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  • Beach Bar Bingo
  • Health on the Go
  • Classic Caribbean
  • Island ABCs
  • About Us
seasonedtraveler.ca
  • Destinations
  • Beach Bar Bingo
  • Health on the Go
  • Classic Caribbean
  • Island ABCs
  • About Us

Tortola

Sugar Mill Hotel, Tortola, British Virgin Islands

Destinations
XMarch 12, 2023
This sweet spot offers a sense of place and an excellent base to explore the

Tortola (British Virgin Islands)

Island ABCs
XFebruary 15, 2021
A scenic, friendly jumping off point to the British Virgin Islands.

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The Seasoned Traveler Magazine
Just back from a short three-day getaway to New Or Just back from a short three-day getaway to New Orleans. It’s hard to pick what this resilient and friendly city does better - food or music?  New Orleans has its own unique cuisine and there is some “pretty fine eating”, to be sure. As for the music? It’s everywhere and of a crazy high standard. Take this place, for example - a tiny jazz club on Bourbon St., tucked away for over 50 years in a building dating from 1831. Just a bar with a few wooden benches, tables, chairs and a terrific ambiance. The band plays strictly for tips but the musicianship is amazing. In fact, it turns out the tuba player is a Grammy Award winner. 🎺 #neworleans #jazz #bourbonstreet #jazzmusician #greatbars #livemusic #seniortravel #travelphotography #feelgoodfriday
A bit of an emotional roller coaster of a weekend. A bit of an emotional roller coaster of a weekend. Saturday began with the funeral of a dear friend of my late parents, a lovely lady. It was kind of like the passing of a remarkably resilient generation, never to be seen again. That was followed by a multiple birthday celebration with my oldest and dearest friends. Then Sunday started with another funeral. This time a ‘girl’ I had known since college/university days. A couple of years younger than me, she finally succumbed, after an incredibly brave three year fight with my old enemy, cancer. Sobering. And by late evening we were here, on a long-booked getaway to New Orleans - a city that can’t help but lift your spirits. Where else can you get a spicy Bloody Mary garnished with a freshly grilled Cajun shrimp 🦐? To go? For $7.50? And with the world’s best street musicians playing in the background? Such is life. Enjoy it while you can.
Lest We Forget. Lest We Forget.
A beach and a bar… What more do you need?  Can’t think of much, really. Especially with a beach like Rendezvous Bay on Anguilla🇦🇮 and a bar like the SunShine Shack.😎 See my new review of one of the most famous beach bars in the islands on the website (link in Profile). @sunshineshack_ @anguilla_tourism @jesson.company @beachbarbums #beachbar #bestbeaches #anguilla #anguillabeaches #beachbum #caribbean #islandgetaway #ruminthesun
Thoughts for #traveltuesday. This is the time of y Thoughts for #traveltuesday. This is the time of year when many of the restaurants, bars and hotels in the islands begin to open up and welcome the new season. The SunShine Shack on Rendezvous Bay in Anguilla🇦🇮 is just one example. They reopened  last week, I believe. What a nice, warming  thought! (As of this morning it looks like Hurricane Tammy is spinning off into the Atlantic.🤞Let’s hope that this is the last one of the season, and that it spares the beautiful island of Bermuda🇧🇲.) @sunshineshack_ @anguilla_tourism @jesson.company #anguilla #beachphotography #rendezvousbay #worldsbestbeaches #caribbean #beachbum #funinthesun #islandhopping #beachbar
A PERSONAL MESSAGE🎗: Here I am doing what I do A PERSONAL MESSAGE🎗: Here I am doing what I do best - bumming around a Caribbean beach bar. This particular one is the chic and cool Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda in the beautiful British Virgin Islands🇻🇬, some 3,100 km from my home in Toronto🇨🇦. It was taken in February, virtually three years after I was diagnosed with Stage lll male breast cancer. Why am I here? I’m here because I want to be. I’m here because I’ve learned to come to terms with my cancer and the many restrictions it places on me. I’m here because I push myself at times (and am blessed to have someone who reels me in and puts things right when I push too hard). I’m here because of the efforts of a hard working team of skilled and dedicated physicians, oncology nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare practitioners. But mainly I’m here because I didn’t ignore the signs - as much as I was tempted to do so. I had that “small lump” checked and, as a result, was diagnosed and treated in a timely fashion. So, in the middle of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, my message is  a simple one. Guys, and those who love them, don’t kid yourself that men don’t get breast cancer.  It may be rare, but it’s out there. Be aware, be alert and be ready to react🎗. @_breastcancer.awareness_  @cancersociety @bitter_end_yacht_club @britishvirginis #malebreastcancer #breastcancerawarenessmonth #beachbars #britishvirginislands #seniortravel #caribbean #travelphotography #thursdaythoughts
If you are searching for the true spirit of the Ca If you are searching for the true spirit of the Caribbean, you don’t need to look any further than rum.  Rum, in it’s many forms, is common to all of the islands and virtually any country that touches the Caribbean Sea and, I’m happy to say, that it’s finally getting the respect it deserves. And nowhere is that truer than at the elegant Rhum Room at Zemi Beach House on Shoal Bay East in Anguilla🇦🇮, where the knowledgeable and charming ‘rummelier’, Princess, is sure to increase your appreciation of this complex, nuanced spirit. Have just posted our review of the Rhum Room on the website. Details in the profile. Cheers! 🥃 @zemibeachhouse @ron.centenario_intl @havanaclub @anguilla_tourism @jesson.company @appletonestateja #anguilla #rum #bartenderstyle #luxuryresort #ruminthesun #rhum #caribbeantravel #worldsbestbars #traveltuesday #travel #thirstytuesday
Finishing off my posts of our recent UK trip back Finishing off my posts of our recent UK trip back where I started - down by the sea.  Spent a day visiting an old friend in the charmingly relaxed seaside town of Worthing in West Sussex with its 160 year-old pier, where local fishing boats still supply the menu items for the town’s fish and chip shops. It’s just a bus ride along the coast from my birthplace of Brighton (not quite so relaxed😅). The weather was perfect and the views from the top of the double decker bus along the way added to the pleasures of the day. And, as I’ve said many times, there’s nothing quite like being by the sea. A perfect ending to a lovely trip.🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Now it’s time to leave home to go home… if you know what I mean.🙂@visitbritainofficial #englandtravel #sussexcounty #sussexbythesea #worthingbeach #piers #seaside #seasidephotography #seniortraveller #bythesea #travelphotography #worthingpier
If you’ve been following me for a while, you’v If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ve probably noticed that I’m a James Bond enthusiast and a bit of a collector. So when I found myself in London for a night, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit Dukes Bar in Mayfair. Dukes was James Bond author Ian Fleming’s favourite watering hole where, so the story goes, the phrase “shaken, not stirred” was coined. The amazing bar staff have turned making a martini into an art. Naturally, I ordered a Vesper.🍸 Best one I’ve ever had, though it should be noted that the preference of the experts at Dukes is for ‘stirred’. Sorry, James. @dukeslondon @visitbritainofficial @alessandro_palazzi #jamesbond #007 #luxuryhotel #worldsbestbars #bartender #martini #cocktails #seniortraveller
Coming across out of the way traditional old pubs Coming across out of the way traditional old pubs is one of the joys of any visit to England. The Crown & Anchor in Chichester Harbour, West Sussex was a real find. With its picturesque setting, a selection of real ales🍺 and a menu laden with fresh local fish and seafood, it was a lovely place to spend a sunny autumn afternoon. @crowndellquay @visitbritainofficial #sussexcounty #britishpub #chichester #seniortravel #realale #travelphotography #seasiderestaurant
Spent our first three days in England at the state Spent our first three days in England at the stately Baliffscourt Hotel and Spa in Climping, West Sussex. This country hotel boasts a medieval-style house, thatched cottages, a 13th century chapel and extensive grounds, including a pathway down to the beach. It was once owned by Lord Moyne, Arthur Guinness, of the famous brewing family.  Had a wonderful stay at a truly elegant and delightfully atmospheric establishment. @hshotels @visitbritainofficial #sussex #countryhotels #luxuryhotel #travelphotography #historichotel #englandtravel #manorhousehotel #seniortravel
Wonderful to be by the sea again. Maybe it’s not Wonderful to be by the sea again. Maybe it’s not the warm, turquoise water and white sand of the Caribbean that you are used to seeing me beside, but I also have an affinity for this particular body of water - the somewhat colder😅 English Channel. And why not? I was born virtually in sight of it.  This beach is accessible by a path from where we are staying, the elegantly gracious Baliffscourt Hotel & Spa in Climping, Sussex🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿. @hshotels @visitbritainofficial #sussexuk #beach #seaside #travelphotography #seniortraveller #englishchannel #luxuryhotels #countryhotel
Birthday🎂musings from a seasoned (OK… older) Birthday🎂musings from a seasoned (OK… older) traveller. Life can be - let’s be kind here - challenging. At times it even seems to have a way of conspiring against you. The best you can hope for is that the positives and negatives balance out in the long run, and maybe the scales might even tip towards the positive.  I’ve had my share of good (amazing wife, loving family, supportive friends, rewarding career) and bad (a couple of nasty life-threatening conditions 🫀🎗that have taken their toll physically and mentally - sorry folks, whatever doesn’t kill you DOES NOT necessarily make you stronger). All you can do is accept them, learn to embrace them even. Keep your faith and, as Winston Churchill said, “keep buggering on”. And, to quote another one of my heroes, “remember to always be kind”. Through good times and bad, don’t forget to take some time every now and then to sit back, clear your mind and reflect on who you are and what’s really important. Maybe you have a special spot - a ‘happy place’ - where you can do this. I’ve been lucky enough to find mine, where this photo was taken (in spite of the clues, it’s not Jamaica, as lovely as that is🙂). I try to visit whenever I can, even if it’s not that often. I hope you find yours. Please forgive this indulgence and ‘Blessings’, to all. PS. Off to the UK tomorrow! 🇬🇧🤗 @thedunepreserve @anguilla_tourism #anguilla #dunepreserve #beachbars #007collector #seniortraveller #beachbum #caribbean #islandhopping #canadiantraveller #birthday
Just a #feelgoodfriday shot of the ocean, taken at Just a #feelgoodfriday shot of the ocean, taken at Green Turtle Cay in Abaco, the Bahamas🇧🇸. Being beside the sea never fails to improve my mood. Let’s pray that the serenity of this scene returns soon to the Caribbean and that Hurricane Lee and other storms brewing in the Atlantic spare the islands and their peoples. In the meantime, I’m getting ready for my upcoming trip next week. Not to my usual island stomping grounds this time, but a rare visit to my place of birth, the lovely south coast of England🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿. My first trip home since the pandemic and my diagnosis🎗. Looking forward to spending time with family and friends and, of course, being by the sea - albeit a different one - again.  @bluffhousebeachresort @bahamas #bahamas #bahamasoutislands #abaco #greenturtlecay #oceanphotography #islandsunset #thesea #sussex #seniortraveller
Not the news I wanted to wake up to today. A sad f Not the news I wanted to wake up to today. A sad farewell to the man who helped teach us about “changes in latitudes and changes in attitudes” and the joys of the Margarita - and made us all want to fly to “Saint Somewhere”. Jimmy Buffett 1946-2023.  Thank you for the music and much more. RIP, sir. 💔@margaritaville #jimmybuffett #islandmusic #beachbums #caribbean #ruminthesun #margarita #stsomewhere #songwriters
It’s been unseasonably cool and wet ☹️where It’s been unseasonably cool and wet ☹️where I am in the last couple of days so, naturally, my thoughts turned to (what else?) beach bars🍹. How’s this for a great location? Visited the Tranquil Turtle at Bluff House Resort on Green Turtle Cay in Abaco, the Bahamas🇧🇸 for the first time earlier this year.  A great little place with good food, friendly people and killer views. Will get to writing a review for the website soon.😎@bluffhousebeachresort @bahamas @jesson.company @bahamas_out_islands #abaco #greenturtlecay #beachbars #bahamas #outislandsbahamas #beachbarbums #travelphotography #beachlife #beachsiderestaurant #islandhopping #travelthursday
Some #thirstythursday musings on the Margarita. Some  #thirstythursday musings on the Margarita.  If made properly, with quality ingredients and attention by a bartender who cares, it’s one of the best cocktails in the world🤗. Made badly, with cheap “tequila”, no-name, overly sweet orange liquor and a too sour and sugary lime mix, it can be one of the worst😖. Luckily, I’ve had enough excellent ones over the years to wash away the taste of the bad ones. The one at the Beach Bar in the sublime @hotelesencia near Tulum, Mexico stands out.  By now I think I’ve developed a pretty good Margarita RADAR. I can usually sense when not to order one.  Captain Frenchy in Grand Case, St. Martin is NOT one of those places. This Margarita was excellent.👍 Wish I wasn’t 3200 km away. @captainfrenchysxm @thesxmguide #stmartin #beachbar #margarita #caribbean #thirstytraveler #ruminthesun #travelphotography #bartenders #tequila #grandcase
A hot, hazy (?!?!) afternoon at a favourite haunt, A hot, hazy (?!?!) afternoon at a favourite haunt, the Sunshine Shack on Rendezvous Bay in Anguilla🇦🇮, where you’ll always find cold drinks, Marley tunes and a sizzling grill. And you can be sure that Garvey and his crew will always make you feel welcome. What a beach bar should be.🍹 @sunshineshack_ @anguilla_tourism @jesson.company @beachbarbums #anguilla #bestbeaches #beachbar #seniortravel #beachcombing #canadiantraveller #islandhopping #travelphotography #thirstytuesday
Just back from a family trip to Anguilla🇦🇮. Just back from a family trip to Anguilla🇦🇮. It was their first visit to this lovely island (and the first time ever in the Caribbean for the boys). It was a joy and a privilege to share this time together, along with some of our favourite island spots. Thanks to Princess, Bankie, Garvey, Omari, Kennedy, Kevin and all at Aurora Anguilla for making them feel so welcome. Here’s to family and old and new friends, like Sammy, who helped make our last day so memorable at my ‘special place’ - the one and only Dune Preserve. ❤️💛💚 @auroraanguilla @thedunepreserve @omaribanksmusic @sunshineshack_ @zemibeachhouse @montpeliernevis @anguilla_tourism @jesson.company #anguilla #beachbar #beach #caribbean #seniortravel #travelphotography #tuesdaytraveltipswithdoe
There’s always a healthy debate around which is There’s always a healthy debate around which is the best beach in Anguilla🇦🇮. There’s certainly enough choices - Meads Bay, Rendezvous Bay and, of course, Shoal Bay East (often voted the best beach in the Caribbean). But there are some who would vote for Maundys Bay, with it’s perfect curve of shimmering sand and turquoise water, enhanced by the iconic white architecture of the Belmond Cap Juluca Resort. For now, I’m keeping my choice to myself😎. @belmondcapjuluca @belmond @anguilla_tourism @jesson.company #anguilla #caribbean #bestbeach #luxuryresorts #worldsbestresorts #beachphotography #sunandsand #islandhopping
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Recent posts

The SunShine Shack, Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla

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Captain Frenchy, Grand Case, St. Martin

Captain Frenchy, Grand Case, St. Martin

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