The melting pot that is the Caribbean is a bit like the recipe for rum punch: 'one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong and four of weak'. Immigrants from all walks of life, whether masters, slaves or indentured labourers, have over the centuries stirred themselves into the mixture. Whether you're lazing on a beach under a palm tree in the Dominican Republic, sailing into the sunset off the Virgin Islands or dancing the night away to salsa in Cuba, you will become aware that each Caribbean island has its own personality and each is different, while still an essential ingredient of the whole cocktail.