Over winter break, my family and I have a yearly tradition. We go to the Cayman Islands every year to celebrate my brother and I’s birthday and Christmas. We have held this tradition since we were about two years old, and my cousins started to tag along on this trip when we were eleven years old. We have so many memories and fun activities that we do every time we go. In this blog, I want to share my vacation this past winter break and I want to share all the fun and interesting things that we have done during our trips.

To begin with, the Cayman Islands are located in the Caribbean. The island is located next to Cuba and a little ways from Jamaica.

During our vacation, we went to our favorite local spots. They include, Rum Point, Starfish Point, Tukka, Yoshi’s, Stingray City, Cemetary beach, Mrs. Ivy’s fresh market, and Spots beach. Our house is located on the Northside which is the more quiet area of the island. There is a public beach called Rum Point that is about a five minute walk from our place. Rum Point is really nice because the water is super clear, calm, and it is not very crowded. The ocean water is so warm and sparkly and the food there is amazing. Everytime we go I order the jerk pork which is to die for. It comes with coleslaw, corn, and rice and beans. Jerk pork is my favorite food on the island.

Another place that we usually visit is Starfish Point. Starfish Point is a little public beach where you can hold starfish and take pictures. Starfish Point is usually super calm and quiet when we go. It is fun to hold the starfish, but you have to hold it in the water to keep the alive.

The next beach that we go to is Cemetery beach. The beach is located next to the biggest cemetery on the westside of the island. The beach is part of 7 mile beach, the most popular touristy beach. The water is so warm and clear. The water is perfect for snorkeling and the scenery there is gorgeous! We also go to a beach called Spots beach. At Spots it is a more quiet and reserved public beach. It is located on the east end. At the beach you can see sea turtles and other cool fish when you snorkel.

The next place we go is Tukka. Every sunday they have an all you can eat brunch. Tukka is one f my favorite restaurants and the people there know us. I always get the chicken skewers which is my favorite at this restaurant. We usually sit outside and the view there is so pretty. For my birthday, we always go to this restaurant called Yoshi’s. Yoshi’s is a japanese restaurant with the best scallops and the awesome udon noodles. The restaurant is  smaller, but it is super popular. This trip, we tried a new restaurant called saltwater Grill. This restaurant was really good! I got a seafood pasta and I shared a tuna tartare appetizer. We sat outside and the restaurant was really nice.

Another place that we go is Stingray city. To get to Stingray City, you have to take a boat out to the sandbar. At Stingray City, you can bring your own squid bait to feed the stingray and you have the opportunity to take pictures with them. The experience is really fun, but the first time I went I was very scared. I remember the first time I went very clearly. I was about five years old and I was super scared, so I grabbed onto my dad the whole time. Later on my dad convinced me to take a picture with the stingrays and from there we have gone every year.

The last place that we usually go to is Mrs. Ivy’s fresh market. On the west end near Caymana Bay, our friend Mrs. Ivy has a little stand at the fresh market. We visit her every year and we always buy her hot sauce and her mango jam. Every year she gives us a piece of her daughters artwork and we always hang it up in our house. Mrs. Ivy is so sweet, her mango jam and hot sauce is amazing!

Lastly, to end our trip, we usually spent most of the day near our house. In our backyard we have the most amazing spot for snorkeling. The water is clear and there are many things to see. Over the years we have seen many spinney lobsters, colorful fish, lionfish, moray eels, stingray, sea turtles, and even a nurse shark. My brother and I usually swim in our backyard and snorkel to Rum Point.

Overall, our vacation was amazing and I couldn’t imagine winter break anywhere else. I love spending time with my family and cousins at the beach over the holidays. It is a great was to get our minds off of school and work and I am so thankful I have the opportunity to go to this amazing place. I would definitely recommend visiting the Cayman Islands if you ever get the chance, and I recommend doing many excursions!