PHILIPSBURG, ST MAARTEN

PHILIPSBURG, ST MAARTEN

APRIL 25, 2014

 

At only 37 square miles St Martin/St Maaten is the smallest land mass in the world divided between two governments. Having been abandoned by the Spanish in the mid- 17^th century, the French and Dutch moved onto the island at relatively the same time and, after some conflict, decided to split the island in two. While some historians may disagree, legend has it the border was originally decided by a drunken wager between a Dutchman and a Frenchman.  Each agreed to see who could claim the most land by walking in opposite directions around the shore of the island and meeting on the other side.  The winner, by a small amount was the Frenchman and still is to this day as the French now govern 21 square miles to the Dutch’s 16.  Despite the French owning more land, it was the Dutch who came out ahead economically by creating the first duty free port on the island.  The international airport is also on the Dutch side.

 

On tour we were taken through the streets of St Maarten to a large catamaran. It was a beautiful 85 degree day and we were given all the rum punch we wanted while we spent an hour riding through the water to St Martin and the town of Marigot. In Marigold we were given an hour of shopping in the high end French shops and then back on the catamaran.  It was a lovely day enjoyed by all. This is an island we would like to revisit.

 

This was the last port of call on our wonderful cruise. We now have two sea days and then we will be in Fort Lauderdale, FL and on our way home. This has truly been the trip of a lifetime, never to be forgotten.

                                                         Explorer Catamaran

Top deck of the Catamaran

Boats wrecked in 2005 Hurricane

Boats

Island Divide

 

 

 

 

 

                                                    

     

ROSEAU, DOMINICA

ROSEAU, DOMINICA

APRIL 24, 2014

 

Dominica was first discovered by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage in 1493. He found natives living there and called them Caribs because he found bones and skulls in their homes and he thought they were cannibals. The bones were from their ancestors which they kept in their homes for good luck, but that is how the Caribbean got its name.  He did not claim this island for Portugal or Spain.

 

Settlement of the island dates to the 16^th Century by the French and then it was taken over by the British in the late 18^th Century. Today you can see both French and British colonial architecture throughout the island.

 

Dominica received their independence from Britain in 1978. This volcanic island is 16 miles long and 29 miles wide. Bananas are their biggest export.  There are 72 thousand people on the island.

 

On tour we were taken to the center of the island to the Carib reservation where they have lived for centuries. When the French came they had a treaty with them to allow them to live on this 3,500 acreage area.  Our guide, Florence, said the treaty was broken many times both with the French and the British. But there are 3,500 Caribs living on the land and they feel it is the best area to be on.

 

They are so self-sufficient and raise all their food.  There are many streams that run through their property so they have fresh water. We were first treated to a sugar cane extraction demonstration. We tasted the juice and it was so sweet.  The next house we were taken around by a 75 year old man named Tom.  He grew a little of everything to include all kinds of leaves and herbs to cure all illnesses. He had been curing everyone for so long there must be something to it.  The next stop was to visit a lady who made baskets.  They were so beautiful and skillfully done. Then Florence took us to her house.  The house itself did not look like much from the outside but she and her husband had raised seven children there and collage educated all except the last one still at home. She said they had to add on to the house as the children came along.

 

Florence had an outside cooking area where she showed us how she baked bread for our meal.  Her 24 year old daughter, who had just graduated from college, had prepared the rest of the meal for the 16 of us on the tour. Florence had put two picnic tables in her dining room to seat us all. The food was outstanding.  We could eat like that all the time and not starve and it all came from the farm and we also had fish.

Sugar Cane juice

Coffee Beans

Florence baking bread

The other Tom and Sandy and medicinal plants

Basket weaving

Florence's house

Lunch: tarot, plantain, ?, bakes, coconut cookies, Florence's bread