The week started off with a bang…literally. We were packing our gear to dinghy over to Pigeon Island National Park when all of a sudden, a tender from one of the cruise ships ran over our dinghy and shoved it under the swim platform! Bill went over to have a heated discussion with the cruise worker who called over to the ship for the “safety” officers to come “do an investigation”. Not much to investigate in my opinion since there were at least 20 witnesses to the fact that their captain plowed over our poor dinghy! The officers came over on the next tender and climbed aboard Galt to discuss the situation. As the safety officers watched the tender ‘captain’ maneuver the tender, one of them said, “Wow, that guy doesn’t know how to drive,” and shook his head. After asking some questions and taking some notes, we all exchanged contact information in case the dinghy had issues over the next few days. Luckily, it seemed to weather the event quite well and we figured the dinghy survived the day better than the tender ‘captain’s’ job had. Once the excitement was over, we made our way over to Pigeon Island National Park. The park was once a small fort held by the British. It had some ruins and two peaks which could be hiked. We chose the smaller of the two peaks and had an easy hike to the top where we were rewarded with amazing views of Rodney Bay.
We spent the next few days trying to track down a rental car. The Sixt Car Rental at the marina wanted $100 USD per day for a car. No deal. Bill then called four other car companies who informed him they had no cars to rent. Finally, on Thursday, one of the rental companies called and said they had a car returned so we grabbed it quickly for the bargain rate of $50 USD per day. On Friday, we headed south down to the town of Soufriere. We had anchored at Soufriere last summer on our way to Grenada but we had not been allowed to get off the boat so we were looking forward to exploring the area. We headed to Diamond Estate Gardens where we had a nice walk through the gardens that culminated at the Diamond waterfall. The waterfall had amazing colors that shifted with the light. The colors were from the many ores that were in the river which flowed directly from the volcano upstream. The estate offered private mineral baths so Bill and I opted for a bit a spoiling and enjoyed a few minutes in a very hot bath. Feeling refreshed and relaxed, we made our way into town for dinner. The problem with being an obvious tourist in Soufiere is that you cannot simply walk down the street. From the moment the car hits the main road, you are directed to parking by three different guys pointing in three different directions followed by at least ten guys trying to sell you tours and last but not least, the jewelry salesman offering “handmade” necklaces….perfectly handmade in China. After running the gauntlet, we had a not so great dinner but the view of the Pitons was incredible so we called it a good day. The next day not a good day. It was a great and amazing day! It was one of those days that you remember for years as if it was yesterday. In the morning, we went to Morne Coubaril Historical Park. It was an old plantation that had recreated a small village to show what life had been like during plantation times on the island. The plantation house itself was still in use and was privately owned. We were very glad to dodge the cruise ship tours and we have realized how spoiled we have been during the Times of the Stupid. We rounded out the tour with a rum tasting which suited Bill just fine. From the park, we drove to the world’s only drive-in volcano. We did not really know what to expect but I promise you, it would have exceeded any expectations we could have had! As we walked into the cauldron, steam rose from every surface. Our tour guide explained that they used to allow tourists to walk amongst the steam but one of the guides cracked through the surface and fell into the boiling water. He had second degree burns on his legs but lived to tell the tale. As we approached the top viewing area, we could hear the loud roar of the pits bubbling like a boiling cauldron. The volcano had not erupted since 1766 but I’d say it’s making a plan. We teased the guide about sacrificing a virgin in 1766 but the French ruled the island at that time so we figured they could not have located a virgin. She seemed to enjoy our humor so we had a fun tour with her. Following the volcano walk was the sulfur mud baths! They had four different baths that went from tear the skin off your body down to merely scalding hot. We chose the merely scalding hot bath and luxuriated in the hot bath while smearing mud all over ourselves. I figured in the States this type of spa treatment would have been at least $100 so we found it a bargain at only $20! It was fun to watch the tour guides “decorate” their tourists with mud designs and precariously placed handprints. A good time for all! We both still have spots that I am sure the mud won’t come out of for some time. We finished the day at an amazing little hotel that had an infinity pool and the most beautiful view. As I said, a perfect day. Life this week will be doing some repairs and hopefully getting the refrigerator thermostat functioning! The thermostat arrived from Italy so we have fingers crossed it will solve the problem. St. Lucia celebrates their Independence Day on Tuesday so we are hoping there might be some sort of celebration but we never know….it could just be that they drink a lot of rum and have “rum sickness” which is what the locals call a hangover….. ***More pictures on Picture Tab
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AuthorSally Miller Archives
May 2024
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