Pirates, Palm Trees, Beach Bars and Baseball in the Caribbean Martin with the Dutch and the island of Hispaniola with the Spanish, though, on the latter, Haiti gained its independence following an early 19fth-century slave revolt. The Brits eventually prevailed there, while Martinique and Guadeloupe (now integral parts of France) were settled by the French.įrance also divided up the island of St. Lucia and Dominica - two of the most naturally beautiful Caribbean islands. The French and British fought a number of 19 th century battles over St. Kitts, and other onetime British colonial islands. Rum remains important to the economies of a number of islands, and you can visit historic distilleries on Grenada, Trinidad, Jamaica, St. The British were very active in the slave and rum trades, forming a kind of devil’s triangle between West Africa, the Caribbean, and the American colonies. The British, French, Dutch, and to a lesser extent the Danes and Germans all followed in the wake of the Spanish. The Next Waves of Europeans to the Caribbean Much – though not all - of the Caribbean regions of Central and South America are also culturally Spanish. – while Havana and San Juan battle it out for the most beautiful colonial-era cities with their Spanish-style plazas, forts, and churches. Santo Domingo holds the record for the most “firsts” in North America – hospital, paved street, school, etc. (The Amerindian Carib people, who gave their name to the region, have been reduced to about 3,000 descendants on the island of Dominica.)Ĭuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico are all products of Spanish culture, and history and architecture buffs can enjoy the centuries-old atmospheres of Havana, Santo Domingo, and San Juan. The Spanish – represented by the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus and his crews – were the first Europeans to arrive in the late 1400s, promptly wiping out most of the native populations via imported disease, weaponry, and slave labor. Caribbean History: First Came the Spanish These often incorporate words that emanated from West Africa during the centuries of the slave trade, when Africans were brought to the Caribbean to work the blistering hot cane fields for the production of sugar and rum. English, Spanish, French, and Dutch are all spoken in various regions of the Caribbean, as are various Creole dialects. The Caribbean’s 45,000,000 residents are a diverse group, with a variety of often mixed ethnicities, religions – Roman Catholic to Rastafarian - and languages. Most of the Caribbean is located southeast of the United States mainland (the easternmost point of the U.S. While the Caribbean’s main geographic features are the Caribbean Sea and its islands, the region also includes the northern shorelines of a number of mainland countries in Central and South America. Whether you’re looking to snorkel with manta rays, explore history, climb volcanoes or anchor off isolated coves, you’ll find tours or small-ship cruises to suit every taste in the Caribbean. They’re all there, to be sure – but there’s much more to this highly diverse region of multiple nations, languages, cultures, and landscapes. WestJet wants to take you away on your next getaway.The Caribbean conjures up images of tropical breezes, lush islands, turquoise waters, sandy beaches, steel drum bands, and rum cocktails. Find out how our Vacation Finder tool can help you narrow down your options, or talk to one of our vacation specialists today. Getting away from it all doesn't have to be a challenge when you choose an all-inclusive escape with WestJet Vacations. At WestJet, we do all-inclusive vacations right by providing an extensive schedule of competitively priced flights to desirable destinations like Caribbean as well as hotels that have passed the test with our team of vacation experts. It means you can take extra peace of mind knowing the details have been covered from day one - not to mention the savings that often result from bundled deals. Flights, accommodation and moreīooking your flight and accommodation at the same time is a great way to arrange your vacation to Caribbean. Our caring WestJetters know that plans can change at a moment's notice, which is the reason you can change or cancel your vacation package at no cost within 24 hours of booking. On top of that, there is our trademark offering: friendly, affordable air travel to some of the finest destinations anywhere in the world. Not only are we proud to offer thousands of vacation packages - including exciting getaways to Caribbean - but we're also pleased to provide a value-added rewards program where you can earn WestJet dollars® for every vacation package you take with us. When it comes to finding great all-inclusive vacations to Caribbean, it pays to make WestJet Vacations your first choice. Last-minute vacations to Caribbean Your next memorable getaway begins here
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |