Mount Trashmore

I made the most remarkable discovery this past weekend, one that I stumbled upon purely by accident, but a good one never the less. Right across the traffic circle there is an aluminum can recycling bin! Small discovery, and a boring one in most people's opinion, but here in Cayman it is a HUGE breakthrough. We were disgusted, appalled and Blake was nearly ready to catch the next plane out of here when we found out that the Cayman Islands do not recycle. Blake meticulously tutored me in the art of recycling back home. He was so dedicated to sorting his papers and plastics that he had it down to a science. When he found out my apartment and the city of St. Albert didn't have door step recycling he would bring my empty blue bags from his place and take my full ones back to his house to recycle. Eventually we discovered a recycling centre down my street and Blake would spend Saturday mornings sorting my recyclables. Many times I would come out of the shower and not know where he had disappeared to, but he'd pop through the door minutes later excited that he had taken the recycling to the depot (good boy). So it was a huge shock to the system to start throwing our pop bottles, newspapers, plastic containers and cans into the garbage. We felt immoral, dirty and shamed doing it. Its amazing how you can be so trained in one way of living. What is even worse is the fact that all of this garbage, both the potentially recyclable and non-recyclables all end up in the same place: Mount Trashmore. On an island where the highest altitude is 3 metres above sea level, you can imagine what a dump might look like. It is the first landmark seen on the cruise ships, it is the highest point on the island and it is located near the most pristine white beaches in the Caribbean. Bad city planning? I think so. Apparently nobody considered the effects of hurricanes and projectile rusting metals? Driving by Mount Trashmore is also an experience in itself. For a 1.5 km stretch you can inhale all of the rotting, decomposing and festering crap that makes Mount Trashmore the phenomenon that it is. But if you don't have a chance to drive the bypass beside the dump, no worries, on a windy day (4/5 days) the hot stench is gently wafted to Seven Mile Beach, and the entire western section of the island is awash in it's fragrant perfume. Mount Trashmore is such a well known landmark that a huge condominium complex has evolved right across the road, and now there is a sea of "For Sale" signs along the bypass. After our initial viewing of the dump we inquired about the lack of recycling and were told that it is just not economically feasible on this island (say what??????). Which brings me back to my exciting discovery of an aluminum can recycling bin across the road. What a huge find, one that could be the beginning of a trend? Well, I won't hold my breath on that one... but I will hold it while I drive by Mt. Trashmore.

Pictured above : the bald glory of Mount Trashmore, a cruiser's first view of the island