There is a type of blackbird common in Bequia that has a distinctive and loud call. These birds’ cry sounds as if they are saying “Bequia Sweet… Bequia Sweet”. No matter where you go on the island- from the bustling streets of town to the rum shacks on the beach- you can hear the joyous sounds of birds singing “Bequia Sweet.” It is as if these birds know how special their island home is and they can’t help but sing about it. This bird cry is also an earworm to us frequent visitors- reminding us how lucky we are to be in Bequia and how sweet it is!
We returned to sweet Bequia yet again and allowed the island to work its magic and melt away our stresses and slow down our senses. Electronic devices were put away, air conditioning turned off, shoes removed, and to-do lists forgotten. The rhythm of daily life slowed down and we set our internal clocks to “island time” where no one is ever in a hurry and when a local tells you he will be “jus now” it could mean anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 hours. But who cares, because there is always sun, rum, sand and sea to occupy us.
We caught up with all of our Bequia friends and visited all of our favorite spots. One of the beauties of Bequia is that not much changes from year to year. There are no new high rise hotels, or beach clubs or fancy restaurants. And that is fine by us. We like the locally-owned establishments with local food and local customers. We feel more a part of the island this way. And the people are truly what makes Bequia so sweet. They are open and accepting and warm and generous.
Closing my eyes and remembering Bequia- the smell of its sea breezes, the sounds of the birds, the taste of a lobster salad at De Reef, the feel of the warm sand in my toes… can bring a smile and relax me instantly. My smile is even bigger knowing I am going back in 1 week! Bequia Sweet!
