Rum Journal: How to Translate Virgin Gorda

By: - June 10th, 2015

Above: Fat Virgin’s Cafe in the BVI (All photos by CJ)

VIRGIN GORDA – Sometimes, on an early afternoon, sitting in front of the sea with a Pusser’s on the rocks, one wonders about the origin of things.

Like, for example, how the British Virgin Island of Virgin Gorda got its name.

It turns out the name comes from the profile of the island from the sea, which Columbus thought resembled a, let’s say, Rubenesque, woman lying on her side.

And at the far end of the North Sound of Virgin Gorda, at the foot of the Biras Creek Resort, there’s a great little bar that honours the island’s translation.

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It’s called Fat Virgin’s Cafe, and it’s a wonderful marina bar and cafe with burgers, fresh fish and seaside cocktails.

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It’s the perfect place for an afternoon rum and something grilled, the perfect place for pondering the more important questions.

— CJ

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