A Turks and Caicos tradition continues on November 27-28 with the 6th Annual Conch Festival. This year there is a full line-up of events and activities to celebrate the islands' most famous delicacy, historical icon, and number one export. The popular beachside event will take place on Saturday afternoon, November 28, in the Blue Hills area of Providenciales. The marquee event of the weekend is the 'conch-etition', which pits the island's best chefs against each other in a hotly-contested tasting competition judged by a panel of experts as well as the Festival attendees. More than 25 restaurants are expected to compete for the cash prizes and bragging rights this year and an entry fee of $20 gives Festival-goers a chance to sample all the dishes entered and cast a vote for Best in Show.

This year, a special pre- Festival event will be held Friday evening, November 27. Held on the grounds of the luxurious beachfront Somerset Resort on Grace Bay, the Friday evening event features local jazz musicians performing under the stars on the resort's croquet lawn. While listening to smooth tunes, guests will enjoy a gourmet conch-themed dinner presented by host chef Lauren Callighen of The Somerset's O'Soleil restaurant, who will be joined by guest chefs and Conch Festival judges, Dean Max award-winning chef and owner of several highly regarded restaurants in the US and the Caribbean; and Clay Conley, head chef at Azul in Miami's Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

For more information, go to www.conchfestival.com

There is a non-profit organization the Turks and Caicos called the Friends of the Arts (TCFAF) and they do wonderful work in promoting and teaching kids and adults about all sorts of artistic endeavors - music, dance, acting, etc. They regularly sponsor visiting groups of performing artists to come to the islands and encourage kids to participate more in performing and visual arts.

One of their signature events every year is the Christmas pantomime - or 'panto' (the history of British Pantomime dates back to the middle ages, and usually blends a well known story line or traditional fairy-tale elements with a combination of slapstick, buffoonery, dance and music. "Panto" is a staple in the British theater diet during the Christmas season.).

Photo courtesy of Tropical Imaging.

It's a rollicking night of music and laughs and the folks at the TCFAF raise the bar every year. The show is written, produced, directed, choreographed and performed by an entirely locally-based team of more than 60 volunteers, underwritten by the TCFAF.

This year they will put on the 2009 edition of the panto, called "A Little Caribbean Mermaid and the Enchanted Ring." It is the story of a young lobster fisherman who encounters a beautiful mermaid, and a very special ring, while searching for treasure instead of lobster. There are traditional panto elements such as audience interaction, the 'Dame' and lots of entertainment for the children.

Dates for the performances are December 3, 4, 5 and 10, 11, 12. Tickets will be on sale by the end of October at IGA Supermarket, The Unicorn Bookstore, and through www.tcfaf.com.

It is the annual migration of humpback whales that pass by here on their way to their winter breeding grounds in the Dominican Republic. These graceful and majestic giants are a wonder to behold, and come close by all of our islands.

The best viewing is in the Columbus Passage that separates Grand Turk and Salt Cay from the rest of our islands. Tour operators in Grand Turk and Salt Cay offer whale watching trips so contact them directly for more information. Hotel accommodations are available on both islands, too.

But even the scuba and snorkel operators in Provo see the whales every year as they gently surface and glide through the waters. Observing the humpbacks is reason enough to pay us a visit between December and February, which is when they visit us.

Lemon - a Mediterranean/Morrocan inspired menu and ambience that makes for a true escape from the tropical island feel of Provo. Menu features an array of aromatic and exotic collection of smells and flavors from an eclectic menu. Located just off the Grace Bay Road near The Sands, set in a lush garden setting (owing to one of its partner's roots as a landscape designer).

Vino Tiempo - this is a new in spot located right in Regent Village in the middle of Grace Bay. It features a wide selection of small plates and tapas, to go along with the island's best wine section and a cool urban vibe. Open late and an out door cigar patio is also available.

Other cool TCI blogs:

• MyTurksandCaicosBlog - a blog authored by the owner/managers of the Harbour Club Villas in the Turtle Tail area of Providenciales. One of Marta's passions in life is photography, what better way to showcase her work than by putting them up on the blog along with short stories about where she was when she took them, what was going on, etc.


• Tropical Imaging - probably one of the first real blogs on the island, Andy and his very professional team at Tropical Imaging writes about the many photo sessions that they take around the island.


• Turks & Caicos Sporting Club - offers a very unique island experience from this gorgeous resort on the remote island of Ambergris Cay. View lots of video clips about their many charity events, fishing, and real estate opportunities


• Remax Turks & Caicos Elite Blog - offers some excellent views on the many real estate opportunities, including market trends, eco tourism here in the islands, mortgage information, financing and much more.


• DiscoverTCI - a new travel reservation and information site, they offer up inside tips, reviews and other piece of information only a local could provide