Only two days left to go! (St. Barts 2006) Part 3

Friday

Our vacation is winding down (we leave for home on Sunday). I don't feel sad because we have already enjoyed so much and feel so relaxed, that it feels much longer than the four days we have been here so far. We haven't tried to run ourselves ragged seeing and doing everything there is to see.

Today was a bit busier than our usual routine. We started out the day on St. Jean Beach, the busiest beach on the island. I didn't think I would like it, but I loved it! The water is crystal clear, a bright turquoise blue, with some motion but no crashing waves. We started out by having breakfast at the coolest beach bar ever, at the Tom Beach Hotel. It is all open to the beach with couches, pastel pillows and a bottle juggling Johnny Depp look-alike beach boy/bartender. The tiny St. Barts airport is adjacent to the beach and the planes fly soar right over your head. Every half hour or so we were treated to a plane taking off.

Our next destination is the harbor town of Gustavia. Gustavia is filled with upscale shopping and waterfront restaurants. We just happened to get here at the wrong time and almost all the shops were closed for midday siesta. It's a European custom, closing up between 1 and 3, and staying open until 7pm. Have I mentioned the driving? OH. MY. GOSH. Thank God for Georg, because there's no way I would drive here. There are hairpin turns that go straight up and many roads don't have enough room for two cars to pass one another. Yet people drive very fast and mopeds pass you every chance they get. We are lucky we have gotten no rain, so at least we don't have to worry about the roads being slippery to boot.

Our drive took us to Corrosol a village where the women were reputed to still wear old fashioned costumes and made crafts out of drive palm leaves. Perhaps because it was off season, but we didn't see much and didn't stay there long. We spent time at beautiful Flammands Beach and finally ended up back at St. Jean for the rest of the day until sunset. I could have floated in that water for the rest of my life. I took a stroll down the beach to check out some cottages at the far end. I struck up a conversation with a woman named Jacki with the cutest yorkshire terrier named "Bart". Suddenly I realized it was her dog's picture on my computer. I had downloaded it from the SBH Online website when I was researching the trip. Funny we should both happen to be here at the same time. She has been coming to St. Barts for 21 years. She showed me around her cottage, part of Ilets de la Plage resort and I was impressed. Although small, and no private pool or hot tub, they were right on the beach with a little front porch and shaded yard area. Perhaps next year...? I walked back to Georg who hadn't missed me at all. (He was too busy trying not to notice the topless babes.)

We ended the day back at the villa with a home cooked dinner of duck tournedos with rice and veggies, followed by a swim and a soak in the hot tub. We have had perfect weather every single day. We are blessed!