Hell, Grand Cayman

19°22′46″N 81°24′24″W / 19.37935°N 81.40678°W / 19.37935; -81.40678

Hell, Grand Cayman island
Hell's Gift Shop, Hell, Grand Cayman island
Hell's Service Station, Hell, Grand Cayman island

Hell is an area within the district of West Bay, Grand Cayman. Its name comes from a group of short, black, limestone formations located in the area. Its eerie and rather sinister look is what gave it its infamous name. It is roughly the size of half a football field. Visitors are not permitted to walk on the limestone formations but viewing platforms are provided. A gift shop and service station is located in the area, and art depicting Satan can be seen when entering.

Etymology

There are numerous versions of how Hell received its name, but they are generally variations on "a ministration exclaimed, 'This is what Hell must look like.'"

It is also claimed that the name "Hell" is derived from the fact that if a pebble is thrown out into the formation, it echoes among the limestone peaks and valleys and sounds as if the pebble is falling all the way down to "Hell."

Regardless of how it first came to be called Hell, the name stuck and the area has become a tourist attraction, featuring a fire-engine red hell-themed post office from which you can send "postcards from hell", and a gift shop with "Satan" Ivan Farrington[1] passing out souvenirs while greeting people with phrases like "How the hell are you?" and "Where the hell are you from?"[2]

Some of the stores in the area feature prominent quotations from the Bible on their sides. This is due to the pious and religious nature of Caymanian society.[3]

References

  1. ^ Bangs, Richard (12 May 2012). "Hell Is Grand Cayman (VIDEO)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  2. ^ "A Landlubber's Mini-Guide to Grand Cayman". Archived from the original on 2005-12-30. Retrieved 2006-01-18.
  3. ^ "Culinary Capital of the Caribbean". Archived from the original on 2013-05-02. Retrieved 2013-05-28.