Well, my saddest fear was realized when I ended up at Kingstown Baptist Church (KBC) Sunday morning and was alone save for three from the "Wise-guys" team. Gary and Betty Overstreet, and Don Overstreet and I sat in on the tail-ends of Sunday School and proceeded into the main service. It was actually quite an enjoyable experience, I was only a little sad to be separated from my teammates.

As things went, I did play "Beautiful One" on my violin WITH the band (keyboardists, drums and bass).  I was totally  blown away by the skill they had at improvizing with a basically seamless ease. Pastor Cecil Richards (the pastor of KBC), was very pleased with the addition of my violin, and put me on the spot by asking me "What can I do to get me to stay and play at his church?" In American terms Pastor Richards and his wife would be considered work-aholics. He is a full-time pastor and going to seminary full-time as well, I believe; his wife is a full-time teacher and also finishing school simultaneously.

After the service, I went to the house built by Sobrina and (I think) Andrew. They treated myself, the Overstreets, and the Richards to a lovely meal, prepared by Andrew (an excellent cook), of mahi mahi, rice, salad, bread-fruit, and fruit. Everything was delicious and I especially  delighted in the dolphin fish(mahi mahi). Entertaining side note, I actually believed them when they told me it was dolphin I had eaten! :)

Everyone in SVG has a beach view from their back/front porch, but it was especially beautiful looking out from the well manicured patio of Sobrina and Andrew's house.

Back at the apartments, I spent the afternoon with Ron, and Rhonda at the beach talking and walking along the beach. Kirk joined in with some guys on the beach, who were playing soccer. Somewhere in there I read my Bible and wrote in my journal.

That night, I played at the church again and I met a bunch more people. I met Precious' cousin Keira Barnwell who wants to buy a violin and learn how to play. Also, I met Andre Martin, Abeni Richards who was around 5-6 years old and Alexandra and Alexis. Richol is two years younger than I am and an avid book reader and fan of green. I also met Kitron a twenty-year-old guy who was currently working at a boutique but voiced a desire to become a bartender/butler.

For dinner we shared a meal after the service in the church side building of multiple types of chicken, rice, squash, and other meat. All of our meals had chicken included in the menu; absolutely fabulously cooked. Most Vincentians only eat twice a day and so some of the Vincy people expressed huge surprise at our practice of making a "breakfast" in the morning besides the meals we ate for lunch and dinner.

Overall, the day was a very pleasant one with much joy and fellowship.   

Today began for Shae-Shae and I with making breakfast for our team. This consisted of lemonade, toast and jelly, eggs, and other odds and ends. (These were to become the standard breakfast staples of our trip.) :) Shae-Shae, Joel, and Kirk were off early in the morning to speak on a radio broadcast. The rest of us were left at the Sky Blue Beach Apartments to explore and rest.

Most all of us headed down to the Indian Bay. This beach was 5 minutes (walking) from our apartments and we frequented its waters during our entire trip. :) There are two islands in the near vicinity: one has a white cross on it which is the marker of a Vincentian grave; another is a rocky spit of land which is very hard to reach if wading.

We all desperately wanted to go to the rocky island and since our luggage was still in San Juan, we decided to roll-up our pants and wade across. (What we didn't know was that the water covered slippery, sharp rocks making a short distance seem interminable when staying dry!) But, all of us did succeed in reaching the treacherous island.

After a good deal of time on the beach, exploring and what-not, we all headed back to the apartments(aka home) and most of us took naps, read our Bibles, or played a game of Phase 10. Pastor Richards had told us that morning, that today was going to be our easiest day. :) Although none of us wanted to admit it, we were exhausted from travelling and the excitement of arriving at SVG, so it was wise to have a recharge right off.

For this night, we again loaded into the bus for dinner. At this time, our company added the "wise guys," as we eventually dubbed the other team from America, to our group. The people in this group were older than us and only going to stay for a week and a half. Don Overstreet(my leader's dad), Gary and Betty Overstreet (my leader's brother and sister-in-law), David Medina (pastor of The Branch church), Bill and Cozette Gibson (husband and wife team), and Ron and Rhonda (hus and wife team ministry in LA) were the members of the wise guys team. Ashley Overstreet (my leader's younger sister) also joined us tonight, but she ended-up staying with our team until we left on June 27th. :) SO, we piled into the bus to go to another church and have a scrumptious dinner.

Just a side note, our first bus-driver was Andrew, but then for a while Kevin covered for Andrew the first couple of days. :) Such cool guys. Their jobs are busing people around SVG. (Cool job, no?). 

So, tonight I bumped into John Cambridge, (the guy from the first night who had talked with me about tropical fruit and such.) And he had a huge bag-full of mangoes! I was so encouraged by his simple act of friendliness it was awesome.

One thing which we had been warned of, and which we experienced as well, was "island time"! : ) Pastor Richards had told us that we would be able to have a tour of the island today and a taxi would pick us up at 2:15 p m but no taxi came and then at 6:15 we left for dinner a full 45mins later than they said. :) heh. well I guess we fast-paced Americans can learn something from the Vincentians' Island Time. :)

Well, good night for now. :)

Finally, at around 8:00pm, the shuttles arrived at the globe ready to take the team to LAX. Filled with excitement and anticipation we piled in and zipped down the highway to the airport. The mission began there for me when I ended up sitting next to the 15-passenger van driver. I learned about his previous occupation, how he ended up driving buses and we talked about our faiths.

Passports, ID, money, liquids in 4 oz containers or less, shoes off, etc. this was the beginning of our 10 hour journey. Once we arrived at LAX (which I had never been to before), we checked our bags and went through customs. Our wait for the plane was two hours.  When we finally took off, it was 1:05 am on the 8th of June. For two hours we flew forward in time into Atlanta, GA. On this stretch of the trip I sat next to the window and ended up sleeping most of the time. This was by far the nicest plane we rode on going and coming from Saint Vincent. It had individual tv's for each of the seats and a radio set-up on the arm-rests.

From GA, we took-off for San Juan, Puerto Rico. Landing here, we noticed the smallness of the airport. In the waiting area there were only chairs on the parameters. It was during our wait here, that we started our first team sport: Orange-spikey-ball keep-away. D-Unit had brought it to pass the time, and we turned it into a game since we were all tired of sitting! Some of us tried to be baseball pitchers, others fakers, some fumblers ( :)), all of us competers. This game entertained us for a good 1/2 hour until our flight was supposed to take-off. Next stop was Saint Vincent our final destination and we were excited even though the plane was tiny (seating barely 45 people) and we were going to fly over a lot of water. Before we embark though, I should point out that here in Puerto Rico was the first place I noticed a difference from the States. Unlike all public restrooms in the states, these had no toilet-seat covers. Yeah, I know a silly thing to note, but it was true.

On the Liat flight to SVG(Saint VIncent and the Grenadines), the flight attendent sprayed an aerosol in the compartment. Do de doot de doo we flew and flew until we reached the island and landed in the tinsy tiny E.T. Liat Airport in Kingstown, SVG. When we first arrived it looked like it would rain, but it felt sooo sticky. The humidity in SVG is 10x worse than in San Diego. Shae-shae, my black friend on the team, asked me if I was warm like toast in the humidity and I honestly responded, "No, I feel more damp and sweaty like a wilted leaf!"

The luggage is not here. This was the first news we received on SVG. All of us were bummed, but some were extra bummed having not brought any change of clothes with them. I fortunately had brought an entire new set of clothes with me in my carry-on. After learning this dis-heartening news, we trooped over to Sunshine Supermarket to purchase some toothpaste, deodorant, soap, shampoo, and food for breakfast the next day. From  here we piled into Andrew's bus to drive to our lodgings.

The best way to describe driving in SVG is, "Bumpy" we clattered and swerved, jostled and jounced our way down to the Sky Blue Beach Apartments. Once here we each moved in what belongings we had carried-on with us and prepared for dinner which was at a Church member's house.

Dinner was served at around 8:00-8:15pm. It started with Calaloo soup served in a cup. (the batch we ate had EXTRA pepper! yikes!) Next, we moved on to breadfruit salad, potato salad, chicken, mutton, beef, salad, bread, and lime-squash. For our first dinner in SVG it was sumptuous and filling. The gathering was composed of Southern Baptist Convention members and Pastors and a few family members. On this night, I met John Cambridge, a lay-person from Glen Baptist Church. He is an older man and so sweet. We ended up talking most of the night and he told me how he met his wife through mail, how he has lived on SVG his whole life, and how the islanders love their island. I told him that I was excited to try the tropical fruit on the island such as mango, five-finger fruit, rose-plums, and bread-fruit. That wrapped-up the first day on SV Island.

Before we bedded down, we debriefed about the day and the coming day and who was going to make breakfast. Shae-shae and I ended up being the kitchen crew the first night. Finally, we all settled in to sleep.

Today was our much anticipated Spa Day. The spa location is stunning, with two treatment bungalows on stilts in the water, accessible only by boat. Other treatment rooms are fastened by miracle to the cliff, all open to the gorgeous water below.

We couldn't be too picky about the services, since we hadn't booked in advance. I ended up with an Imperial Head Massage. But instead of a massage, the woman tried (unsuccessfully, thank god) to break through my skull using intense pressure from her Hands-O-Steel.  It was not pleasant. It hurt. The crashing waves and sunny room were worth it though, I guess. Steve groused about his "super fast" pedicure too. Not a great spa day, and too expensive to boot. I was just happy to leave with my brains (mosty) intact.

Another turtle walk in the evening, then dinner at Jambu. I savored the novelty of being a "seafood eater" and ordered lobster. (I am usually a non-seafood eating vegetarian, but I really would like to eat fish more. I just don't like it, usually.) They served it in the shell, all lobster-looking and horrifying. Steve caught them before they set it down and asked them to just give me the edible part. They whisked it away and returned a more generic and less frightening looking plate, and it was good, and I was a happy seafood eater.

To bed early - we're flying to Antigua in the morning!
 

Today was fairly uneventful, since we had canceled our big activity for the day (diving) because yesterday's dives kind of sucked. We hung out by the pool, had lunch, and took a 6pm turtle walk.  The word "canouan"  is Arawak for turtle, and that name didn't take a whole lot of creativity - they are EVERYWHERE! They are photogenic little fellows, too, so I took lots of pictures.

Then we got ready for our big night out at La Verenne, the fanciest restaurant at the resort, located way up the hill near the casino. It's too far for the cart, so they delivered us in a van. As usual, we were the first to arrive, and we were greeted with a rose and glasses of Gosset grand rose champagne (v. good). We sat in the garden to wait for some others to arrive for dinner ( I hate being the only ones in a restaurant!), and they served us some tasty amuses bouches while we waited.

The meal we had at La Verenne was absolutely fantastic! (But hey - what's with only putting prices on the man's menu - is it 1955??!! Silly. ) We started with cauliflower soup with truffle oil and a frozen basil thingie - incredible, intense flavors. Then I had a simple salad, followed by a wonderful lobster medallion and vegetable plate, which was utterly perfect. Everything was beautifully presented. Finally, we split a cheese plate, and Steve was served an immense pour of cognac. I mean, it was a quadruple serving - bartender's first day!?? To Steve's benefit, and enjoyment, of course. I mean, he didn't send it back or anything.

We love La Verenne!

Best birthday ever!

Part One: Breakfast as usual. Steve has to remake his plate of food since a bird sat in his first when he left it unattended. That was kind of funny, and gross. After breakfast we got a ride to Moorings Yacht Club just a few minutes away (lots of jokes about keeping an eye on the now-recovered yellow dive bag!)  They brought in "our" yacht, which we had charted for a half day. Since it was essentially a 45-foot fishing boat, we took off across the choppy Atlantic feeling we had been a little ripped off. But the attitudes changed once we got the the stunning Tobago Keys, where we sliced through impossibly blue water, me snapping photos left and right. There were some crazy wind sailers (?) literally flying through the air, and for $2 I would have given it a shot (no one invited me though, which is undoubtedly why I am still here to tell the tale).

We were then let off for some snorkeling... the best snorkeling ever, in fact: several turtles (seemingly unaware of or at least unbothered by our presence) were feeding on grass in the shallow areas. They would pop up for air every so often, sometimes quite close to me! I just floated and watched them eat... I could have stayed for hours! I looked like a prune when they finally coaxed me back onto the boat for lunch.   

Lunch was some sort of mushy salad sandwich, tasty grilled vegetables, plus a cake.  My gift from Steve came in a turquoise box - very nice!

We cruised some more around the ridiculously picturesque islands, parked in a bay with other boats, and I shot a million photos. I could have stayed on that boat a week, but our time was up too soon, and we went back to the pier at 12:30. Eight other people were waiting to get on. The Raffles director was there to drive us to our next stop, which was the dive shop practically next door. We had about 40 minutes to kill so I wandered around in the blazing sun while Steve had a mini-siesta. 

Part Two: We and three other divers were taken to the decrepit-but-hopefully-seaworthy dive boat in a little dingy. Luckily it was a quick ride to the dive site. The two dives were not very good at all, although we were fortunate to see a turtle and a nurse shark -- the only redeeming aspect of the dive, really.  When we got back to shore we ended up canceling the diving we had scheduled for the next day.

Part Three: At this point, Steve was a zombie, sorely needing a nap after a full day's activities. Not in the plan! At the reception desk, the special events coordinator, Nicole, invited us to the 13th hole for a sunset drink --  oh, and we are leaving in 20 minutes!  I thrilled at the prospect, and accepted quickly for both of us. Steve was quite possibly near tears and nearly refused...but luckily he humors me on my birthday. So off we raced for a quick change. We followed Nicole up to the golf course with our cart, and had to give her a little push, and then a lift (dead battery). Along the way, we saw six turtles - today's theme!?

The 13th hole was gorgeous, with a spectacular 360 degree view of the island. A little surprise awaited us: They had a little table set up at the top with ANOTHER birthday cake and a bottle of my favorite champagne -- all courtesy of my wily friend Lisa, who colluded with Nicole to arrange the whole thing from Minneapolis! Incredible.

The sunset was obscured by clouds, so we munched on cake and enjoyed champage, all the while watching a huge rainstorm coming right to us. As soon as it hit, the five of us (Nicole, plus two servers) squeezed into our golf cart until it passed over. It was 100% perfect!  From there, Steve and I drove on our own through the incredible golf course back to the resort, where we arrived just in time for...

Part Four: more activity! The hotel's general manager invited us to dinner. Much to (the very tired) Steve's chagrin. After quickly changing yet again, we met up at La Piazzi. At first it seemed Mr. Manager was lacking in conversation skills, but the awkwardness soon passed, what with the flurry of beverages and foods to contend with. The meal was absolutely fantastic! I swear we had a little of everything, and that includes beverages, which were flowing quite freely. Since we were with the hotel's Biggest Wig, we were served directly by the restaurant's manager, who was the most sparkling host one could imagine, serving up the most delicious food with eclat and perfect timing.

Somehow I got us (and the golf cart) home in one piece -- all luck there, let me tell you.

Yes, indeed, this one will go down in history as the Best Ever Birthday. Hopefully by next year Steve will have recovered from the whole ordeal...

     

We had planned to go diving in the morning, but we just couldn't get it together by 9am. So we planned on the 1:30 trip instead, and headed out to the beach, to dispel this "you can still get burned when it's overcast" myth.

It as very windy on the beach. In fact, my banana daiquiri blew right off the table - tragic! It was immediately replaced of course. 

Things kind of went downhill from there. We picked up "quick" sandwiches to go, which took 20 minutes, then we raced back to the room to scarf them down and grab our dive gear. Then I raced our little golf cart as fast as it would go back to reception for our ride to the dive boat, only to discover that our bag (with certification cards and other essentials) had fallen off the cart! Immediately we retraced our route to find the bag, and even searched the road side grasses ... to no avail. Someone must have picked it up. Here began a half-day drama to find the damn bag. It was frustrating, as apparently someone called to report it found, but didn't leave their name (or, apparently, think to bring it in!). So, I spent a fruitless afternoon at the reception desk, then headed back to the room to change for a workout (there's a nice fitness room here).

Some baneful spirit possessed me, and I checked my email...mistake! Bad work stuff. The company I founded and ran was acquired by another company three months ago. The new people are nice and well meaning and all, but they are over in California and can't seem to figure out how to pay our Chicago vendors on time. Or at all.  I no longer have control of anything...killing me... OK, I digress.  But let me say that after just 30 minutes, my fists were clenched, face pinched, and my blood pressure probably deadly high.

Steve, ever the pragmatist, suggested I put away my computer for the duration of our vacation. Excellent suggestion!

Hey, turns out you really can get burned on an overcast day. The proof is covering my body.

Off to the bar for $26 martinis and a pricey dinner. Oy.

Luckily, the flight to Canouan was only 18 minutes, as the plane was filled with loud rich people, flashing enormous diamonds and slinging Louis Vuittons. Every husband was fat, and every wife seemed annoyed. We were the only ones to board in St. Lucia, and it felt like we were entering another world after our idyllic time at casual, quiet, friendly Anse Chastenet.

We landed at the small airport and were met by an uber-efficient Raffles Resort concierge, who drove us to the resort in a private car. During the 20-minute drive we learned that Raffles is pretty much IT in Canouan. Not a whole lot else to do. That's OK, because the resort is supposed to be stellar.

The reception area was absolutely gorgeous, and I was thrilled to be upgraded to a junior suite! I felt like I won the lottery, especially since I am getting a very special rate as it is.  (For the record: the rack rate on the room is an astounding $1365 per night. We are paying $250/nt for the first 3 nights, and $875/nt for the last two nights.  In return, I will send a "report" to my friend Lisa, who has bought out the hotel for a special event for VIP clients in the fall.)

Our room is spacious and completely wonderful. We showered up and headed to the special BBQ meal, A.K.A.  "The Great Rip Off."   The live music and beach setting was quite nice, but there was a dearth of vegetarian-friendly foods on the buffet. Bottom line: we paid $200 for a salad, dessert, and one drink each.

Thankfully, our cushy wonderful room relieved some of the pain of being completely extorted off for dinner...

Lying just nine miles to the south of St. Vincent, Bequia is the largest of the Grenadine islands - a compact seven square miles. Her history has been deeply entwined with the sea for generations. The age-old traditions of boat-building, fishing and whaling are still evident.

Gingerbread Hotel Located on Admiralty Bay, The Hotel is just a short walk to Port Elizabeth. Scuba, Windsurfing and Kayaking are offered on the premises, and their jetty allows you to take a water taxi to the beach and snorkeling. Each suite has a porch overlooking the sea. Accommodations include King-size beds or twin beds, private bathroom and kitchen. The restaurant and café are open daily. "Ten sandy paces from the sea and only a hundred more from Port Elizabeth (one of the most adorable towns in the Caribbean), Gingerbread would be desirable for its location alone. But the inn is also fabulous looking with delicate fretworks, curlicued rooflines, and gables with rose medallions - all hand-tooled by Bequian artisans. Its nine rooms are smart, styled with greenheart-wood four-posters, clay lamps, straw mats, and bright banquettes." Located on Admiralty Bay, this Hotel is beautifully decorated with the traditional gingerbread trim seen throughout the Caribbean. The new Bequia suites, completed in 1998, offer the island's most attractive accommodation. They are constructed with Brazilian greenheart, Italian tiles, and the decorative trellis-work that gives the hotel its name. The bedrooms with adjoining salon open onto a large covered terrace overlooking the bay, just a coconut tree away. This generous covered terrace at the front of each suite is an outdoor living area with comfortable chairs, a dining table and a spectacular view over the bay. The upper storey suites are furnished with a romantic four-poster king-size bed; those on the ground level have twin beds. There is a third bed built into every suite. There is a beautifully-tiled ensuite bathroom in each apartment with ample closet space and a built-in safe. Each suite has it own fully-equiped kitchen although Gingerbread's famous restaurant is just next door. For more than a decade Gingerbread has been an outstandingly elegant, yet relaxed, restaurant, with a menu ranging from Caribbean to International dishes. Live, non-amplified, music adds charm several nights per week. An outside BBQ is available during the day and a popular coffee shop that serves pastries, cakes, ice creams and of course coffee right on the waterfront. Dive trips leave from the Gingerbread jetty right outside your door step. Novices can experience a free dive introduction in the shallow waters out side of their suites courtesy of the adjoining dive shop. A superb honeymoon or wedding destination or just a great hotel for couples looking for romance, style and elegance in one of the most beautiful harbours in the Caribbean at an exceptionally reasonable price.

Bequia's Best Beaches

Bequia in Brief
Bequia is a lush tropical island created millions of years ago by volcanic activity under the ocean. Green, hilly, surrounded by secluded coves and white sand beaches it has successfully avoided the over commercialization of most of the larger Caribbean islands. Off the beaten track it is little harder to reach than many other islands which has served it well. Bequia retains a genuine charm and taste of West Indian life that is not easily found in today's Caribbean of large resorts and cruise ship terminals.

At just seven square miles in size Bequia is small enough to be friendly yet large enough to be interesting. A host of activities are available to visitors from SCUBA Diving and fishing to day sails and yacht charters. There are a handful of small hotels on Bequia, mostly family run. You won't find any resorts or large chain hotels, rather friendly first class service from a family run business. Many visitors opt to stay in villas or apartments. From luxurious 4 bedroom villas with pools to self catering one bed apartments there is something for every budget.

Bequia's Port Elizabeth has been described as one of the prettiest harbours in the Caribbean. A favorite anchorage for yachties in the know from all over the world. Why not come and see for yourself? Discover the hidden Caribbean and relax in paradise...

The talk of the bay.... The spectacular MALTESE FALCON! The Maltese Falcon isn't a classic yacht, she's a new class of yacht. Her revolutionary sailing system - the Falcon Rig - sets a new milestone in yachting history: 3 self-standing and rotating masts hosting 15 sails for a total sail area of 2,400 square meters (25,791 ft square), handled by the ultimate in Perini Navi Sail Control for unrivalled performance with unmatched safety and manoeuvrability characteristics. The incomparable interior finds its zenith in the atrium where the 3-decks are united by a circular stairway surrounding the main mast creating a spiralling effect, enhanced by natural light cascading from the top to the lower decks through transparent floors. The main deck is a wide open space featuring a main saloon, an enormous aft-cockpit, 2 separate studio areas and a majestic dining room. Uncompromising comfort for her 12 guests in 5 lower deck staterooms and 1 inimitable passage cabin on the upper deck with a private cockpit, a protected sun bathing area and direct access to the ultramodern wheelhouse: the heart of the whole vessel. To learn more about this boat click on the link http://www.symaltesefalcon.com/index2.asp

Be afraid; be very afraid. The owners of this property (Elite Island Resorts) have a documented record of ruining the honeymoon plans of one couple and ripping off a web site developer and keeping funds sent to them for reservations. See www.ayc-hotel-grenadines.com (the domain name for the former web site of one of their properties is now a truth-telling venue) for more information.

01.11.2007 Bequia, 3^rd time

Today we had nice weather when we came once again to Bequia. And finally I was able to go out and to go for my scuba dive. ;) I went with Dive Adventures, who picked me up from the tender boat and we went directly out to a wonderful spot, not too far away from the coast and from the vessel. It was a diving place near Half moon bay with a lot of soft corals. In Seychelles they had more hard corals and shells and here are more anemones, ferns and soft corals… I saw a seahorse (never saw one before in nature), a barracuda, schools of fishes, parrot fishes and scorpion fishes. It was really nice. The people from the diving center are very, very friendly and helpful. We were only a small group of 4 (including the diving instructor), so beside me there was only another couple from New York and we had a very relaxed dive. There was a small current at the spot, which carried us around the reef, so it was not very exhausting. I put my new diving suite on me, which I bought when we were in Virgin Gorda. It is really nice. Much better than the long ones. ;)

Yesterday we had a Halloween party in the Crew Bar. Unfortunately I am taking Antibiotics for our trip to Manaus (because of the Malaria) and forgot about it when I had a Coke with Whisky, very smart idea. After 1.5 glasses I felt just completely wasted, it was really weird. The place was also very hot and crowded, so I didn’t felt at ease anymore and just left after only 40 minutes, which was a pity. Next time. Most of the crew members were wearing some nice costumes as well. I will see whether I can arrange some pictures.

Otherwise nothing much happened on the vessel. Tomorrow we will have another Crew Drill and afterwards I might check again for some Nutella in Grenada. I tried already the supermarkets in Bridgetown, but unfortunately I didn’t found anything. At least I figured out that we have popcorn on board, the nice one for the microwave. Now I just need to find a microwave to get it done. What a fun. ;)