Ahoy Mates -- Terra Firma!!
Everyone was thrilled to set foot on solid ground, arriving in St. Barthelemy (St. Barths) on Thursday April 3rd! First we had to time our footing for boarding the tender, which was bouncing up and down in a rather violent fashion. We arrived in the harbor at Gustavia, the capital, three hours later than scheduled. This was due to the continuing high seas, and Captain Lubrano's concern for keeping everyone as comfortable as possible. Thus, he slowed the ship's speed. Our departure time was not altered, so we only had a few hours on shore.
Gustavia is a charming town. The island is known as a playground of the rich and famous. Gleaming white yachts, of all sizes, abound in the harbor's pristine turquoise waters. Although English is widely spoken, the official languate is French. Parlez-vous Francais? I wasn't there long enough to dust off my junior high French. "Merci" was the extent of eloquence for me.
In typical French fashion, since we arrived around the noon hour, all of the shops were closed. There are local boutiques, as well as many of the glitzy brands you would see on Rodeo Drive. Our destination was Shell Beach, which is about a fifteen minute walk through town. After a few wrong turns, accompanied by fellow passengers, we found our way to the beach. Shell beach is calm and tranquil. The name is very fitting because much of the beach is made up of teeny shells. In some places the shell layer is deep; it's really unusual. The shells are tiny, so it's like walking on a slightly rough surface, but not too uncomfortable. As the surf flows over the shells, they glisten in the sunshine, in various shades of coral, ivory and pink.
We lunched at Do Brazil, a beach bar, with fun open air ambience. Al and I opted to share a lobster club sandwich. It came with wonderful fries, always a pleasure for me! The currency on the island is Euros. Lunch, including two beers came to 32 Euros. Believe it or not, that is the equivalent of $68 USD!! A good reason not to visit Europe this year, with the dollar being as weak as it is.
We enjoyed our limited beach time. Unlike some Caribbean beaches we have experienced in the past, the "topless" sunbathers here were attractive. On our trek back through town, Al didn't have to worry about Maija shopping! Not at those prices!! We did make a quick stop at Le Cellier du Gouveneur, a fine wine shop. Frederic Schimberle, the proprietor, was very helpful. We selected a couple of French Chardonnays to take back to the ship, for consumption.
It was a short, but memorable day in Gustavia. St. Barths would be a great island to return to.... when the dollar strengthens! J'adore St. Barth!
Gustavia is a charming town. The island is known as a playground of the rich and famous. Gleaming white yachts, of all sizes, abound in the harbor's pristine turquoise waters. Although English is widely spoken, the official languate is French. Parlez-vous Francais? I wasn't there long enough to dust off my junior high French. "Merci" was the extent of eloquence for me.
In typical French fashion, since we arrived around the noon hour, all of the shops were closed. There are local boutiques, as well as many of the glitzy brands you would see on Rodeo Drive. Our destination was Shell Beach, which is about a fifteen minute walk through town. After a few wrong turns, accompanied by fellow passengers, we found our way to the beach. Shell beach is calm and tranquil. The name is very fitting because much of the beach is made up of teeny shells. In some places the shell layer is deep; it's really unusual. The shells are tiny, so it's like walking on a slightly rough surface, but not too uncomfortable. As the surf flows over the shells, they glisten in the sunshine, in various shades of coral, ivory and pink.
We lunched at Do Brazil, a beach bar, with fun open air ambience. Al and I opted to share a lobster club sandwich. It came with wonderful fries, always a pleasure for me! The currency on the island is Euros. Lunch, including two beers came to 32 Euros. Believe it or not, that is the equivalent of $68 USD!! A good reason not to visit Europe this year, with the dollar being as weak as it is.
We enjoyed our limited beach time. Unlike some Caribbean beaches we have experienced in the past, the "topless" sunbathers here were attractive. On our trek back through town, Al didn't have to worry about Maija shopping! Not at those prices!! We did make a quick stop at Le Cellier du Gouveneur, a fine wine shop. Frederic Schimberle, the proprietor, was very helpful. We selected a couple of French Chardonnays to take back to the ship, for consumption.
It was a short, but memorable day in Gustavia. St. Barths would be a great island to return to.... when the dollar strengthens! J'adore St. Barth!
posted by Sniglet's Mom @ 7:26 AM
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