St Kitts - Unspoiled and authentic

From my Disney Southern Caribbean Cruise - 10 Oct 2014

St Kitts was island number 5, out of 5 islands visited in 5 days on the magical Southern Caribbean Disney Cruise I took with my husband, Mike, last month. To me, this was the most exotic of the Caribbean islands on our itinerary and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I did know that it would be our only port day not spent on or near the water.  For a water-lovin' lady living in land-locked Colorado, I should have known this was not a good way to end a great cruise. But alas, I opted for a rainforest hike far from the sea and our up-until-then charmed cruise hit some speed bumps.  Was it a bad omen?  Or were we just due?  

After waking up between 5:30 and 6:00 am for the last 4 days, I was relieved that we didn't pull into port until 11:00 am, allowing us to sleep in until a leisurely 7:30 am.  After morning room service, we went up on deck for beautiful views of St Kitts as we pulled up to the island. Because it was a later arrival, the Disney characters were up on deck mingling with the guests.  We saw Mickey and Stitch.  I was delighted at the surprise Mickey sighting because I had been unsuccessful at getting a good picture of him up until that point.  This time I got the "money shot" of him decked out in his Caribbean attire up on deck with St Kitts in the background.

The Mickey "money shot" with St Kitts in the background

After a much needed slow paced morning, we went to meet up with our tour group in the D Lounge.  We left right on time with a group of 38 people.  We were taken to a colorful, open air bus for our drive up to the trailhead. It was a very nice drive with excellent views of the town of Basseterre and it's colorful, pretty buildings.  As we drove further up the mountain, we could see lovely views of the sea and countryside.  St Kitts was much smaller than the other Caribbean islands we had visited, both in land size and population. Our driver pointed out various points of interest along the way, among them a local brewery and low income housing that was set on the side of a mountain with most incredible views of the sea.  I was thinking I should move here!

Our ride to our rainforest hike

After a fairly short drive, we arrived at 17th-century Romney Manor, an old sugar plantation rich in history and once owned by Sam Jefferson, great, great, great grandfather of our 3rd president, Thomas Jefferson. To get to the grounds, we drove through beautiful rainforest on a fear-for-your-life, steep and narrow road.

The 400 year old Saman tree

Our driver gave us 25 minutes to explore the scenic estate and beautiful gardens. The grounds were nothing short of spectacular with so many different tropical plants including a huge bougainvilla tree, survivor's palm, lipstick palm, and a huge 400 year old Saman tree. Unfortunately, the grounds were very crowded since there was a Carnival ship in port that day as well.  On an island with a population of 35,000, 2 cruise ships carrying around 3,000 people each made a difference! For me, the crowds made it hard to enjoy the beauty. Luckily, we found a tour group selling beer out of the back of their bus, and bought 3 bottles of the local Carib beer for $5. That took the edge off but not for long as it turned out.

Romney Manor

After our 25 minutes were up, we met up with our group and proceeded to what would become the most miserable hike of my life.  We had 2 guides so our group of 38 was split into a group of 18 and a group of 20.  We were in the group of 20 and took up the rear of the line walking towards the rainforest.  I saw that there was a zipline right above us as we walked. It was fun to watch pairs of people come zipping and screaming down the line until I realized that half of our hike would take place underneath all of this commotion. I think of a forest as a place of beauty and peace and while I was getting plenty of beauty, it was hard to appreciate with no peace. 

Vines hanging in the rainforest

While the zipline became annoying, what really made the hike unbearable for me was that it was no hike at all, but rather a stand-around.  The best thing I can compare it to is waiting 2 hours in a long line at Disneyland, only this time there was no fun ride at the end.  This excruciating pace might not have been so bad if I could hear our guide, who seemed very knowledgeable, and if I wasn't so darn hot and sweaty.  I needed movement in order to create a breeze, if nothing else! I tried hard to enjoy the beautiful rainforest, which is actually expanding in St Kitts, despite my discomfort but I finally gave in and just wanted the darn "hike" to be over already.  I decided right then and there that while I was in the hot and humid Caribbean, I would stick to water activities! 

Remains from the Sugar Plantation and Aquaduck

The walk finally ended and we were rewarded with delicious snacks including passionfruit juice, banana bread, plantain chips, local fresh bananas and fresh coconut.  The guides kept bringing out one food item after the next and then they outdid themselves with local rum mixed with passionfruit juice.  It was really tasty and refreshing after the hot and disappointing hike.  I think that with a group of 10 people or less, it could have been a great hike.  Once we finally got past the zipline, the forest really was spectacular.  Had we been in a smaller group, we could have heard the guide and moved at a better pace.

Low income housing with views of sister island, Nevis

This was the first time having an experience like this during a port of call and I realized that picking the right tour can really make or break a destination.  I had such a wonderful time in Barbados and Grenada, that I couldn't wait to return.  I had little desire to return to St Kitts until I realized that there is still so much to like about St Kitts if I don't let that horrible hike grow bigger than what it really was.  I do want to go back to St Kitts and check out the beaches, and visit neighboring island, Nevis.  It really is a wonderful, authentic Caribbean island that deserves a second chance!

The pretty town of Basseterre

Click here for more pictures from my adventure in St Kitts!

I hope you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people travel! Through strategic partnerships, I offer my clients preferred rates, complimentary upgrades and extra amenities like wine or shipboard credit. If you would like to receive weekly travel offers from my agency, Purple Palm Vacations, please sign up for our Exclusive Travel Specials.

Happy Travels!

  

Beautiful Barbados - Sea Turtles, Sailing and Rum Punch

From my Disney Southern Caribbean Cruise - 09 Oct 2014

My husband, Mike, and I took a magical Southern Caribbean Cruise on the Disney Magic in October of this year.  The fourth port of call on our cruise was beautiful Bridgetown, Barbados.  After St Lucia, this was probably my next highly anticipated stop. Not only is my good friend Kathy from Barbados, but some of the most stunning beach pictures I have ever seen were taken there, so I knew it would be beautiful.  It wasn't until weeks after I discovered the beauty of Barbados that I realized Barbados is technically not even in the Caribbean Sea. It is in the Atlantic Ocean but because of it's proximity to the Caribbean, it is considered a Caribbean island. So instead of getting hung up on technicalities, I'll continue with my experience in Barbados which ended up being my best day of the cruise!

The sunrise over Barbados

We woke up at 5:30 am, even earlier than on previous days, to make sure not to miss docking in Bridgetown and were rewarded with our first sunrise at sea. There is pure magic in standing on the top deck of a magnificent cruise ship feeling the warm Caribbean breeze and watching a new day dawn over an exciting new destination. As we approached the island, I could see it was much flatter and less rugged than our first three island stops (Antigua, St Lucia, and Grenada). Barbados is made from limestone and is not volcanic like the others. Our ship maneuvered gracefully into a tight spot between the dock and a cargo ship.  I was thinking that there was no way that the mighty vessel could pull off such a daunting parallel park job, but she did! It was by far our most impressive docking and nothing short of amazing that such a big ship can be so agile.

The Disney Magic pulling into port

We disembarked and were greeted in Barbados by my favorite Caribbean sound, the steel drums.  This was our 6th day in the Caribbean and only the 1st time hearing this Caribbean staple.  I was glad that Barbados didn't disappoint and thus Barbados was off to a good start.  Our plan for Barbados was to get off one boat to get on another boat.  We were scheduled for a Cool Runnings Catamaran cruise with two snorkel stops and an open bar which sounded like a winning combination to me!  We easily found Gate 1 outside the big, open, cruise port shopping mall and met our tour guide. We were driven about a mile to the tour office where those who did not pre-book, as we had, waited in line to pay. We, on the other hand, were directed outside to the boardwalk and instructed to pass the pirate ship and hop aboard the Catamaran.  I am easily amused and got a chuckle that the attendant directing us got to say "Just past the pirate ship," in his everyday vernacular. One of the reasons that I love to travel so much is the removal from the ordinary.  I don't know about you but pirate ships are not part of my everyday life!

Steel Drums at the Cruise Port

On board the Catamaran, we stowed our snorkel gear and then got down to business.  It was time to test the open bar and try the local beer, Banks, despite the fact that it was only 9 am.  Like I said earlier, far from the ordinary.  The beer was delicious, light and sweet and we were told it was the limestone water that made it so tasty.  What happened next is one of those travel moments that was elevated from the rest, some would call a WOW moment.  Orlando, one of the crew, came over to welcome us and offered to take our picture and then got in one for a selfie. He told us we could go to the back of the Catamaran and dangle our feet in the glorious sapphire blue water while we sailed. We jumped on the opportunity and sat on the back of the boat with our feet in the water.  As if that wasn't fun enough (because it was!), Orlando then surprised us with another Banks beer. I was officially in heaven sailing under the blue Caribbean skies with the soft water keeping me cool in the hot sun. 

My husband, myself, and Orlando on the Catamaran

We arrived at our first snorkel stop where the sea turtles liked to swim. People started to jump off of the Catamaran which was only about 3-4 feet off the water but I was nervous about the jump never-the-less.  I saw a girl, about 10 years old, who was also afraid to jump so I offered to jump with her on 3.  It worked and we both jumped in successfully. It was fun jumping off of the boat into the water and made me feel like a kid again. The snorkeling was too crowded for my taste with arms and legs flailing everywhere.  I decided that my best bet was to stay still and that strategy worked as a magnificent sea turtle swam only inches away from my mask.  To say he was beautiful would be a vast understatement.  His markings were remarkable that close up with lovely stripes in different shades of green.  I saw a couple of other sea turtles but none quite as close as the first one.  I was mesmerized as I watched one of these ancient creatures gracefully paddle away.

View of a beach from our 1st snorkel stop

Back on the boat, dark clouds were forming, but thankfully our next snorkel stop was in the opposite direction. It was time to move on from the beer and try the rum punch made with the local rum, Mount Gay. Every rum punch I have tasted from every other Caribbean island tasted basically the same.  This one was different, however, as it was not as sweet and had a good dose of nutmeg in it. It was different but good. We chose to sit up front on the netting over the water this time around. It was fun to see the beautiful blue water rushing underneath us as we sailed. And for the second time in one day, I was in heaven, sailing on the sea while sipping a rum punch.  Life is good on vacation!

Our Catamaran Mount Gay Rum Sail

We arrived at our second snorkel stop which consisted of two ship wrecks that were moved to this spot for reef growth and tourism.  I normally prefer natural attractions versus manufactured ones and this snorkel stop was no exception. Several other boats were dropping off snorkelers to view the same ship wrecks so I spent more time avoiding collisions with other snorkelers than I did looking for fish.  The 2nd ship wreck we saw had some great potential for fascination but it was just too crowded.  I decided that for ship wreck viewing, diving is the way to go as I saw a diver meandering on his own among the wreckage down below.

The pirate ship out on the water

I didn't let the disappointing snorkel experience put a damper on what was already an amazing day. Instead we got back on our boat, sailed away, and enjoyed a delicious lunch of potato salad and rice and beans plus, of course, another drink from the open bar. During lunch the rain storm caught up with us so we waited it out and then hopped back in the water for snorkeling on our own while most of the other passengers stayed on board to take advantage of the open bar. There was not much in the way of sea life under water at this stop but once in a while a sea turtle would wander by. It was nice to watch him swim without all of the people scrambling to see him. We ended up seeing four sea turtles and I was really glad we chose another round of snorkeling over another round of rum punch.

Our wonderful ride for the day

It was time for the last chapter of our awesome Catamaran trip and we started to sail back to port. Mike and I sat in the back of the boat again with our feet in the water and I rejoiced at such an awesome day on and in the water. It was a bit ironic that the best day at port was in Barbados and yet I had seen the least amount of this country. Because I was out on the water the majority of the time, I didn't feel like I had gotten to know the soul of Barbados like I did with the other islands we had visited.  All that means to me is that like Grenada, Barbados is a place I must return! I did get to know the Barbadians, from our boat crew and my friend from Barbados, and they are friendly, giving and welcoming, and like other Caribbean island people, have great pride in their island nation. As well they should!

Views of Bridgetown from the water

Click here for more pictures from my adventure in Barbados!

I hope you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people travel! Through strategic partnerships, I offer my clients preferred rates, complimentary upgrades and extra amenities like wine or shipboard credit. If you would like to receive weekly travel offers from my agency, Purple Palm Vacations, please sign up for our Exclusive Travel Specials.

Happy Travels!

Grenada - Isle of Spice and so much more!

From my Disney Southern Caribbean Cruise - 08 Oct 2014

The third port of call on our Disney Southern Caribbean Cruise was St George's, Grenada and this would turn out to be my favorite island of the six we visited.  Grenada was the most exotic, the most beautiful and the one I most desire to return to.  The only drawback I have been able to find in cruising is that when you find a place as magical as Grenada, it's hard to leave after only one day. Grenada is an island I could spend weeks exploring the lush rain forests with its aromatic spice trees, pristine waterfalls and tropical flowers and miles of unspoiled beaches with white sand and colorful buildings as a back drop.

St George's, Grenada

Back on the Disney Magic, my husband, Mike, and I woke up bright and early at 5:45 am in order for our customary viewing of the ship pulling into port.  As we approached our third new Southern Caribbean island in three days, we watched Grenada pull into view.  I could see the island was green, lush and mountainous with a very similar look to St Lucia, yesterday's island.  After docking, we ate breakfast at Cabana's and sat above on Deck 10. We considered this our private deck because no one else had apparently discovered it since every morning we were the only ones there.  We enjoyed a healthy breakfast with gorgeous views of Grenada before getting off of the ship.

View of Grenada from Deck 10

Instead of a Sandals resort tour like we had done the previous two days, we were scheduled for a ShoreTrips tour, the Seven Sisters Waterfall Hike.  We followed the directions to get to our meeting point but did not see our guide anywhere.  Plenty of friendly locals asked us if we needed help and we finally accepted when someone offered to call the phone number on our tour slip.  I was glad for the help because our tour guide was having trouble finding us as well.  The phone call bridged the gap and we found our tour contact, Charmaine.  

Apparently a law was recently passed where tour guides could no longer hold up signs with names on them, making it extra hard to find who you are looking for in a busy place.  Go figure! Charmaine was pleasant to chat with while we waited for our tour guide and she had just brought up the 1980's U.S. invasion of Grenada when our guide arrived. An interesting note to end on, we joined our tour with Danny, our guide, and 5 other people who happened to be from England. I found their English accents delightful as always and tried to keep them talking on the bus ride.

View of Caribbean Sea from above

Danny took us on our way up a very narrow winding road climbing the mountain with stunning views of the sea below and the green mountain side.  The buildings looked much nicer and newer than St Lucia and Antigua (our first 2 ports of call) and I figured this was probably due in part to the re-building done after hurricane Ivan hovered over and decimated the island for 16 hours in 2004.  Our guide, Danny, spoke quite a bit about Ivan and was clearly still affected by it 10 years later.  I could feel the island's scars through his stories.

Tropical trail to Seven Sisters Waterfall

Seven Sisters Waterfall is located in Grand Etang National Park, Grenada's largest forest reserve, and the hike to the falls was a lovely mix of tropical flora and fauna.  There were lush, green plants all around us as well as colorful, tropical flowers.  We saw palm trees, ferns, bamboo, cashew trees, nutmeg trees, cinnamon trees and so much more.  

The trail was very muddy and quite slippery on the steep downhill portions.  It was made worse by equipment coming through to clear way for a zipline. It saddened me to think that this unspoiled paradise would soon be tainted by mass tourism.  I believe there is a place for ziplines but this wasn't it.  I took solace in knowing I would get to enjoy the waterfall  in its natural state even if I would be one of the last to do so.  

On our way down the trail to the waterfall, we passed the Disney Cruise Line tour group.  I counted 20 people and compared that to our 7 and was happy with my choice in using ShoreTrips and even happier to see that their claims of smaller tour groups were accurate. 

My husband and I at the falls

We finally made it through the treacherous mud and miraculously I didn't slip and fall in it.  The Seven Sisters Waterfalls were as beautiful as I imagined and looked like they could be straight out of a movie.  There are a total of 7 falls but we only got to see 2 of them. We did get to swim in the pool below the bigger of the 2 falls and I was the first one to swim up to the fall.  It was exhilarating to feel the force of the water falling on my face and the water was so cool and refreshing after a hot and sweaty hike. 

Our refreshing swimming hole

Others arrived at the fall and my moment of oneness with the falls ceased. We noticed a little crab  watching us from the side of the pool and laughed at his intense stare.  It was fun to swim in the falls and let it push us back into the pool of water.  It was amazing to be a part of nature especially in the midst of such sheer beauty.  I felt completely refreshed and rejuvenated after my swim. It was a feeling of life I have seldom felt and I embraced it.

View of Disney Magic from water taxi

After a wonderful time spent in the rain forest, we still had hours to spend on the island so we chose to go to the beach. The tour guide took us back to the cruise port where we caught a water taxi for $4 each to Grand Anse beach. The water taxi took us around our mighty ship and through parked sailboats on a lovely 10 minute ride before we arrived at the beach.  We were told that many consider Grand Anse beach to be the best in the Caribbean. Indeed, it was spectacular with 2 miles of white sand, swaying palm trees and gentle waves. While, I do think I've been to nicer beaches, this one definitely rates high.

Grand Anse Beach

We were hot again so we were anxious to jump in the water. We tossed our bags under the shade of a sea grape tree and took a swim in the glorious Caribbean. While swimming, the seagulls were fishing for their afternoon snack. They dove down like a torpedo and then popped back up on the water before returning to flight and diving again. It was a fun show to watch while swimming. After our swim, we walked up and down the beach a bit to take in the lovely views. Exhaustion and hunger finally took over so we caught a water taxi back to the ship where lounge chairs and all the food we could eat were anxiously waiting for us.

Click here for more pictures from my adventure in Grenada!

I hope you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people travel! Through strategic partnerships, I offer my clients preferred rates, complimentary upgrades and extra amenities like wine or shipboard credit. If you would like to receive weekly travel offers from my agency, Purple Palm Vacations, please sign up for our Exclusive Travel Specials.

Happy Travels!

St Lucia - Beaches, Rain Forests, and Volcanoes

From my Disney Southern Caribbean Cruise - 07 Oct 2014

St Lucia was the second stop on our Disney Southern Caribbean Cruise and one of the islands I was most excited to see.  I had long read about it's twin peaks, the Pitons, and the world's only drive-in volcano.  While I was dying to check the drive-in volcano, I opted for another Sandals resort tour because I have come to understand that I can do a much better job as travel agent when I've physically been to a property.  I made the right choice because I found that Sandals Regency La Toc is a place one cannot truly appreciate from a brochure.  It is a unique resort that simply must be seen to be understood. 

St Lucia's famous twin peaks, the Pitons

On board the Magic, we woke up at 5:45 am to watch us pull into Castries, the capital of St Lucia.  I always enjoy watching the ship slowly pull up to a new island as the sun rises over our destination. It was so exciting to get my first glimpse of St Lucia and it was just as beautiful as I imagined with dramatic mountains rising from the sea, covered in lush green rain forests.  Our ship entered a small bay and then proceeded to do a 180 degree turn in order to dock the ship pointed straight out. It was an amazing engineering feat and at times, I thought for sure we were going to hit land turning that mighty ship in a relatively small bay.  

Goofy on the back of Disney Magic

We got off the ship at 8:00 am and walked to the end of the dock to get picture of Goofy on the back of the ship and then decided to walk into town before heading to Sandals.  The walk to town was lovely, right along the bay and only about 15 minutes.  I was not impressed with the town of Castries as it was lacking in the Caribbean color I have become accustomed to and seemed old and rundown. We walked through a very old craft market and bought a quick souvenir. We were the only visitors and I could feel the vendors hunger for sales, so we didn't linger long.  We proceeded through the fruits and vegetables where I have never seen so much produce in one place.  The fruit looked fresh and delicious, yet unfamiliar.

City of Castries

We decided it was time to take a taxi to Sandals when we were approached by an overly friendly local who wanted to give us a personal tour of the island.  Just as flashbacks from our Jamaica "tour guide" taking us for fools by taking our money and our pride in one fell swoop started to enter my mind, the cab driver we had previously met, came to our rescue.  Ricky whisked us away and told us we didn't want to be taking this man's tour.  We said we had been "taken" by such a tour in Jamaica and weren't about to fall for that again! 

Ricky drove us up the green mountain side and then back down again to the entrance to Sandals Regency La Toc. The drive was quite beautiful and Ricky told us that as a kid, he used to climb down the same mountain in order to swim at the same beach that Sandals was now located on.

Stunning views from the pool

We checked in with the staff at Sandals and after a warm hug from the Sales Manager, Shamaine, we were told to come back at 11:30 for our tour.  This gave us time to have some breakfast and walk around the property to get photos. The first thing that struck me was how different this Sandals was from Sandals Grande Antigua which we had toured the day before. At first I wasn't very impressed with Sandals Regency La Toc. The beach was smaller, the sand not as white and the water not as green but as we walked up to the cliffs, I realized that this resort was not about the beach.  It was about the views.  It was about the tranquility. It was about he intimacy.  I ended up falling in love with this resort that was unlike any other I had every been to.

Another great view from another pool

There are 3 different Sandals resorts on St Lucia and it was hard to decide which one to visit. I ultimately decided on Sandals Regency La Toc because they are the only Sandals that have  the famed Millionaire Suites.  I suspected a resort tour may be the only way to see them but I also knew that they are booked 1 to 2 years in advance so I would need luck on my side. We met Kerishma for our tour and she informed me that she only had one room category that she could show me and that it was the Millionaire Suites!  I couldn't believe my good fortune!  

Millionaire Suite 2-Level Balcony with Infinity Pool

The Millionaire Suite lived up to its reputation with its jaw dropping 180 degree views from a 2 level balcony that includes an infinity pool, whirlpool, outdoor shower and lounge chairs. I could very much imagine myself in that suite, living like a Millionaire, and enjoying those views with my husband in our on private sanctuary.  Who knows, maybe someday!

Neptune's where we had lunch

After a thorough tour of the sprawling 220 acre property that wraps around the side of a cliff and tapers down to the quiet beach, we had lunch at Neptune's and enjoyed lovely views of the cove.  Finally, it was time to take a swim and we were more than ready with all of that Caribbean heat and humidity. Just as we got changed into our swimsuits, it started to rain. I figured we would be wet when we swam anyway so why let a little rain stop us. We waded in and it was fun to swim in the rain. The great thing about this beach is that Sandals is the only resort on the beach so it is very secluded. After a half hour of carefree swimming in the rain, thunder chased us out of the water.  

The lovely beach at Sandals Regency La Toc

We changed into dry clothes and sat in the gorgeous open air lobby and watched the downpour. There was no longer any sign of the lush mountains, only gray rain meeting the gray sea. It may have been tempting to let the weather rain on our parade but we didn't.  Instead we decided to try the drink of the day, the Millionaire Special.  It seemed appropriate after getting to see the Millionaire Suite. And I felt like a millionaire sipping the Millionaire Special gazing out into the Caribbean Sea with recent memories of the Millionaire Suite playing in my mind.

Caribbean Sunset at Sea

Our cab driver, Ricky, came to get us early so we left Sandals and headed back to our ship. The traffic was very slow getting back to the port and I enjoyed the beautiful scenery. At the cruise port, we perused the shops which were all the usual suspects.  Back on the ship we got ready to sail away and were treated with an amazing show.  On the port side of the ship we watched St Lucia slide by with increasingly good views of the Pitons and the almost full moon shining overhead, while on the starboard side we saw a magnificent Caribbean sunset. The rain had departed and left us with a gorgeous night to remember.

Click here for more pictures from my adventure in St Lucia!

I hope you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people travel! Through strategic partnerships, I offer my clients preferred rates, complimentary upgrades and extra amenities like wine or shipboard credit. If you would like to receive weekly travel offers from my agency, Purple Palm Vacations, please sign up for our Exclusive Travel Specials.

Happy Travels!