January 14, 2019
And that’s the way it was in every village and town we were in today.
Today’s excursion of the top 10 sites in St. Lucia was excellent. Good commentary by our guide, and funny, corny stories and jokes from our driver. For sheer beauty, this is one of my favorite islands, and I picked this excursion from several that Mom liked because of the trip out to the Piton Mountains. We did a similar trip on an earlier cruise, and saw 3 of the things on that one, but a lot of new stuff toady. I guess because the islands depend so much on tourism for their economic health, each one of our stops offered us the chance to buy island souvenirs. And at one Bonnie bought a swimming suit cover up, and we bought a bottle of banana ketchup. At the craft workshop, with beautiful handmade wooden pieces, I bought some colorful stones assembled in a recognizable, collectible fashion (I know with all that wood, right). Let’s see, what else? Oh, a postcard which will be mailed from San Juan.
St. Lucia is a volcanic island and their national symbol is two very pointed peaks named Large Piton and Small Piton. Actually the French named them, so they are Grand Piton and Petit Piton. Drive out to them we traveled over more switch backs going up and down hill than any place I’ve been. I was thinking about driving Route 50 up over the mountain from Winchester, but St. Lucia beats it.
At one stop they gave us each one of “their” bananas and asked us to compare the taste to Chiquita bananas (which are only labeled Chiquita – they are really Cavendish bananas – those of you who have attended my banana talk know that). Neither of us could tell the difference. Having showed off with the nutmeg and mace, I did not steal their banana thunder.
One of the stops that was a duplicate of years gone by was at Maranatha Gardens (Cesar Brooks was nowhere in sight). A beautiful flower garden where weddings and parties are held. Several scripture verses are displayed throughout. They have three really large copper kettles that were used for boiling sugarcane. I asked if they had been used for boiling missionaries. You know the joke about the missionaries in a pot. Well, several jokes actually. They allowed as how no missionaries were boiled.
After Leroy, our bus driver (not the namesake of Leroy’s World Famous Bean Goulash) had stumped us with a number of jokes, I privately asked him one of my favorite riddles. A farmer has a cat, a chicken and a bag of corn. He has to take them to the other side of the river, but the boat is only big enough for him and one of the items. If he takes the cat and leaves the chicken, the chicken will eat the corn. If he takes the corn and leaves the chicken, the cat will eat the chicken. So taking only one item at a time – and he can bring back an item he’s previously taken over – how does he do it? Leroy figured it out. I really like this riddle.
Here’s one of his. A man starts at the top of the hill and walks down. Another man starts at the bottom of the hill and walks up. When they pass each other, what time is it?
Okay, enough.
TTFN
Well, not much sleep last night. Awake about every hour after midnight till about 4 then every half hour. Then finally dozed back off to sleep after six just before he got up and went to take a shower. Oh well.
After breakfast we went out on deck 3 to watch them tie up the ship. We wanted to be sure we heard them say when we could get off because our tour was an early one again. They started to get off just after 8 before any announcement was made so we got our stuff and headed off. There was already a long line behind the sign for our tour but again they were using 20 passenger vans and we were almost first in line for the second van. There were 3 or 4 vans in all. We sat right behind the driver and had real good views. The guide and the driver were both very good. We had an excellent tour. We visited the volcano and the site of the current volcanic activity which is sulfur leaking out of the ground. They have sulfur springs and you can swim in them. We did not. We also visited the local community college. It was interesting because the college students all must wear uniforms just like the grade school and secondary school students do. That wouldn’t go over back home.
The roads are very narrow and windy. And we would drive way up hills and then way down. There were many curves that were almost u turns. There many animals along the roads. We saw cows grazing in fields which were public marsh land and too wet for anything to be constructed on so farmers are allowed to bring their cows and let them graze for free. We also saw many goats tied in yards and along the roads.
Bananas are one of their main exported crops. There are not as many fields as before the last hurricane. But there are still a lot. Most people have some growing in their yards in the country. There about 180,000 people on the island. There is one city and 5 districts and several small towns or villages. We saw one fishing village on a very famous beach where part of the movie Dr Doolittle was filmed. I think it was the part with the pink snail.
The views from high up in the mountains of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean were amazing. It was just hard to believe how blue the water was. The sky was blue and the water below was blue. It was very awe inspiring. It was not hot just a beautifully warm day.
When we got back to the ship it was quick lunch and nap. Then off to supper. Tonight’s specialities were Jerk chicken wings and peppered steak with pineapple, peppers and onions in a spicy sauce with rice and fried plantains. I had both of those and some chorizo potato skins. All was very good.
The show tonight was a comedienne and ventriloquist. We have seen him before and it was a good show. According to our cruise director the comedienne, Michael Paul, is supposed to be on Whose Got Talent this year.
Well, we are back in the room and getting ready for bed. I have taken my pills and just need to brush the teeth. Tomorrow we will try some time at the beach. We will see how long we last. I have my bathing suit and 70 sun screen. We will ride the ferry over to the beach, rent 2 chairs and an umbrella and maybe even get wet. The rental comes with 2 drinks, too. You can have alcoholic ones but we will get cokes. Before we come back to the ship your Dad wants to find a can of pringles.
Well, good night all. Mac keep doing those exercises at least twice a day. It is the only way it will get better. Granny says so.
Love Mom, Granny and Bonnie
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