1. Martinique is located in the Caribbean's Lower Antilles, between Dominica and St. Lucia.
2. No point on the island is more than 12 kilometers from the shore.
3. Ooh-la-la, it's French. Officially, Martinique is an overseas department of France.
4. Ooh-la-la, that means the locals speak mostly French, although Creole is also commonly spoken here. However, English is on the upswing, as the tourism bureau is encouraging more locals to learn English.
5. That's because Martinique is suddenly receiving an influx of tourists from the United States. Cruise visits have jumped in the past few years, and this winter, East Coasters will be discovering the island big time.
6. That's because Norwegian Air is now flying non-stop flights from New York (JFK), Boston and Washington (the latter via BWI Airport) to Fort-de-France. Winter fares start as low as $79 one-way. That includes airfare and taxes, but you will pay extra for things like checked bags and water. Still....
7. The Euro is the currency here. And with the Euro almost on par with the dollar, that means Martinique, beyond the airfare, will be a bargain this winter.
8. Napoleon's main squeeze, Josephine, was born in Martinique. Folks here have mixed feelings about her, as this headless statue insinuates.
9. Local produce includes breadfruit, cacao, bananas, mango, sweet potato,guava, and passion fruit. Oh, and rum, if we can count rum as produce.
For more information, and awe-inspiring video, check out my most recent Let's Talk Live television segment.
More posts to follow soon.
2. No point on the island is more than 12 kilometers from the shore.
3. Ooh-la-la, it's French. Officially, Martinique is an overseas department of France.
4. Ooh-la-la, that means the locals speak mostly French, although Creole is also commonly spoken here. However, English is on the upswing, as the tourism bureau is encouraging more locals to learn English.
5. That's because Martinique is suddenly receiving an influx of tourists from the United States. Cruise visits have jumped in the past few years, and this winter, East Coasters will be discovering the island big time.
6. That's because Norwegian Air is now flying non-stop flights from New York (JFK), Boston and Washington (the latter via BWI Airport) to Fort-de-France. Winter fares start as low as $79 one-way. That includes airfare and taxes, but you will pay extra for things like checked bags and water. Still....
7. The Euro is the currency here. And with the Euro almost on par with the dollar, that means Martinique, beyond the airfare, will be a bargain this winter.
8. Napoleon's main squeeze, Josephine, was born in Martinique. Folks here have mixed feelings about her, as this headless statue insinuates.
9. Local produce includes breadfruit, cacao, bananas, mango, sweet potato,guava, and passion fruit. Oh, and rum, if we can count rum as produce.
For more information, and awe-inspiring video, check out my most recent Let's Talk Live television segment.
More posts to follow soon.
