6 hrs, 4 kms
As the road winds up along the coast, I get my first glimpse of the Caribbean you see in the brochures--beautiful beaches and turquoise waters--with a few yachts in the background . Down below is Grande Anse, Grenada's most famous beach. But I don't feel like doing beach right now, so I'll save it for another time.  
Up ahead, on the far side of a large yacht harbour is a penninsula jutting out into the sea where there's a colorful city and even a castle. Looks like there's some history too it too--which I'm excited about. Not a whole lot of historical structures in Trinidad. Some yachties are coming ashore for supplies--these look more like the retiree couple yachties rather than the hard core seamen I hung out with in Trinidad.
I continue around another harbor with historic buildings squeezed between the water and a steep ridge. St Georges definitely has character to it. Then there's a narrow tunnel that goes under the ridge and to the other part of town facing the sea.
Here I'm greeted by an interesting contrast. On one side of the narrow street is a artificial looking shopping area that leads to the cruise ship loading dock. On the other side of the streets are shops catering to the locals, with gritty streets climbing up the steep hillside . I guess the idea is that the cruise ship folks just stay on one side of the street!
It seems like Grenada pretty much just has two types of tourists: the retired yachties and the cruise ship passengers. Typically neither of these groups of people really do much serious exploring or getting to know the culture. It seems it's shame that their only impression of Grenada might be this rather grimy street--which I don't think really does this country justice. In the shopping area there's a crowd of cruise ship passengers crowding around a free wi-fi spot--clearly in no rush to get out and explore the island at all...
I head up one of the steep streets to a church at the top. This church has a cheery, pastel painted interior--unlike the typical gloomy European churches--and a great view out to the fishing boat harbour to the east and the ocean on the west, with the hulking cruise ship towering over the tiny town center...
On down another alley, I spot a sign that says "art gallery" and decide to check it out. Inside a friendly fellow, Freddy Paul is in the middle of doing a painting--but is happy to pause for a chat .
He points to my guitar. "I'm a musician too." he tells me. "actually, I first create a piece of music, and then use that music to inspire me to paint something"
He points to different styles he has done of scenery of Grenada, "I'm actually creating a new style right now," he points to a sort of comical painting of people with very long limbs that snake in various directions, "I was just doing it for fun, and then someone came and really like it."
I'm inspired by the encounter--and the realization that just because an artist lives on a small island country, doesn't mean he can't develop his art, be original, have a broad spectrum of styles... and share his art with the world. Thanks to the internet, everybody in the world can see (and buy!) some of Freddy Paul's creations http://www.freddysartgallery.com/ 
I continue on my way, up to check up the castle, at least from the outside. Nothing really spectacular... but castles in the Western Hemisphere are hard to come by, so I'm not going to complain. Down on the east side again, I decide to check out the museum--as I'm really not in a hurry to head out for a long hike in the sun .
It's got some decent displays, with a large canoe and other artifacts from the pre-Colombian times and giant pots and industrial artifacts from colonial times. There are displays about the atrocities committed against slaves and their struggle for freedom.  
The American Invasion
Upstairs it gets a little more personal. There's a photo display of the things that led up to the American invasion of Grenada in 1983--the first American that I have vague memories of. In the American media I remember it was presented as a quick and clean operation meant to halt the spread of the Evil Soviet-Cuban Empire. We came in, quickly toppled those in power... people more to our liking were put in power, and everything turned out fine right?
Well, it wasn't that simple. In fact it's so complicated that even as I'm writing this I'm not really sure what was really going on. Here's what I understand:
In 1979 there was a coup d'etat led by Maurice Bishop. Maurice Bishop is still looked on as a hero, and you'll see paintings of him all over the island . He worked hard for agrarian reform, bringing in skilled technicians etc from Cuba--although he was officially "non-aligned". I'm told later that under Maurice there was a push to make Grenada more industrialized and self-sufficient, providing jobs for its citizens.
Meanwhile, the US was getting nervous because an airport was being built with the help of Cuba, with an airstrip long enough for large bombers.
Then, in 1983, there was a dispute with some high military officers and Maurice was arrested and then assassinated. (Some people suspect America's involvement in this). Within days the US invaded and a new pro-American government was put in place. 
Ironically, the United States later helped Grenada finish the airport what had been one of the excuses for invading. Now there's a monument there "thanking" America.
The displays here are a bit more grim. They show both sides, the human rights abuses under Maurice Bishop as well as the suffering and damage caused by the American invasion.   
But everything's OK now, right? Democracy, human rights, capitalism ... bigazz cruise ships docked in the harbour. I'm not going to be too quick to assume. I'm going to find out from the people themselves as I hike around their country.
For now let's turn to more cheerful things. I hear music in the room next door. A girl with an amazing voice is belting out an r and b tune. I go out to the balcony to see what's going on. I find a group of well dressed young people.
"We're auditioning for a Caribbean song contest--like American Idol. Hopefully one of us will go to the finals"
Once again, I'm reminded that just because you live on a small island, doesn't mean that you don't have any opportunities to share you talents. In fact, these kids might actually have better chances than than average American Idol contestant...
It's time to head on my way. I'm going to go ahead and grab a mini van to Non Pariel where I'm planning to couchsurf. No phone number though... I'm just supposed to show up in the village and ask for Kim's Organic Cocoa Farm.