It’s becoming increasingly difficult to write posts like this considering everything that’s going on in the world today. Fires in Australia, mayhem in Iran, Hong Kong, impeachment, and this dude is writing about some beach in Anguilla. But this is a place worth writing about. And as I get older and wiser its becoming more and more clear that in this fragile world, a beach and even looking at pictures of a beach (which I dont do enough) has crazy healing powers. Numerous recent studies suggest the same. There’s a reason why Hawaii is the happiest state in the US year after year, an its not Poke Bowls.
There’s another reason I hesitate to post this one. I’m not exactly anxious for the world to know about this place. Its a cliche, I know. But only once you spend a week here you’ll understand. In fact I met some nice folks there who asked me in a nice half-kidding kind of way to refrain from writing about it. With that said, sharing is caring as my mama used to say. And I do hope, for the same selfish reasons, this place I’m about to mention (the main reason for the post) stays in business long enough.
Rendezvous Bay (special shutout to the person who invented copy and paste) simply put is the perfect beach. Just like most such beaches, you may not find it at its best behavior when you first see it. The winds can get too strong, and sometimes it may feel deserted for a reason. When we first saw it four years ago we werent impressed. But after spending a week at what looks like its best side, we understood. It’s one of the most walkable, most swimmable, and most perfect size beaches we’ve seen. But most of all, its almost empty! From my vantage point, best seat in the theater, one person walking by every 20 minutes. It’s one of the best sheer beauty to people ratio in the Caribbean.
Just to give you an idea how empty this place is. One day I was in the water and noticed from a distance a figure, most likely a man with absolutely no one around him for a good mile. The man pulled down his trunks, bent over and proceeded to either shake the trunks or look for something inside them for a good minute. It wasn’t clear what exactly he was doing, but there he was doing it. If he was looking for his keys, there was only one place left to look for them. His bum can be the symbol of Rendezvous Bay in billboards everywhere with the caption “You can do this here”.
Another big plus is that Rendezvous Bay has arguably the best beach shack in the Caribbean, Sunshine Shack. Garvey and crew will not rest until you are happy. Expertly grilled BBQ chicken, ribs, lobster and crawfish when available is pretty much the entire menu, but thats all you need (well, except if you are vegetarian). Its colorful, inviting, with a bit of a party atmosphere for a change of pace. Booze, games, and comfortable beach lounges allow you to hang out for as long as you want. This is the definition of a beach shack if there was ever one.
One of the cool things about this bay is the lack of hotels. You got CuisinArt in the west as the lone major resort, and a few boutique hotels. One of which is the reason for the post. Rendezvous Bay Hotel. Its the oldest hotel in Anguilla, and today for some mysterious reasons, shockingly underrated. It was 😍😍😍 at first sight for us. I think I gave the biggest tip ever for just showing me the room. We loved everything about this place. From the breakfast burritos, the humongous bed (forget king, more like emperor), the balcony, room size, everything. I can’t think of another place where I wanted to spend so much time in. I even loved that we had three keys and for the life of me I have no idea what the other two were for.
But most of all it was the proximity (20 feet) to what seemed like the best and calmest part of Rendezvous Bay. CuisinArt got the short end of the stick looks like, perhaps because RBH was there first. We had a safety net, a car, that would take us to any beach we want (and there are 33 of them, many of which stunning). But every other beach we visited felt like a downgrade. Its perfectly isolated. You are not far from some of the best dining in Anguilla, and the public ferry. Fantastic value (under $300) to boot especially considering what you’ll find 20 feet away. How often do I write about a hotel. Not very.
Its that time of the year. The time we look back, reflect, and look forward. The time we argue about the spelling of Hanukkah, and wonder how impeachment works exactly. The time we look back at the wonderful things we ate during the year all over the world. The time to call your mom, and watch vacation pictures. In that order. Yes, call you mom, and buy her something meaningful this time. A puppy, a food tour, a trip to Anguilla. Something that will change her life.
When I was watching the Washington Nationals beat the Astros for their first title in the modern era (post iPhone), I never imagined that two days later we would be trapped on Constitution Ave, trying desperately to swim out of the Red Sea (parade crowd). We spent roughly 24 hours, which was also the amount it took me to plan for this last minute getaway. Arlington and Indian – that was pretty much my base, the starting point for this trip. I’ve never been to Arlington, and I got sick and tired of hearing the praises of Rasika.
3:48 PM – We peep out like Meerkats and it looks safe to come out and walk outside. After a Starbucks emergency (for Coffee…), we are off to walk the 2.6 miles National Mall, arguably the greatest outdoor museum and memorial in the world. The plan was to check out the National Museum of the American Indian (Free), but long lines and… jet lag kicks in. It was a 3.5 hour drive after all. From the outside the museum resembles something that belongs in Bilbao. Thats a good thing.
1:30 PM: We have important unfinished business in other states, so bye for now
This is it folks! The moment none of you have been waiting for you. Fresh, off the boat, Cinque Terre pictures that look the same or worse than the millions of CT pictures out there. It took me 8 trips or so to finally see the famous five villages – Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, Rick Steves, Monterosso. Its not official yet, but as you can see, there’s a strong push to rename one, so I’m just one step ahead.
Ahhh, Genoa! The name that triggers no emotion, confusion, and even anger sometimes. Why is this guy writing about Genoa now. What happened to Venice, Rome, and that Cinqua Terras place that he supposedly visited and only wrote about 
Instead of boring you with the usual Best of Umbria this or that, or random tips on Umbria, I will bore you with an award ceremony.
The Milton Snavely Hershey Award. Given to the best Chocolate – Urbani truffled truffles in the Urbani museum
Another incomplete North America National Park visit in the books. Still, no bears. Just like with the elusive sea turtle after hundreds of snorkeling sessions (ok, more like 15), this is starting to feel personal. We even got stuck on two “Bear Jams” between Yosemite and Banff and nada. A Bear Jam is when traffic builds up on a road because bears were spotted. Its the National Park version of a NYC accident on the other side of the highway.
Tuscany is a wildly misunderstood region. You hear about it. You read about it. You finally decide to go. But unless you plan carefully, you may just miss it. Its large, very diverse, and it includes some of the most photogenic corners in Europe. But finding these corners requires time, patience, and a Fiat.
I tell ya. There are some beautiful places on this planet. Some of which look like belong to another planet. I can think of some parts in south Utah like Lake Powell, and Horseshoe Bend in Arizona that look like something you may see in science fiction movies. The common theme is usually color. And if you come at the right time to this part of Umbria you might just see every color imaginable. If you come at the wrong time as we did, its spectacular, still.
What is the perfect base? Its not rocket science. Put your destination stars on the map, and pick something in the middle. The only decision is whether it will be a city, a town, village, or something in the countryside like a villa or Agriturismo. You’ll find many advantages and disadvantages with all options. Thats why mixing it up a little works for many.
