Return to St. Thomas
Carnival Miracle arrived at St. Thomas in the early morning. We had also visited St. Thomas on our cruise last summer. Then, we we saw Magens Bay, the scenic overlooks, Blackbeard's Castle (Skytsborg), and the historic houses along The 99 Steps. (See my June 2007 St. Thomas/Charlotte Amalie blogs.) This year, the family wanted to focus on Charlotte Amalie and doing some shopping. After disembarking at the West Indian Company pier, we went to the taxi stand at Havensight Mall and took a taxi into downtown Charlotte Amalie. (The colorful taxis are jitneys made out of pickup trucks with rows of seats fixed to the bed.) The taxi left us off at the head of Dronningens Gade, the main street ($3.00 per person).
Dronningens Gade is the main street and the street where stores large and small are located.
It was time now for me to take photos and I went off on my own expedition in search of the historic sites around the base of Government Hill.
I walked up to the entrance of Fort Christian, begun in 1670 and named for Danish King Christian V (1646-1699).
Coming back full circle, I returned to Empancipation Gardens Park. The park commemorates the emancipation of slaves in the Danish West Indes in 1848. There is a commemorative sculpture entitled Freedom in the park, along with a bust of King Christian IX and a replica of the Liberty Bell, neatly tying together the strands of St. Thomas' history.
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Sandwiches and entrees focus on chicken and seafood recipes. I liked the Jerk Chicken Breast sandwich while Susan chose the Chicken Roti and Drew the Mahi-Mahi sandwich. (Roti is a West Indian curry dish.) Gladys offers three flavors of her own Caribbean hot sauce to further spice up your selection!
We enjoyed Gladys' Conch Fritters as an appetizer. (Conch shellfish meat fried in batter.)
Recommended for lunch when you are in St. Thomas. (Gladys' is easy to visit when you are in port on a cruise and not as crowded as restaurants closer to the downtown taxi-drop off area.)
The most famous of the uphill walkways is the 99 Steps. The 99 steps were built in the 18th Century using bricks sent from Denmark as ships' ballast. (Some assert that there are really 103 or 106 steps, but I didn't count them!) The steps seem like they were built to last and I wonder if they were not actually constructed as a means to connect Fort Christian with the Skytsborg watchtower.
The steps are well maintained today and used as a means for locals to walk up and down Government Hill as well as by visitors seeking panoramic views over St. Thomas harbor. I recommend taking a walk along the steps. The steps begin on Kongens Gade, next to Hotel 1829 and end near the Three Queens of the Virgin Islands monument, with many views, sights, and restored homes to see along the way. Further up the hill is Blackbeard's Castle (once Skytsborg).
