Rediscovering St Thomas

En Español

Red Hook from the hill

In the last two years visiting the Caribbean, St. Thomas always seemed to me an island with less life. I enjoyed the friendships that I have built over time, but could not find much fun in St. Thomas. This year, maybe because we haven't had to work too much in Salty Shores, we've dedicated more time to explore and enjoy the place. The first month of the season we were house-sitting for our friends Skip and Andrea. In the mean time we enjoyed the wonderful view from their house, the pool and the cute Maní.

Last week we moved to our “floating condo”. And the heat makes us leave the the “shell", so we go every day to Secret Harbor to swim and take a shower, because what it hasn't grown into me, are the showers at Compass Point Marina. It's terrible to say, but overall, with social networking privacy been a subject to public review... it is not too bad.

Speaking of the marina. Since they started working on extending the docks, the services have gone from one to minus one percent. All maintenance personnel have been appointed to the construction, so we don't have who clean the showers or who collect garbage. Wait. What rubbish? If the tanks were removed. As Jim says, this place has become a nursing home for boats.

That's why we prefer to shower at the beach. I'm so ashamed ! Um... not really. Because it feels wonderful, and sometimes after the exercise we seat at the bar and enjoy the sunset and a Bushwaker.

Our morning's entertainment, sometimes is to drive where the fruit vendors, we buy coconut water by the gallon and lots of fruits. The fridge is full of papayas and as usual we have soursop in every corner of the main salon.

This month my back hasn't be so good, so the idea of going sailing intimidates me a little. With the help of the chiropractic in Tillet Gardens, who popped every bone of my spine, I feel much better. So the adventure is about to begin.

St John's adventure was unique. We thought we were going to take the ferry and spend the day exploring, swimming at the beach, have lunch at "Skinny Legs" and return on time for our concert in Tillet Gardens. But we had forgotten that time in the Virgin Islands is a little bit slower. So it took us an hour to get on the ferry. And we could not go the earlier one, because we did not know that tipping the usher would accelerate the process. The people in the car next to us  took advantage of it. The funny thing was that we had to back up onto the ramp, and trucks with cargo go in the center. The ride was a little bumpy. The sea was choppy and the trucks were moving as if they were to fall on their side.

After a delicious Sushi dinner with our friends Chuck, Lindy and Ruth, we whet to a concert of Cedric Watson, in Tillet Gardens, put together by the foundation Arts Alive. This musician from Louisiana and his group, made she ground shake with violins, accordions and a washboard. The simplicity of the tunes and the romanticism of the lyrics in French made a perfect combination. Then a neighbor from the marina, Fredie jumped on the stage to join them with his washboard and the spoons. I was so much fun!  

Last Saturday we wen to the youth VI swimming olimpics. The event was impressing. A lot of swimmers from St Croix, BVI and St Thomas showed up. the kids were between ages of 6 and 16. Beautiful swimming styles. We were supporting Skip and Andrea's daughter, Grace. That girl is a walking fish!

In the west side of the island, once a year they have the Rastafarian farmers fair. And there we went on Suday. We enjoyed the steel pan band, the natural juices and great vegetarian dishes: Caribbean pumpkin soup (the pumpkin is Caribbean, the soup is rasta).

Thus, not being able to go sailing, because of my back, and house-sitting for our friends, we explored more and re-discovered the island. I feel like I am Christopher Columbus. Did you know he named the papaya the fruits of the angels? We have been eating lots of it. Incidentally, in Cuba we call it Fruta Bomba.

AnechyNotes