St Croix - West Side of the Island - Day 4 of 8

 

Lulu would be happy just doing her job right
in this spot. Wifi - satellite TV.  Sun - Surf - Waves -
Sand - Swimming.

Friday we spent on the other end of the island. It is not a long drive - but in some of the areas the road was full pot potholes. The island is 22 miles long - but that is quite a task - not only watching out for the hazards - but getting used to cars coming at you on the other side of the road. Luckily traffic was very very light. 

The west end of the island was much more lush - lots of rainfall gives you tropical rain forests. Near the east end where we live - it is very dry. You can see the cactus on the porch next to Lulu. But everywhere has really nice onshore breezes. 

I can see why they are very insistent on you having proof of insurance - or you have to buy more coverage at $20 a day. After driving a while - I think it would have been better to buy it. We have not had a wreck -  but potholes really jar you. They also tell you to video your car before you leave the lot. Still - I would not visit without a rental car - the local taxi and bus service is so spotty. Lulu would be just as happy just spending the week on our own private beach. 

Rainbow Beach on the west coast was very nice. Nice warm light blue water. But honestly - I think the beaches of Pensacola - Destin - Seaside - Panama City - are just as nice and only a 2 hour drive from our home. I may be OCD - but I love the soft sugar white sand of the Florida Panhandle. 

Frederikstead on the west coast is named after the Danish King. There is a cruise ship dock there - but no ships were in. The stores - shops - restaurants were open - but tourists were absent. I kept looking for the little guy to run out and say "de plane - de plane - deplane is coming!" But the pier was padlocked. Under the Danish West Indies Company - thousands of slaves were brought thru this town. There is a fort in downtown made of yellow brick that was brought here by ship from Denmark. Slave came in - sugar - run - cotton - went out. Many slaves were exported from here to the USA when they outlawed slavery. 

It is a pretty island - but the history does not match the beauty. Today - most the money comes from tourism. It is Hawaii - without the big cover charge to get here. Two hours out of Miami - and you have endless sun surf and breeze. The busy time is December - January - February - March. It is always 80s in day and 70s at night. Our apartment only recently got a window AC in a hole in the wall. It looks like a great place for a bunch of ladies to get a condo - drink rum drunks - and rub on sun tan lotion - and wade out into the crystal blue waters with sandy bottoms. 

I may take a float plane over to Charlotte Amalie on St Thomas. It is a bigger city - more history spots in the capital. Lulu would be happy to just stay here on the beach. 


The West Coast - 2 hours to Miami to the left. 

Old furniture in the fort

The pier recently built for cruise ships

Art on the fort walls

Dungeon for the rule - the fort was 
court - police station - prison - all in one. 

Officers quarter in fort

Ticket taker could not be found.
She later found us for $5.

Not a lot of tourist - pretty little town

This reminds me of home.

Keith Richards

Adam and Eve in dark face

Customs House - pay duty here

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