Probably not a good time for this as everyone is depressed about the state of the program but whatevs, Cayman Islands breakdown:
Not sure what I was expecting to be honest, every place I’ve been to in the Caribbean (Jamaica, Antigua, Turks and Caicos) has had a similar theme: Nice resort, great beach, surrounded by abject poverty and slums where you don’t feel safe leaving your hotel. I was expecting the same thing with the caymans, especially since it was one of the cheaper rooms. We stayed in essentially an AirBNB 3 bedroom condo right on 7 mile beach. Went with my wife’s uncle and aunt as well as they are fun vacation partners with us.
We get out of the airplane and are getting a taxi to the condo and everything is just really…..nice. Beamers, Audis, Benz’s everywhere. As soon as we get to the condo I run across the street to the liquor store to stock up. Little hole in the wall liquor store - I walk in and there is gold, green, and red label blantons. 5 different types of Elijah Craig including an Elijah Craig 18 year. Clase Azul tequila, Dos Hombres mezcal, Crystal. I’m like WTF is happening. Go with my wife’s uncle to the grocery store Fosters right after - small bottles of truffle oil for 70 dollars, makes a Whole Foods look like a ghetto IGA. Ask him WTF is going on and he goes - it’s the Cayman Islands. Tons of offshore banking and the money laundering capital of the world. Had no idea!
Favorite restaurant:
Tilly’s at Palm Heights. Incredibly swanky and just the most fresh fish I’ve had. They also sold Cuban cigars (some for over 1,000 a pop) so I got 2 “cohiba siglo 2”. Never really had a cigar other than a puff here and there. Meh, I don’t know if they’re my thing. Its also very difficult for me not to inhale.
Favorite Bar:
Casa 43 tequila bar. The owner was a super nice South African guy (lots of South Africans in accounting live here apparently) - what a great accent. Had the most absurd tequila menu ive ever seen(like rare 10,000 bottles) Had a clase azul margarita pitcher for 190 which I found amusing. He was working on a new drink - the beef brisket margarita: used an avian tequila (due to its “citrus crisp”) and infused it with beef brisket from his smokehouse 49 restaurant right beside it (that had an absurd high end bourbon selection). He made us one and had us try it - it was surprisingly good. The repasoda mojito was my favorite however.
Just overall an incredibly nice, high end, great experience. We want to try either Atlantis or Baha Mar with the kids next year but would love to go back.
Had a layover in Charlotte on the way back so with the way the flight worked out got an AirBNB in NoDa and stayed the night as my wife’s cousin lives there. Got food poisoning eating fried oysters I think and was vomiting on the plane ride back and all day yesterday - haven’t been able to keep much down today so the added bonus of a great post vacation fast to make up for eating like a pig!
