St. Kitts/Nevis

We arrived in St. Kitts on Saturday afternoon. It was about 85-90 degrees. Jon picked us up at the airport. Liz and Christian rode back to hotel with Jon. Rob and I took a "taxi",(local person waiting at the airport with own vechicle looking to transport tourists to the Marriott) back with all the suitcases. We had brought half full suitcases so we could pack and bring back to the states Jon's things that he has accumulated over the last 2 1/2 years.







Contrary to rumors that we heard upon arrival, Wilbur the giant pig, was still alive and well at one of the beaches. Folks thought he had died in the hurricane last month. He actually tried to get in Jon's car when we were leaving...... the opened front door prohibited him from getting to the water, and he could not back up.




St. Kitts received it's independence from Britain 25 years ago. The island originally produced sugar cane as it's main industry but that has been abandoned. There are several plantations on the island which are now resorts. We ate at Ottley's Plantation, high up in the rain forest one evening. Wonderful food in a lovely setting.







Another day we drove around the island in Jon's old Mazda. Rob did a great job of driving on the opposite side of the road from the right side of the car. We arrived at Rawlin's Plantation during a brief rain shower. Umbrellas from the staff arrived and we were escorted up to the veranda where we had tea and drinks. Very British. Then we were encouraged to walk around the property after being shown the honeymoon suite, converted from on old sugar rendering chimney. It was lovely but Ethan discovered better accommadations on the resort with an infinity pool.







Another day we took the car ferry, with Jon's car, over to the neighboring island of Nevis. This island is not quite as undiscovered- much better roads etc. A note for history buffs. Alexander Hamilton was born on Nevis. His house is still standing, and is currently the museum of history for Nevis. We took a picture of Rob infront, holding a ten dollar bill but I neglected to download it. We drove around the island and landed at the Nesbit Plantation Beach Club where we had lunch and Liz and Ethan enjoyed the water.



Imagine our surprise when we were touring around Charlestown, the main city on Nevis. We knew that our friend Bill Hull was taking over Madrid but we didn't realize that his influence and business savy had extended itself to the West Indies. We were quite impressed, to say the least!






We celebrated Elizabeth's birthday at the Beach House which is at the end of St. Kitts. It was new, and we were literally right on the ocean. They prepared a special dessert for her! The drive back was a bit of a nail biter. The road was quite circuitous, steep and narrow, (and obviously no street lights) and there had been rock slides during the evening but both cars made it back without incidence.





We mostly just relaxed by the pool and the beach were we were staying. Rob and Christian visited the Vet school and saw the horse, donkey and sheep that Jon has been operating on, (still alive and doing well). Rob thought he could be a visiting surgeon and stand in on Jon's operation that week but he was curtly denied! So we just had to hear about the days events each night when Jon came home from school





It's a beautiful, somewhat undiscovered island and I think I may want to go back when February rolls around.