Portal:Islands

West Mersea beach

Mersea Island /ˈmɜːrzi/ is an island in Essex, England, in the Blackwater and Colne estuaries to the south-east of Colchester. Its name comes from the Old English word meresig, meaning "island of the pool" and thus is tautological. The island is split into two main areas, West Mersea and East Mersea, and connected to the mainland by the Strood, a causeway that can flood at high tide.

The island has been inhabited since pre-Roman times. It was used as a holiday destination in Roman Britain for occupants of Camulodunum (Colchester). Fishing has been a key industry on the island since then, particularly oysters, and along with tourism makes up a significant part of the island's economy. The Church of St Peter & St Paul in West Mersea is thought to have existed since the 7th century, while the Church of St Edmund in East Mersea dates from around the 12th or 13th century. The island became popular with smugglers from the 16th to the 19th century. It became a focal point for troops in both world wars, and a number of observation posts can still be found on the island. Tourism remains popular, and there are a number of beach huts and holiday parks on the island. A week-long festival of boat racing, Mersea Week, takes place every summer. (Full article...)

Bahamian cuisine refers to the foods and beverages of The Bahamas. It includes seafood such as fish, shellfish, lobster, crab, and conch, as well as tropical fruits, rice, peas, pigeon peas, and pork. Popular seasonings commonly used in dishes include chilies (hot pepper), lime, tomatoes, onions, garlic, allspice, ginger, cinnamon, rum, and coconut. Rum-based beverages are popular on the islands. Since the Bahamas consist of a multitude of islands, notable culinary variations exist.

Bahamian cuisine is somewhat related to that of the American South, with dishes held in common such as "fish 'n' grits". A large portion of Bahamian foodstuffs are imported (cf. economy of the Bahamas). International cuisine is offered, especially at hotels. (Full article...)

• ... that Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility is listed on the National Register of Historic Places?
• ... that the dish gogi-guksu, from South Korea's Jeju Island, developed in part because of the Japanese colonial period?
• ... that the island of Poilão, within the João Vieira and Poilão Marine National Park, supports five percent of the world's green sea turtle nests?
• ... that Monet decorated his house at Giverny with Kuniyoshi's In the Snow at Tsukahara, Sado Island, one of about 231 Japanese prints in Monet's personal collection?
• ... that Port Jefferson village officials opposed the expansion of the Caithness Long Island Energy Center because they feared it would lead to the decommissioning of the Port Jefferson Power Station?
• ... that the Bermuda onion was so closely associated with Bermuda that the island's inhabitants became known as "onions"?