We enjoyed Nevis, but one of the highlights of the year was our opportunity to sail to Chris’ namesake island, St. Christopher, also (properly) known as St. Kitts (just don’t know it as St. Kitts in front of Chris!)  We arrived in sparkling sunshine in the secluded harbor of White House Bay on the south side of the island.  It was a lovely day for snorkeling the wreck, swimming, and taking it easy (after schoolwork, of course).  Porter worked on learning the bowline knot and I played with some extra line, making decorative knotwork.  It was a quiet day, with just the five of us together.  As much as we love being “out there” and experiencing all that this world has to offer, we know that quiet days like this are what our kids will remember when they think about how much we love them.  That and the fact that their dad squirts Redi-Whip directly into their mouths from time to time!

The next morning was overcast and drizzling.  We didn’t quite know what to do as the weather has been picture perfect since the day we left North Carolina last November!  We moved the boat to Port Zante, a small marina in Basse Terre.  The dockmaster hooked us up with Wayne, who came down to the boat and took our 60 pounds of laundry.  It had been awhile!  We were happy with the $1.50/pound rate.

Chris and I left the kids on the boat and headed to customs to check in.  Afterwards, we went through the ridiculous cruiseship shopping area, looking for a t-shirt that said “St. Christopher”.  They don’t make them.  All they have is “St. Kitts”.  I had one unhappy camper on my hands for the rest of the day.

On the way back to the boat, we met “Up 2 De Time” and scored us a tour guide for the next day.  Still deciding what I’m going to paint across my windshield when we get home…

 

That night, we took a taxi to the hotel area to check out the beach and to have dinner at Mr. X’s Shiggidy Shack.  We didn’t see my friend the ambassador, but we had a nice dinner and met a great family from New Jersey.  They were on vacation and we enjoyed exchanging stories about our journey and their many trips to St. Kitts.

The next day, we took a leisurely drive around the whole island and enjoyed the many different areas.  This first picture is not very clear, but we were not able to stop due to traffic.  This public square and park was once the slave market of St. Kitts.  It was horrible to drive by it.  I could feel the pain in the ground.  I could see it in the air above the park.  There were trees there that were definitely old enough to have seen the horrors that took place there.  I am reading a book called A Concise History of the Caribbean.  First of all, it is NOT concise.  But more to the point, it speaks at length of the slave trade in the Caribbean and it was just as active as that in the colonies.

Here is the rest of our tour, in pictures:

We pass a tree that was FULL of these graceful birds.  I caught this one as he prepared to take off.

This is the government housing.  Our tourguide says that the incumbent politicians build these houses right before election time, in order to win voters.  I think they are cute.  Can’t beat the view!

Garbage is burned in the Caribbean.  Back home, a sight like this would be cause for alarm.  We just drove right on by.  We are used to seeing smoke curling up through the sky from the hills above the towns.

We stop at a botanical garden but it was closed.  This bush stood next to the main gate.  Reese looks so small next to it!

A pretty stone wall surrounds the garden.  Wish we could have seen the inside.

We drive through a small village on the west coast and find that it is the site of the earliest settlers on St. Kitts.

Just up the street are a group of rocks with petroglyphs by the Amerindians.  (The outline of the petroglyphs is filled in with paint.)  St. Kitts was previously known as Liamigua, The Fertile Island.  It has been inhabited since 2500 B.C.  In 1623, Carib Indian Chief Tegreman welcomed the first European settlers on Old Road.On the lighter side, a few locals with a good sense of humor made this “Rum Tree” for tourists who ask how rum is made.

We visit the remains of an old sugar plantation.  As usual, a rum distillery was located right next to it.  These were the most intact remains we have seen. 

Porter looks tiny next to these Tarzan vines!

This 400 year old Saman tree rooted itself in our hearts.  It is Nature’s majesty at its best.  You can’t help but wonder what this tree has born witness to in it’s lifetime.

…like little boys climbing on its branches!

Porter looks at the sky through the treetop branches.

Stone steps.  Strewn with flower petals.  Pink flower petals.  And an ivy covered wall.  Just kill me now.

My big guy….

And my little guy.

The iconic Caribbean colors and architecture on display at Caribelle Batik, a traditional batik studio.

Newly dyed batiks drying in the breeze.

The stunning gardens near the Saman tree.

Are you up for listening to me talk about yet another Caribbean fort?  The Brimstone Hill Fort on St. Kitts was the biggest and most impressive one we have visited.  We were there for hours and didn’t scratch the surface of the extensive grounds.

Ruins of the soldier’s quarters.

Driving through the wet, winding roads of the countryside.  Is it lunch time yet?

We love roadside restaurants.  Coopers was no exception.  Falling apart building, flies everywhere, an actual outhouse for a bathroom, and incredibly slow service.  All made up for by the incredible food, cooked with fresh natural ingredients and recipes handed down generation to generation by people who love to cook good food.

Is it bad if your kids just sidle up to a bar and order themselves a drink?  Have we been in the Caribbean too long???

Happy to be here.  Right here.  Right now.  Ram Dass would be proud of me.

Here is our friend making Conkies for Easter weekend.  Conkies bear a large similarity to tamales, though instead of having filling rolled inside the dough, the cornmeal is mixed together with grated sweet potato, pumpkin, coconut, and a few other ingredients.  After wrapping the dough in banana leaves, they’re boiled rather than steamed.  We hoped to try some before we left, but we never found them.  I’m going to try making them myself.

A couple of goats check us out as we drive by.

Last stop: the Black Rocks.  Pretty spectacular views.

St. Christopher is an amazing island, rich in history.  There is a lot to do and it is close to Nevis.  We would visit again and spend more time.  But Anguilla was waiting for us, along with the scare of my life…