That means making sure all Reef Staff members are trained to assist guests in an emergency. First Aid Training Courses are being held for team members  and I recently completed my course along with two of our front desk agents and a member of the marketing/reservations team. A special thank you goes out to our instructor Doug from Red Sail who put our skills and knowledge to the test with a series of  reenactments.

Once the life-saving training was over it was time for some side-splitting laugh out loud stories from some of Cayman and the Caribbean’s greatest story tellers! Gimistory- a storytelling festival put on by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation- is a favorite among both young and old, residents and guests.

Gimistory Storyteller

Held every year over a one week period in each of the districts and on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, Gimistory brings together renowned story tellers and singers from the Caribbean and the U.S. who share traditional stories and songs using an array of props, musical instruments, costumes and sometimes members of the crowd. It truly is one of the most relaxing, enjoyable evenings you can spend with friends and family and something well worth checking out.

With Christmas just a few days away be sure to check back soon for a look at another popular Christmas Tradition in Grand Cayman- the Festival of Lights.

So what do you think of my posts? Drop me a line at crichardson@thereef.com  I would love to hear from you!

Happy Holidays Cathy the concierge

crichardson@thereef.com

In celebration of the pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock,  millions of Americans will gather with their family and friends and enjoy the traditional feast of turkey, ham and all the trimmings.

Here at theReef Resort we have employees from all over the world that celebrate a variety of holidays. We have Canadians, Jamaicans, English, Filipinos and Caymanians as well as a few employees from Serbia and one from Australia.

For me Thanksgiving is about being grateful, it’s a time that forces us to stop & reflect on what we have & appreciate all the good things in life. I live here in Cayman on a beautiful island with my family. I have a really fun job as a concierge where I get to meet new guests & make friends every week, and every week I go on a catamaran and play with the Stingrays when we take our guests out, who wouldn’t be thankful for that.

So in this holiday season I encourage you to be grateful for what you do have and not dwell on what you don’t have and let us all be thankful for all the wonderful things we get to experience, for sunrises & sunsets, for laughter & for love, for always learning and for the simple joys of life, like hearing your favorite song on the radio or seeing a child smile.

Happy Thanksgiving !

Cathy

 It’s also Pirates Week, a festival with fireworks, a parade, street dance & lots of great Heritage Days celebrating the food, culture & traditions that make up our beautiful islands. It’s also a great excuse to dress up like a pirate & say “arrgghh” a lot.

One of the events at Pirates Week that many people miss, is the Cardboard Boat Race, this takes place on the final Saturday of Pirates Week in George Town Harbour. In it’s 6^th year, teams make “boats” out of cardboard & race out to a specific spot in the water & then back to shore, teams were judged on design, team spirit & of course finishing. As you can see by the picture, many boats completed the course, but just as many didn’t. The batman team, while especially creative, came in almost dead last, it was blamed on the joker.

Overall it was a great race and the long green boat full of lawyers won bragging rights as the new champions, arrrgghhh!!!

theReef Resort has partnered with Bragfire to introduce VideoMaker- an easy to use application that creates a lasting video of the Ultimate Island Vacation you can instantly share with all your friends, family, colleagues, everyone you know.

The best part, VideoMaker does all the work. All you have to do is visit  video.theReef.com  choose your favorite pictures and then click preview and watch VideoMaker combine those pictures with a pre-made video of theReef Resort. You can be as creative or traditional as you want to be there are no rules, just pure fun! Once your video is made you can then instantly share your masterpiece on facebook, twitter, pininterest, or email.

Here’s my video … now it’s your turn to make your own lasting memories of yourvacation at theReef.

Have fun!

Happy Holidays from everyone at theReef!

My answer, “Walmart”, but that’s just me. Until recently I hadn’t been off this little island called Grand Cayman in four long years and my vacation motto is “when your on vacation you have to do things you can’t do at home” for me that’s shopping as sadly there is no Walmart in Grand Cayman.

I realize that many of our guests live by my vacation motto too. Trying new things like visiting Stingray City, getting out on the water with kayaks or simply relaxing on the beach with a Cayman Lemonade (highly recommended by our guests from big cities!).

 But this year I finally did get off the rock, and besides shopping (lots of shopping!) my family and I went to the Smokey Mountains, to the forests and rivers of North Carolina and Tennessee. I must tell you first hand, that driving down a winding, twisting mountain road at night with nothing but your headlights on, is ten times scarier than any roller coaster ride I have ever been on. We went White Water Rafting and tubeing down a creek. As many of our blog readers know, Grand Cayman is really a small island, so we took advantage of the open American roads and embarked on a few road trips. Something you really can’t do on an island which is less than 100 square miles.

The majority of our staff here at theReef go home to visit family and friends; it can be difficult to be away from loved ones. Others go on road trips like I did, and some explore Cuba and nearby countries throughout the Caribbean & Central America.

We came back to Grand Cayman, our bags filled with bargains and hearts filled with memories. I returned with a renewed energy and enthusiasm ready to make sure you enjoy your vacation as much as we did ours!

At theReef our guests join us from all over the USA, Canada and Europe and many of our staff are from far away places too; that is I think makes Cayman so interesting, a culture combined from many continents, different cuisines and a wonderful history.

Being on vacation gave me insight as to what our guests at theReef need while they are on holiday, for me it was fun family time. So whether you are looking for an action packed family vacation or relaxing romantic vacation, stop by and see me at the concierge desk.

Even though our island is small there is still loads going on! 

- Cathy Richardson, Concierge

Away.comwriter Lena Katz explains that The Reef’s East End location makes for a laid-back atmosphere, saving guests from the cruise-ship crowds that occasionally flood the west side of the island. She doesn’t forget to mention The Reef’s 1,600-foot stretch of white sand, the largest of any resort beach on the island, and that all 152 condo-style rooms are beachfront, with a patio or balcony just inches away from the sand and sea.

The Reef’s Deluxe All-Inclusive package includes meals, premium drinks, up to an hour rental from the famous White Sand Water Sports team, plus snorkeling gear your entire stay. We also have slimmed-down all-inclusive options now, that you can view here.

The list includes Caribbean, Central America and North America locations. The Reef is among 14 Caribbean resorts that make the cut.

To see the The Reef’s listing as a Top All Inclusive Resorts on Away.com, click here. Don’t forget to give The Reef a “thumbs up” while looking over the full review!

The man behind the drive for electric vehicles in Cayman (no pun intended!), is Mr. John Felder. Mr. Felder has been working on this project in Cayman for six years and earlier this year he sold the first electric vehicle, a Chevy Volt, to Caribbean Utilities Company (CUC). These charging stations are the first of its kind in the Caribbean and theReef is very proud to support this innovative green movement.

At the moment 14 solar panel chargers are planned for Grand Cayman, including the station at theReef. The chargers have wind-resistant solar panels which will form a canopy over the car (bonus your car is kept shaded too). Surplus energy will also be fed back into Cayman’s national grid.

You can read more about Mr. John Felder’s plans for electric cars in Cayman here.

Cayman Airways

As always, Cayman Airlines tickets include two free checked bags and complimentary rum punch! It’s just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from Miami International Airport, an easy 70 minute flight.

To book your Miami/Tampa airfare contact your travel professional or visit www.caymaniarways.com.

Complete your trip by booking an escape to theReef! Offering three all-inclusive options, dive packages and romantic getaways, there is a deal for everyone. Why not book a beachfront studio starting at just $99 a night!

With the most unique guarantees on the island, theReef will make sure you’re taken care of during your stay.

Check out www.thereef.com for accommodation options and www.caymandivingresort.com for more info on diving at theReef.

To book your perfect package, contact your travel agent. Book direct by emailing reservations@theReef.com or calling toll free on 1-888-232-0541.

An auction will be held to raise funds for culinary scholarships for underprivileged youth through the “Triumph Through Adversity” program. In the auction, The Reef will be donating a five-night stay in a one bedroom executive suite.

“Triumph Through Adversity” helps disenfranchised youth develop culinary skills that will empower them to learn, help them build productive lives and integrate them into Montreal’s community. We have our fingers crossed at The Reef that this will be a high-bidding item and raise significant funds for this wonderful program.

The event features high quality cuisine from many Caribbean chefs and destinations. After you eat, enjoy live music, island dance lessons, art, mini golf and even a casino for charity. And don’t forget to make it to the live auction to bid for a trip to The Reef!

If you are in the Montreal area, join the Taste of the Caribbean in the heart of Old Montreal from 3 to 12 a.m. for general admissions, 1:30 to 12 a.m. for VIP.

Tickets are available for general admission, $50, children tickets are $17, and $125 for VIP.

Visit http://www.atasteofthecaribbean.ca/festival.html or http://www.totc-festival.com for more information on this event.