Occupied for centuries in succession by the Spanish, French and English, the spice island of Grenada is now home ground to the progeny of West African slaves transported here to work on sugar cane plantations. Today, after revolutions, political strife and invasion by American forces, Grenada is a peaceful land.

At the end of the work week, as the sun drops below the horizon, the people of this laid-back, sociable nation can be found lounging on deck chairs along the roadside, at huge family gatherings in overgrown gardens or sipping rum outside local drinking dens. ``Liming'' is what it's called in Grenada. In other words, passing the time of day.

About 100 miles northeast of Venezuela, the crystalline turquoise ocean around the entire coast of Grenada is rich in marine life -- angelfish, nurse and reef sharks, giant crabs, sea-horses, octopus and morays -- making it a paradise for divers. There are shipwrecks and coral gardens to explore, including the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean, located in St. George's outer harbor. ``Kick-em-Jenny,'' an active submarine volcano towards the north, is a particularly fine dive site.

Bird watchers can expect to see purple-throated Caribs and Antillian crested hummingbirds, among dozens of other varieties. Scarlet ibises occasionally visit Levera Pond in the north.

Pink Gin Beach and the secluded coves of Prickly Bay, favorites for bathing, are just two of 45 pristine beaches.

We were based in Point Salines, a 15-minute ride from St. George, the island's largest town. It was here that our group of four Canadians came to appreciate the gregarious nature of Grenadians in the company of our guide Mandoo, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of the island and an answer for everything. ``That's a nine hole golf course,'' he pointed out. ``And if you play it twice it's an 18 hole golf course.''

MONKEY BUSINESS

Mandoo's rapport with the local Mona monkeys is legendary. Those savvy rain forest dwellers, whose forbears were brought to the island on slave ships from West Africa 300 years ago, live mostly in the forests by Grand Etang Lake in the center of the island. They know when they hear Mandoo's bark -- his unique imitation of ``monkey talk'' -- that bananas are not far behind.

Grenada has a thriving spice industry and ranks second -- after Indonesia -- as producer of what used to be one of the world's most valuable commodities. Nutmeg and other spices grow wild in the countryside, on well-ordered plantations and on small farms.

Each week farmers arrive at the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station with their harvest of nutmegs. Once the delivery is weighed, the farmers are paid and the nutmegs are dried on huge shallow trays. They work on a co-op system here, and if the year's harvest is good, farmers can expect a bonus.

In the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station life moves at a leisurely pace. Sitting at rickety tables or on the floor, women, like exotic bright birds, laugh and chatter as they sort the island's treasure. On the upper floor, away from nosy tourists, a man snores as he snatches 40 winks on bulky sacks of nutmegs awaiting export.

Cocoa beans and bananas were at one time lucrative crops for Grenada, and cocoa beans processed in a small scale operation are still used in fine Swiss and Belgian chocolates.

But in the plantation office on the Dougaldston Spice Estate is a poignant reminder of more affluent times. Spiked stacks of paper on office shelves -- edges curling and brown from age -- lie alongside ledgers once used to keep track of crop yields and sales. Today the ancient volumes are coated with dust and laced with spider webs. Sheds where sorting, drying and shelling once took place are now silent.

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