St. Kitts! (But not Nevis)

St. Kitts and Nevis flag.  Which is which?

Another day to get up early and get going.  We were to meet our tour at 9:30AM, so we made it to breakfast about 8:30, and hurried through.  Our tour gathered on the pier, and they put us all (15) on a bus for 18-20, so there were a few extra seats.  Actually, it was one of those busses with two seats on one side, one on the other, and then a fourth that folds down, but can flip up for more people.  But we didn’t need them, fortunately.

Four large ships for such a tiny island!

One day we might try the sail cruise ship...one day.

What is with the terrible train tracks on this trip?

We began our tour of St. Kitts, Bill’s 67^th country, by driving oh so slowly around the main road to a look out point where many had stopped, but not us.  We paused, but not to get out.  On we went to Wingfield Estate, a sugar plantation begun in 1623.  The land used to belong to the King of the Caribs, but when he died, Samuel Jefferson assumed ownership.  (There is probably more to that story, but it wasn’t shared.)  Samuel Jefferson was the great-great-great-grandfather of Thomas Jefferson, the 3^rd US President. 

The sugar plant starts much like grass.

A strange mix of lush green and industrial leftovers!

The waterwheel would have been here.

The boiler for cooking down the cane sap.

We saw what sugar looks like (pretty much like grass), and how some of it was processed between the early 1600s and the early 1900s.  Much of the construction was in good enough shape to see.  For instance, the steam boilers, and the structure to support the water wheel, etc were in decent shape to envision it.  Incidentally, they crush sugar cane to get the sap, then boil the sap, and cool it.  Some of it crystallizes, but the syrup that will not is molasses.  The molasses (which didn’t have as much value as the crystals), was mixed with yeast and fermented to make rum.  So, it ends up three products from one “grass”.

We were next to a rain forest.

A mango tree.

After the sugar plantation we went to Romney Manor, which was the "big house" for the plantation, where the owners lived and could overlook the processing.  Our guide pointed out and named every palm tree and a bunch of other plants and trees.  It was botany-riffic.  Have I shared how little enthusiasm I have for botany?  Yeah.  And it rained.

Brimstone Hill Fortress.

We then headed to Brimstone Hill Fortress, a well preserved (and restored) fortress dating back to the 17^th Century, when the Brits and French shared the island, and then didn’t, and then they fought.  It was dramatic with the black volcanic rock and the lush green grass surrounding everything.  It also provided some great overlooks of the water, and the nearby islands.

They said it was 100 steps, but they are ramps with steps!

No ships today.  No need to blow them out of the water.

The front edifice was pretty fancy for a fort! 

For centuries, soldiers got this view going down the stairs.

A black sand beach we stopped briefly at, but didn't go to.

We stopped at one or two places to spend money on local crafts and such, then ended at a scenic overlook at the south side of the Island looking toward Nevis, the sister island of the nation (St. Kitts and Nevis being the name of the country).

A rocky beach we stopped to look at but not go to.

We found local beer 2 for $3, so decided to help the local economy!

The end of the island looking toward Nevis.

The AIRPORT!!!  And an AA plane at the gate!

I asked for a port.  I was 
speechless when it showed up
in a shot glass.  SMH!!

Our tour was a little longer than expected, so getting back at 3PM, lunch was the most important thing.  But we had plans to eat at 5:30, so had to try to eat carefully.  We wanted to get to the show at 7:30, and while the food on this cruise is tasty, the service is NOT speedy.  Anyway, the show was a juggler, who had a collection of funny antics throughout.  We had some good laughs.  Then we went to a comedy show -- again some laughs!  Finally, we went to this game show where they ask a series of True/False questions, and people try to get three right out of five.  If they succeed, they become the proud owner of a Princess Coaster.  Bill signed up, but was too far down the list to get called.  We grabbed a night cap and called it an early night.