Category: Tortuga

Come Party With The Pirates

 

Pirates Week 2016: “Age of Romance”

Now in its 39th year festivities will begin on Little Cayman (4-6 November), move to Grand Cayman for the most famous of events (10-20 November), fun filled days with music, street dances, competitions, games, traditional dishes and drinks, a children fun day, two glittering parades, sporting events for all ages, Caymanian Heritage Days, a pirate invasion and spectacular fireworks displays! But the fun doesn’t end there, with lot’s of excitement also happening in Cayman Brac (25-27 November). There you will find, an evening bon fire for the whole family, a pirates welcome party, cultural displays of crafts and traditional food as well as a performance of a Caymanian wedding waltz. There is something for everyone, don’t miss it!

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This year we’ve chosen the “Age of Romance” as our annual theme. This aligns with the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s mandate, calling 2016 the Year of Romance.

On Saturday 12th November the ‘pirates’ will invade the islands attacking from the sea in Hog Sty Bay in George Town harbour.  Traditionally the Governor is ‘captured’ and the pirates ‘run amock’ for the entire week before being cast off again for another year. Thousands of people line the streets to watch the spectacle and its all good-natured swashbuckling fun. It’s the only event of its kind in the Caribbean region and it caters to everyone in the family!

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 Keep checking the Pirates Week website for updates and special offers at our gift shop throughout the year. You can also become a fan of the festival on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and if you want to be in the ‘pirate invasion’ or volunteer for the festival then please contact us at info@piratesweekfestival.com

 The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism has a Visitor Information booth in the Customs hall of the Owen Roberts International Airport. The Visitor Information booth is fully stocked with the latest tourist publications, brochures and other information visitors may need during a visit to the Cayman Islands.

We hope to see pirates and landlubbers alike this at this year’s festival, ready to have lots of fun in the Cayman Islands.

 

National Rum Day

As an upstanding member of the Pirate Nation, it would be horribly rude of me to not celebrate National Rum Day. I’m pretty sure there is something in the Codex about it.

It may come as a big shock to you, but I love Rum!
While other people may be stocking up on cigars when they go on a cruise, I am stocking up on the Tortuga Rum Cake in the Caymans.

In 1984, while working for Cayman Airways, Captain Robert Hamaty and his wife Carlene, an in-flight supervisor, founded the Tortuga Rum Company, Ltd. They introduced the first rums of the Cayman Islands, primarily to appeal as a souvenir to the growing tourist and cruise passenger business. In 1987, they opened the first Tortuga duty free liquor store and later that year introduced the now world famous Tortuga Caribbean Rum Cake.

For years Carlene had baked rum cakes for special occasions, using a four-generation old family recipe. Friends in the food business encouraged her to make it part of the Tortuga line. First offered at a local restaurant, her moist delectable cake was an instant hit.By 1990 the demand was so great that the company expanded with a bakery, making their cake the Caribbean’s first commercially produced rum cake. A custom vacuum-seal packaging machine was added in 1991. The process prolongs the cakes’ shelf life for up to twelve months or indefinitely if refrigerated or frozen – ideal for distribution anywhere in the world.

One of these mini cakes will have you mellowed out just fine!  They do ship world wide for those who can’t make it down to the Caymans.

For 5 years I tried to duplicate the recipe and I pretty much have it down. There is a cup of Rum in the batter and a cup in the glaze. I’ve had people actually lick the platter clean! Especially that one time when I tripled the recipe for a birthday at the American Legion. Let’s just say there were some shenanigans going on that night!

Enjoy your Rum today and give these cakes a try. You won’t regret it!

xxooAaarrgghh!