St. Lucia - St.Vincent Subject: Log April 23rd to May 3rd Date: Sat, 13 May 2000 23:15:54 -0500 From: W2LSI@cho.win-net.org To: rudys03@ibm.net On Easter Sunday, we went to a Baptist Church with Judy and Bob from Hornblower II. The Minister met us at the door and since we were early, invited us to join their adult Sunday school session. Later in the service, he introduced us to the congregation and welcomed us to the church and St. Lucia. After the service, we asked where the buses were located. A woman stopped a taxi and we were told that he would bring us back to the marina as his guests (it would have normally been $15-$20 US). The taxi driver was very happy he could do this for us and told us how a missionary coming to St. Lucia about 20 years ago, saved him from his evil ways!!! While Luis was putting 14 coats of varnish on our teak in Rodney Bay St. Lucia, we took walks and swam in a pool owned by a restaurant that was on the other side of our dock!! We also did our car rental"thing" ..this time for two days!!! The first day he had to get an international car license ($20 US). Then we went to an IBM facility to get our computer diagnosed. Rudy was right...the hard drive crashed!!! Thank goodness we had a back-up. After that stop, we went south to the Ladera Estate for lunch and had a breathtaking view straight down the valley between the Pitons (twin mountains). It really was one of the most spectacular views in the Caribbean. We then continued south to the end of the island and then up the east coast. About half way up the east coast is an estate called the Mamiku Gardens. It had a very interesting landscape and view. They were excavating the top of the hill for artifacts from a battle that was fought there between the Carbis (cannibal Indians)and the English. After returning home, we ate at a Thai Restaurant which was very good! The next day we drove to Soufriere (means sulfur in French). We stopped at a restaurant for lunch. After they called the cook, we waited another hour for him to prepare the meal. While we waited, his 6th grade son came over to talk to us. He was very charming. He told us he would like to be a professional soccer player or a taxi cab driver like his father when he grows up.(The career opportunities are significantly limited on most of these islands.) We then traveled to Morne Coubaril Estate which is an 18th Century working farm. We learned how cocoa, copra for coconut oil, tapioca, and sugar is made from various plants and the many, many products that are made from the coconut tree. We then went to a Drive-In or Drive-thru Volcano and experience seeing many sulphur springs. I dipped in a stream from these springs because they say that they make you younger and cure just about everything!!! From there we went to the Botanical Gardens and saw the Diamond Waterfalls. The next day we put the boat together since they finished varnishing. It took ALL DAY!!! That night we rested at a restaurant and watched the Miss Common Wealth Fashion Show!! On April 30th, we left Rodney Bay and went to Soufriere by boat this time. The boat boys came out to met us and put us on the last mooring ball. It happened to be a huge steel ball. When the wind died down, our mooring ball did not move so our bow hit into it and the mooring ball behind us did move right into our stern with a 45 foot Sailing Vessel attached!!! So all of May St. from 12 a.m. on, Rudy and I were on watch fending off the boat behind us. In the morning at around 6:00 AM, two other boats left the cove and we and the other boat moved to more appropriate moorings. Rudy and I went back to sleep. I woke up in time to go to my birthday massage at the Hilton Hotel and a great lunch that Rudy provided for me. That night we went out to eat at the most bountiful Italian Buffet Rudy and I have ever experienced!! We ate for two and a half hours. We stayed another day and snorkeled. On May 3rd we decided to sail to St. Vincent's. We enjoyed almost 3 weeks in St. Lucia! We will stop there again!