Bicycling from Keewatin to Nashwauk, MN

August 29, 2025 / mariezhuikov / 19 Comments

*The Hawkins Mine Pit in Nashwauk. We heard peregrine falcons on the cliffs to the right.*

Russ and I have been biking short sections of the 150+ mile-long Mesabi Trail in northeastern Minnesota. Stretching from the Mississippi River to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, the trail will be complete in the next year or two. At that point, it will be 165 miles long, making it one of the longest paved trails in the country.

We’ve biked the trail twice this summer (and many times in the past – a list of other posts included at the end). Those recent trips weren’t very noteworthy, so I didn’t blog about them.

This section of the trail took us between two iron ore mining towns. We began in Keewatin, which was formed during the iron ore mining boom in the early 20^th century. The town’s name comes from the Ojibwe word for “north” or “north wind,” and the soil is a rusty red from all the iron it contains.

The 11-mile round trip seemed like a gradual climb both ways to me. I’m not sure how that worked! Only one short, steep hill gave me pause, otherwise it was smooth cycling. The first part out of Keewatin follows an old highway/road that’s no longer in use.

We passed several lakes and mine pits, namely O’Brien Reservoir, Hawkins Mine Pit, and LaRue Pit Lake. A cold rain shower caught us about halfway to Nashwauk. I had to stop and clean off my sunglasses. Sometimes I think they need little windshield wipers! The rain didn’t last long, so we kept on going and the breeze dried our clothes.

When we reached Nashwauk, we stopped at an overlook at the Hawkins Mine Pit. It used to be an open pit iron ore mine but is now unused and filled with water. Steep red and tan cliffs topped with green trees line the “lake.” As we admired the view, we heard some squawking that sounded suspiciously like peregrine falcons. I’ve heard that they sometimes nest on the mine pit ledges, so perhaps there was a nest at the Hawkins Pit?

It’s believed that Nashwauk was named after a river in New Brunswick, Canada. The word is said to be from the Algonquin language and means “land between.”

As we turned around and headed back to Keewatin, we noticed a spur trail with a sign about the LaRue Pit Lake. The sign said the area features a boat landing, fishing pier, and is a tourist attraction. We decided to check it out.

*Our bikes needed a rest at the LaRue Pit lake. We were fine, of course.*

The spur trail came out on a paved road. Unsure which way to go, we chose to turn right, which ended up being the correct direction. The road took us down a steep hill to a picturesque lake. It looked like the “tourist attraction” was still under construction – no grass, just bare dirt that was being graded. An angler floated offshore in his boat, trying his luck with the fish. The LaRue Pit began as an underground mine in 1903-1905. The park looks like it will be a nice place, once finished.

Then we biked back UP the road and rejoined the trail. Not far from the spur, we stopped at a memorial we had passed earlier. The name on the weathered white wooden cross was James Dorgan and it was dated 12/22/1973. The memorial looked in such good shape, we weren’t sure if that was the day he died or the day he was born. Once back home, I did a bit of sleuthing and discovered that it was his death date. James was a former Keewatin resident living in St. Paul who died in a car accident when he stopped to help his ex-wife, whose car was stalled. Another driver apparently hit him.

We were impressed by how well the memorial has been kept up for fifty-two years. Colorful plastic flowers decorated a flower box, and a wind chime hung from a post nearby. Solar lights illuminate the memorial at night.

We mostly had the trail to ourselves. Saw a few squirrels hightailing it across the pavement. Saw a few walkers. We passed a couple of other cyclists in town. Heard some ATVs but didn’t see any.

From rainstorms to pit lakes to falcons to ghosts, this is a good stretch to ride to get a feel for how important mining is to this part of the country.

Wishing everyone a good Labor Day Weekend!

For more information on other sections of the Mesabi Trail, check out my previous posts:

Biking the Mesabi Trail from Ely West

The Mesabi Bike Trail from Mt. Iron to Kinney, MN

Biking the Mesabi Trail from Hibbing to Chisholm

Biking Along the Giant’s Ridge

Biking Across Minnesota’s Tallest Bridge

Boundary Waters Adventures

August 3, 2025 / mariezhuikov / 24 Comments

Our canoe at our campsite on Brule Lake.

Russ and I sacrificed a 40-day winning streak on the NY Times Connections word game to head to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness where there is no phone or internet service. We traveled with our friends Sharon and Mike to Brule Lake – a place I last visited 35 years ago.

To go easy on our aging bodies, we decided to do a canoe trip without any portages. (Portages are where you carry your canoe overturned atop your shoulders on a rugged trail to the next lake.) Brule Lake is large enough to spend several days there without needing to go anywhere else.

We were partially successful in meeting our goal. The only “failure” came on our third day of tent camping when Sharon and Mike decided to portage to a small lake for better fishing. We hiked the portage without our canoe to see if the lake was worth the effort of hauling it there. With forested hills and a cute island, the beauty of the new lake and the short length of the portage convinced us to bend our no-portage rule. It was a true wilderness lake with no campsites or other signs of human habitation.

To share the pain of portaging, we opted for a two-person carry, where we carried the canoe over the portage with one of us on each end of the watercraft – no hefting it up onto one person’s shoulders.

We were glad we did; canoeing on the lake offered views of a loon and its baby. We found the loon’s nest on the small island, where we ended up eating lunch much to the delight of the ants there. Our presence was probably the most exciting thing to happen to them in years! Sharon and Mike caught enough fish to feed us all dinner that night.

After we spent several hours on the lake (which I am purposefully not naming because Minnesotans don’t do that with good fishing lakes), the sky began to darken. We decided to head back to our campsite on Brule Lake. We couldn’t relay this to Sharon and Mike because they were at the far end of the lake.

We made it across the portage and out into the bay when the storm broke. The first drops of rain were huge and cold. We were wearing our swimsuits because we expected rain, so we didn’t mind being wet. What we did mind was the wind and the thunder/lightning! Yelling through the gale, we briefly considered riding out the storm on land, but we were so close to our campsite and the lightning was far away enough that we decided to power through and hope we didn’t get struck. (That was reckless of us, I don’t recommend staying on the water in a thunderstorm. Don’t try this at home!)

We made it to camp and I quickly climbed into the tent to get into dry clothes. Russ was already so wet, he stayed outside. Once I changed clothes, the wind picked up even more. Russ had to tie down our lightweight Kevlar canoe to keep it from blowing away. From inside the tent, I held down the side the wind was hitting so that the stakes wouldn’t pull out of the ground. After what seemed like hours, the storm abated.

*Our tent bottom (and a sleeping pad), drying out in the sun after the storm.*

We were a little worried about Sharon and Mike, but this wasn’t their first BWCA Wilderness trip, so we assumed they’d be okay. But as the hours ticked by and the sun lowered, we began to discuss how long to wait until beginning a search for them. Not long afterwards, we heard them paddling back to our campsite. We greeted them with shouts of “You’re alive!”

They explained that they also stayed on the water during the storm, riding it out next to shore. (That was reckless of them, I don’t recommend staying on the water in a thunderstorm. Don’t try this at home!) Then they stayed on the unnamed lake to fish more. We ate the fruits of their efforts with relish that night – the first non-freeze-dried dinner Russ and I had eaten in days.

The next morning, our final morning, another thunderstorm rolled through, but it wasn’t as strong as the previous one. Once it stopped, we packed up our soggy gear and headed to the canoe landing, wanting to cross Brule Lake as quickly as possible in case another storm was gathering. Sharon and Mike planned to leave later.

We made it back to the landing. Driving home, we appreciated the gradual return to civilization. Backwoods gravel roads gave way to pavement that led us past homes and eventually to the small town of Lutsen. The day turned hot and muggy, so we stopped for ice cream on the way home to Duluth.

Now we’re back winning Connections again: 6 games so far. But we both agree this wilderness trip and the memories of spending time with good friends, listening to loons yodel, telling stories around the fire, and surviving thunderstorms were more than worth breaking our streak.

Close Calls in Boulder, CO

July 20, 2025 / mariezhuikov / 15 Comments

*The Flatiron Mountains as seen from Chautauqua Park in Boulder.*

When Russ and I were Scamping in Colorado last month, we visited Boulder with my son and his friends. One site was a local park that’s home to the Flatiron Mountains, which are a series of five impressive flat-sided peaks. The destination is popular with hikers and climbers.

I almost went to college there at the University of Colorado in Boulder, so that was one reason for our visit. Back then (and maybe even now) its biology program had a good reputation, which attracted me. I was even assigned a roommate. But at the last moment, I decided to attend the University of Minnesota instead for financial reasons. The university wasn’t far from the park we visited, and as we drove past, it was fun to ponder how my life might have been different if I’d stuck with my first choice of college.

Anyway, back to Chautauqua Park. We hiked 1-1/2 miles UP and DOWN the base of the Flatirons. The spring flowers were out, which added cheerful color to our high-altitude breathlessness. My son’s friend went to college in Boulder and had climbed the mountains and he regaled us with tales of his adventures.

Afterward, we ate lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant. As our meal wrapped up, we discussed the agenda for the rest of our day. Originally, we’d planned to shop at the Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder, but nature won out when we decided we didn’t have enough time and would rather stop at Golden Gate Canyon State Park for a short hike. As we rose from the table to leave, emergency vehicles raced down the road. We wondered what was going on, but didn’t give it much thought until the next day when we learned about the Pearl Street Mall hate-crime attack.

Every Sunday since the Hamas-led attack on Israel in the fall of 2023, pro-Israel people have walked at 1 p.m. through the mall toward the courthouse to remind people of the hostages taken. Sometimes they sing the Israeli national anthem. It’s a peaceful demonstration.

On the day of our visit, a man yelled “Free Palestine” and threw a Molotov cocktail into the crowd of demonstrators. You can read national news accounts for a description of what happened next. In the end, eight people were badly burned and four had to be airlifted to Denver. One later died. The suspect (a recent transplant from Egypt) was quickly arrested and now faces a possible death penalty.

*The view from Panorama Point, Golden Gate Canyon State Park, CO.*

Blissfully unaware of these circumstances, and as more emergency vehicles passed us going the other direction toward downtown, we drove to Golden Gate Canyon State Park on our way back to Denver. The park was recommended for hiking by my cousin who lives in Golden. We stopped at Panorama Point and enjoyed watching a dramatic thunderstorm roll past. As the storm turned toward us, we parted ways.

The next day when we learned about the Pearl Street Mall attack, we felt for the injured people, but also felt lucky that we had changed our minds about a mall visit and didn’t end up as collateral damage. The restaurant where we had lunch was only 10 blocks away from it.

What if I had gone to Boulder for college? What if we had eaten our lunch faster and decided to visit the Pearl Street Mall? I guess we’ll never know answers to the questions raised by these two close calls.

I dedicate this post and these images to the victims of the Pearl Street Mall attack.

*Panorama Point, Golden Gate Canyon State Park*

The Solace of Far Horizons

July 5, 2025 / mariezhuikov / 20 Comments

*Trappers Peak, Flat Tops Wilderness, CO*

The lure is more than scenery, varied vistas and magnificent lookout points; it is the consciousness of being at the threshold of the unknown. – Sigurd Olson, Listening Point

Finding a good view of the landscape in Minnesota is a challenge. So many trees and shrubs block the way. You have to work to see an unencumbered horizon – climb a rock ledge, climb a tree, climb a tower.

Duluth is an exception. Growing up here, I always knew where I was. The skinny, long city is built on the side of a hill on the shores of Lake Superior. You are either looking at the hill or the lake. Even with all the trees, you can tell where you were.

When I moved to the flatland of Minneapolis for college, I lost those landmarks and had a hard time orienting. Finally, in frustration, I took an elevator to the top of the fifty-seven-story IDS building in downtown. From that viewpoint, I could see the horizon and the major landmarks: the Mississippi River, the University of Minnesota, the Metrodome, and I finally began to sense the landscape despite all the trees.

*Trappers Lake, Flat Tops Wilderness. Image by Russ.*

Russ and I recently meandered to a place where the views come easy: Denver, Boulder, and the Flat Top Wilderness of Colorado. Walk down any trail and you’ll see mountains, lakes, valleys, ridges. I adore the feeling of looking a long way without any houses dotting the landscape. Sleeping in our little Scamp trailer at 9,000 feet, the only ones in a campground with no water, we were as alone and as much a part of the wilderness as we have ever been.

Although in our homes we have all the modern conveniences and comforts, it’s hard to be truly happy without a connection to nature. In those far horizons, wherever they might be, is a partial answer to the hunger and unrest within us.

To paraphrase Sigurd Olson from Listening Point, “Some find their wilderness in the grandeur of snow-capped peaks and high flowering meadows. To mountain people, this is the primeval on a noble scale, a timelessness and immensity they seem to find nowhere else. They come down from the hills refreshed and ready once more for life among their kind.”

We are back among our kind now, refreshed and ready for whatever life may bring.

*Trappers Outlet Trail, Flat Tops Wilderness*

Grand Cayman Day 7: Batabano Carnival, Grand Cayman National Museum, a final fancy dinner, and visiting tips

June 20, 2025June 20, 2025 / mariezhuikov / 21 Comments

*Batabano Carnival Food Festival gets set up in George Town.*

Our last full day on Grand Cayman Island dawned sunny and beautiful, as usual. We planned to drive to George Town on the opposite side to further explore the capital city’s pleasures. Although it only takes about 30 minutes to get there from the island’s East End, we girded our loins for its numerous roundabouts and heavy traffic. With Google, we scoped out a public parking lot and hoped for the best.

Some of our plans this day worked out better than others.

What drew us to George Town was Batabano. This annual carnival, usually in the first week of May, is named for the tracks that sea turtles leave in the sand when they come to shore to nest. In essence, it’s a celebration of spring and fertility. As such, there are family-friendly events and adults-only events.

This was the last day of the carnival, and we wanted to sample local cuisine for lunch at the outdoor food festival and catch part of the closing parade before dinner at The Wharf restaurant on the seashore. In between we’d shop or do whatever caught our fancy.

The first glitch in our plans occurred when the parking lot that Google said existed, didn’t. So, we circled aimlessly until we found a spot along the road not far from the food festival. When we arrived at the festival, the booths were just setting up, so we decided to wander around.

*A holograph of a Caymanian woman speaks to us at the Cayman Islands National Museum.*

We found the Cayman Islands National Museum, a cute little place that tells the story of how the island was settled and its influential people. There’s a gift shop, displays, art, and an introductory video. Like many other cool places on this trip, once again, we were the only people there! The lower level features on old jail, complete with graffiti by prisoners.

When we were done with the museum, the festival food was ready. I had conch stew with breadfruit on the side. I’d never had breadfruit before. Alas, I was not impressed – it was mealy and bland. I’d seen this fruit for sale in Minnesota for an exorbitant price, so I guess I was expecting more. Breadfruit was more like a potato than a fruit. Let’s just call it a learning experience.

The carnival parade was supposed to end at the square where the food festival was located. We waited for it, but some helpful shop keepers told us that the parade got a late start (island time, of course). We walked about a half-mile up the parade route to try and see it sooner, but still no parade. We waited around as long as we dared before we needed to walk back to our car to drive to the restaurant for our dinner reservation. The Wharf was along the route, so we hoped we’d be able to see the parade somehow along the way.

When we were about a half mile away from the restaurant, we ran into a road closure sign due to the parade. I took this as my cue and jumped out of the car with my camera, telling Russ I’d meet him at the restaurant.

I was expecting a parade like the one I’d seen on St. Martin – lots of people in regalia and live music. Some people wore costumes, but most were in T shirts and shorts. And remember what I said about the theme of fertility? I discovered there’s a reason why this is an “adult” parade. Picture well-fed people grinding on each other in the street. That’s all I’ll say. 😊

However, on the walk to the restaurant, I recovered my appetite in time for our special dinner. Although I felt like our 6^th anniversary dinner was the one we had at the Czech Inn Grill, this was to be our official anniversary and our traditional, fancy, end-of-trip dinner.

Roasted pear, goat cheese and beet salad
Lobster!
Seared sea scallops over risotto
Other diners feeling the romance.

We chose The Wharf due to its location on the waterfront, its varied menu, and because diners can feed the tarpon that gather off the dining room dock. Russ had scallops and I had lobster as the sun set. It tickled me to “recycle” my lobster shells back into the sea by tossing them to the leaping tarpon once we were done. It was a good and romantic end to a somewhat stressful day.

That’s it for our trip! If you’re thinking of visiting Grand Cayman, I developed a set of tips to share.

Rental car speedometers are in kilometers per hour, but the road signs are in miles per hour. (It took us about a day to figure this out, during which we were driving way too slowly!) A sign that says 50 mph means about 80 kph on your car speedometer.
Driving is on the left side of the road. Many rental cars have steering wheels on the left, which is helpful for Americans and others who are used to this.
The East End of the island is perfect for introverts. The George Town/Seven Mile Beach area is perfect for extroverts, especially if you like roundabouts.
The weather is hot with high humidity. Wear sunscreen!
Do outdoor activities in the morning when its cooler.
Watch out for chickens and blue iguanas crossing the road.
Due to transportation costs, food is more expensive.
Grocery stores are closed on Sundays.
Grand Cayman is in the same time zone as U.S. Central. No jet lag!
If you want to see the bioluminescence, schedule your trip around the new moon. We didn’t know this and so were unable to get a tour to see this phenomenon.
The best time to visit Starfish Point is in the morning before conditions get wavy.
Don’t miss the frigate bird feeding at Tukka Restaurant every evening at 5 p.m.
Don’t expect breadfruit to taste like a fruit.

Grand Cayman Day 6: Green Parrots and Starfish

June 14, 2025June 19, 2025 / mariezhuikov / 18 Comments

*The one good photo I took of a starfish on Starfish Point.*

Nearing the end of our seven-day stay, we tried to slow down and relax more. On this sixth day, Russ and I vowed to only do activities near the East End resort and to spend time in the ocean. We mostly succeeded. We stayed true to our vow, but there was just so much to see that we didn’t spend much time relaxing!

Our first stop was the Cayman Parrot Sanctuary, which is dedicated to protecting the endangered green parrot, the island’s national bird, and to provide children with an up-close look at island wildlife. Kids at heart, that sounded good to us.

The sanctuary was begun by the head chef at Tukka Restaurant. You might recall them from my posts on Day 3 and 4 (this is the place where you can feed frigate birds). The chef wanted a playground and a mini zoo for his children and neighbors while he watched over his restaurants, but the idea caught on and grew so that now the sanctuary is one of the island’s major tourist attractions. Besides several species of parrots, there are turtles, snakes, guinea pigs, rabbits, and hermit crabs. There’s also a zipline and playground. The star of the show is an agouti named Lil’-bit. Unlike wild agoutis, this one is highly social and enjoys interacting with people. Lil’-bit was otherwise engaged while we were there, so we didn’t get that experience.

*Russ interacting with sun conure parrots.*

Our favorite adventure there was going into the sun conure aviary. These parrots are brightly colored and super-curious. They were all over Russ’s head from almost the moment we entered. (My thick hair must have deterred them but that was okay. I was able to focus on taking photos of Russ.) The birds seemed to like picking on anything that was plastic, including Russ’s glasses, hat, and bracelet. The attendant gave us seeds to feed the birds. Some liked to pinch while they ate, ouch! But we soon learned which birds those were and avoided them.

The sanctuary provides homes for Cayman Parrots that have been injured or ones their owners can no longer care for. Each parrot had a back story posted on their cage.

We returned to our resort for lunch and then headed toward Starfish Point, Go Pro in hand. Visitors can book a tour for the point, or they can simply go there themselves for free. The best time of day to see the starfish, which are red cushion or West Indian species, is in the morning before the ocean waves kick up. We wished we had followed that advice because by the time we arrived, it was wavy and the water was murky. The point has a shallow sand shelf that drops off into deeper water. It’s possible to simply wade around on the sand shelf to see starfish or you can don a snorkel to see more in the deeps in the seagrass (which they eat).

That’s what I did. I saw some starfish in the deep water, but they were too far away to get good pictures, so I joined Russ on the sand shelf. We took care not to accidentally step on any starfish while looking for them. Also, it’s illegal to remove the starfish from the water. It introduces air into their bodies and kills them. Our Stingray City guide told us that there used to be many more starfish on the point – hundreds. But now, due to people lifting them out of the water for photos, there are only about a dozen to be seen on the sands. Needless to say, we did not touch the starfish in any way! There are signs on the point to this effect, but it really seems like there should be some sort of starfish police patrolling the area because I saw people not following the rules. I was sorely tempted to become a starfish cop myself but refrained. Getting into a fight with another tourist did not fit my idea of relaxing. But seriously, something needs to be done to protect the starfish more. Ironically, one island tourism company webpage about the point features promotional images that show the exact wrong things to do with the starfish! I DID just build up enough gumption to complain to the tourism company. We’ll see if they do anything with the images. Their text was okay, however.

Disappointed by the crowds and the murk at Starfish Point, we retreated back to our resort to snorkel. Ironically, I saw a HUGE (like two-feet-across) starfish hiding under a grassy ledge off the dock at our resort. But sorry, no picture. I wanted to just relax and watch the fish this time. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon reading by the pool.

We ate dinner at the rooftop sports bar at our resort. We ended up being the only ones there, so enjoyed a private dining experience under the rising moon. I highly recommend the coconut shrimp appetizer with mango sauce. We capped off our evening with a round of mini golf on the course near our unit.

Next up: Batabano Carnival, Grand Cayman National Museum, a final fancy dinner, and Grand Cayman visiting tips

Grand Cayman Island Day 5: Art, Turtles, Hell, and Leaving our Mark

June 8, 2025 / mariezhuikov / 11 Comments

*An endangered green turtle glides through the lagoon at the Cayman Turtle Center.*

I’ve been offline for a while. Russ and I meandered to Colorado. We were disconnected from internet reality for a few days in the wilderness. I’m trying to catch up with your blogs but may never be able to do that. Sorry if I missed anything important. I’ve got a couple more Grand Cayman posts to write before I can move onto Colorado.

Back on Grand Cayman, our next adventure took us to the more populated side of the island and the city of Georgetown. Our first visit was to the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. Once again, we were the only ones at the venue. Is no one else on this island interested in art?? But it was nice not to feel rushed while perusing the interesting offerings there. Entry is free, so what’s not to like?

On the way inside, we passed a beautiful rooster strolling the grounds. I must say it was the most handsome rooster on the island, perhaps a work of art himself? We saw many pieces inside the gallery that inspired and provoked. Some of my favorites: Confluence, a mixed media sculpture made of painted paddles that were historically used by Caymanian turtle fishermen. The artist used washes of oil paint on the paddles to create an atmospheric depiction of light and water, transforming the paddles from utility into relics of a bygone era.

Another favorite was We Can Beat the Storm, an acrylic painting that depicts a father and son in a traditional catboat (Caymanian traditional fishing boat) set amid calm waters. It symbolizes the passing of knowledge from one generation to the next.

Then there was Fish Skeleton, a mixed-media sculpture made from recycled materials and used car parts, recalling the mountain of debris left by Hurricane Ivan on the island. The artist wants to draw attention to the islands’ longstanding reliance on the oceans for sustenance and the increasing environmental pressures that threaten this relationship today. All I can say is I’m glad we didn’t run into this creature while snorkeling!

Indulge me with two more artistic offerings. Bon Appetit! is a sculpture that shows a giant fork stuck into a fishing lure. It raises issues of unsustainable fishing habits and the depletion of global fishing stocks. But it does so with a touch of humor and hubris.

The last piece of art that struck me is a digital collage on paper called Osiris. It shows the melding of a conch shell and a human face. The blending of fiction and reality illustrates the continued influence of the marine environment on Caymanian identity.

After the gallery, we made our way to the Cayman Turtle Center, a sanctuary and breeding facility for the endangered green sea turtle. We opted for the Turtle Adventure, which allows visitors to snorkel with the turtles in a huge lagoon. I brought my GoPro Hero camera along and was glad I did! I’ve seen a few skittish wild turtles in the ocean, but these turtles are habituated to people. I had a few swim right underneath me! It was definitely worth the entry fee. The turtles eat algae, so you don’t need to worry about them biting you, although clumps of algae (sort of gross) float around the lagoon, dislodged from turtle feeding.

The facility also has a turtle breeding program. According to their website, “the turtle release programs have resulted in the growth of the local wild population in the Cayman Islands of the green sea turtle, going from zero nests in 1999 to over 200 nests. Recently, researchers in an independent genetic study using DNA discovered that 90% of all green female turtles nesting in Grand Cayman are genetically related to turtles from the Centre.”

Russ and I were able to witness turtle feeding time in the breeding bay. These turtles are of reproduction age – typically 16 years old. Some weigh more than 500 pounds! They’re fed pellets and the funny thing is, they squirt water out their nostrils as they inhale them. It’s a sight not to be missed. The Turtle Center was another highlight of our trip, on par with Stingray City.

Not far away is a small town called Hell. It has its own post office and is the size of about half a soccer field. The black craggy rocks that make up Hell are millions of years old and are made of limestone that has been eaten away by algae and ravaged by the elements. It does not look like a place where one would want to spend much time, but you can send postcards to people from Hell and buy T-shirts there.

On our drive back to the eastern end of the island, we stopped at a restaurant in Savannah that we saw in a tourist newspaper and heard other resort-goers rave about. It is called the Czech Inn Grill and is operated by an accomplished 4-star chef from Czechoslovakia. It’s mostly an outdoor venue, with walls composed of surf boards. If you’ve ever been to Tom’s Burned Down Café on Madeline Island in Lake Superior, it’s a lot like that.

This was my FAVORITE meal of the trip. Every meal we ate on the island was good, but this had the added ambiance of a green-eyed tabby cat and a rooster. It’s not every venue where you can share your meal with two grateful animals. Russ and I both ordered ribs. Russ had Asian ribs, I had Hawaiian ribs with Czech potato salad. They were divine! We arrived early for dinner and once again, were almost the only people there.

The cat, whose name we later discovered was Prince Harry, sat politely by our table, squinting at me in a most appealing manner. How could I not share my bounty with him? He ate the first few offerings, but then deferred to the rooster for several others after the bird figured out what was going on. Later, Prince Harry became more demanding, standing on his hind legs and putting a paw on my thigh to get my attention for more tidbits. I didn’t mind complying.

The surf boards and wooden support posts were filled with graffiti – peoples’ names and where they were from. Under “Minnesota” written in large letters near the reception area, we added our names and date with a heart drawn around it in honor of our sixth anniversary. If you ever visit the grill, look for our mark. It was a truly memorable dinner!

Next up: Green parrots and starfish.

Grand Cayman Day 4: Blue Iguanas, Blowholes, a Mansion, and Frigate Birds

May 26, 2025 / mariezhuikov / 17 Comments

*A blue iguana at the Botanic Park. Image by Russ.*

Our fourth day on Grand Cayman Island dawned hot and beautiful, just like all the previous days. Our first adventure was a visit to Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park on the island’s North Side. Besides lush and gorgeous foliage, what drew us to the park was its unique mix of culture, natural history, and endangered blue iguanas.

You heard me: blue iguanas. This special species is only found on Grand Cayman Island. The park has a conservation facility where they breed iguanas – some for release in other parts of the island. If I would have been quicker writing this post, I could have had it done on May 8, which is National Blue Iguana Day on the island. As it was, we were still traveling around the island with no time to write!

*Pretty border foliage on the Woodland Trail.*

We bought our tickets and then meandered toward the Orchid Boardwalk. Not far down the path, I spied a small humpbacked brown animal that looked somewhat like a prehistoric horse. As it ran into the undergrowth, I realized that I had the good luck to see an elusive agouti. These rodents were introduced to the island years ago and eat fruit, leaves, and roots. That was worth the admission, right there.

When we arrived and walked toward the park visitor center, a wild blue iguana greeted us on the lawn. We joked that it had been placed there just for us, or that maybe it was a statue. But no, it had moved by the time we finished our visit, so I guess it wasn’t fake.

The park’s Orchid Boardwalk takes you through a jungle of epiphytes (air plants) and orchids, some of which are only found on the island. Our next stop was the Heritage Garden, which sports a traditional homestead and garden. By this time, we were pretty hot, so we hung out in the shade of the home for a while. Across from that was a Xerophytic Garden, which features plants that require little water. We also toured a Lily Pond and a Palm Walk. My favorite was the Color Garden, which offers flowering plants arranged by color.

Our final stop after a long (and hot) walk on a woodland trail was the iguana conservation area. Here the blue iguanas are housed in outdoor natural habitats and cages. Most of the captive iguanas were hiding but a large wild iguana wandered the pathways, and Russ was able to get a good picture of it without fencing in the way. From the interpretive signs, we learned that blue iguanas can live for 50 years, that 1,000 have been released into protected areas on the island, and that they only turn blue during mating season. Apparently, it was mating season because many of them were blue.

Pedro St. James Mansion was our next destination but before we toured it, we enjoyed lunch and a view of the sea at its Thatch and Barrel Restaurant. Russ had bruschetta burrata flatbread, with tomato, burrata cheese, garlic, and a scotch bonnet pepper-infused balsamic reduction that looked outstanding! The restaurant is known for its locally sourced ingredients and cocktails that use 1780 rum, which is blended onsite. I had a refreshing 1780 colada and a luscious castle burger, which featured onion jam, brie, local red pepper jelly and greens, garlic jalapeno aioli, and truffle fries.

*Russ’s flatbread dish from the Thatch and Barrel Restaurant.*

Thus fortified, we bought our tickets to the mansion. The docent led us into a multimedia theater for an orientation. We were the only ones enjoying the show! The theater uses creative lighting, wind, water, and vapors to transport viewers into the early lives of Caymanian settlers. After that, we were free to wander the grounds and tour the three-story mansion. You can opt for a guided tour, but we chose self-guided.

Pedro St. James is the oldest surviving stone structure in the islands. Its verandas and shuttered windows reminded me of Earnest Hemingway’s house in Key West. The elaborate construction made it the Caymanian equivalent of a European castle, so locals often refer to it as Pedro Castle. The mansion has had its ups and downs and has seen its share of historic events. The first island parliament was held inside, and a proclamation ending slavery was read from its front stairs (somewhat ironic, since the mansion was built with slave labor). Once again, we were the only people touring the mansion.

There’s also an interesting International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame at Pedro St. James. It’s worth a look.

On the way out, I bought a small bottle of the 1780 rum to bring home. I’m here to tell you, it’s gone all ready! I’ve never tasted a rum so smooth – dark and rich, almost root beer-y. If you get the chance, buy this rum.

On our way back to our resort, we stopped at the Blowholes. These are holes in the rock along the ocean shore where the water sprays high into the air. There are only a few blowholes, but they were fun to see; kind of like the Grand Cayman version of Old Faithful.

We happened to be passing Tukka Restaurant (where we ate the previous day) at 5 p.m., when they feed the frigatebirds. We hung out in hammocks on the shore and watched the large and acrobatic black birds swoop down for restaurant scraps. Recycling at its finest!

*Frigatebirds hover, awaiting handouts.*

We cooked our own dinner that night in our resort room kitchen. We purchased king mackerel steaks, which I had never cooked before. But I found a simple recipe online and they came out pretty good – reminded me of a cross between tuna and shark – a firm, oily meat.

Next up: Art, Turtles, Hell, and Leaving our Mark

Grand Cayman Island Day 3: GoPro, Snorkeling, and Stingrays

May 19, 2025 / mariezhuikov / 22 Comments

*Marie tests her new GoPro camera.* *Image by Russ.*

At dawn on our next day in paradise, I jumped into the water off the resort dock and cavorted with three-foot-long tarpons and other smaller tropical fish during the resort’s daily fish feeding time.

Why would I put myself in the middle of a feeding frenzy with tarpons, a prehistoric fish with sharp teeth? I’ve always wanted to try underwater photography. In preparation for this trip and as a retirement present, I bought a GoPro Hero camera. It’s on the lower end in terms of price and bells and whistles, but it looked easy to use for a beginner like me. Plus, it’s small and perfect for traveling. Fish feeding time seemed like a good test run for the camera before more serious underwater adventures.

One of my kickboxing trainers back home had experience with a GoPro and suggested I attach the camera to something that floats because, “Once you drop it, it sinks.” I immediately had visions of my camera, thirty feet below me on the bottom of the ocean – close enough to see but too far to reach with snorkel gear and ears that don’t equalize water pressure well. So, along with the camera, I purchased the Swim+Snorkel kit, which features a floating tube mount with a wrist strap and a small carrying case. On my morning outing, I was glad to discover that the camera did indeed float when attached to the tube mount.

The fish did not disappoint and neither did the camera. It was also helpful that on the dock, Russ was throwing fish food my way. Black and yellow sergeant major fish swarmed around me. Blue sea chubs darted past. Thankfully, the tarpons were shyer, keeping to the outskirts.

The GoPro has video and photo settings. Switching between them requires a swipe of the screen. I wanted to stay in photo mode but noticed that every time a wave washed over the screen, it would switch to video mode. After my outing, I discovered it’s possible to lock the screen so that this doesn’t happen.

This discovery made our next outing that day, a trip to Stingray City, much less frustrating! For decades (between four and eight depending on who you ask) southern stingrays have gathered at a sandbar off the island to eat leftover fish parts discarded by fisherman. Our guide, Jefferson, told us mosquitoes used to be so bad on the island that fisherman came out to the sandbar to clean their fish in peace.

Now that mosquito populations are more under control, the rays gather to eat squid offered by tour operators instead. The attraction is tightly controlled so that the rays and the sandbar don’t get overrun, and the rays have been microchipped by scientists so that they can monitor them and ensure they aren’t getting too stressed by the human interaction.

Yes, all these wild stingrays still have their stingers! I had to prod Russ a bit to go on this adventure. He was finally persuaded by reports of the safety of the outing and the friendliness of the rays. One description likened them to giant puppies of the sea! Most of the rays are female – they’re larger than the males and friendlier, apparently.

Entering the water with these soft, gentle giants was a bit freaky, but it was so cool! Russ impressed me. He was the first one off the boat and into the water with the rays. (I was second.) My GoPro worked great and I’m happy with the images I was able to capture. Russ even let a ray suck some squid off his hand and, with Jefferson’s help, he kissed a ray (and liked it)! I was too busy taking photos to partake in those activities, but I did pet a ray. The bottoms of the rays were smooth and soft, but the tops felt like sandpaper if you went against the grain. This experience was a highlight of our trip for both of us.

As part of our tour, Jefferson took us to a nearby coral reef, where we snorkeled for quite a while. Watching the fish was fun, but the poor condition of the reef was distressing. The coral was bleached and there were far fewer fish than there would be on a healthy reef.

We both had healthy appetites after these adventures. We satisfied them at Tukka Restaurant (East End), one of the other places on the island that serves lionfish (besides Eagle Ray’s Bar and Grill). We hadn’t made reservations, so the hostess walked us through the noisy, crowded main dining room to a lower room that sported plastic tables and chairs. However, the ocean view was just as stunning and, after the couple who were there when we arrived left, we ended up with the huge room all to ourselves! Tukka’s specializes in Australian/Caribbean fusion cuisine. I don’t recall what we ate, but it was very good. Every meal we had on the island couldn’t be beat.

Every evening at 5 p.m. restaurant staff and guests feed frigate birds off the dock. We arrived too late for that spectacle but were able to catch it by chance the next evening.

Next up: Blue iguanas, blowholes, a mansion, and frigate birds.

Grand Cayman Island Day 2: Crystal Caves and Lionfish

May 16, 2025May 16, 2025 / mariezhuikov / 15 Comments

*A soft focus image of Lake Cave at Crystal Caves.*

After foraging for food at the grocery store, we spent the afternoon of our second day at one of the main attractions on the East End/North Side of Grand Cayman Island: Crystal Caves. Most of the island is limestone and the caves were formed over millions of years from water dripping through the rocks, creating stalactites and stalagmites. In the past, people used the caves for water and for shelter during hurricanes. They were also rumored pirate hangouts.

The guided tours last 1-1/2 hours and need to be prebooked. Ours began with the manager providing an orientation. Then we loaded into two vans for a short bumpy ride to the caves. Three caves are open for tours. Our first stop was Roots Cave, which features long tree roots draping from the ceiling. The roots have grown over the years as the trees above search for water in the cave.

*Open Ceiling Cave. Note the ropes on the right that people used to use to enter the cave.*

Our second cave was Open Ceiling Cave, which, as you’ve no doubt deduced, has a big hole in the ceiling. The third was my favorite from a photography standpoint. Lake Cave features a small, crystal-clear body of water (more like a pond) that has filtered through the rock.

One of the caves (I can’t recall which) had some fruit bats hanging from the ceiling. I felt bad that we disturbed their daily slumber, but it was cool to see them. During all the other cave tours I’ve been on in different locales the cave temperatures have been cool. These were hot, so be prepared. If you work up a thirst, there’s a small restaurant and gift shop at the cave site.

Russ and I were so hot and sweaty afterward that once we returned to the resort, we jumped into the pool. There’s nothing that a banana daquiri from a swim up bar can’t cure!

For supper, we dined at a dive bar. An honest-to-goodness dive bar run by scuba divers. We chose Eagle Rays Dive Bar and Grill because they are known for featuring lionfish on their menu. We were also drawn by its casual atmosphere and relaxing ocean views.

Lionfish (and other invasive species) have popped up in my blog before. (See this guest post from 2020 by my friend Sharon.) These are a beautiful but venomous fish native to the Indian Ocean and west Pacific. It’s thought that people who no longer wanted lionfish in their aquariums, released them into the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic, and now they have become invasive.

The good news is that, when prepared properly, lionfish are safe and good to eat! Island divers spear the fish, which are purchased by another restaurant and Eagle Rays. Rays claims to be the only place on Grand Cayman “that regularly serves everyone’s favorite marine pest.” Russ and I usually eat supper early, so we were able to get a table without a reservation. In fact, we were among the only people there, which ended up being a common and mysterious occurrence during this trip.

*Lionfish tacos* *from Eagle Ray’s Dive Bar*

Ray’s specializes in lionfish tacos, which Russ ordered. I can’t eat taco shells (wheat and corn), so they made me a special order of grilled lionfish and chips (which isn’t on the menu). Russ was very happy with his tacos and my dish was also delicious. Lionfish is a white meat, which to this Minnesotan, tastes a lot like our state delicacy of walleye.

*Lionfish and chips (plus a margarita!)*

As we enjoyed our meal in the sea breeze, I uttered our trip slogan once again: “Can’t do this in Duluth!”

Next up: GoPro, Snorkeling, and Stingrays

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Internet home for Marie Zhuikov: Blogger, Author, Poet, Photographer

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