Freeport Bahamas

Our first stop in the Bahamas was Freeport.  We had been having rain on and off, but the weather cooperated and it was sunny.  The Bahamas are beach oriented and we found it hard to decide what tours we wanted to take.  In Mexico it is easy, Maya ruins, shopping or the beach.  In Freeport, what really appealed was the beach.  Theresa's interest in cooking brought us to the Junkanoo Beach Club on Taino Beach.  We went there for a Bahamian cooking class which just happened to include time on the beach.

I have to say that this was the best possible choice for us.  The chef for the beach club is named Dawkins.  He had the most wonderful Bahamian accent and we learned to make good food. The cooking area waws outside on the deck near the bar.  No one should have the opportunity to be thirsty after all. We made conch fritters, cracked conch and rice with pigeon peas.  We also learned how to make a drink with gin, coconut water and condensed milk.  That one sneaks up on you.  In addition to this we were shown how to do coconut pralines and conch salad which is like seviche.  It was the best.  I don't know whether it was because it was all so fresh or that we made it and ate it right then, the food was fantastic.  Theresa and I made the dishes again when we got home.  We had to substitute mussels and scallops for the conch, but it wa still good.

The beach is beautiful as well.  There was a little market area set up next to the beach club where you could buy souveniers.  The result was that you were not bothered by lots of people coming up and down the beach trying to sell you stuff.  There were a couple of ladies selling jewelry, but they were very nice and it would not be part of the experience without the vendors.