2017 Caribbean Cruise by Travel Gals

COLORS OF THE CARIBBEAN

THANKSGIVING Viking Ocean Cruise: November 21 to December 1, 2017

Cruisers: Kathy McClain, John McClain, Kay Gilmour and Lois Gray

Ship: The Viking Sea

INTRODUCTION

Here we are, going on our third West Indies Cruise with Viking at Thanksgiving time. We like this time frame because it includes both Kathy’s birthday and Thanksgiving. It’s an easy way to celebrate both with no cooking or cleaning up required. The itinerary for this year had changed slightly; we visited Tortola in the British Virgin Islands and Dominica and dropped Dominican Republic and Columbia. Otherwise, the trip was a repeat. Thus, I won’t be recapitulating island histories or demographics in this recount. For anyone interested in those kinds of details, I recommend reading my prior two journals or going to the CIA Fact Book website: https://www.cia.gov

PUERTO RICO

A short flight from Ft. Lauderdale took us smoothly to San Juan where we were met by Viking personnel, boarded on buses and taken to the Seaport where the Viking Sea was waiting. Our drive from airport to seaport took us through downtown San Juan where we could see significant recovery from the damages we saw last year due to Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Hotels were restored and back in business, trees were regenerating their leaves, no blue tarps were adding color to the scene.

Since we had already toured PR twice in the past, we elected to stay on board ship and explore the by-now-familiar decks of the ship, unpack our suitcases for the 10 day stay, and get ready for dinner in The Restaurant.

We also did not leave the ship on the sailing day but instead practiced relaxing. (Is that an oxymoron?) However, there were some other activities added by the ship, such as the Safety Drill, and beginning our eating programs by exploring the different restaurants and cuisines available. We also found comfy public spaces for reading and people-watching. A perfectly enjoyable day.

Color for Puerto Rico is Salmon Pink. And why did I choose that color? Because on our first day, we saw a gorgeous sunset which was predominantly that color. In addition, several of the buildings in San Juan had decided on that color to redecorate their exteriors.

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS—TORTOLA

Our first official stop of the cruise and our initial excursion. Again, we had all visited BVI but in the more distant past and we all had been on a different island. So Tortola was new to us. Though the waters of the blue Caribbean were very clear from every viewpoint, I chose the color Emerald Green to represent the island.

From our landing spot to the 1300 ft. mountain top we reached, the color dominated the skyline. The forests thickly blanketed the hills with dark green trees; the shrubs and flowering plants were also a vivid green. All around was lush vegetation.

We knew that Maria and Irma had really laid waste to the island two years ago, but other than seeing the ruins of the island’s high school, the island’s recovery was plain. No blue tarps remained on even the humblest houses, no blown out windows on the businesses or hotels.

We did learn however that the high school kids are still on split sessions in temporary locations for their schooling. Reconstruction of the high school is way behind schedule.

One really vivid picture we were presented came during our visit to the rum distillery (one of the oldest continuously operating in the Caribbean). The rather basic and humble building was a survivor of the 15 ft. tidal surge that accompanied Irma. Our guide informed us that the building was completely submerged under that tsunami-like surge but somehow survived with only minor repairs being required. Looking at the building and trying to imagine that much seawater rolling in and over it, we were incredulous at its survival and also of the people of the island. Where had they gone to escape such a dangerous storm?

A different question was answered with a yes. We had been to BVI several years before and had seen mongoose on the beach. I asked our guide if these creatures still live here and the answer was in the affirmative though they are NOT seen on the beaches very often these days. And apparently, enough of them knew where to run before the raging sea engulfed them.

ST.KITTS &NEVIS

The color I chose for this island is Sky Blue!

Why? Because the clear and brilliant sky over our heads brought us the beautiful views of the island and the unclouded look at the formidable Mt. Liamuiga.

Our day on this beautiful island coincided with Kathy’s birthday and we were so happy that we had finally been able to buy ”tickets to ride” on the St. Kitts Railway. We all remembered our last year’s rail trip with great affection. Originally, we had been told that we were too late to purchase this excursion and were very disappointed. However, perhaps enough guests had been similarly unhappy, because we were told the day before arrival that another trip had been opened up and we could buy the tickets. Guess most of us who were disappointed did decide to go once they could because the train was much fuller than before.

St. Kitts was a sugar producing island for about 300 years and the narrow gauge railway is a remnant of that business. It was used to carry the cane to the processing factories and then to the port for shipping. Nowadays, sugar is no longer an important product but the little train is serving a new and really fun purpose. Since the tracks encircle the island along the coast, it is perfect for sightseeing. From the open-air train cars passengers can see the quaint colorful hamlets that line the tracks, the animals on the farmlands like sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys and horses, the myriad blue and green colors of the Atlantic and the Caribbean, the many enticing white and black sand beaches, the deep gorges and canyons overflowing with vegetation like palm trees and mango trees (mangos are

now an important export crop). Some ruins of the sugar cane era are also visible from the train dilapidated houses of the sugar barons, and the bricks and stone still standing that were the processing buildings. We were even so lucky as to see the island’s stratovolcano completely clear against the bright blue and cloudless sky. Mt. Liamuiga forms the western part of the Island and stands 3,792 ft. with a last eruption date 1800 years ago. The fulsome greenery on the island is testament to the rich volcanic soil this eruption produced.

Last but not least among the charms of the railroad ride is the perfect and delicious pina coladas which are served through the two-hour ride. They can be ordered with or without rum and are definitely the best ones any of us had ever tasted. The efficient and friendly stewardesses keep all the cars full of merry passengers and anyone can have as many drinks as they want. In addition, an island special candy made of pure sugar cane is also offered along with the drinks. It is so sweet that it curls your tongue but it is delicious. So you can overdose on sugar or rum or both as you please. A guide is present to point out all the interesting sights along the way and to tell stories, both humorous and tragic, of the island’s rich history. And as a final treat, a choir of young St. Kittsians goes from car to car singing traditional songs of the island and other more well-known songs. As I said, this excursion ride on the St. Kitts Railway is a perfect way to see the island and a delightful and fun experience. Don’t miss it if you ever visit St. Kitts.

A person high point for me was an experience with the charming “Green Monkeys” of St. Kitts and Nevis. They were imported to the island in the 17th & 18th centuries to control some of the pests (like snakes and rats) but whether or not they were successful has not been recorded. Anyway, these cute little critters are the very same species as the Vervet Monkeys of Africa and that is easy to accept since it is from West Africa that they came.

They can be considered pest by some residents, but most folks accept them and some even keep them as pets in their homes. I really was hoping to see one close up but they pretty much confine themselves to the forest areas and those deep ravines I wrote about. However, two kinds of luck were with me in the downtown shopping area. A man was strolling about with two young monkeys (he said they were 7 months old) on his shoulders. He obviously wanted to make some money

from the tourists with pictures. Well, I had no money at all with me that morning but I approached him anyway, just for a close look at the cute creatures. I apologized that I had no money, but he asked me if I had a cellphone because he would take a couple of pictures with it—of me with one monkey on my head and the other on my shoulder. How could I refuse?

Later on that morning, I saw him again and this time I had a 20 dollar bill in my pocket, so I approached him again and this time I paid him for his kindness in giving me pictures without charge. I felt better about getting the opportunity to reward him monetarily. Probably I should have used the color Olive Green for this experience!

ST.LUCIA

Imagine a tiny and remote Caribbean island producing two Nobel Prize winners! St. Lucia is that place. Sir William Arthur Lewis won his prize in Economics in 1979 and Sir Derek Wolcott was awarded his in Literature in 1992. Several things around the island are named in honor of these two eminent men. Part of the island’s university is named for the economics winner and there are streets and a square named for the writer. The island folk are understandably proud of their achievements.

Our excursion on St. Lucia took us to see many of these special places and also went steadily uphill so we could see the seas around the island from many different viewpoints. Other than overlooks, we made no stops as the van labored up the steep hillside. The beautiful ocean expanses provided me with the color name for St. Lucia: Aquamarine because the white-foam fringed beaches are shallow rather far from shore, so the waters are not the deep marine blues seen on other islands.

After shuddering rapidly in the van downhill to visit Stony Hill Farm, we recognized a familiar phenomenon. Though the day had started out sunny and clear with no rain clouds anywhere in sight, we could see the swiftly gathering dark and threatening clouds and hear some thunderous rumbling. Oh no, could it be that our experience at this site was going to be a repeat of last year’s? That time we arrived at Stony Hill Farm in a tumultuous rainstorm which made seeing anything from the van a real challenge. As we left the van, we were soaked to the skin climbing up the stairs leading to the farmhouse itself. The rains never stopped pouring down so we never really saw any of the inviting gardens surrounding the house.

This year we watched with trepidation as the van driver BACKED up the steep hill to discharge us at the foot of the stairs. Sprinkles were pattering on the windows and windshield and they dotted our clothing as we climbed up to the farm house. We were not that wet when we arrived at the delicious buffet offering the delicious fried cod patties to be smothered in the unappetizing-sounding banana ketchup. But we were not apprehensive at all because we all well-remembered how thoroughly tasty that treat is. Strange that a banana condiment could be such a gustatory delight! But believe me, it is.

While we were savoring the treats, the rain continued to fall in misty sprinkles, but then, it suddenly stopped and there was a little bit of sunlight peeking through. So we hurried down the terraced pathways into the gardens for a look round.

There were many displays of native plants and some imported ones, all arranged artfully so that the colorful leaves and blossoms shone forth and complemented each other. We walked further down the hillside enjoying the beauty as well as the views out towards the sea.

A sign beckoned us into the orchid display which was under a verdant canopy of vines keeping direct sunlight off the fragile flowers. We stopped and took some pictures and read the name cards of the individual species. Whoops! Then history decided to repeat itself. A monsoon-like deluge came crashing down on the leafy umbrella and we were going to be totally drenched yet again on a visit to Stony Hill Farm. Luckily we had an umbrella and a raincoat between us so we waited a while hoping the rain would let up, but of course it did not. So we left the orchids on their own to stand up against the downpour. Hurrying up the steep paths, we made it to the van for our return trip into the capital city of Castries just a few minutes late. I think Stony Hill Farm must be well watered everyday by the prodigious rains that pelt the site.

BARBADOS

What a wonderful playground for the rich and famous, but a comfortable home for the locals as well! The only problem we saw was the real danger the island is in from the rising oceans. While we travelled through Bridgetown (the capital) and Holetown (the oldest settlement) appreciating the beautiful hotels, residences and beaches, we could see that the very street we were traversing was only a few feet from the waves already. The gentle foam-topped waves currently lapping at the shore were scarily near the buildings and would not take much of a nudge from hurricane force winds to leap right up and over the highway and swamp the nearby buildings.

On a happier note, we saw that residences in the two cities were varied since some were opulent and others were just comfortable. We saw no evidence of slums or dilapidated homes. Of course, we were in the two cities and not more inland. But it would seem and we hope it is so that maybe Barbadian society is more egalitarian than some of the other islands.

Since some condos were pointed out as places where celebrities play (Simon Cowell and Rihanna but she was born here so maybe she doesn’t count), and royalty hides

(Mideast emirs and British royals) and some resorts clearly cater to tourists with large amounts of extra cash, I decided that Purple should be the representative color for Barbados.

Our most enjoyable stop on this excursion was the St. James Anglican Church, dating from 1628 in its first wooden iteration. Perhaps this venerable structure might be considered a place where all citizens and visitors would be accepted as equals, be they royals, celebrities, locals or visitors.

The wooden church was destroyed by a hurricane in 1675 and the current limestone and coral structure was finished in the 1690s. There is a massive pipe organ which claims kindship with an earlier version because it uses some of the pipes that are at least 100 years old.

The early church bell built by the Whitechapel Bell Factory in London fell from the belfry in 1881 and was badly damaged. Because of its historical value, the fractured bell was returned to the original factory for repairs but it was never rehung; instead it sits on a pedestal in the foyer of one of the church’s entranceways. Big Ben and our own Liberty Bell were forged in the same factory but St. James’ memorial bell predates the Liberty by 56 years. The sanctuary walls are punctuated by stain glass windows which have stood the tests of time and hurricanes. Mahogany wood is used for pews and ceiling supports and decorations. All in all, a very impressive church structure.

The churchyard is called “God’s Acre” by the locals because of its long history as a consecrated cemetery and sacred ground. Competing with the height of the church towers are centuries old mahogany trees, huge and beautiful and also considered sacred to the parishioners.

A couple of additions are required here. Number 1: We learned that the lively and wonderful little green monkeys (Vervet from Africa) also live on Barbados.

Sometimes farmers consider them pests as well as homeowners proud of their gardens because they will often raid fields and home plots for fruits and flowers.

Number 2: This apparently rich island that caters to wealthy people is the home of the last open Woolworth’s Five & Dime in the whole world. How about that for irony?

DOMINICA

This was the only truly new country for the four of us to visit. It is very small, only 73,000 inhabitants. Like so many of its cousin islands, the 2017 hurricanes just about wiped Dominica off the map.

Because it is so small, so poor, and until recently fairly “touristless”, it has been slow to recover. The capital, Roseau, is colorful but horribly crowded with more potholes than streets and terrible traffic clogging any progress forward. Called the “City of Verandas” the city boasts many buildings with these structures in what is called “creole vernacular. The architecture was distinct and colorful.

The lack of tourist infrastructure (though really badly needed) is illustrated by the paucity of places to visit on an initial excursion. We were driven through the claustrophobic city streets with no stops allowed because the bus would never have been able to return to the traffic stream (an oxymoron since there was no “flowing going on”

We were first taken to a tiny market to search among the products for souvenirs made by local disabled people (mostly blind and low vision) to help them to earn some income. Then we were taken to the Conservation Area and Botanical Gardens which only further testified to the poverty of this island nation. There were three endangered parrots in a cage which the zookeepers had hoped would produce offspring but so far they do not seem to be interested in reproduction. So instead of flying around in the wild, they sit forlornly in this rectangular cage.

One interesting site was a fallen baobab tree which had been overturned during a hurricane in 1979. Called David the Goliath, it had crushed a bus and still sits atop that unfortunate vehicle but also continues to live. Except for its immense girth, it does not look like baobabs in Africa or Madagascar because of its horizontal position instead of standing on the vertical. Rather a sad comment on poor Dominica which has not really recovered from any of the onslaughts that have hit it: hurricanes, economic downturns, loss of export customers (only country which accepts exports from Dominica is Antigua which does purchase fruit and vegetables), failure to attract tourists, poor government, and a too-small population. What is the road to recovery for this sad place in the Caribbean? Who can say, but obviously, the leadership in the country has no answer yet!

A little bit of pertinent information about this tiny island seemingly left out of the Caribbean tourist boom. It obtained independence on November 3, 1979 from the UK and is currently a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations recognizing Queen Elizabeth II as its monarch.

The island is only 290 square miles in area, just 4 times as large as Washington D. C. Volcanos occupy a considerable portion of that area, so there is very little arable land though that soil is rich.

The volcanic activity on the island does provide thermal features which might be exploited for tourist interest such as boiling lakes and volcanic craters, but there must be a good tourist infrastructure to attract many visitors: acceptable hotels and restaurants, trained guides (our “guide” at the Botanical Gardens was just pathetic. She really had no grasp of the history or purpose of the conservation area, no idea how to lead a small group purposively around the area, no ability to command attention, and no compelling facts about her country), safety rules and regulations for guides into the thermal areas and probably an enormous amount of road work to accommodate tourist vehicles trying to reach points of interest.

In other words, a “very long row to hoe” as we say in the Southern USA!! Oh yes, color for Dominica was Fading Green.

We were given a sign of hope for the area as we returned to the ship as our spirits were lifted by a beautiful rainbow spanning the city.

ANTIGUA & BARBUDA

This is yet another island we have visited before, but since it is vibrant and more prosperous than poor Dominica, we got off ship and joined an excursion to refresh our memories and enjoy a beautiful Caribbean Island day filled with warm, but not hot air, and clear skies. The color I chose for this country is Butter Yellow. Why? Because the sunshine on everything and every site we visited was that color— creamy but not burning. Just perfect.

Before the ship excursion, Kay & I walked into the capital city of St. John’s to shop for postcards and to see if any repairs had been made to the big Anglican Church built in the 1600s. Sadly, we could see no progress at all and the big church doors were still locked.

However, we learned later that services are held in the church and the entrance is on the side of the building. If only we had tried walking around the church, wewould have seen the doors open there. Oh well, I don’t think we will schedule another Caribbean cruise just to check on that historic church.

Shirley Heights Point was the first stop on this excursion. It comprises the ruins of the principal British fortification from the 18th century, standing 446 ft. above the sea. The views from the Point are spectacular. Stores of arms were kept here but also barrels of rum since British sailors were often paid with rum. A tragic lesson was learned here about using lead barrels to age the spirits. Many sailors actually died from lead poisoning before this cause was identified.

Next stop was Lord Nelson’s Dockyard. Horatio Nelson, the naval hero, was sent here in 1784 to command the British Fleet. The dockyard is situated in a calm and protected bay and many of the original buildings are still present and in use.

Today, rather than warships, the marina welcomes expensive and classy yachts of private owners. It is possible to stay in a hotel right on the property, but “moorings” for people are almost as expensive as the dock charges for their vessels. The grounds and buildings are kept immaculately neat and well-ordered so it a lovely spot to drink a rum punch and sit awhile.

One of Antigua’s boasts is that it has 365 separate and beautiful beaches so visitors should come for a long stay and visit a different beach every day. We did not see any close-up views of those famous beaches but some of our overlooks offered a distant view anyway. We have no reason to doubt the Antiguan pride is welldeserved.

Our day was topped off by an authentic Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings. But there was no cooking or cleaning up by any our party. All we had to do was thank our wait staff for their excellent service.

SAINT MAARTEN &SAINT MARTIN

Two different countries, one French and the other Dutch, share this tiny island, though somewhat unequally. The total island acreage is 704 square miles; Saint Martin occupies 54 square miles and Sint Maarten 16 square miles. However, there is a vast difference in the economic and physical properties.

The Dutch half, Sint Maarten, has completely recovered from Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 and looks brand new.

Its tourist welcoming center is brightly painted and hosts many shops attractive to tourists. The roads are in good condition and the local residences are well-tended and comfortable in appearance. Anyone would rather be living on the Dutch side of island. We were not informed as to whether the home country, The Netherlands, had assisted the islanders in their recovery. The capital of Sint Maarten is Philipsburg. The color chosen for this happy looking little country is Orange because so many buildings are roofed in orange tiles and many places are painted in vivid orange. Very merry and welcoming.

One charming attraction we were hoping to revisit in the Dutch portion of the island is the Carousel Gelateria. This round shaped building with a huge functioning carousel out the back door has been in business for many years and there is a good reason for that. Their gelati flavors are simply delicious. I love the flavor “strachiatella” and, by golly, it is on the menu. We enjoyed that treat very much.

Saint Martin’s colors are, in contrast, Black and White. This larger half of the tiny island has barely recovered at all from their visits by Irma and Maria . There is very little color in the capital, Marigot, and so many public buildings are bare concrete structures with their windows still blown out. There seems to be only onefunctioning hotel in Marigot and it does not look all that ready for tourists. We were taken to the same shopping mall as last year and it looked no more prosperous than before. The whole city looked like the negative of a black and white photograph.

In Simpson’s Bay lie the hulks of yachts that were smashed or partially sunk by the hurricanes. No effort seems to have been made to clear them out.

Stripped bare masts stick up out of the water, indicating a vessel that was totally sunk to the bottom of the bay. A melancholy sight indeed. Some skeletonized yachts are even left in place on shore where they were washed up.

Small private residences still sport blue tarps, most of them ragged and barely covering the subject. Piles of hurricane debris are still in the same places we saw them last year. This detritus contains sheet metal, plant limbs and trunks, plastics, nets, and boards. We were taken to an ocean overlook only to see that the wooden viewing tower was still closed because it was half-destroyed.

Saint Martin is called a “collectivity” of France but it does not appear that France has done anything to assist this tiny French outpost in recovering from that 2017 devastation. Sad place indeed.

US VIRGIN ISLANDS—ST. THOMAS

Our last stop before the return to Puerto Rico and then back home. We stopped in St. Thomas last year when the hurricane damage was still fresh but the businesses were beginning to reopen again. Today everywhere we went everything looked brand new! Trees have recovered and shrubs and plants have either survived and thrive again or new ones have been put in their places. Palm trees and bougainvillea dominated the scenes. The colors that can represent this reborn city are: the Colors of the Rainbow! St. Thomas is a vibrant tourist town again.

We shopped a bit for postcards and a few souvenirs and then took the excursion to Mountain Top (1500 ft.) where the banana daiquiri is supposed to have been created the first time. The peak of the mountain supports a huge souvenir shop where you can purchase the famous drink for a hefty $15.00. Since we don’t sually drink at all, it was easy for us to avoid that cost.

The real problem with Mountain Top is the length of time the excursion van drivers are instructed to leave you there. It was a good 45 minutes of boredom since we were neither drinking nor shopping. Most of our fellow passengers were also sitting around outside too, just waiting for the bus to take us back downtown. And there are not nearly enough benches, seats, low walls, or high enough curbs to accommodate all the folks that were waiting.

We were happy to see that the US Virgin Islands have recovered so well and quickly but this was not our favorite port. Not enough to see and do unless you really want to spend lots of time enjoying the beautiful beaches.

CONCLUSION

I have to call this third time repeat cruise a success even though there was much that was sad to see. We love the Viking Sea and its friendly crew. It was a restful time for getting together with family and celebrating two special occasions. The weather was quite cooperative throughout the trip (except on St. Lucia) and there were no rough seas to contend with.

Viking Ocean Cruises offer good value for money and the time aboard their lovely ship is delightful.

2017 Caribbean Cruise