Day Four – 23rd May 2017 – “10% discount off scuba diving”

It’s a chill day today and we are taking our time about things. So we don’t rush down to breakfast. We finally get down there about 9a.m. Each day besides the usual Brit type components of a breakfast they add a local dish. Today it was grilled potatoes with port salute cheese.



Think potato skins with cheese filling in a tomato-ey sauce. They go great with the bacon. Eventually, we are done and we pop back to the room to collect a shopping bag, guide book and camera.

We are headed up to Pigeon Island to begin with and then will do some shopping and have lunch at Rodney Bay. This area is about 5 miles to the north. Along the route we pass a large advert at the side of the road. I can’t post the picture here but will give the link instead:

facebook/ClimaxSaintLucia/

I do a double take. I can’t believe what I just read. Darrin didn’t see it and it’s only when I do a search on the Internet that I prove that what I say was correct!

Turns out it’s an energy drink company.



I've put the map on here so you have an idea of where we are. You can also see Babonneau in the middle of the map which is where we did the rainforest tram the other day.

We arrive at Pigeon Island via a causeway. When the place was a fort it was an island but in the 1970s it was joined to the main island of St. Lucia. The causeway was wide enough for resorts like Sandals to build on it. However, let’s get back to the fort.



The Arawak people, the original inhabitants of Pigeon Island, were driven out by the Caribs (origin of Caribbean) around 1000 A.D. The Caribs lived in caves along the shore of the island, and hunted for fish, shellfish, small animals and birds. They also foraged for plant food.

We go wandering and for once there are actual signs to tell you which direction to go and what is located where. Our first port of call is the old military kitchens and then a lime kiln. The kiln produced quicklime which in turn makes plaster and mortar.





This area is now a National Park and was officially opened by Princess Alexandra (Ogilvy) back in 1979.

The island was occupied by pirates in the 16th Century, whose leader was a Normandy Captain called Francois Le Clerc. He had a wooden leg and was known to the French as Jambe de Bois. The French who owned the island in 1778 declared war on the British, who retaliated by attacking them in Saint Lucia and capturing the island. The British then built a Naval Base at Gros-Islet Bay, heavily fortifying Pigeon Island. From there they were able to monitor the French fleet in Martinique which resulted in the defeat of the French at the Battle of the Saints in 1782. Pigeon Island was therefore a key factor in the Battles between the British and the French.



In 1909 a whaling station was established at Pigeon Island. Legislation to control whaling in 1952 put an end to this operation. Pigeon Island was leased to Josset Agnes Hutchinson, an actress with the D’Oyle Carte Opera Company of England in 1937. When the American established a Naval Base at Rodney Bay in 1940 she left the island. In 1947 she returned to establish a thriving yachting industry, entertaining many guests and giving the island the reputation of a paradise island. She relinquished the lease in 1970, finally retiring to England in 1976. I sang her a little Gilbert & Sullivan tribute whilst at the ruins of her house.



Pigeon Island was restored by the St. Lucia National Trust as a landmark encompassing all aspects of the rich heritage. This area is a beautiful part of St. Lucia. They hold a summer festival at Pigeon Island and guys are constructing a concert stage in readiness for it.

We pass an old graveyard and a restaurant and are supposed to come to a cave. However, the path seems to be closed off. Shame. We back track and decided to have a cold drink at the restaurant which named for the Jambe de Bois (Peg Leg) pirate.



We order “Icy Icy” Coffee Colada - a combination of espresso, coconut cream and rum.



We have terrific view in front of us of the inlet and there is a massive “gin palace” (as my mother in law calls them) which is flying a Jamaican flag. The morning is perfect.



Well, it was until some lunatic on a microphone starts up at Sandals resort. The resort complex must be a mile or so across the bay but the entire world is being treated to: “And we want to wish Gary and Linda congratulations on getting engaged and it’s Billy’s birthday so let's have a cheer. I said let's have cheer - and don’t forget you can 10% off scuba diving and……………………” it went on and on. Now, I’m not a killjoy and people are on their holidays but for something like that to invade an entire area with their rambling din just isn’t on. I don’t know about Sandals being for couples, it sounded more like Club 18 – 30. It has certainly put us off ever staying at one of their places.

We follow the trail back to the park and climb gently up to the fort. Fort Rodney and Signal Peak are the two most noticeable features of Pigeon Island National Park— with the latter affording spectacular panoramic views of the island.



We now start to head back south towards Rodney Bay. This place has a very nice marina – there are some folk who aren’t short of money, that’s for sure!



Next door are the two shopping malls. (I use that term loosely!) One is called Baywalk.





For some reason I keep thinking Baywatch. They are extending the place so there are lots of workmen sawing and hammering. I’m reminded of the joke phrase: How many St. Lucian builders does it take to hammer a nail in? There seems to be one guy hammering whilst another dozen stand around watching him.

We pop in one store that has decent stuff and buy one or two souvenirs. Any purchases you make here are Duty Free – you save
12 ½% which is their VAT rate. Yes, that is what they call it too. You just need ID (photo driving licence) and they trust you to say what flight you will be leaving on. We pick up some Tortuga cakes – think Christmas cake with rum in it. They are quite delicious. They do them in all sorts of flavours - banana - chocolate...



Darrin gets some Nike flip flops which he liked and I get a T shirt with a caption about rum.

We then pop into a perfume shop so Dar can get some aftershave. Again we get the 12 ½ % knocked off. We ask the lady in there if she can recommend somewhere for lunch. She mentions Tapas which is at the bottom of the road. We walk down there only to find the blinking place is closed. There is a gated community of apartments and they done in lovely pastel shades – very Caribbean. Shame about the prison looking gate!



In fact they could have been an inspiration for a Disney resort. The apaetments that is, not the gate!

We go back to the Mall and find a place upstairs called Matthews. We are both drenched with perspiration. Today is really humid and the temperature is 32C (89.6F) We assume that Matthew is the big guy with dreadlocks down to his waist.



There is a nice breeze in this place and it’s most welcome. I order a Piton beer (local brew) and Darrin has some brilliantly salmon pink virgin cocktail – he is driving.



I want something light so I go with a chicken and bacon salad whilst Dar has a salad with chicken, pineapple and quinoa with a light hot pepper dip. Both were really enjoyable. Service was a little slow but we weren’t rushing anywhere.





So fed and watered we head on over to Massys supermarket. Think Wilkinson’s meets Tesco.



We love looking a stuff that is different. I particularly love how in the Caribbean chicken soup becomes Cock soup! We buy some sachets that when they have water added to them make a watermelon drink. We also pick up a Sorrel one for a friend. It’s really popular here. They also do Hazlenut cream Kit Kats. They will need to go in the fridge back at our room. They turn out to be absolutely delicious!



So with a few bits and bobs we head to the till. A nice beaming smile from the young lady who serves us.



Time to head back to Rendezvous resort. We need a pool to chill down. When we arrive back there is a wedding taking place in the gazebo opposite our room:



Good Luck and Best Wishes to them.

Once we have dumped our shopping in the room we head to the Seaside pool. The bar here has seats under the water and it is so refreshing just to sit there enjoying my banana and rum cocktail. I’ve quite taken to it. It was Darrin that discovered them.



You can see some of the mozzie bites on my back!

I also like the Pink Scorpion which is a virgin cocktail. We get chatting to Mr & Mrs Tie Dye as I labelled them. They are a sweet couple who live in Santa Barbara, were originally from San Francisco and they are still living the “flower power” life “even though they are in their 60s. Good Luck to them. They are doing nobody any harm. We discuss Led Zeppelin, Beach Boys, Beatles, the Small faces (a favourite group of my time). Sunset starts to approach. We haven’t actually had a good one yet because of low cloud which is keeping the heat in. Even the staff who are locals are complaining about how humid it is! We head back to the room to shower and change for dinner. It’s a hard life.
Tonight we are at Malabar again. It’s lovely how it’s all on the beach. However, sand flies nip at your ankles as I will later discover!

Over the fence there is a barking dog and he sounds just like Blair, our Westie. (We can’t see what breed he is but he keeps barking). I say: Shut up Blair! Which makes Darrin laugh. It’s uncanny how this creature’s bark sounds so much like our little fellow.
So - food tonight at the Malabar.

It's here that I have discovered Chocolate bread. It's not sweet but it does taste of cocoa. I discover it is made by Marie. ("Marie - the baguettes!" - as Darrin exclaims. It's a Beauty & the Beast reference.) so I intend to get the recipe from her at breakfast tomorrow.




Starters: Both the same – hot crab terrine with spicy mango Kuchea & starfruit anise reduction:



Mains: Both the same again (Boy! We are boring!) – Nutmeg shrimps with papaya sauce, steamed Basmati rice and vegetables.



Desserts: We both chose the same again – Coconut Gingersnap Cup with Guinness Beer Chantilly, grape confit and tamarind sauce.



It’s a beautiful evening and there is a lovely breeze coming in off the sea. We sit and enjoy coffees before slowly making our way back to the room. Guess what? Squeaky wheel frog has been joined by his mates so tonight we have a full choral society as we drift off into oblivion.


INDEX: https://DIBB.in/12539741

A lovely day by the sound of it food looks amazing too

Another great day... those mozzie bites look sore... I bet they are driving you mad!

Thanks for sharing.

Must admit Jenny we'd love to come back but as there is not one month in the year when you don't get mosquitoes it's something we will really have to think about. One of the barman told us that at home he doesn't use air conditioning. He has large electric fans that blast the air and they don't like that and so fly away. Maybe I should strap a fan to me!

It sounds like you're having a fabulous time, with the exception of the bites.

We stayed at a Sandals resort in St Lucia, and it was nothing like it sounded for you. We purposely chose the Halcyon, which is the smallest (and quietest) resort out of the three located there though, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Oh those tortuga cakes are gorgeous and quite heavy too. Ours were like rum babas when we got them in Barbados.

Another great day and more lovely food
Shame about all the bites

Joan

It certainly looked a interesting day with all that history.

Rodney bay certainly looks a place to buy a house if you win the lottery

Food and drinks looked lovely and hopefully Mrs Frog didn't keep you awake at night.

Lesley and Melvin

Geoff. An interesting day, they have restored the area in Rodney Bay very well. Nice bit of history.
Those KitKats look interesting, love hazelnut.

As usual your dinner looks excelltn, credit to the resort they have fed you well. My Wife swears by any lemon type perfume/cream/moisturiser etc to keep the mosquitos away. Must work as she never gets bitten.

When we stayed in SL they used to do fogging for mosquitoes and it really worked, I am on the gourmet list for all bitey things and I never got bitten once.