Monday, Feb 16
I have been given the job of writing about the last 2-3 days. I am holding out for more rum. That is what the islanders did. You ask, how is it going for me? Not so good mon.
Wednesday - Checked in to San Croix. In hindsight, it was very nice and a good place to start. Kathie worked so hard to stay in a nice place and if you look at Trip Advisor it is a 4+ out of 5. Lesson one, read all the reviews. We started to be in rm. 310 which was rated 5 and ended up being given 210 which as it turns out is owned by a very elderly now nursing home couple who have not been there in more than 3 years. Our “knows a lot neighbor” says everything rusts here, even the rubber and we can attest to it. Suffice it to say the room was not so good but the Island was lovely. Snorkeled off Buck Island, a protected Heritage site. Ouch. Hugo in 1989 sat on St. Croix for 18 hours and the island and the protected reef off Buck have not been the same. Coral mostly dead in the area where snorkeling was allowed and few fish... Was a great trip and chance to swim though.
Friday, driving around the island. ... off to Point Udall, farthest most eastern spot of US and territories.
Quick drive back to clean up and off to “Jump Up”. I understand they do it 4 times a year as a celebration of the island. Complete with Mocko Jumbies. Had a great island fusion dinner at Zion, which consisted of frozen drinks and Mahi-Mahi and after the frozen who can remember. The Jumbie are young men who climb up on 6-7 foot walls and the leader hands them up 2x3 poles with towels and long torn bed sheets to tie to their legs. Then comes the great bright costumes and as fast as you can say Jumbie they become a sort of really tall dancing mischevious spirit. They were fun.
Saturday was a travel day. We had a late plane so up and able to go to Fredricksted for a few hours. Well worth it. Nice walk through what Christiansted is trying to be. Shops all full and people all out and about. Likely had a lot to do with Big boat in the harbor. Nice breakfast and and bought a few things at the market. Then on to the Whim Plantation museum (restored sugar plantation). The main house was great. Fellow at a grand piano playing Chopin and Mozart while the chandelier swayed in the breeze gently crossing the room through open windows. I can’t stress enough how the swaying of the chandelier put the whole scene in motion and transported you back to 1830. Livery/stable, dry moats around the big house, kitchen set off from the main house to protect from fire, slave quarters, sugar cane grinding mills, first horse drawn then wind mills and finally steam. What an operation. Then in 1848 the slaves stood up and in a peaceful rebellion won freedom throughout the USVI.
Enjoyed the museum and as a result had to get off to the airport to catch that little mosquito plane. As it turned out wasn’t so tough. Hour late. Oh Well, It’s all good as Tony would say. I got to sit right behind the pilot at 155 MPH and 1500 feet. 20 min later we were on St. John. Trouble is, St. John was not ready for us. No Power at Thrifty rental in St. Thomas. This is a problem when no one can figure out how to use the generator and therefore power the computer to rent us a car. In the end they gave us the same car we had on St. Croix. Then it is a mad 2 hour late dash to Red Hook ferry to get over to St. John. Made it!
St. Johns is all St. Croix isn’t. Clean and much more up scale. And, the room. Well Let's say I am sitting on the balcony with a Jumbie strawberry rum smoothie watching the sunset as I write this blog.
First day on St. John got our feet wet, literally. Up the North side of the island to 2 beaches (Frances and Maho)for some sand and snorkel time. I guess the weather on the mainland has been producing some winds and swells here so the sand is sort of stirred up. A few fish but not what we were hoping.
Second day. I think the island of St. John is trying to tell me something. First it was pouring rain today so we took some time off and read this morning. Stopped raining at 11 so went snorkeling at Trunk Bay and Maho again. Still turbulent and a disappointment. When I tried to take a picture of a fish the camera flashed, CLOSE THE BATTERY DOOR!. That may have been my second clue after the rain. Underwater camera was not only under the water but full of water. Oh well, Kathie says it was well over 10 years old. But my watch was just 3 or so. Looked at it just a little while ago and all fogged. Are the US Virgin Islands in the Bermuda triangle or is this a not so subtle message to "leave the electronic world behind, mon”. Last we are eating lunch at Ship Wreck Cafe on the other side of St. John in Corral Bay when a feral burro, I understand there about 300 on the island, walks up the road and into the restaurant and eats the flowers in the pot at the door. I swear, if the car breaks down and I start going around on the ever-present “Taxi”, that is actually a pick-up truck with benches in the back, then I may just have to accept fate and go with the flow. Even Saturday Night Live started to make sense last night or maybe it was the Strawberry smoothie with rum. :), :)
Third and last day tomorrow on St. John will be an all skate. We are off on an all day snorkel/hike/sight-see to special places on the USVI and BVI. Oh and weather says 85 and sunny. Look out sunscreen here we come.
z
Quick drive back to clean up and off to “Jump Up”. I understand they do it 4 times a year as a celebration of the island. Complete with Mocko Jumbies. Had a great island fusion dinner at Zion, which consisted of frozen drinks and Mahi-Mahi and after the frozen who can remember. The Jumbie are young men who climb up on 6-7 foot walls and the leader hands them up 2x3 poles with towels and long torn bed sheets to tie to their legs. Then comes the great bright costumes and as fast as you can say Jumbie they become a sort of really tall dancing mischevious spirit. They were fun.
Saturday was a travel day. We had a late plane so up and able to go to Fredricksted for a few hours. Well worth it. Nice walk through what Christiansted is trying to be. Shops all full and people all out and about. Likely had a lot to do with Big boat in the harbor. Nice breakfast and and bought a few things at the market. Then on to the Whim Plantation museum (restored sugar plantation). The main house was great. Fellow at a grand piano playing Chopin and Mozart while the chandelier swayed in the breeze gently crossing the room through open windows. I can’t stress enough how the swaying of the chandelier put the whole scene in motion and transported you back to 1830. Livery/stable, dry moats around the big house, kitchen set off from the main house to protect from fire, slave quarters, sugar cane grinding mills, first horse drawn then wind mills and finally steam. What an operation. Then in 1848 the slaves stood up and in a peaceful rebellion won freedom throughout the USVI. 
Enjoyed the museum and as a result had to get off to the airport to catch that little mosquito plane. As it turned out wasn’t so tough. Hour late. Oh Well, It’s all good as Tony would say. I got to sit right behind the pilot at 155 MPH and 1500 feet. 20 min later we were on St. John. Trouble is, St. John was not ready for us. No Power at Thrifty rental in St. Thomas. This is a problem when no one can figure out how to use the generator and therefore power the computer to rent us a car. In the end they gave us the same car we had on St. Croix. Then it is a mad 2 hour late dash to Red Hook ferry to get over to St. John. Made it!
St. Johns is all St. Croix isn’t. Clean and much more up scale. And, the room. Well Let's say I am sitting on the balcony with a Jumbie strawberry rum smoothie watching the sunset as I write this blog.
First day on St. John got our feet wet, literally. Up the North side of the island to 2 beaches (Frances and Maho)for some sand and snorkel time. I guess the weather on the mainland has been producing some winds and swells here so the sand is sort of stirred up. A few fish but not what we were hoping.
Second day. I think the island of St. John is trying to tell me something. First it was pouring rain today so we took some time off and read this morning. Stopped raining at 11 so went snorkeling at Trunk Bay and Maho again. Still turbulent and a disappointment. When I tried to take a picture of a fish the camera flashed, CLOSE THE BATTERY DOOR!. That may have been my second clue after the rain. Underwater camera was not only under the water but full of water. Oh well, Kathie says it was well over 10 years old. But my watch was just 3 or so. Looked at it just a little while ago and all fogged. Are the US Virgin Islands in the Bermuda triangle or is this a not so subtle message to "leave the electronic world behind, mon”. Last we are eating lunch at Ship Wreck Cafe on the other side of St. John in Corral Bay when a feral burro, I understand there about 300 on the island, walks up the road and into the restaurant and eats the flowers in the pot at the door. I swear, if the car breaks down and I start going around on the ever-present “Taxi”, that is actually a pick-up truck with benches in the back, then I may just have to accept fate and go with the flow. Even Saturday Night Live started to make sense last night or maybe it was the Strawberry smoothie with rum. :), :)
Third and last day tomorrow on St. John will be an all skate. We are off on an all day snorkel/hike/sight-see to special places on the USVI and BVI. Oh and weather says 85 and sunny. Look out sunscreen here we come.
z
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