This Caribbean Island Is Back From the Brink—and Ready To Share Its Treasures With the World

Every product that appears on Condé Nast Traveler has been hand-picked by our editors. However, we might receive an affiliate commission if you make a purchase using one of our retail links.

The paintings of Italian-born artist Agostino Brunias, who made a profession of depicting the island in subdued, stylized settings that covered up the harsh realities of colonial control, were my first visual introduction to Dominica. However, as soon as I step onto its winding roads, which begin to twist shortly after I arrive, it becomes evident that this region, which is situated in the center of the Lesser Antilles’ curve, is anything but tame. The two-toned leaves of its bois canot trees, which change color from green to white when they sway in the wind, shimmer and bristle with the power of the volcano. It lulls with the erratic sound of its numerous waterfalls, scatters rainbows haphazardly across its breathtaking horizons, and enchants from the depths with its vibrant coral reefs. And it roars come storm season.

The indigenous Kalinago people of Dominica survived invasion by the French and British, who imposed slavery on the Africans who now make up four-fifths of the island’s population and left a linguistic legacy of English and French-based Creole, by mastering the lush tropical rainforest that covers more than 60% of the island. If you visit Trinidad for roti and Jamaica for jerk, you should travel to Dominica for green things like bush rum and flower teas. There are a ton of medicinal herbs in the forest.

The Jungle Bay Dominica resort, located smack dab in the center of the Soufrière jungles, leans into nature instead, maybe realizing the futility of fighting against the earth’s generosity. When I finally get there, the kitchen is closed. Joanne Hilaire, the operations manager, tells me that they never let guests go hungry, though, so I can feel the warmth of Dominica’s welcome. The cook is preparing an excellently stewed dish of beans with taro, rice, and plantain for our late dinner, off the menu, while I have a refreshing ginger-lime cocktail that is a local favorite. When I wake up the following morning, I find that my villa’s doors open onto a private veranda that faces southwest toward Soufrière Bay, where the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean converge. I let the light wake me for the remainder of my stay by leaving my blinds open.

Meet the Korean Couple, 61 & 56, Who Started Working Out Together and Proved That a Healthy Couple Stays Together

Many people have a usual idea of what it looks like to get older. We imagine droopy skin, a weaker body, and wrinkles as common signs of aging. However, there is a Korean couple who are defying these negative stereotypes about old age.

He’s 61 and she’s 56 years old.

The couple from Seoul, known as @okdong_fit on Instagram, mainly shares posts about staying fit and their daily life. This type of content usually doesn’t include older people.

However, despite their ages of 61 and 56, this couple embraced the challenge and embarked on a fitness journey together. Now, they are the most amazing and inspiring senior couple you’ll ever come across!

In a video narrated by their daughter Grace, she shared the story of her parents’ fitness journey. Grace mentioned that her father got motivated by a popular trend in South Korea, where people would exercise for six months and share their body changes on the internet.

Their life before they started working out.

In an Instagram video Grace shares that her mom was overweight but at the same time, her dad was extremely skinny due to being an amateur kickboxer. Her mother started swimming a year after she gave birth to her son and she swam for the next five years.

After Grace’s dad quit kickboxing he started going out to play soccer every week, so he has always been active. But this activity caused him a knee problem which resulted in him not being able to walk more than 30 minutes at a time.

When he decided to join this trend, his wife decided to join him as well. Grace explained that her parents have always been a team, and this journey was no different.

The couple began exercising and eating a healthy diet, and after six months, they took new profile pictures. However, even after achieving their initial goal, they decided to keep going and push themselves further.

Apart from their workout routines, the senior couple also shares updates about their everyday life. They post about going on dates, shopping for fashionable athletic wear, and even share their diet plans. The duo truly does it all and does it with enthusiasm!

The gym is their typical date spot.

https://v16-web-newkey.tiktokcdn.com/3658deb9b76926bde3e945f73dcf5d89/660c5e8f/video/tos/alisg/tos-alisg-pve-0037c001/okEsBebnUIb1RVkEoEGFEJzBkBaAEDFpeQEpUg/?a=1988&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C&cv=1&br=2114&bt=1057&cs=0&ds=3&ft=bL4kam7nPD12NCzfHT-UxX6FSY6e3wv25VcAp&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=ZmlpaWhlaWdlOGRpaWVmN0Bpam1zOGc6ZnQ0ajMzODczNEAxMjQ1MmFhXjYxYS5fYzYyYSMvX2ducjRfL2ZgLS1kMTFzcw%3D%3D&vvpl=1&l=20240402133713AA4747BB7F2CE60DDDDD&btag=e00088000

Many of us wouldn’t even think of the gym as a date spot. However, they regularly go and have gym dates either in the evening or during the day.

https://v16-web-newkey.tiktokcdn.com/418ede6d6a1cbb87dd8298a86d51563b/660c5e72/video/tos/alisg/tos-alisg-pve-0037c001/o4ABQUflKckEbB8BfhnVxI6LUZWRDh8gqVVER8/?a=1988&bti=NDU3ZjAwOg%3D%3D&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=tiktok_m&cd=0%7C0%7C1%7C&cv=1&br=3836&bt=1918&cs=0&ds=3&ft=bL4kam7nPD12NCzfHT-Ux26vSY6e3wv25ycAp&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=MzY6NjQ5NmllNjhkNzQ4O0BpanllOmk6ZnhvazMzODczNEAxY2FhYDMxX18xMTVjMDM1YSM1ZWVrcjRnZGZgLS1kMTFzcw%3D%3D&vvpl=1&l=20240402133713BB649FB0820F150D2482&btag=e00088000

The couple’s life is nothing we would expect from a couple of their age. They are just purely awesome, and they also share their joyful life in many perspectives.

Their children hold an equal place of importance in their hearts.

The couple lives far away from their children. Their daughter and eldest son reside in America. However, distance doesn’t stop them from getting together.

Every summer or winter, the whole family goes on a trip. Even though it’s a short journey, the time they spend together as a family is more precious to them than anything else.

The Beatles sang a song called “All you need is love.” But in real life, arguments, spending time alone, and disagreements are what really make relationships stronger and more interesting. When you have your first fight, you might feel upset and start questioning your partner. However, psychologists say that going through these challenges helps couples understand each other better and ultimately become stronger.

Preview photo credit okdong_fit / Instagramokdong_fit / Instagram

Related Posts

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*