Countdown to San Salvador

I have less than a week until I board a little 8-seater plane and head to San Salvador, Bahamas! You're probably thinking, "San what?? Where is that?" Actually, that's what most people have said when I told them about my trip, so I thought I'd post a little something about the island.

Located 360 miles southeast of Miami, San Salvador is one of the less developed islands in the Bahamas. This island is also known as Columbus Isle because most historians agree that it is the island where Christopher Columbus first made landfall in the "New World." Apparently, Columbus himself said, "The beauty of these islands surpasses that of any other and as much as the day surpasses the night in splendour." Pretty good recommendation, huh? I guess I'm in for a pretty cool trip! This website has some more cool information about San Salvador.

So we're going to stay at the Club Med on the island...Haha--Just kidding! The Gerace Research Center will be our home-base on Columbus Isle. We'll be staying with other researchers in dorm-like facilities and snorkeling/SCUBA diving daily--Can't wait!



By the way, look who stopped by to say hello the other day? My husband is "deathly afraid of snakes" and has a most unfortunate, self-proclaimed "Brick Throwing Policy," which he says he will implement at the sight of any snake. Actually, it should probably be called the "Throw-your-hands-over-your-head-and-scream-and-run-down-the-trail" because that's what he did last time he saw a snake. Anyway, with THIS guy around, he's off Brick/Run-and-scream duty because this is an Eastern King Snake. These guys actually eat other snakes and regularly eat pit vipers like cottonmouths, copperheads, and rattlesnakes because they're immune to their venom.

So the moral of the story is: Don't throw bricks at snakes or any other wildlife. They all serve an important purpose in the ecosystem--some of which may benefit you too!