Visiting the Lesser Antilles--Dry Hillsides

The Caribbean abounds in cruises. We get on ships and sail over blue waters, the skies flecked with fluffy white clouds, picturesque islands in the distance. 

passing an island, Lesser Antilles

When we go ashore, there are big tropical plants with intensely colored flowers to marvel at.

Ixora with heliconias butterfly (black stripes)

But much of the Caribbean is very dry. Some smaller islands have no permanent water and some hillsides on other islands are virtual deserts.