Next stop was the magnificent Crystal Caves, exploring below the surface of the island was quite the treat, looking at crystals that have been formed by single drops of water over thousands of years. With some interesting stories from our very knowledgeable guide. Anyone coming to the Caymans should do this tour.
The caves are now actually owned by a Danish family and the place is beautifully maintained, they take great care in preserving nature and protecting the crystals, touching anything inside the caves is absolutely forbidden and any damage caused by humans is fined heavily starting at 6000 USD and going as high as 30 000 USD. There have been instances that these fines have been issued and of course it also comes with a lifetime ban. On arrival you do sign your financial life away, so it is imperative to keep your hands to yourself, both for the sake of your wallet and for nature. Surely, we have learnt over time, that us humans we are a destructive bunch, as we have caused so much damage to our planet already, so I am honestly in support of the way they are forcing the preservation of these beautiful Crystal Caves.
We spent some time just randomly driving around the island and enjoying some spontaneous stops, one of them being the Cayman Parrot Sanctuary, this was actually a real feel good place, you got the feeling that it was a safe haven for our winged buddies. The Cayman Parrot is actually the national bird of the Cayman Islands. Every cage had a story about where they were rescued from and why they could not be released back into the wild, while others had the story of the rehabilitation and the process to get them ready to be released. This sanctuary was created during Covid and since 2020 they have managed to rehabilitate and release more than 30 parrots back into the wild. Many have been rescued from very unsavoury homes with terrible injuries, but are now able to live a peaceful and happy life in captivity. While others will have the opportunity to fly free. Well done to the owner Ron Hargrave for creating this beautiful and well maintained sanctuary.
We also met the cutest little Cayman rabbit whose mother was driven over by a car when she was rescued and now lives at the parrot sanctuary where you can give her some love and a very tiny amounts of snacks.
Our final stop at the Pirate Cove Bar on a small and very unkept beach, located on the less affluent part of town, but believe me still no one is doing without, we stopped for a quick peek and a beer of course. A real short walk on the beach and found the most beautiful shells I have ever seen out in nature, these I usually see in the tourist shops all polished up and ready for purchase, here they were lying all over the place, WOW what a treat. Of course I went back into the bar and asked the bar lady if I would be allowed to keep them, she said of course and produced a bag so that the sand would not end up all over the car. Now this for me is an ornament that money cannot buy.
George Town, Cayman Islands
