The Rumelier is Bob Davies. Born in Wales a few years ago, then emigrated to the Bahamas
in his twenties to work as a P.E. teacher. While living here he discovered the delights of rum. It was while living,
working and playing in the Bahamas that he was weened on "Bacardi Anejo" which is drunk in large quantities
by the local rumaholics. It was quickly realized that more often than not the cost of a bottle of Bacardi was cheaper than
the cost of the soda to mix with it. This was certainly not the case back home in Wales. Now there was really no excuse why
he shouldn't drink rum!
The Rumelier was once told, while still living in Wales, by a colleague at work who was a
former sailor in the British Navy, that when he moved to the Caribbean he would start to drink lots of rum. The Rumelier
thought this to be very doubtful at the time, as his only experience of rum previously was an odd rum and coke. Rum is
not that popular in Wales, with most bars only stocking two or three rums at most.
The Rumelier's farther was also
in the British Navy, during the Second World War and he got to travel all over the world as a result. This love for travel
and adventure has obviously rubbed off on one of his siblings.
Not only was The Rumelier a P.E. teacher in the Bahamas,
he ran and lived at the local rugby club where rum was sold and drank in large quantities. While living at the rugby club
he made many friends, several who owned their own bars. These people were experts on rum and mixing rum based cocktails. Whenever
The Rumelier visited these bars he was often asked to be a guinea pig to taste newly created cocktails. This sounds like fun,
but more often than not he often regretted it the following morning.
While living at the rugby club he had numerous
oppurtunities to travel throughout the Caribbean on vacation or to play football and rugby. This gave him great exposure
to various rums from all over the region.
Now residing in the Turks and Caicos Islands, he has changed professions and
is now selling rum, liquor, beer and wine for a living. He has continued to travel extensively throughout the Caribbean
for pleasure and business, often searching out some of the finest rums.
When not selling rum, he is an avid collector
of rum and rum related items. His collection of rums is now well over 440 bottles, aswell as 160 miniature bottles.
He continues to collect all types of rum from all over the world for his ever expanding collection.
Of course there
is no point in collecting rum if you are not going to drink it!! So aswell as being a collector of rum, Bob is an avid
drinker. His favourite rums are usually aged ones, drunk on the rocks with a splash of water. However he can be found drinking some
rum with his favourite mixer, ginger ale, and every now and then will be seen in the kitchen concocting a mojito,
a pina colada or some other exotic cocktail.
The Rumelier is passionate about rum, and this is reflected in his large
collection of bottles, kegs, mini-bottles, labels, books, advertising material and any other rum related items he can
find.
The Rumelier can be contacted for any questions you have about rum or wish him to host a rum tasting
or need rum training for your bar or restaurant staff.
| Snowdon in North Wales, the highest mountain. |
|
|
| The Rumelier used to climb this mountain regularly as a youngster. |
| The Rumelier Talking to the Local T.V. Station. |
|
|
| Fishing Fools Wahoo Open 2006. |
About the Turks and Caicos Islands
The beautiful by
nature Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Dependency situated about 575 miles South East of Miami, Florida, USA. They
are just below the Bahamas chain and just to the east of Cuba and the island of Haiti and the Dominican Republic (Hispaniola). The
islands cover 193 square miles of the Atlantic Ocean and have one of the longest coral reefs in the world. The islands are
known for their white sandy beaches, of which there is over 230 miles.
The present population is thought to be about
32,000 people, spread out over several islands, of which about one third of the population are "belongers" or native
Turks Islanders. This population is supplemented by about 200,000 tourists annually.
The official language is English,
but you are just as likely to hear Spanish and Creole from the many expatriates living and working in the islands.
Turks
and Caicos Islanders are mostly descendants of Africans who were brought in to work the salt pans or the cotton and sisal
plantations.
The Island of Grand Turk is the capital of the country, but most of the population now live in the rapidly
developing island of Providenciales.
The tourism industry gives the Turks and Caicos its main revenue. Other income comes
from the offshore financial sector, as well as a lesser ammount from fishing and conch harvesting.
There are forty different
islands and cays with eight major islands:- East Caicos, Grand Turk, Middle Caicos, North Caicos, Providenciales, Salt Cay,
South Caicos and West Caicos. East Caicos is uninhabited at the moment.
| The Turks & Caicos Lie South of the Bahamas. |
|
|
The Rumelier's Travels
Below is a list of countries
and islands that The Rumelier has travelled to in the Caribbean Basin over the last 19 years. The Rumelier has lived in the
Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Many of the countries listed below he has visited on numerous occasions.
ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
ARUBA
BAHAMAS
BARBADOS
BEQUIA
BRITISH VIRGIN
ISLANDS
COSTA RICA
CUBA
CURACAO
DOMINICA
DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC
GENADA
HAITI
JAMIACA
MEXICO
MUSTIQUE
NICARAGUA
PALM ISLAND
PUERTO RICO
ST.KITTS & NEVIS
ST.LUCIA
ST.MAARTEN
ST.MARTIN
ST.VINCENT & THE GRENADINES
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
TURKS & CAICOS
VENEZUELA
| The Rumelier Keeping The Nautical Tradition Alive. |
|
|
| The Rumelier Fishing Aboard His Boat "Conch Cay Joe". |
| The Rumelier With a Couple Of Wahoo's. |
|
|
| Fishing as a Mate on "The Gwendolyn" Charter Boat. |
