Cruise Day 5

Sunday February 27

Basseterre, St. Kitts     -     7 am     -      5 pm

“With more than a quarter of the island set aside as a national park and a rainforest that is growing rather than shrinking, St. Kitts is a stunning tropical island escape. Soar through the Valley of the Giants on a thrilling zip line, hike to Sofa Rock, which is the cap of a still smoldering volcano, or simply spend the day relaxing on one of the many beaches protected by major coral reefs.”

St. Kitts Scenic Rail (SKB-012)

Port: Basseterre

Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 3 hours) $149.00

Tour Description

• Travel by train and coach, making a complete circle around St. Kitts.
• Enjoy a 360? view of the island from your double-decker train car.
• Ride a narrow-gauge railway through rainforests, over canyons and along the sea.
• Drive along the southern coast, passing landmarks such as an 18th-century British fort.

Circle the island of St. Kitts in the comfort of a restored vintage train and by modern coach while the guides provide commentary of the sights along the way. The train will wind along a narrow-gauge railroad that was built nearly a century ago to transport sugarcane from the fields to the capital of Basseterre. The scenery will be breathtaking the entire time, as you will pass through verdant rainforests, over deep canyons and into fertile farmland. To provide the ultimate views, your train car will be a double-decker with an open-air observation deck on one level and expansive vaulted windows on the other level. All guests will have a seat on both levels of the railcar. Island ambiance is evoked with comfortable rattan furniture, complimentary specialty drinks, island music and a colorful narrative.

The driving portion of the tour along St. Kitts’ southern coast will be just as picturesque, as you will see landmarks such as Brimstone Hill Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site known as the Gibraltar of the West Indies.

* * * * *

We woke up this morning with a skyscraper next to us. It seemed like it. Of course the curtain was still almost closed. We just need it open enough to know it is daylight.

Arrival was 7 am but we did not have to ready for our excursion til 9:15am in the Marina Lounge. So we were having breakfast on 12 with a nice view again. Here they know to bring the tea pot with the teabag already in the hot water. Yeah!

Sunday! It is difficult when you travel to know what day of the week it is. But we did know this morning and said our prayers before heading out. 

We got our numbers and walked to were to find the guide holding the sign with the same number. 

While waiting ... I look at this photo and can hear the caribbean music. You can't stand still. At least go up and down on your heals.

Soon we were in our (3) small busses. Our guide Kurt provided more than commentary. He talked the whole time while driving giving us history and pointing things out. I didn't understand all of it but I wouldn't retain most of it anyway. At the moment it was very interesting. Something I did not hear fully was about John Newton and the hymn Amazing Grace.

Driving happens here on the left side of the road. I was sitting on a left window side and we were driving along the coast. Often we would drive through little villages. The road was very narrow then. It was too fast to take photos to give an impression. Much was not very pretty. It looked like the people were saving a lot to try to make something out of it. The guide said people only could afortd small houses and then tried to add on themselves. 

Can't remember how long the bus drive was before we came to the train. The train was not quite what I had expected but it looked like fun. 

And off we went. Because the weather was nice we were all upstairs. I think we were in the 3 train cars just like we were in the 3 busses. A mama type lady in the first train car told us over a loudspeaker all sorts of things again. 

There was ample room to move to the left or right sides.

And we were offered drinks. The bus (funny) bus driver had told us that he had bought 5 for each of us. The young girl made the cocktails. James and I had pinacoladas. Fellow traveler next to us had rum and coke. James and I did not turn the second one down either but that was enough liquid.

Somehow a young man and girl went from car to car with a boombox demonstrating native mardi gras. The train never stopped though.

I was never fast enough for the photos I really wanted to take. Again we saw villages and sometime the train seem to go right between houses. People of all ages and children waved. Of course it was Sunday so more probobly were at home. Sometimes there were gardens next to houses. The soil seems very fertile. Besides dogs there were donkeys, pigs and lots and lots of goats. 

We went over 2 or 3 bridges (like in the next photo) where you didn't want to look down. Everything was old and very narrow. The train was always swaying left and right.

We were told that this was lovers' cove and very nice. Yes, the beach looked very inviting. Nobody there.

When we stopped at the end of the line we were loaded into the same busses again and continued back to the ship. We were told we made a full circle around the island. The driver/guide had been very funny. We were happy.

Before we went all the way back to the ship we walked around a little in the harbor area. James eyed a little place which sold 3 beers for $5 what a bargain. Well, we didn't have to carry them to the ship either. It was savory liquid. 

We took somebody else's photo and they took ours.

After we were back at the ship and had lunch. There was still time before the ship left the harbor. James decided he wanted to go to the church we could see from the top deck. Even though it is Sunday I was pretty sure that it would be closed. And I felt lazy anyway. But I begged "please don't miss the boat".

And there he goes!

No, he didn't miss the boat. He was back in plenty of time because the church was closed.

We read a little and I looked at my photos etc etc. Then I saw that I didn't have many steps. This time James didn't feel like it. I made circles around the pool in a good pace. Nobody around. It felt good. Strange how you sometimes just need to do it. I stopped briefly to look at the sun going down. I am always amazed how fast the sun disappears every time.

Promptly at 5pm the ship 'sailed' and we sat for a while on our balcony where we suddenly saw this rainbow. It was so vivid but the photo doesn't do it justice. I took several and this is the best I could do. 

Sometimes you just have to comit it to memory.

Dinnertime. I decided I need to take it easy with food-photos. My oysters rockefeller looked pretty but were a bit tasteless. The Philadelphia pepper pot with andouille sausage was nice. James had a great-looking barbecued pork chop and the potato slice with the mashed sweet potato piped on top. Have to remember that.

I wasn't hungry but I had to try this. What a name!

yucatan black bean burger

charcoal bun, plant-based mayo, mango pico de gallo,

sweet ginger dressing, fried yucca with tajin spices

Gosh, that charcoal bun didn't look that appetizing but it was o.k. I took the top of (like I usually do with burgers anyway because otherwise there is too much bun) but tasted it. And the bottom was still there anyway. I asked and the waiter explained to me that the bun is baked in a burned coconut shell. That explained the perfectly round shape. The whole thing was really very tasty. A bit spicy but not too much. Just right. James would have loved it. But he was very happy with his entree.

We were too early for the show so we sat a bit and listened to the string quartett. Very nice. This time nobody near to chat the whole time.

The show today was Greg Rodman, an acclaimed guitarist. So far none, zero, of the performers have disappointed us. All very worthwhile to attend. The write-up in the daily "newspaper" said that he has performed in concert halls and cruises in more than 125 countries around the world. He was accompanied by the Marina Band (which accompanies all the performers) which is also just amazing.

Since we are having a very lazy day the next day we went up to the Horizons were it was happy hour and the Music Station Band played music through the decades. It was nice, a bit loud today and we were wondering where everybody else was today. Other evenings it had been pretty full.