Since we spent a couple weeks in the Grenadines earlier this year, I'll probably be sharing some examples that are pretty focused on this area for a while...

A fantastic island in the Grenadines is Bequia (pronounced BEK-way). While many of the leeward Caribbean islands are more touristy, Bequia is a beautiful, quiet island, that at times made me feel like I was back in the South Pacific. With rolling hills, lush trees and scenery, it definately felt like an escape more than tourist paradise.

Lindsay and I took one afternoon to go ashore and walk across the island, from the main town of Port Elizabeth over the top of the hill to a beautiful bay on the northeast side of the island called Spring Bay. After spending a little while on the absolutely gorgeous beach there, we stopped by the Spring on Bequia hotel and restaurant for a cold drink.

Sitting at the open air bar under the palms and abundant birds chirping away, all of the stresses and hustle of home (nearly 5,550 miles away) disappeared. We sat there sipping ice-cold Hairoun beers as beads for sweat rolled down their green glass silhouettes.

What makes Spring so beautiful that it is was different than the typical "tropical bar" where you sit facing the crashing waves and people sprawled out across the beach. Sitting under the canopy of trees, it almost felt - quite unexpectedly - that we had been transported to a jungle setting that was both distant and intriguing.

Don't get me wrong - it's still has all of the wonderful aspects of the Caribbean, with the sound of crashing waves off in the distance, and the ever smiling hostess checking in on us from time to time. But, it is just a little different and unexpected and that is what makes it a great place to me.

Check it out if you ever get to Bequia - it's worth the 30-40 minute walk.