WE NEEDED TO MAKE A CONNECTION AT AMERICAN’S HUB IN MIAMI

WHILE THERE WE HAD A PLEASANT AND INFORMATIVE CHAT WITH THE FEMALE BARTENDER, AT A MIAMI AIRPORT BAR,LEARNING SOMETHING OF CUBAN DEPRIVATION OF ESSENTIALS.

EVER WARY OF BEING CAUGHT WITHOUT FOOD I HAD GOTTEN A SANDWICH WHEN WE LEFT I WAS SURE GLAD I DID .AMERICAN AIRLINES IS DOING IT’S SHARE TO KEEP AMERICANS SLENDER WITH SKIMPY MEALS LIKE THE ONE SERVED EN ROUTE TO ST THOMAS

AFTER A SMOOTH LANDING WE WENT LOOKING FOR A CAB. WE WERE GIVEN ONE BY THE AUTHORITATIVE CAB MANAGER.. ENROUTE TO OUR LODGING THE CABBIE RESPONDED TO “HOW’S BUSINESS” BY COMPLAINING THAT Y2K HAD SCARED MANY AWAY.

BECAUSE I COULD GET A REAL LOW RATE AND SINCE IT WAS A FEW BLOCKS FROM MIDTOWN WE STAYED AT THE HOLIDAY INN.

WE GOT A SNACK IN THE SOON TO CLOSE HOTEL RESTAURANT (10:00) AND HEADED FOR OUR SECOND FLOOR ROOM THAT OPENED TO THE INTRA COURTYARD. MANY ROOMS SEEMED UNOCCUPIED IN THIS HIGH SEASON, TO OUR GOOD FORTUNE

I WANTED TO GET BOTTLED WATER AND WAS DIRECTED TO THE SODA MACHINE HALF WAY AROUND THE INTERNAL COURTYARD .NO DISTILLED WATER LEFT SO I BOUGHT SPRITE

BACK IN THE ROOM I IMPULSIVELY, PUT SOME ON MY UNRULE HAIR. TO MY SURPRISE IT HOLDS MY HAIR LIKE GLUE .

I COVERED THE BATHROOM WATER FACETS WITH A TOWEL SO WE WOULD THINK BEFORE USING THE LOCAL WATER FOR TEETH OR DRINKING.I USED SPRITE FOR SHAVING (I HAD USED CHAMPANGE IN RUSSIA).

THE NEXT MORNING WE SAW SEVERAL OTHER PATRONS AT BREAKFAST, WHERE WE LEARNED WHERE TO GO TO ARRANGE THE CITY TOUR.

THE CITY TOUR BEGINS AT 9 00.JOIN HALF DOZEN OTHER TOURISTSALL OF WERE PUT IN THE BACK OF A VAN

ST. THOMAS IS BUILT AROUND A SMALL DEEPWATER BAY, THERE ARE MANY SAILBOATS AND ,RIGHT NOW, 2 CRUISE SHIPS ARE IN PORT.

THERE IS A HILL THAT STARTS ASCENDING RIGHT AFTER THE SMALL TOWN ENDS INDIVIDUAL HOMES ARE IMBEDDED IN THE TROPICAL GREENRY THAT COVERED THE HILL. UNLIKE CARCASUS OR RIO THESE ARE NOT SLUM DWELLINGS, RATHER SOME COSTING IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS.

BECAUSE OF THE VEGETATION AND HEIGHT THE ROAD CAN'T BE SEEN FROM THE TOWN.. THE TOUR VAN GOES OVER SEVERAL ON THEM, STOPPED A SCENIC SPOTS FOR SPLENDID VIEWS.

FRENCH VIRGIN ISLANDS, WHERE ST CROIX IS THE CAPITAL, ARE SEEN IN THE DISTANCE

WHAT A MARVELOUS LITTLE TOWN ST THOMAS IS . FROM THE HILLSIDE WE SEE THE TOWN, IT’S BAY AND THE UNDISTURBED CARRIBBEAN THAT LIES BEYOND THE PORT TO THE HORIZON. THE SEA IS PLACID,DEEP BLUE OR TORQUOISE.,. IT'S ANOTHER VIEW OF A LIFETIME.

THE TOUR TAKES US TO A MOUNTAIN TOP TAVERN FOR ANOTHER MARVELOUS VIEW.THE CLEAR SKY ENABLES US TO SEE SMALL HILLY AND FORRESTED ISLANDS ON THE HORIZON.

THE TOUR ENDS LEAVING MANY OF US IN THE ROUGHLY 8 BLOCK DOWNTOWN AREA THAT ABUNKS THE BAY.

WE FOLLOWED THE GUIDES RECOMMENDATION FOR LUNCH THAT HAD US WEAVING PAST OTHER TOURISTS TO FIND” MADGES” DOWN A NARROW ALLEY THAT, LIKE SEVERAL OTHERS, BEEN CONVERTED INTO STOREFRONTS. WE HAD PASSED OH SO MANY JEWELRY STORES.

THE INDIGINOUS VEGETARIAN LUNCH AT GLADYS WAS A DISSAPOINTMENT TO ME, BUT I CAN T WIN EVERY TIME AND THEY REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHER CHOICE

NOW A LITTLE ADVENTURE. OUT WE GO HEADED FOR A SMALL FORT THAT NOW HOUSES A MUSEUM. NOT USABLE CANNONS. IT'S ONLY 3 BLOCKS AWAY, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN.

EN ROUTE WE SAW HAWKER, USUALLY ON A STOOL ,IN FRONT OF STORES ,URGED ENTRY. CAB DRIVERS DROVE SLOWLY BY AND ASKED PEDESTRIANS IF WE WANTED A RIDE.

WE STOPPED AND ASKED DIRECTIONS OF A PLEASANT,MILD MANNERED HAWKER THAT FOUND US GOING TO A BAKERY DOWN THE COLORFUL STORELINED ALLEY. FELI POINTED OUT A CIGAR STORE AND IN WE WENT .

WE DEALT WITH A MARVELOUSLY MANNERED AND PLEASANT SALESMAN ( WHO HAD BEEN A NEW YORK POLICEMAN UNTIL HE WAS SHOT) HE CLIPPED THE HAND ROLLED CIGAR,AND LATER CHIPPED OFF THE HOT END OF THE VERY MILD CIGAR,SO THAT I COULD TAKE IT TO SMOKE LATER. I ADMIRED HIS MANNER AND PRAISED HIM

WE WERE NOW OFF TO FIND THE ELUSIVE BAKERY.. WE FOUND IT BUT DID FIND ANYTHING TO SUIT OUR TASTES . THE FUN WAS GETTING THERE

WE HEAD FOR THE MUSEUM AND IT S ROOFTOP FOR A SPLENDID VIEW OF DOWNTOWN ST. THOMAS (AND A NICE BREEZE). NO STRUCTURE IS TALLER THAN 3 STORIES.

I JUST THEN REALIZE WE HAVE SEEN NO BILLBOARDS, FOR SALE SIGNS OR NEON LIGHTS CONSPICUOUSLY HANGING,AND NO FAST FOOD SIGNS. SUCH A LOVELY BREEZE HERE ATOP THE FT. CHRISTIAN MUSEUM RIGHT OFF THE WATER AND IN DOWNTOWN ST. THOMAS. THE BUILDING THAT HOUSES THE LEGISLATURE IS A STONES THROW AWAY. WE ARE BOTH LIKING ST. THOMAS A LOT.

WE HEAD INTO DOWNTOWN NOW THINNING RANKS WHERE I GET MORE CIGARS. I HAD AT LAST FOUND A CIGAR I REALLY ENJOYED SMOKING. I WOULD TAKE 4 PUFFS ONCE A WEEK SO THESE FOUR CIGARS WOULD LAST AWHILE.

I LOOK FOR A CAB TO BLUEBEARDS CASTLE IT WOULD COST $2.00 AND WAS LOCATED ON THE SIDE OF A HILL OVERLOOKING THE BAY. WE GOT THERE ONLY TO FIND .IT WAS CLOSED.FOR REPAIRS SO WE MADE RESERVATIONS TO EAT AT A SPOT NEARBY CALLED “ROOM WITH A VIEW”.

TO ABSORB THE HOUR UNTIL IT OPENED WE HEAD FOR AN OPEN OUTSIDE BAR OF THE HOTEL, WE SIT ON BARSTOOLS FOR AN HOUR,LOOKING OUT OVER THE TREES TO THE WATER,THEN CRUISE SHIPS,NEXT ANOTHER STRIP OF LAND THEN THE SOUTH CARRIBEAN.. ANOTHER SPLENDID VIEW.

THE MUSIC IS FAIRLY LOW. WE SIP OUR SCREWDRIVERS,ENJOYING THE BREEZE. MY FEET ARE HIGH AND CROSSED IN THE STOOL OPPOSITE ME. INTO THE BAY COMES A LARGE WHITE YACHT. I LOOK AROUND BOTH HEARING AND SEEING THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING THIS VIEW AND SHADE, WHENEVER THEY STOP TALKING!

I REMEMBERED THAT DIALOGUE BETWEEN FELI AND THE CAB DRIVER SAVED US $10 00(AND A QUICK EXIT) IN CABFARE WHEN BLUEBEARD AND BLACKBEARD(WE LEARNED THE LATTER WAS FREQUENTED BY HOMO’S) WERE DISTINGUISHED.AS DESTINATIONS.

ITS 4: 00 WHEN I GET THE SECOND DRINK. TIME SURE FLIES .WHAT A LIFE !

WE WENT FOR SUPPER AT: THE ROOM WITH A VIEW WE ATE APPETIZERS AND LEFT RATHER THAN PAY OUTLANDISH PRICES TO SEE ALMOST THE SAME VIEW WE HAD JUST COME FROM.

WE WERE LUCKY TO JOIN OTHERS IN THE FIRST CAB TO ARRIVE FROM TOWN . IT TOOK US BACK DOWN THE HILL. THE PEOPLE WE WERE TRAVELLING WITH TALKED LIKE THEY ISLAND HOPPED AS A WAY OF LIFE.

WE ENDED UP AT THE SAME RESTAURANT THEY WENT TO. I GOT EXTRA FOOD THAT I PLANNED TO EAT LATER IN THE EVENING OR THE NEXT DAY,

IT WAS PITCH BLACKWHEN WE LEFT. THERE WAS A CAB DRIVER WAITING FOR US WHEN WE GOT OUTSIDE ANDA FEW MINUTES LATER WE WERE AT THE HOTEL TO MY RELIEF . I DON’T WANT TO WALK AFTER DARK IN A STRANGE AND FOREIGN LOCATION.

WE WOULD BE UP AT 6 :00 FOR 7 :00 CAB TO THE AIRPORT, A 2 HOUR WAIT AND 9 :15 FLIGHT TO MIAMI .

IT’S FRIDAY MORNING NOW AND WE HAVE DONE THRU THE FORMALITIES AND SIT AT THE BREAKFAST AREA. IT' S AS HOT AS THE REST OF THIS BREEZE COOLED AIRPORT. I DECIDED TO TRY JOHNNY. BREAD AND I LEARNED THAT IT IS DEEP FRIED SWEET BREAD AND FOUND IT HAD A PLEASANT FLAVOR.

WE HAD FOUND A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO GO IN THE WINTER, WHEN WE WANTED TO BE ENCHANTED WITH HILLS ABUNKING A DEEP WATER PORT. IT WAS A CHARMING LITTLE TOWN THAT WAS 90 ODD MILES FROM SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO. WHICH HAS A CHARMING HISTORIC SECTION.

WELL, I THOUGHT, THAT WRAPS UP ANOTHER VENTURE INTO THIS WONDERFUL WORLD WHERE WE HAVE SEEN SO MUCH BEAUTY.

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