In Provo Day 3 & 4

We went to the local car rental place (Scooter Bob’s) and rented a Suzuki, 4w drive vehicle (air conditioned) and took off with Chip and Kay to see the sights.
The first thing that strikes you about Provo is the quality of the roads. They are very good! There are streetlights everywhere (that work) and street and traffic signs clearly visible along the roads. There are no traffic signals either. Rather, the T & C traffic department uses “roundabouts” at most intersections and an occasional stop sign when absolutely necessary.


The next surprise comes when you’re looking at the buildings and realize that they aren’t trashed, cracked or in a state of disrepair. They’re actually on a par with what you’d find in Ft. Lauderdale or Palm Beach. Grocery stores are well stocked and the prices (with the exception of beer, wine and liquor) are much cheaper than the Bahamas. There’s a huge NAPA auto Store, a “Do It Centre,” which rivals Lowe’s or Home Depot, and a cement plant that manufactures cement, crushes rock into graded aggregate and custom mixes concrete. If it weren’t for the fact that you see beautiful, blue-green water on both sides of the road, you’d swear you were back in the USA.


We spent the day doing the tourist bit; visiting shops and restaurants, buying souvenirs and sampling local foods. We drove all around the island until we had a good feel for direction and where we’d go to see special attractions tomorrow. Afterwards, we went to the local Cost Good store (like a Sam’s Club or Cosco in the States) and to the local IGA, which was as big as the biggest Publix or Kroger store. We restocked on beer, pop, food, snacks and vegis. The total cost was only about 12% more than a comparable grocery run back home.

We are a bit slower at getting started this morning!! We were both more tired from yesterday’s activities than we’d expected. Plus, we’re a little beat up from bouncing around in the Suzuki (it had no shocks in the back end.) Today’s mission is to tour the Conch(pronounced KONK)Farm.


and then scout out the coastline of Provo and see if there is an anchorage area worth visiting (plus hit any of the stores we may have missed yesterday.) We first went east, to the Conch Farm and the Leeward Marina.

Next, we went back east and then south to the soccer and rugby complexes located Downtown (a name that defines the financial and business district on Provo without making the area a separate political subdivision.) We saw where the Turks & Caicos National Team plays its international matches(although yhey weren't playing)and the secondary pitch where all club teams practice and league matches are played. There is also a modern air-conditioned, indoor facility there where youth leagues participate in indoor soccer, roller hockey and kick boxing. It’s really quite a spectacular athletic complex.

That sums up the last two days for us...Sunday is a day of rest!!!