Adventures for Anyone

Thursday, March 30, 2023

How to Live More Like a Local in St. Lucia!

When you sail in on a cruise ship or transfer from the airport to your all inclusive resort, you may miss out on some of the best parts of learning about an island nation such as St. Lucia. What kind of money should you bring? Do they take credit cards? When is the best time to eat? Do they speak English? What other languages do they speak? What are their holidays? What is it like to drive there? Is it safe? What are the best places to see? What should you wear? What souvenirs are truly St. Lucian? What is the local cuisine? What do they do for entertainment? If you drive, where to get gas? If you stay in a non all inclusive hotel, where do you get groceries? There's a lot to learn about anywhere, so the idea that you may not have cell service in St. Lucia if coming from the states. How do you Google to find out the rest?

There's a lot to learn.

I think the first thing I want to cover is driving. We picked up our car at the airport and were staying halfway across the island, so it was our first lesson. You drive on the left. The roads are narrow, windy and steep. The traffic is pretty steady and can be stand still at times. When rounding hairpin corners, you may want to honk the horn to let oncoming drivers know you're there. Make sure you hit the turn signals. The worst adjustment we had to make was turning on the windshield wipers instead of the turn signals. Strangely, staying on the left side of the road isn't hard to remember.

There are other things to be aware of when driving in St. Lucia. People walk in St. Lucia a lot. They walk along the roads at all hours of the day and night. Look out for pedestrians. The potholes and deteriorating edges of the roads are legendary in St. Lucia so expect a lot of both. There are few road signs to tell you where you're going.

If you use Google, most roads will be titled "Unknown." Will Google get you where you want to go? Yes. I was unsure the first time I tried it and also brought a road map with me for the trip. I soon learned that even though all the roads are unknown, and the intersections seem wrong; Google knows where you're going and how to get there.

In cities and towns, beware of the ditches. Along a lot of very narrow streets in towns and cities there are cement troughs or ditches. They are there for drainage, but you have to be careful. If you drive into one of them, you could seriously damage the car.

As far as rental cars go, we loved ours. It drove great. It was in good shape. It had all the modern conveniences. Just make sure when you rent a car that it's an automatic transmission. They offer manual transmission, but the terrain just makes shifting gears all but impossible. You also may want to rent an SUV or comparable. Don't underestimate the difficulty driving a lot of the roads. Don't get manual transmission rental cars.

You may just find a lot of things in St. Lucia that seem alien to you. Embrace it. Would you like to go to the beach? Great! Beaches in St. Lucia are public. You don't have to search for a beach that isn't exclusive. They're all public. You can hang out on any of them.

Eating is something that you can do just about anywhere in the country, just make sure you know when to go. There are stands all along the roads in the tour bus parts of the island. All along the main road on the west coast are food stands with all kinds of local food. We were fortunate enough to be right in the middle of that in Marigot Bay and had an apartment with a refrigerator. The stands close early because the tourists go back to the boat, so we got our food in the morning and put it in the fridge and reheated it later for dinner. Other than that, you'll want to find a restaurant and most of them are at resorts and don't serve truly local food.

How do you know your food is local? Good question. There's a list of local staples that represent St. Lucia and their cuisine. Barbecue in the form of Jerk is one. Saltfish is another. Saltfish and Fig is famous. Saltfish salad is a side. Carib flavors are abundant. Seafood in general is plentiful. Chicken is a local favorite. You can get conch in several places. Banana ketchup is probably the most popular condiment. Roasted veggies are abundant. Stop at a stand and give it a try. You won't regret it. However, do chew fish carefully. They aren't as thorough at deboning the fish as some places.

If you go to a fancy resort, you can get all the famous cocktails that you hear and read about. Pina Coladas and all sorts of Rum drinks abound in St. Lucia. They have rum distilleries right on the island and produce all kinds of Rums. Marigot Bay Rums and Bounty Rums are the locals. If you aren't into the hard liquors, Piton and Carib beers are the local. Piton is brewed right on the island and named after the famous mountains in Soufriere.

Now, what about fruit? St. Lucia is famous for fruit. Be aware, it has to be in season. Fortunately, Bananas are pretty much always in season. Breadfruit, the famous staple introduced to the island by Captain Bligh for slaves has a season. Most fruits do have a season. Pineapple, mango, limes, lemons, papaya and so on. You will find that the bananas are smaller and sweeter than the horrible things we buy at the grocery store. You'll also find that the lemons and limes are larger and sweeter than the ones we're used to in the states. Cassava, being a root, is plentiful most of the time and a local delicacy used in snack breads and other things. Coconuts are of course all over the place. I learned while I was there from my landlord that when they are almost ripe is when the liquid inside is the tastiest. The ones he grows in his yard were great.

One of the big questions we found while we were visiting was where do you buy groceries? We like to make some breakfast and have some drinks and snacks and so on. Especially when we have a kitchen to use.

Once again, when I saw a KFC, I asked my landlord about it. I don't eat at American chain restaurants when I'm out. I always go local, but when I saw the only US fast food chain that apparently was there, I was curious. My landlord said that the chicken is seasoned to the local taste and not the original recipe. Upon doing some research, KFC says that it's exactly the same. Is it? I don't know. I ate local.

If you want to see what being a local is like food wise, go to a CPJ, Massey Grocery Store or local establishment and see. I talked to a lot of people at the grocery store. Malt beverages are popular. Wasn't for me, but I gave it a try. Most people we found were at the store later in the evening. St. Lucian folks work long hours and grab a lot of heat and eat from Massey on the way home at night. I know how that goes. Almost made me feel at home. What won't you find? A lot of beef. A lot of bottled water. A lot of sweets. It's all there, just not in the quantities and variety that we see here.

Another thing to learn at the grocery store. How to pay? Well, every grocery is different. Most take Mastercard and Visa. Some take Discover or Amex. Grocery stores take ECD (Eastern Caribbean Dollars). Grocery stores are some of the few places that don't take US Dollars. Most places do. I heard a myth when I left that we'd get change in EC, but most of the time we got change in US. Just one of those things.

Ah, shopping. Castries, the capital, has a huge market for shoppers of all kinds. You can eat, shop, and listen to all kinds of stories. What is really a local souvenir in St. Lucia?

Most of the things you find that the vendors tell you they made themselves, they didn't. Sarongs, bags, dresses, skirts, blouses, hats, necklaces, and so much else is made in China or somewhere in Asia. It's just like a lot of places here. The island is known for wood crafts, but you have to be careful about that too. The carving that I bought wasn't made by the vendor, but she stains them. That was as close as I got to an authentic St. Lucian wood carving. The most authentic souvenir I found was the banana ketchup and the rum. Truly local and delicious. I did buy some things, but I was well aware that no one in Castries made them.

Then there's Castries. I was told we had to go there. When I arrived, we found out that the parking was interesting to say the least. We had to ask several people where to park. we finally found a place. The restaurants closed early, because Castries is the port and is full of cruise ships. The people normally go back to the ships for dinner and a lot of places close. It's crowded and a lot of the places to visit aren't worth the grief of going into the city. The local town square and church were cute. The market was bustling. But, was it worth all the grief of the traffic? Not really. There were dozens of people trying to get us to hire their taxi and even the vendors in the duty free shops were overbearing. For my money, not worth the trouble.

One of the things I learned about St. Lucia was that staying on the regimented path is a crime. There's so much to see and do. There are so many beautiful places. We did all the regular stuff, and we missed some overrated things too. We didn't visit the cocoa plantation and make our own chocolate bar. We did stop at a chocolate factory in the middle of nowhere and get some great chocolates. We didn't take a tour of the volcano, but we did go on our own and took our time and enjoyed the baths thoroughly. We didn't ride in a crowded van along the banana plantations, but we did stop and then went to the rum distillery. We didn't climb a Piton, but we did find the most charming restaurant on the shore in Soufriere. We went kayaking instead of speed boating or sailing. It depends on what you really want to do.

One of the important things about doing things on your own is making that possible. Like I said, you may not have cell service in St. Lucia. What we did was stop and get a local SIM card for a few bucks and voila! You can visit a Flow or a Cell or a Digicel and they'll help you. It's a great option, especially if you need to Google directions.

I mentioned that there are some must sees that I wasn't thrilled with. Castries was that way all around. The must sees were cute, they just weren't worth it. The governor's house on the hill overlooking Castries was another disappointment. The traffic was so bad and the parking is so small that we just kept driving. It wasn't worth it. There were so many better things to see on the island. Boat tours we found were great if you wanted to go on a boat. Otherwise, pointless. They're expensive, time consuming and you miss out on a lot of other things. If you like to ride on boats, it's for you. Other than that, we found that the east side of the island is beautiful and sorely overlooked. The north end I may never know about. didn't bother to go up to where the all inclusives were.

There's a lot to learn about St. Lucia. For instance, they have several national holidays. Most of them are religious. They're independence day is in February and they are a commonwealth of Great Britain but self governing since 1979. They do celebrate Christian holidays, mostly Catholic. One of the biggest is the Feast Day of St. Lucy or St. Lucia; their patron saint. If you want to celebrate Carnival, it gets tricky. Carnival is just before Lent in winter. It comes into direct conflict with their independence day a lot of the time. Therefore, Carnival is a festival in July these days. That's when they do all the stuff that other places do for Carnival in the winter.

One of the things you'll find during Carnival weekend in the winter is that there will be a lot of music concerts in parking lots and outdoor restaurants and bars around the island. St. Lucia is like most other islands and is noted for it's Reggae and Calypso music. But, watch out folks, that's not what you'll hear. I was staying in a residential area in Marigot Bay during Carnival weekend the proper. We could sit on our balcony and listen to it from our apartment at night. I promise you, I heard no music that I expected to hear. Everywhere we went, we heard American Country Music. The locals love it and can't get enough. In the area we were in, it was the most popular music everywhere you went.

Before I close this entry, I'll discuss a couple of other things about life in St. Lucia. First, language. Everyone speaks English. There's so many British and American tourists running around that it just makes sense. They're also a commonwealth of Britain. They do speak a Creole (pronounced Kwee-ole) with a French twist from regimes past, and it's a beautiful language. You'll probably not hear much of it as a tourist though.

The other thing is safety. I was warned to guard my belongings in Castries. I didn't encounter any issues. People begged and tried to sell me everything in the world, but I encountered nothing but nice friendly people. Once in the smaller towns, it became even less of an issue. Don't let ridiculous rumor guide your choices for vacation. I've found that the world over and just have to say that you just need to be practical and you'll be fine.

So, that's how it works. You can get cash from many ATM machines around the island. That's how we got cash. the fees aren't bad at all. Just make sure you use one associated with a bank. We learned a lot about life on the island. We learned that water in residential areas tends to be filtered rainwater. Makes sense, because it rains 5 times a day in the dry season. TV is largely by app, although they have local channels. Your American apps probably won't work there, so don't try. You aren't there to watch TV anyway. Internet is abundant across the island, so Wi-Fi is standard. It's all a little different, but all fascinating. I love to try a different way of life once in a while, and St. Lucia offers just that. It's not third world, it's just a bit different. So, if you make your way to the charming Island Nation, embrace the different, the lifestyle and enjoy!

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Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Dr. Doolittle, Pina Colada, and Marigot Bay!

Today I'm still discussing St. Lucia. It's a beautiful country, small island, busy hard working people, pretty modern to be fair. I've discussed somewhat the effect that the resort and cruise tourists have had on its environment. Today, I'm going to talk about a bit of its evolution and how that relates to the village that I stayed in. Marigot and its Bay.

St. Lucia was disputed for years; hundreds of them. The French and the British alone warred and changed guard on the island a grand total of 14 times. The country has only been an independent commonwealth of the UK with its own governing bodies for 44 years. It's an old country and a new one. They have a lot going on.

Marigot Bay falls directly into the path of St. Lucia's evolution. The village lies on the west coast between Castries and Anse la Raye. It's well known for its bay as a long time haven for sailors in bad weather. But, it's evolved over the years.

Marigot Bay is deep. I don't know how deep it is from the tops of the ridge to the water, but from water level to the floor below is a good 700 feet. The mountains are nearly as high. There's a narrow entrance to the bay which is why sailors use it as a haven against bad weather. But what else is there to know about Marigot Bay?

A lot.

Marigot Bay looks on a map like it would be drivable. There are businesses located all around the bay where you can take a tour, eat, swim, kayak, stay over or just dock your boat. There's even a local customs office. When you look at a map, it seems pretty cut and dry. However, that's not how it works.

As with anywhere in St. Lucia, you take a narrow windy road with a lot of potholes and degeneration into the bay area. On the way, there's an amazing viewpoint overlooking the bay where you can also get some great local food at a stand a good portion of the day and a beer or drink if you like. It's one of the best viewpoints on the island. I recommend stopping.

as you traverse the road into the Bay area, you will discover that the road all but ends. There's a parking lot next to the Zoetry Resort where you can park for free, even though the locals like to charge for their assistance. From there, it's an adventure.

There are businesses on all sides of the bay. Restaurants, resorts, some shopping, and even a beach. If you can't walk to it, which is a genuine possibility, there's a small ferry that goes there. It's how you get around.

One thing I can say is that with several resorts, it's a place to get dinner. It will cost you an arm and a leg and it probably won't be local cuisine but it's good food. I promise you, you'll find Marigot Bay enchanting. It struck me immediately and never wore off.

It's beauty is off the charts. I get why rich people dock their boats there. The people are wonderful and I enjoyed meeting a bunch of them. There are reportedly only 769 people who live in Marigot Bay. The rest are visitors. We were visitors, renting an apartment and enjoying our landlords upstairs very much. Wonderful people.

This brings me to the discussion that I have to have about Marigot Bay. I found myself sitting next to the beach at Doolittle's Restaurant having an amazing Pina Colada one afternoon to realize that this is what Rupert Holmes must have been singing about in "Escape, The Pina Colada Song" from the 1980's. I remembered the tune from my childhood years long past and mulled it over in my head. The beach is small and the shape of a cape. You can fill in the rest. It's gorgeous and the perfect place to try the famed cocktail.

But, Marigot Bay doesn't stop there with the attachment to celebrities past. Years ago, when there was little to nothing going on around the bay; when there were virtually no buildings there; a film was made.

Marigot Beach Club and Dive Resort and Oasis weren't there in 1967. Neither was Doolittle's Restaurant, the most notable restaurant in Marigot Bay. What was there was the cast and crew of the original "Dr. Doolittle". Rex Harrison was in the bay looking for the giant sea snail, and after that, tourism started to flourish and the rest is history. I must say, Doolittle's Restaurant pays homage to the movie well and serves some great food. It's the only restaurant that I found that had some Caribbean food. I didn't eat at every restaurant, so there might be other options. I don't know.

The sunsets are beautiful. The food is good. We spent a lot of time on Marigot Bay. We learned a lot of island history there. We met a lot of locals and tourists hiding away in resorts. We spent some time on the beach and drank out of coconuts. We shopped and ate. We rented kayaks and paddled out to the sea. It's an amazing place.

And "Dr. Doolittle" wasn't the only film to take that wonderful trip to St. Lucia and Marigot Bay. In the 1970's there were two other films, "Firepower" and "Water". The former starred Sophia Loren, James Coburn and O.J. Simpson. The latter was star studded with Michael Caine leading the way. There's a rich history in the area both military and celebrity. Marigot Bay was a resort hideaway area for celebrities for decades. There have been rumors for years that "Pirates of the Caribbean" filmed there. They weren't true, but they did dock the Black Pearl in the bay for a bit.

Marigot Bay is its own little world. It's a place that most of the guided tours out of Castries and the north end resorts bypass on their way to Soufriere and the volcano. It's a quiet neighborhood with so much to do, even though it's one of the most relaxing places I've ever been. The views are amazing, the people are friendly, the activities are non plus. Once you park your car, you start to experience the bay. You'll love it. So, if you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain, Marigot Bay is for you.

Just a specific note. There's a service next to the public parking where during the day you can make arrangements with a lovely lady for a guided tour to pretty much anywhere if you want to go. You don't have to come to a north end resort or by cruise ship to book a guided tour. You can also take guided tours by sailboat and jet boat from Marigot Bay.

Would I go back to Marigot Bay if I went back to St. Lucia? I already told my host at our apartment to expect a call. I couldn't imagine staying anywhere else on the Island. The village is small, quiet and beautiful. It's also at the center of all the best spots to visit. I didn't see anything that could beat that. And I also stick to my guns when I say that if you stop by on a cruise or hide away in an all inclusive resort; you're missing it. St. Lucia is to be experienced. So take the time to do that and enjoy!

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https://www.vrbo.com/search/keywords:marigot-bay-marigot-bay-castries-st-lucia/arrival:2023-04-21/departure:2023-04-28/minNightlyPrice/0?petIncluded=false&ds_aid=58700006721571344&ds_cid=71700000080047762&ds_kid=39700062045759283&ds_kids=p62045759283&filterByTotalPrice=true&gclid=Cj0KCQiAjbagBhD3ARIsANRrqEtVMSFt9irtwwIBxJPkGaLEkTxk_JCkmBQk9tC5KZUEwiWOabnWS_caAgfbEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&ha_t=::&k_clickid=Cj0KCQiAjbagBhD3ARIsANRrqEtVMSFt9irtwwIBxJPkGaLEkTxk_JCkmBQk9tC5KZUEwiWOabnWS_caAgfbEALw_wcB&klocf=9003208&ksdevice=c&ksprof_id=700000002166899&ktarget=aud-513810068135:dsa-1191892227793&semcid=VRBO-US.UB.GOOGLE.DL-DSA-c-EN.VR&semdtl=a112344012627:b1120774338354:g1aud-513810068135:dsa-1191892227793:l1:e1c:m1Cj0KCQiAjbagBhD3ARIsANRrqEtVMSFt9irtwwIBxJPkGaLEkTxk_JCkmBQk9tC5KZUEwiWOabnWS_caAgfbEALw_wcB:r1:c1:j19003208:k1:d1498709947827:h1:i1:n1:o1:p1:q1:s1:t1:x1:f1:u1:v1:w1&ssr=true&utm_campaign=VRB:USA:ENG:$:DL:GLOB:ALL:XX:X:X:X:X:SEO:1:&utm_content=VRB:USA:ENG:$:DT:GLOB:ALL:XX:X:X:X:X:SEO:&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=GOOGLE&utm_term=DYNAMIC%20SEARCH%20ADS

https://www.amrcollection.com/en/resorts-hotels/zoetry/st-lucia/marigot-bay-st-lucia/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147342-d148993-Reviews-Marigot_Bay-St_Lucia.html

https://travel.usnews.com/St_Lucia/Things_To_Do/Marigot_Bay_61733/

https://www.travelocity.com/Things-To-Do-In-Marigot-Bay.d601097.Travel-Guide-Activities

http://www.chateaumygo.com/

https://www.marigotbeachclub.com/doolittle-restaurant-and-bar/

https://www.restaurant-thevillamarigotbay.com/

https://www.marigotbeachclub.com/?utm_source=ggl_mb

https://www.getyourguide.com/marigot-bay-l164303/day-trips-tc172/?cq_src=google_ads&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=&cq_cmp=6654173973&cq_con=&cq_con=76427540862&cq_term=&cq_term=&cq_med=&cq_med=&cq_plac=&cq_plac=&cq_net=&cq_net=g&cq_pos=&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&cq_plt=gp&campaign_id=6654173973&adgroup_id=76427540862&target_id=aud-1393039795340%3Adsa-84666501466&loc_physical_ms=9003208&match_type=&ad_id=525768400687&keyword=&ad_position=&feed_item_id=&placement=&device=c&partner_id=CD951&gclid=Cj0KCQiAjbagBhD3ARIsANRrqEt_BnZ5r3CCQk64PrSXzwdgjpViV5DxWCUppTjPRfIAEyJ8c-4dF-MaAsuyEALw_wcB

https://guideandgo.com/en/marigot-bay/activities

https://www.teahouse-stlucia.com/the-house/

https://csglobalpartners.com/news/long-awaited-new-hyatt-inclusive-collection-resort-opens-in-saint-lucia/

https://www.fodors.com/world/caribbean/st-lucia/hotels/reviews/inn-on-the-bay-474932

https://jjspeedboattour.com/

http://www.sailsaintlucia.com/

https://www.saintluciaairportshuttle.com/marigot-bay---airport-transfers--taxi-service.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5_EIikdFr8

https://genius.com/Rupert-holmes-escape-the-pina-colada-song-lyrics

https://www.marigotbayrum.com/

https://www.expedia.com/things-to-do/coastal-and-river-kayaking-pirates-route-at-marigot-bay.a45328079.activity-details?endDate=2023-04-05&location=Marigot%20Bay%2C%20St.%20Lucia&rid=601097&startDate=2023-03-22

https://issuu.com/aibmarketing/docs/doolittles-dining-and-drink-menu

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/pina-colada/

https://adventuresforanyone.blogspot.com/2023/02/st-lucia-post-1overview.html

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

St. Lucia...The Wildest Ride I've Ever Had!

As you all know, I visited St. Lucia recently and discovered that most people I've ever talked to have been missing most of the experience of visiting the country. When I booked my trip, I purposely didn't take a cruise or stay at a resort. As a matter of fact, I didn't visit the north end of the country at all. I'd seen videos about it and read all about it. It seemed nice, but I felt and still feel that it only has so much to do with the country. We all know that all inclusive resorts are for people who like things to be easy. You get to go there and everyone else worries about your good time. I get it, but that's not traveling. That's tourism. I believe that, and you'll never convince me otherwise.

When you arrive in St. Lucia, it most likely will be mid to late afternoon. This especially rings true if you come in from the United States. The airlines tend to have one flight a day. They come in with visitors, turn the plane and take visitors back home. Remember, this is an international airport and that means that there are flights coming in from all over the world. Afternoon is just the time allotted mostly for American tourists.

The first thing that you notice when you arrive is that it isn't the type of airport you're used to if coming from the states. You will be exiting down stairs and not through a jetway. It seems old school, but it works. From that point you expect a kind of backwards experience, but wrong again. You will find yourself in a line for entry into the country. Your passport will be examined and the security staff will ask questions. For instance, they wanted to know where I was staying and I didn't have much to tell them. We rented an apartment in Marigot Bay from a person who we knew their name, but we didn't have a regular street address to report. The official hopped on her computer with the information I gave her and found what she needed. Once again, not backward. Tech savvy and able to solve the issue in a matter of minutes. Then we were on our way.

Another thing that might surprise you about Hewanorra International Airport is that most services are provided right at the terminal and are outside. There's an outdoor terrace area where all of the shuttles and rental cars and such are provided. We noticed immediately that most people weren't picking up a rental car as we were. There were a plethora of vans, cars and so forth with the standard color coded license plates that most tourists didn't understand the significance of anyway.

Learn this one. Black license plates tend to be regular cars and vehicles. Blue tends to mean taxi. Green tends to mean public transportation. Yellow tends to mean government vehicle. That covers most vehicles you may encounter in the country. Public transportation tends to be minibuses and vans with green plates. They run semi regular routes across the country. Make sure you do some research before being that much of a local. I didn't even go there, but I did see how it could be a lot of fun if done properly.

Taxis are a way of life in St. Lucia. They tend to have blue license plates and they are a viable mode of transportation. Always make sure you discuss your fare before setting out. They can be expensive. Most taxis also offer guided tours if scheduled ahead of time. Once again, discuss the price for your adventure before taking off on said adventure. Other things to remember about taxis are that you should see the credentials of your driver. If you see the roads in St. Lucia, you'll know how important it is to have a qualified driver. Professional drivers in St. Lucia go to school for their license. In Castries where the cruise ships dock and at the airport you'll find tons of people with cars and vans asking if you want a taxi. They can be quite insistent, so be clear and decisive if you don't want one. I didn't make it to the north end of the country, but I'm guessing that my advice is useful up there as well.

We had a rough day of travel, so after an easy pick up of our rental car (minimum age 21, maximum age 65 for rentals) and purchase of required driving permits for St. Lucia ($22 US) we went in search of basic needs before driving halfway across the country or 37 miles. One of our first stops was at a stand nearby the exit from the airport, sitting directly on the shore that sold chicken and sides for dinner. This was my first look and taste of local food. The chicken was Caribbean spicy and so was the rice. It was delicious. Stands turned out to be some of the best places in the country to eat. They aren't designed for the sheltered tourist and tend to have real local food. However, if you take a day tour with a guide, you will have the chance to stop a stand along the way and try local faire.

We met our first two stray dogs at that stand. Strays are what Americans would call a problem, but in St. Lucia are just a way of life. The random animals, whether dogs, cats, chickens or goats are calm and friendly and tend to be pretty good at taking care of themselves. It was something to get used to, but perfectly normal in St. Lucia.

Some of the other things to get used to is driving. St. Lucians drive on the left of the road and the drivers side of the car is the right. We found out quickly that since we got an automatic transmission vehicle, which isn't a foregone conclusion so make sure you're specific when renting a car, that most parts of driving backward from what we're used to isn't really a problem. Two of the most aggravating parts of the adjustment from right to left was remembering which way to look at intersections and turn signals. We spent days turning on the windshield wipers instead of turn signals before getting it right.

Once we'd done our business in Vieux Fort, we headed across the country to our apartment in Marigot Bay. St. Lucia has a main road called the Micoud Highway. This main drag goes from Vieux Fort to Point du Cap. It goes up the east side of the island and crosses the midsection to the west coast then up through the capital of Castries to the resort areas of the north. It's a handy road that if you follow it, you won't get lost.

Driving in St. Lucia is a bit tricky and it's more than just being on the alien side of the road and hitting the windshield wipers every time you make a turn. The roads in St. Lucia are part of the adventure. They're narrow, curvy, and full of potholes. If you're expecting signs to give you any kind of information, forget that. Google shows most roads as unknown roads. That's how hard it is to get information about where you are. That doesn't meant that Google won't get you where you're going. It did a great job of that. We never got lost once.

What you will find is that driving in St. Lucia isn't for the feint of heart. A curve is normally a hairpin turn. The roads go up and down elevations like a roller coaster. There are no shoulders, lines on the road, and very few guard rails. This means you need to pay attention. If you pay attention to where you're driving, you'll be fine. I recommend taking a full sized map along with you. It helps get your bearings about where you're at and where you're going. By the time you've driven the thirty miles or so to your destination, you'll get the lay of the land. It's really not hard.

The other thing that you'll need to get used to about driving is the locals and the potholes and road construction. The locals know the roads well. They tend to drive like they know the roads by heart and that can be unnerving for us tourists. Our method was just to let them pass and go on their way. But also remember, if for any reason you find yourself by the side of the road with a flat tire or just being a lost tourist; the locals will stop and make sure you're all right before they go on their way. The people of St. Lucia are some of the most wonderful people you'll ever meet.

We didn't have any car trouble on our trip, so no locals had to help us with that. But, we were coming back from a day out and decided to check out a local village near our apartment. We went down a side road through banana plantations and discovered a rainbow. We pulled over to take pictures of said rainbow and couldn't get the view we wanted. We went back and forth a bit to find the optimum view. By the time we'd driven up and down the road a bit, a local came by and stopped to ask if we were lost or needed help with anything. We explained the rainbow and he smiled and told us to have a good time. Friendly and wonderful. This you will find in St. Lucia.

Then, there are potholes. I don't mean regular potholes. I mean things that could eat your car. When we rented our car, the agent highly recommended we get the insurance. When we returned the car, he was genuinely surprised that the car had survived.

It can be tricky. Sometimes, you're driving along a cliff and there's a giant pothole. You have to make sure you don't drive into the drainage ditch at the side of the road or off the cliff while trying to miss the potholes. Also the roads are narrow. I mean not even two lanes wide here in the U.S. Throw in some hairpin turns and it can become a sport very quickly. So, here we were driving up and down mountains, on narrow roads with hairpin turns, along cliffs, dodging potholes, on the left side of the road. Was it worth it? Absolutely. I recommend it highly. By day two, you're pretty used to it and after a few days, you're a pro. It gives you freedom to see the country on your own time and feel like you've immersed yourself in the culture. Make sure you aren't driving alone though. You will need a navigator so you can keep your eyes on the road.

There are other things to be aware of when you drive yourself around the island. Traffic is the biggest one. By day three I was calling the cruise and resort crowd an invasive species. We went to Castries on day two and the traffic was outrageous; particularly at 8 am and 4 pm. It was all due to the guided tours leaving and arriving back at the cruise ship port. We sat in traffic jams that were almost entirely tour vans. It really puts a damper on an otherwise great day of checking out the capital.

Other things that we discovered are as follows. There are treacherous drainage ditches both in the cities and in the country across the island. It rains five times a day during the dry season and the ditches are necessary to keep the roads from flooding. However, the roads are narrow and you have to be careful not to run off the road into a ditch.

So, in short, driving in St. Lucia is challenging, but worth it. Parking isn't really a problem. If you're somewhere and can't figure out where to park the car, the locals will help you figure it out. They will also charge you for helping you find a place to park in a parking lot, so watch out for that. Most people will happily just answer your questions. We couldn't figure out where to park in Castries and the locals explained every integral quirk about parking in their city. We were grateful for the information and then had no problem finding a place to park. The key to getting around St. Lucia is meeting the people. They are always willing to help and give information on whatever you need.

The thing about St. Lucia is that we didn't want to miss it by barely having contact with the island. We rented our car and drove it for a week and had a great time. We didn't have a massive accident. We didn't get lost. The car didn't break down. It was wonderful, even though in the beginning it was a challenge. I can say the by the time I returned to New England, I was wondering why there were so many road signs. Suddenly they seemed unnecessary. So, rent a car, see the island of St. Lucia and enjoy!

Links to accommodations, tours, resorts, and cruises can be found at:

https://adventuresforanyone.blogspot.com/2023/02/st-lucia-post-1overview.html

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Thursday, March 30, 2023

How to Live More Like a Local in St. Lucia!

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Dr. Doolittle, Pina Colada, and Marigot Bay!

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

St. Lucia...The Wildest Ride I've Ever Had!

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