American Caribbean - Day 4 - Finishing Up

4/3/17, “Finishing Up”

Moored, Adventure, Caribbean Sea (Buck Island Reef National Monument, United States Virgin Islands)

Well, my time in the United States Virgin Islands is coming to an end.  We are now moored off of Buck Island after spending some time on the island itself, which allowed me to claim it as my 276^th NPS Unit and say, “United States Virgin Islands Complete.”  It has been a wonderful four days, and, other than a brief stop in San Juan, all that remains is The Return Journey.  It is now slightly before noon, and we will not land at JFK until after midnight tonight.  When the final reckoning comes, I am sure this trip will rank highly.  I have loved every minute of my time here, and it pains me that this trip is now coming to a close, but I can rejoice in the success this trap has been.  This is definitely a fitting vista for my last entry that I will write in the USVI.

After I closed last night, I heated up my dessert with limited success.  The ice cream was a mush, and it was mess, due to the fact that they had just wrapped it up with plastic wrap, rather than actually putting a lid on it.  In the end, it didn’t matter, since it was all going the same place, anyway, and it was delicious.  I then went outside to smoke a Headley Grange before collapsing.

I slept well enough through the night, waking up around 7 AM before my alarm clock.  I made some coffee in the room, ate the bagel crackers I had bought in Saint John, and heated up the other half of the breakfast sandwich from yesterday, which was a mess, but it tasted good.

I then lit up a Caoba, packed, and got ready for the morning.  I headed out, stopping at the VC to get a new brochure, the old one having been damaged.  I then went to check-in for my boat tour.  That was when I learned some good news.  We would be back on land at 12:30 PM, so maybe the 9:30 AM departure was actually the original schedule.

We soon boarded the small boat with about 20 passengers, including small kids of various ages, and we were underway.  Before long, we landed at the island, and then I discovered a bit of an issue.  (It’s ironic because, I was walking from my hotel this morning, I was thinking there is a ranking of negative things that could occur while I’m travelling: disaster, problem, issue.)  The issue was that we have climb a sea ladder to get to the beach.  That meant, I couldn’t wear my cargo shorts, and there would be issues to bring my brochure, water bottle, and cigar ashore, all of which were necessary to properly claim the NPS Unit.  Well, there was a solution.  I changed into my bathing suit, put my water bottle, cell phone, brochure, cigar, and lighter into the plastic bag, and one of the crew members kept the bag over her head as I went ashore.  That worked.

The NPS sign was right ashore, so I first took that picture.  Then, I lit up my Don Carlos the cigar I had been saving for this occasion, took my ceremonial picture, and declared, “United States Virgin Islands Complete.”  I had done it.  I was very proud of myself, and rightly so.

I then walked around a bit and found an even better spot, where I took some more pictures.  It was so scenic, one of the most beautiful places I had ever been.  In fact, it reminded very much of an Island from Moana, even though this was the Caribbean and that was the South Pacific.

Before long, it was time to go back aboard, and I put everything (other than my cigar) back in the bag, and we repeated the process.  We then looped around the island and moored in the reef.  I didn’t want to snorkel, so I stayed aboard.  I sat down in spot with a good view of the island, where I proceeded to write this entry, which I will now close, as we are about to return to the island of Saint Croix.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

At long last, I have arrived at the spot of the inscription photo for this WHS, which means my trip is winding down.  It has been an intense hour of seeing the WHS and making up for what I didn’t get to do without my folder when I came here a decade ago, but it’s all been done now.  All that remains is to take a ceremonial picture at the Capitol before I can say, “American Caribbean Complete,” and fly home.  It’s been a great trip, and I am very much looking forward to the final reckoning.  I have about an hour before I need to leave for the airport, and I don’t want to use all of that time, so I will be brief.

After I closed on the boat, we soon took off and headed back to Saint Croix.  They passed around some rum punch, and I only wanted one small cup, having already had some straight rum while I wrote my entry, but the captain was insistent.  I had three, and it hit me hard.  Very hard.  I actually had trouble walking straight when we got ashore.  As I mentioned, timing was tight.  Very tight.  Everything was planned to a tee, and I had faith in my ability to execute it, but there was almost no margin for error.

I called Andy immediately to confirm my 1 PM pickup, and then I walked to the Eastern National shop to get my souvenirs.  I was all set.  I went back to the hotel and changed and repacked.  It was a couple of minutes after 1 PM, and Andy wasn’t there yet.  I called him again, and he was on his way.  We got to the airport exactly at 1:30 PM for my 2:30 PM flight.

The Seaborne counter had no passengers, so I feared for the worst, but they said I was fine.  Then came the next hurdle: border control.  I didn’t have my passport, so I didn’t know what to expect.  There was almost no line, and I handed the officer my driver’s license.  He took a verbal declaration of my citizenship and asked a few questions.  That was that.  I went through security, and then I was at my gate.  So far, so good.  I got lunch (hot dog, chips, and soda), but the Seaborne counter was empty, so I started panicking again, but, at 2:15 PM, they announced our flight.  We boarded immediately.

It was a very short flight and we landed at 3 PM, ahead of schedule.  I realized that I could just check my bag with JetBlue so that I wouldn’t have to lug it around San Juan.  It was a bit of a trek, and I had to clear the bag with USDA.  It was now 3:30 PM, still on schedule.  I took a taxi to Old San Juan, and the driver messed up, causing him to have to take a long loop around, but I was at the VC by 4 PM.  That was perfect timing.

I got my brochure and went to get my stamps and souvenirs.  The clerk was very impressed with my WHS folder.  She had clearly never seen anything like it before.  Well, it is a unique thing, nothing else like it in the world, most like.  I took my time stamping, making sure I didn’t miss anything, and then I found out where to find the Plaque, more Stamps, and the inscription spot.  I figured it would take at least an hour.

I went to the Plaque, and I found a nice gentleman who took my pictures exactly the way I wanted, on his first attempt, no less.  It was now 4:30 PM.  I lit up a Montecristo Open Eagle and took some ceremonial pictures.  I walked from there to El Morro, where I went a decade ago.  It was very hot, but it was worth the exhaustion.  At least it wasn’t raining like last time.

I got a Stamp at the guardhouse and then went inside the plaza.  There was another Plaque there, this one rusted from the salt water, and this must have been the one I saw last time.  I found another gentleman to take my picture there and then got another Stamp and more souvenirs.  That was that.

It was short walk to La Fortaleza, which was the spot of the inscription photo.  I took my traditional and ceremonial photos there, and I was done.  I sat down in the shade, in view of the inscription photo, where I proceeded to write this entry, which I will now close so that I can head to the Capitol and fly home.  Again, I am quite proud of myself and rightly so.

Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, Puerto Rico (SJU)

Ah, at long last, the triumphant airport entry, and it is surely a triumph.  This trip went perfectly, and that is quite an accomplishment.  Perfectly planned, perfectly executed, and elegant to boot.  I have done enough reflection on my love the Antilles, so all that remains is the final reckoning.  I think I would say that this has been my top trip to the Caribbean so far, for the simple fact that it was so elegant and so relaxing.  Cuba had late nights, and the Hispaniola trip didn’t have the same allure.  The trips shorter than 3 days do not compare.

That just leaves the two Passover trips I took.  Both of those have the added draw of three new countries and a new WHS, while this was entirely in the United States and just had a revisit of a WHS.  The 2013 trip also had the benefit of being first.  However, the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the American Caribbean wins out.  It also wins out because it had the draw of being my last trip to the Antilles for quite some time, and it is being considered in light of the upcoming trips to Canada, Iceland/Greenland, and American Oceania (Hawaii et al).  I loved being in the capital in Saint Thomas, I loved the beauty of the National Park in Saint John, and I loved the history of Saint Croix.  There was not a bad moment in the whole trip, and that counts for something.  It was a perfect trip.  That all matters.

As for the other trips, I do not think this can crack the top ten.  It fails easily against the extended trips, including Israel and TLGSRTA/Canadian Prairie, since that trip was equally relaxing, and it had even more natural beauty and almost as much cultural heritage.  It fails against Israel, since that was special in a way this was not.  However, I think it beats Baja, since it had more variety, and Baja had failures in a way this did not.  It also fails against CA-4, since that trip was also close to perfect, and it was very ambitious.  That trip had a good mix of natural and cultural beauty.  So, in other words, this places Top Fifteen, but not Top Ten.  I suppose that is all the reckoning that needs to be done, and the triumphant airport entry has its place.  I will wrap up so that I can publish and close.

After I closed at La Fortaleza, I soon found a taxi and told her what I wanted to do. We stopped at the Capitol, where I took my ceremonial picture.  That was that.  I had done it.  I made my pronouncement.  “Puerto Rico Complete.  American Caribbean Complete.  Time to go home.”  I was very proud of my accomplishment.  Soon enough, we were at the airport, and I got out of the taxi.  I checked my bag and all my pockets and started to walk away.  My taxi driver reminded me that I had forgotten my souvenir bag.  That would have been a seriously problem, almost disaster-level.  I would have forgotten it if she hadn’t mentioned it.

I went to security, which was closed.  That meant I had to loop all the way around, and it was quite a trek.  After security, I went to Duty-Free to get some Bacardi.  From there, I walked to the A-Gates, which was where JetBlue had there gates and went to Popeyes for dinner.  I was starving.  I got my usual: chicken strips, fries, and a biscuit.  They didn’t have seltzer, so I opted for water.  I was very thirsty.  I then went back to my gate and sate down, where I proceeded to write this entry, which I will now close, along with closing out this epic trip.  Next stop: Florida Panhandle, after two weekends in Scarsdale.

American Caribbean - Day 3 - By Boat and by Plane

4/2/17, “By Boat and by Plane”

Christiansted, Saint Croix, United States Virgin Islands

While Charlotte Amelie is the modern capital of the United States Virgin Islands, prior to Transfer Day 100 years ago, Christiansted was the capital of the Danish West Indies for almost 200 years.  I am now sitting atop Fort Christiansvaern, which was the seat of His Majesty’s Power in the Americas.  Today, the Danish only have one remaining colony in the Americas, an island by the name of Greenland, which is more white than green.  I will be visiting that island in two months, but today served as my last full day in the West Indies, and it is likely to be my last night I spend here for quite some time.  I will miss it, but the Summer of Travel I have planned will be one for the record books.

After I closed last night, I poured myself a very large glass of club soda to go with my rum and chocolate, as I watched the basketball.  I soon fell asleep and woke up around 6 AM before my alarm clock.  I wanted to be on the 7 AM ferry back to Saint Thomas to give myself plenty of time to make my 10 AM flight to Saint Croix.  I got ready and walked over to the ferry dock, not getting lost this time.

I got my ticket, and we soon boarded.  Taxis were waiting at the ferry terminal, so I took one to the seaplane base.  To my dismay, I saw that it was closed.  It was almost 8 AM and my flight was at 10 AM.  What was going on?  The driver said he thought they would open at 8 AM, so I went across the street in search of coffee, which I needed badly.  Very badly.  I had a splitting headache already.

There was a restaurant that was opening at 8 AM, and the doors were already open, so I went inside to sit down.  Soon enough, the coffee was ready, and she took my order for a ham, egg, and cheese sandwich.  I finished my first cup of coffee while the sandwich was cooking, which took an inordinate amount of time, I suppose due to the grill needing to heat up.  Meanwhile, 8 AM came and went without the seaplane base opening up.  I was in full panic mode.  I had lost my appetite.  Then, I saw some signs of life inside, and my appetite returned before the sandwich came.  I had a second cup of coffee, but the sandwich was so big that I could only eat half of it.

I walked across the street and learned that they would open at 9 AM.  I lit up a Caoba and waited to get my ticket at 9 AM.  I then read some poetry for school as I finished my cigar.  Around 9:30 AM, we boarded, and I was told my computer bag was too big to come aboard with me.  The plane was, as I said, a seaplane, which meant that it landed on water, not on land.  It was very small.  My mother would not have been happy with that vessel.  I loved the experience, though I was concerned about the contents of my computer bag.  We flew so low and the flight so quick that I never lost my cell signal.

When we landed in the harbor at Christiansted, I found a taxi driver, who gave me card for later.  I was still on the fence about renting a car, worrying how much a taxi for the afternoon would cost.  I walked to my hotel, which took about five minutes, and checked in to my room.  I resituated myself before heading to the NPS in town, appropriately called Christiansted NHS.

I wondered why it wasn’t a World Heritage Site.  I have been to other WHS around the world of less cultural significance then this one, but I have learned that US potential WHS are graded on a curve or else we are more reserved in what we choose to nominate.   The VC in the fort served as the VC for all three NPS units in Saint Croix, so I got all my brochures and stamps.  Unfortunately, the Eastern National store was closed on Sunday.

I then walked up to the top of the fort to take some ceremonial pictures.  It was a great vista and an experience of special significance, thinking about the history of this place.  I then went back down and took some pictures of the other buildings in town, including the warehouse where Alexander Hamilton worked as a boy.  That was fun, especially since I had seen his birthplace in Nevis a few years ago.  Okay, I am going to relocate so that I can write in leisure without worrying about getting locked in this fort, as it closes in ten minutes.

I have to say that this little town here is one of my favorite places that I have ever visited, the rich pastel colors, the history, the natural beauty, all of it makes for such a memorable experience.  I am glad that I will always be able to say (unless I visit Curacao) that Christiansted was the last night I spent in the Caribbean during my five-year quest.

Okay, so I headed back to my hotel to post my picture and then walked back to the harbor to see if I could find Andy or else rent a car.  Andy was nowhere to be found, and there were no cars to be rented.  I walked back towards the fort to go to the taxi stand there.  I wanted to go to the NPS unit at Salt River Bay, then the NHL at Frederiksted, then come back here.  No one wanted to take me.  I handed the manager there Andy’s card, and he gladly came to pick me up.  He would not name a price upfront, and I feared for the worse, but he showed me a rate card.  I didn’t do the math, and the prices were reasonable enough.

We first went to the closed VC at Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve (or NHP&EPres for short).  I walked to the top of the hill and lit up a Graycliff (to follow the Casa Magna I had at Christiansted NHS) and took my ceremonial pictures.  I could see where Christopher Columbus landed in 1493 (and exterminated the local tribe of Carib Indians).  Again, how was this not a WHS, though I suppose the parenthetical answers that question, as does the fact that the Danish West Indies enslaved many people as to why Christiansted is not a WHS.  In fact, I do not know any WHS that commemorates slavery in any way, though the one in Haiti celebrates something built by freed slaves, and the one in Jamaica celebrates the culture of freed slaves there.

We then went down to the landing spot itself, which had no sign, no plaques, just a beach with some people playing around.  It took away from the experience for me, but I took another ceremonial picture.  From there, we went to Frederiksted, which had another old fort that was designated as an NHL.

It was called, quite simply, Fort Frederik.  It was also the last NHL in the USVI for me to visit.  I noted that it was the first state, territory, or district where I had visited each and every NHL.  I was proud of that achievement.  All that remained to say “United States Virgin Islands Complete” was Buck Island NM tomorrow.  I had a functional enough cell signal, so I was able to post my stuff to social media.  Now it was time to go back.

We stopped for ice cream on the way, and it seemed that he was going to buy my ice cream for, but he didn’t really make it clear, and I also wanted a milkshake for now and something for later, which was probably more than he wanted to spend.  Either way, it didn’t matter, since I was about to pay him a somewhat variable rate for the taxi fare, possibly with a tip, so I was going to expend the same total amount of money either way.  I got an almond and cherry vanilla shake and some ginger nut ice cream to go.  It was much needed.  I hadn’t had lunch, since I was so exhausted that I had no desire for hot and spicy West Indian food.

We headed back to Christiansted, and the fare he requested was much less than I had expected.  He said he would take me to the airport tomorrow after my boat ride, so that worked out.  The VC at Christiansted was closed, and the Eastern National shop had never opened, so I went back to my hotel to resituate myself.  I had some cheese and crackers and headed back out.  I then went up to the top of the fort, where I lit up a Vegas Robaina Canada Exclusivo, sat down, and proceeded to write this entry.  Halfway through, I moved outside and found a bench.  The bench was facing away from the fort, so I turned it around, sat down, and finished writing this entry, which I will now close so that I can head back to my hotel.  I am not sure what my evening plans are, but, if I have enough energy, I might go to the Centennial Gala, which is actually pretty far outside of town.  Otherwise, I’ll just have dinner at the hotel, write another entry, and then get a good night’s sleep.

So, I am in a bit of a fret right now.  Since I planned this trip, there has been a quadrupe witching, as it were, that puts me in serious risk of missing my flight back to San Juan tomorrow.  The timing was kinda tight as it was when I planned it, but four factors have made it even tighter, and thinking about it, I’m not even sure if my current plan is viable.  First, the boat trip to Buck Island got pushed back by an hour.  Second, my flight got pushed up by twenty minutes.  Third, and this is still a little unclear, I think I need to clear a Customs checkpoint at STX before I fly to SJU, since USVI and PR are considered different customs area.  Now, we’re talking about close to an hour and forty minutes.  Lastly, the Eastern National shop won’t open before my boat tour in the morning, I do not think, and I really want to stop there before I leave.

That means I am looking at a total tightening of close to two hours.  The only way that is at all viable is if the boat gets back at 12:30 PM, but, in realty, I think it won’t be until slightly after 1 PM.  I will not know the exact timetable until I check in at the dock tomorrow.  There is a JetBlue flight that is forty minutes later, but then that makes my time in San Juan very tight.  It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.  The only thing I know is that leaving the American Caribbean without getting the contents of my folder stamped at the San Juan World Heritage Site is, simply, not an option.

After I closed this afternoon, I headed to the restaurant by the hotel in search of some much needed club soda.  I downed three glasses and got a fourth to go.  Fortunately, it was free refills, so it worked out to a very cheap price.  I then went back to my room and tried to take a nap, but it failed for various reasons.  My phone was at 1%, and I didn’t want to leave until I had enough juice to last me through dinner.  Unfortunately, the cord was charging very slowly.  It would take an hour before I had any kind of significant charge on the phone.

As that was happening, just as I was about to fall asleep, over the course of about ten minutes, no less than 5 people caused my phone to ping, chirp, and/or buzz.  Meanwhile, the charge was way too slow, and I had a different, shorter cord that I could run from my laptop.  That was literally charging 4 times faster.  When I got to about 30%, I headed out to dinner, the same restaurant where I had gotten the club soda earlier.

They had a good menu, more island flair and less “Baja” than the restaurant last night, but not quite West Indian like Friday night.  I opted for the crab cakes with appetizer and the fresh Wahoo for a main course, along with local IPA.  Both dishes had a tropical fruit glaze.  It was probably the best meal of the trip.  I loved every bite of both dishes, and the beer was perfect.  The view from the table was quite the vista, as well.

Meanwhile, I discovered that my parents and my oldest friend were staying at the same hotel in South Carolina.  They even had adjacent rooms.  What a coincidence.  I got a bread pudding dessert to take back to my room and paid my check.  When I got to my room, I changed into my pajamas, went outside with the rest of my second beer, sat down, lit up an Ardor, and proceeded to write this entry, which I will now close so that I can publish.

American Caribbean - Day 2 - The National Park

4/1/17, “The National Park”

Cruz Bay, Saint John, United States Virgin Islands

Today has been an incredible day, spent predominantly in one of our nation’s 59 National Parks.  Give that there are only 59 and that this is my 56^th of the 59, it is gotten to the point now where any new National Park is a significant event.  This one, simply named Virgin Islands National Park, was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever visited.  It exemplified the pinnacle of Caribbean beauty, white beaches with blue water and green mountains in the background.  That is what the Caribbean does best, rich, lush colors, and that is what this National Park had.  While yesterday I wrote that Transfer Day was the reason I came this weekend, the National Park was the main reason I came here full stop.

After I closed last night, I finished my cigar and fell asleep almost as soon as I went back in my room.  I slept in a bit, waking up at 7:30 AM.  I had wanted to take the 9 AM ferry to Saint John, so timing was now going to be a bit tight.  I got ready and headed across the way to breakfast, which consisted of bacon, eggs, and toast, along with coffee.  A simple breakfast, but it did the trick.  I had the front desk call me a taxi to the ferry terminal across the island and went to retrieve my luggage.  Sure enough, it was a large van, and he wanted to go pick up more passengers.  That was, quite simply, not an option.  It was now 8:30 AM, and the hotel said it would be a 15 to 20 minute drive.  I explained this to the driver, and he demanded an outrageous “express” charge.  I told him that was too much.  He huffed and puffed as he drove me to the ferry terminal.  When we approached the terminal, he asked for half of his “express” charge, and I agreed, even though it was still overpriced, but reasonable enough given the expense of driving a 14-passenger van with only 1 passenger.

I got my ticket, and, soon enough, we were on our way across the bay or channel or whatever the body of water was that separated Saint Thomas and Saint John.  It’s a sound.  I don’t know exactly what my original plan had been, but I think it entailed walking to the VC (after checking in), taking a taxi to the heart of the National Park, then walking around inside the NP, then taking a taxi back to the hotel.  That was, in theory, doable, but I quickly learned it was not ideal.  We soon landed at Cruz Bay, Saint John and disembarked.

It was an easy enough walk to my hotel, and I saw where the VC was, also an easy walk.  However, as luck would have it, there was a Jeep rental place right before I got to the hotel.  It looked simple and easy, so I walked in and asked what they charged for a day.  The price they named did not seem to be significantly more than I would have spent in taxi charges under my original plan.  I rented the Jeep, which had a removable top and instructions not to remove it.  I’m sure my reader knows what happened.  I drove the car up the block to the hotel and went to check in, but my room wasn’t ready.  No matter.  I left my bags at the hotel and went to the car.  Of course, I took the top off, which was a bit of a process, but it was intuitive enough to figure out.

I got lost on the way back into town, which entailed taking a lot of back roads and huge hills, but I found the VC before long, and I took care of my business there.  Since I was driving a Jeep with an open top, there was never any point in locking the doors.  By extension, that meant I had nothing of value in the car.  In fact, the only thing worth stealing was my phone charger, which I locked in the glove box half the time, anyway.  After the VC, my first stop was a beach called Trunk Bay, which was the most photographed spot in the NP.  I lit up a Por Larranga and was on my way.

Parking was a bit of an issue, but once I paid the user fee to access the beach, they told me I could park on the side of the road by the ruins.  Most people were using the beach as a beach, but I just wanted my ceremonial picture, which I took on the beach.  At that point, my cell signal returned, so I was glad to be able to post my picture right away.

From there it was to the next beach, Cinnamon Bay, which offered similar views.  I got my lunch at the restaurant there after I finished my cigar, which consisted of a lobster roll and chips.  I then lit up an LFD and headed to the next NPS unit of the day, Virgin Islands Coral Reef NM, which is mostly water-based but has a small strip of land that is accessible by road.

I found it with some difficulty and, eventually, found a spot to take a ceremonial picture.  From there, it was back to the VC, which entailed looping around on a more direct road.  I wanted to check out one more beach, so I went back into the NP, stopping at Hawksnest Bay.

When I got there, I lit up an Oliva and walked around a bit.  I then returned to the VC, ditched my cigar, and got some souvenirs.  After I got my souvenirs, I struggled to put the top back on, but, in the end, I figured it out.  It was all basic mechanics.  Everything had its place and a place for everything.  I returned the car and walked back to the hotel, where I could now check in to my room.  I had some chips and took a nap, waking up around 5 PM for happy hour.

I went to the main area, where they had some free rum punch, which was quite good.  I chugged one down immediately and then got a second one to sip more slowly.  I went to the designated smoking area out front, the entire property being smoke-free, but there was no place to sit, so I grabbed a beach chair and set up where I had a good view.  I then sat down, lit up an Ardor, and proceeded to write this entry, which I will now close so that I can head out to dinner as soon as I finish my pipe.

It seems the 4-5 days is the exact right amount of time to spend in the Antilles.  It is how long I spent on my two Passover trips to the Lesser Antilles, and it is how long I am spending on this trip to the American Caribbean.  It is long enough to allow me to settle in and get all wistful and wax about how much I love it here, but it is not too long that I begin to feel that I have overstayed.  I wonder how I will feel about 16 days on the Pacific Islands in September.  I don’t have much new to report, but it is perfectly relaxing to sit our here, smoking my cigar, drinking my rum, and listening to the sounds of the island.  Tomorrow will be a different island, the third of the main islands of the USVI.  It has been a long day and an exhausting one, so I am looking forward to getting to sleep as soon as I finish my cigar.

After I closed, I went back to my room to resituate myself and headed to restaurant, the non-grid layout of the roads tripping me up once more.  I had clearly chosen right, and the restaurant was completely full.  It would be 15 minutes before they could seat me.  No matter, I wasn’t quite hungry yet, anyway.  I was, however, thirsty.  I got a very cold club soda as soon as I sat down, and that went down well.  They had a rum drink called a frozen painkiller, and it sounded very good.  I ordered that, and I was delighted that it tasted even better than it sounded.  The menu was mostly what I would call “Baja” cuisine.  It was certainly more Mexican-inspired than West Indian, but it was all local and fresh, and the proteins were definitely West Indian.  I got guacamole and chips as an appetizer, followed by fish and pork tacos, both a Mexican-West Indian fusion recipe.  The meal was incredible, and I was glad with my choice.

After dinner, I headed back to the hotel, again getting lost by the non-grid layout.  I stopped at a grocery store to get some snacks and some rum, along with a newspaper with a special Centennial cover.  I got back to my room, resituated myself, and poured a glass of rum to pair with my cigar.  I then went back to my spot from earlier, where I sat down with my rum, lit up a Quesada, and proceeded to write this entry, which I will now close so that I can publish it.