At the weekend I’m tempted to turn off the alarm and sleep in late but Saturday morning is an occasion to rise early, take out shopping bags and head to the market. And the earlier the better, as all the best of Dominica’s fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers are beautifully displayed over an array of tables and it’s the early birds that get the cream of the crop.

Even if I arrive to town somewhat sleepy, the Roseau market is a vibrant occasion that soon awakes all the senses. The hot sun beats down on the occasion and the market is alive with early morning bustle. Vendors call out to attract customers to their best offers and the sugarcane seller is busy pushing hard sticks of cane through the machine to yield bottles and cups of the sweet brown liquid that sell immediately. Coconuts are piled up on the back of pick-ups and are expertly cut open to awaiting consumers. Plantains and sweetcorn are roasting on coals and fill the air with a delicious fragrance. Along with the array of seasonal fruits an entire breakfast can be consumed walking from stall to stall.