DAY 8---ST LUCIA

 ST LUCIA

 Background/Historical Info

        St Lucia is an island country in the West Indies with a population of 185,000.  This volcanic formed island is 27 miles long and 14 miles wide and is more mountainous than most Caribbean islands.  The highest mountain is 3,120 feet with forest covering 77% of the land.  Castries, where we are docked, is its capital with 60,000 (32%) living in the city.  Most of the other citizens live along the coast because of the dense forests inland.  The French and English have ruled St Lucia but it is now an independent state since 1979.

        The economy’s service sector is its biggest driver followed by industry and agriculture.  Tourism is also vital to its economy.  The island is popular due to its tropical weather, scenery, beaches, and resorts.  A majority of its tourists are cruise ship folks.  Pre-covid there were around 330 ships calling here per year.

                       Our position is shown by the arrow.  As always it is 82 degrees and humid.

LAST EVENING

                           Dinner in Prime 7 at our favorite table, a window in the corner.

                                                                  Bread basket

        I coated both sides of our 6 ounce filets with lemon pepper that we bring from home.  Then they take them back to the kitchen and cook them.

                                                         I started with this crab cake.

             Rebecca had the wedge salad which she has them chop up with ranch dressing.

                                                 Vasty then brought me some soup.

              This is vidalia onion soup with a french baguette and pepper jack cheese.

        I had cut into the filet to make sure it was perfectly cooked medium rare and it was.  Also had a twice baked potato some mushrooms and asparagus.  Excellent dinner.

                                     We don't eat these pre-dessert things.  Lots of sugar!

                                                       Bread pudding with ice cream.

We had an hour to wait in the suite before the theater doors opened at 9:00.  Got our front row seats.

                              This cast of singers are very talented.  Loved this new show.

TODAY

        Our great view today from our balcony.  Thank you Captain Abhi!  We docked at 8am but it took a while to get all the mooring lines tied up before they could set the gangway.  Lots of shops here.

                                                         Entrance to the terminal.

                                                            Beautiful flowering trees.

        Unfortunately, where the gangway is positioned there is a huge puddle of water.  So they are squeezing it away.

                                                    Tour groups meeting on the pier.

                                                      Training being done this morning.

                                                   Hauling off the ship's trash.

                                              I have done this trolley city tour before.

                                      Lots of shops around the terminal area.  Prices too high.

                                              Some photos of the not so nice housing

        Entrance to La Toc gun battery.  This was our first stop.  The British built this artillery fortification overlooking the harbor in the late 1700's to guard against naval attacks.

                                                     This is the gun emplacement

        The 10 inch (bore) cannon was found down the hill and a bulldozer pushed it back up.  The dozer broke down before the cannon could be turned and placed back on gun mounting.

                 The 10 incher had a range of 3 miles and looked out at entrance to the harbor

                              Looking down at where ammo was stored and gun crew lived.

                                                                          Shell lift

        The shells for the newer and smaller guns that replaced the 10 inch gun in earlier photo.  The new guns had over twice the range of old one.

                                                Old beer and wine bottles from then

                                                 Shells were lifted to this door for use

                                                             Back on the road

                                              Shopping stop and demo of batik making.

                                                          Example of batik

                                                         Back on the road again.

                                              This use to be used to store gun powder.

                                  The US oil company, Hess, had a huge oil storage facility.

                                  Looking down on the largest banana plantation on St Lucia

                                  Marigot Bay--Several movies made here including "Jaws".

        St Mark's--A 1800's Colonial house that we toured.  People live here but open it up when cruise ships are in.

                                             They also sell souvenirs on front porch.

                                                "Date Palm"--They are not edible

 

 Our guide said we could buy a house here for around $250,000.  Having a maid would cost $200 a month.

                         The old wooden houses in the little fishing village of Anse la Raye.

                                                 Shopping stalls along water

                                                         Small fishing boats

                                                    Old Catholic cemetery

 

 As St Lucia is a British Common Weath, the Queen of England appoints a representative that lives here.

Some shrimp, a mussel, anchovies, bleu cheese to start with.

        There's a fancy Italian name for this dish but it's pasta tubes filled with meat, spinach, mozzarella, & tomato.  I had a few carrots to help my eye sight.  That's what my mother used to say.

        The special pasta today had meatballs so I just ordered a couple of the meatballs and a little more of the cannelloni.  Everything was hot and delicious.

        There has been short, passing rain showers all day here.  Not much sun today.  It is a very long walk from the pier into town.  That's one reason this is not my favorite island to visit.  Just spending this afternoon relaxing and doing some computer work.  OOPS!  Monsooning at 2pm.  A trolley tour departed a half hour ago.  They are getting drenched.

Tonight's Compass Rose menu.  We're thinking about the chicken parmesan.

        We have some new headline entertainers that came onboard yesterday.  Tonight's show is featuring Tenna Torres who has appeared on America's Got Talent tv show.  We spoke briefly with her yesterday evening.  I think she will be doing soul music.  We have not seen her perform previously.

        We will be sailing again at 5pm.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, our stop at St Barts was canceled.  So tomorrow's port of call will be at Philipsburg on the island of St Maarten.  We should be docked there by 10am.  Sorry we are not stopping at St Barts as I think it is a nicer island.