawings from previous visitors and this hostel was my absolute favourite for atmosphere, charm and comfort.

I think its fair to say that this lake side town is beautiful enough to merit the photographic binge that I had there. 

From one beauty to the next, we moved on to Verona. Verona has more character than the rest of Italy combined, everywhere you look there is another 16th century villa or Roman amphitheatre (ok so there's only one amphitheatre but it is huge and built from pink marble so it dominates the city centre). As you walk around the stunning city you can't help but feel like you are walking around a film set, "fair verona" doesn't even begin to cover it. In-keeping with this theme, the hostel we stayed in (Villa Francescati) is a converted 16th century garden estate just over the river, bursting with character and with people too. As much as we liked the hostel here, a lot of our sentences during our stay in Verona began with "when we are millionaires" as it seems that the best way to 'do' Verona is with a very large budget for a boutique hotel in the centre and copious shopping trips and opera outings. Whatever budget you are on, Verona has a magical and very romantic atmosphere - tale of star crossed lovers anyone?

Juliette's tiny balcony

Piazza Bra - surrounding the famous open air opera house

24 hours in Verona then we skipped off to Padua, university town since the dawn of time and the atmosphere to match. Our hostel was shabby but clean and friendly and the girl in our room was an art history student who gave us great advice about Venice. This was one of the best sides to staying in hostels; not only do you meet great people but they'll often reel off as many tips and recommendations as they can think of for a few of your own tips in return of course. We found Padua just as friendly as the hostel and although we didn't spend much time actually in Padua the feel of a university town was a great comfort to us as we were surrounded by young people. 

We visited venice from Padua, having heard that the humidity in Venice makes it nearly impossible to sleep comfortably, not to mention the thought of how many euros you are spending not to sleep in this ferociously expensive city. I think Hannah would agree that this made our visits to venice that much more relaxed and enjoyable as those swarms of tourists need to be taken in small doses. Although hoards of people were only found in the huge piazza's - dive down one of many side streets and the crowds disperse, leaving you to enjoy this city which becomes on big bold and beautiful tourist attraction in the summer months. 

Our gondola driver grabbing a beer from the local pub during our (free!) gondola ride - highlight of our time in Venice

Following a magic but manic time in venice we took a time out in Tuscany. We stayed with H's parents in their holiday villa in the mountains whilst we took a break from cities, hostels and shower blocks. This few days was stunning and so relaxing, giving us the perfect opportunity to rev up for Roma. 

3 days of culture in the countryside and we found ourselves on a train to Rome, our last stop in Italia, unfortunately for just 2 days. They say a lifetime isn't long enough for Rome and I completely agree, having spent two days flying around the city trying desperately to squeeze in one fascinating place, or fabulous meal after another. "Hotel Beautiful" was certainly not my favourite hostel of the trip - it was a place to crash out and nothing more. Initially we were worried about a hostel in the seedier part of town "Termini" and I certainly wouldn't recommend it, except that we were about 45 seconds walk from the immense airport-like station Roma Termini, which is very convenient for catching a train at silly o clock on the last morning. 

Aside from the noisy but fine hostel, Rome itself was magical. It is in fact a lot like London as it is full of stunning architecture with an incredible, monumental history and meanwhile it is a fully functioning modern city. We saw stunning sights and awe-inspiring buildings but the absolute highlight of our visit to Rome was the best pizza I've ever had. Lonely Planet calls it the best pizza in Rome and as far as I'm concerned that makes it the best in Italy. Pizzeria da Baffetto is a bustling trattoria, where people were still queuing outside at half 10 at night hoping to be squeezed onto a table with other strangers just to save time. The pizza was indescribable and perfect. It was a perfect combination of finding this place by accident, when we were tired and starving combined with a truly Roman Pizzeria experience that I highly recommend to anyone who is heading to Rome. 

Trevi Fountain

Picturesque and buzzing Trastevere is the ideal place to spend your evenings in Roma

I think it's clear that hosteling around Italy was a truly fantastic experience and all I can say to sum up is now I've tasted "La Dolce Vita" of laid back and friendly Italia, I can't imagine a better lifestyle. 

Hostel Recommendations

Ostello Villa Olmo (Como) - http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostels-Como---Villa-Olmo-031065.en.htm

 - This is the only hostel in Como but it really is fantastic, it is a lovely lakeside walk into the centre of town and they do huge and delicious meals for only 10 euros, I highly recommend this place.

Villa Francescati (Verona) - tel 045 59 03 60 ostellionline.org

- This hostel is in a really cool villa with lots of character but I'd take earplugs as the traffic outside is noisy.

Ostello Citta di Padova (Padua) - ostellopadova.it

About half an hours walk through the city centre to the station, but it is a nice walk and the hostel is easy to find, friendly and clean.

Beehive hostel (Rome) - www.the-beehive.com 

This is not where we stayed but we were too late to book here as it is very popular, it has fantastic reviews and looks like a great place to stay. 

I also highly recommend the Lonely Planet guide to Italy - it is very easy to use and helpful for accommodation options and restaurant suggestions as well as history about the various sights. I became dangerously attached to my copy during our trip!