Weekend in Tortola

Sugar Cane











The overrated rum distillery







Okay, I might as well get this over with and begin where we left off. I contemplated leaving this part out of the blog, but I deserve to be shamed. So, my much anticipated trip to Jost van Dyke for work was to be last Friday. I kept hearing how fun of a “work” day it is for staff and was eager to see for myself. Proudly, a few nights before my trip, I stowed my passport in with my binder since Jost is in the British Virgin Islands and I didn’t want to forget my passport. Well, lo and behold, on Friday morning the Captain asked for my passport to gather my information and I pulled it out and opened it up to… Chris’ very cute, but not necessarily what I wanted to see, face. Yup, I grabbed his passport since I recently had decided to store his in the same place as mine. After a short deliberation on whether I should go to the beach until 4:30pm to avoid admitting my mistake to Chris, or to go home with my tail between my legs, I decided I did not deserve beach and went home. Fortunately, my superior was very understanding and assured me that we all do that at some point and actually felt bad for me.

So, Jost was not to be. Another time, I suppose. After that, our weekend was very enjoyable. We skipped on over to Tortola to see what the BVIs (British Virgin Islands) have to offer. We had a very lovely day checking out different beaches and driving the island. We were told that there was this neat rum tour on the island and we figured we'd check it out, expecting an hour or two tour. After locating the distillery, we spent a whole 5 minutes on the "tour"- this consisted in walking into the only room around and getting a quick speech on how the rum is made and a few sentence history of the place. But we left with one bottle of spiced rum and a couple of pics more than what we came with. Later on in the evening, we went out to a nice dinner at a restaurant called the Sugar Mill. We stayed over in Tortola and enjoyed brunch and then made our way back to the ferry to go home. We think Tortola is beautiful and love it there, but have also realized you can do most of what you want to do on the island in one day. Any more time spent there should be in short excursions to the islands that are very close to see more sights
Once home, Chris caught up on some work and I started cooking some eggplant and chicken parmesan for our neighbors that live downstairs. It was our first “hosting” at our place and was casual and easy. Erin and Bill are younger, 24-25 yrs old, and are on the island since Erin works as a traveling nurse. They are fun and really nice and it was an enjoyable evening. It sure was nice to socialize.

So, that leaves us to another week on the island. Today I got to go on my first work excursion off island and enjoyed the day on St. John. I got to go on a tour of the island and then was in charge of the snorkeling group. It’s a tough job!

I finally heard from the wedding coordinating company. The main contact out in Miami called me on a different position. She offered me a part time to possible full time job in the main office on the island, since they are over-worked and they liked my experience/personality and was hoping I’d want to work on the planning portion. Unfortunately, they did not recall that I was leaving in May and this was more of a job that they want for someone more permanent. I am kind of bummed out because it would have been good experience, and a set weekly schedule, but it is not to be. However, I have to admit got a bit of an ego boost by how disappointed she was when I couldn’t accept the job. Anyway, she did say they were hoping to get me out in the field soon, so we’ll see what that means!

Well, that’s it for now. We have no big plans on the immidiate horizon. Our first guests arrive next week and we have some more household things to get done before. I will touch base when anything new and exciting happens.

Love you and miss you!

Weekend Re-Cap

Agricultural Fest


Well, we did not go on any of our grand adventures this weekend. We had decided on a third option, Tortola, in the BVIs, which would have been an overnight trip. But, when we got up bright and early on Saturday to catch our ferry, it was pouring, pouring, pouring. In checking our islands forecasts, all islands were supposed to be like that until this Wednesday. So, we decided to stay home and work on the bathroom. However, mid-morning weather turning for the better, so we made our way to check out the west and north end of St. Thomas, since I had not been there before and we were directed to a couple of places.



The first place we tried to find was a beach known as Stumpy's, which is supposed to be hard to find and very locally known (meaning few tourists and more often than not a beach to ourselves). Well, true to what we've been told, it is hard to find and we have yet to find it. We did stumble upon an agricultural fair that is held annually and we were told it was pretty cool to check out. It wasn't all that great, but an interesting side track. Then we went off to Hull Bay, another beace we were told about that has a restaurant/bar and plays music on Sunday nights. I was a nice little beach, but we decided that we can get the same atmosphere and food at our Bolongo Bay beach, just a short walk from our doorsteps.



Finally, we parked ourselves at Magan's bay for a bit and enjoyed the view and the atmosphere- it is a beautiful beach. Then back to our nest and into the pool!



It was a lovely casual Saturday! Sunday was spent with Chris in the bathroom doing some demolition and putting in venting and a lot of grunt work. I dutifully stood nearby on call. Hopefully next weekend we will visit Tortola and put this bathroom stuff behind us!



As for my working week, my job brings me on an excursion to Jost Van Dyke on Friday. Sounds like I'll get to check things out first before Chris and I make it there on our own. Work has not given me too many hours this week, so I hope to let them know that I am available for more hours. If that doesn't work, I will be knocking down some more doors. I have not yet heard from the Wedding Coordinating position and am beginning to think that might not work out. Oh well! Perhaps I am really, really not meant to coordinate weddings. I should take this as a sign...



I hope everyone enjoys their week!

Hummingbirds!!!

I will be shocked if this works but, if so, then you will be seeing a video of one of our new little friends. We got a hummingbird feeder and, after being mislead that they would love rose water (they didn't), we made a sugar water recipe that has led to much action.

In fact, since hummingbirds are territorial, there seems to be some turf wars between these delicate little birds. With that and the finches that often try to sneak a drink, we have constant action on the back porch.

We've also purchased a Venus Fly Trap to try to fight the mesquitos that have made our casa their casa. I think it might be working! Those are fascinating little plants that visibly close their jaws on their "kill". Morbid, really, but not when you are talking about eating those miserable little bugs that keep me scratching my legs all day long. :)

Bedroom Before

Bedroom After

Working woman!

Us at Havana Blue- our new favorite restaurant!!!

I officially got back into the working world this week. I was placed on the "hospitality desk" for an incoming group of eager, excited and very happy sales people who earned this trip to St. Thomas. My office was the Ritz Carlton, with a view overlooking the infinity pool and blue green sea. Terrible! I was scheduled for 4 days as a person in training, to observe and not necessarily do much, since I had a coworker and the company only paid my employers for one person. I was able to learn a lot about local restaurants and places and did pitch in to help when it got busy (how could I possibly sit and not help, when none of the visiting guest knew I was merely there to observe?). By the fourth day, my "trainer" was out sick and I was on my own. Fortunately, it was a slow day and I made it through unscathed. I've heard that this role at the hospitality desk is one of the least sought out as it is boring and makes for a long day. True, but I can't complain. It was pleasant work! I do hope to get out and do some excursions with the job, but I am sure that will come soon enough.

On my first day (Saturday), my "trainer", Chastity, insisted that Chris and I try her favorite restaurant on the island, Havana Blue, since I mentioned we were looking to find a place to eat. We went, and it was delicious! Those that are here to visit may find that we recommend we go there one night. But, then again, there are many places we have yet to go.

This weekend has been deemed a play weekend for Chris and I, as we both worked last weekend. We are torn between visiting the British Virgin Island of Jost Van Dyke, widely known at the party island or "mischievous sibling" of the other islands or going to Virgin Gorda- where it's more beauty than booze.

The big draw to Jost is the Soggy Dollar Bar, named because they don't have a dock, so the guests swim ashore from their boats and buy drinks with their 'soggy dollars.' www.soggydollar.com

Or, we may go to Virgin Gorda, where you find the Baths- At The Baths, the beach shows evidence of the island's volcanic origins, as huge granite boulders lie in piles on the beach, forming scenic grottoes that are open to the sea. http://www.bareboatsbvi.com/virgin_gorda_the_baths.html

Stay tuned for a recap next week of where we ended up going!

I will be posting next pics of bedroom that I have promised for so long!

TGIF!

Not too much has happened this week from when I last checked in, but I have my first official day of work tomorrow for Island Meetings and Incentives and am excited to be back in the working world (I know-who'd have thought I'd be excited about work). I will be training, so I don't actually have to take on any responsibilities, just observe. They are starting me off easy- working the hospitality desk at the Ritz for weekend and Monday and Tuesday.

We got a hummingbird feeder today and are eagerly awaiting the first visitor. Will try to take pics. With me working this weekend, Chris hopes to get some work done around the condo, so hopefully we'll have photos of the bedroom soon. Other than that, nothing too new to report. Hope everyone is having a great week!

Happy 2009!!

The beginning of our hike

The bay where our hike started







Ram's Head cliff








Drunkard at Drunk Bay











Trunk bay

Happy 2009!!

We are off to a great 2009 here in St. Thomas! After spending the weekend and week working on the bedroom (mostly Chris) and running errands all over the island trying to find things that we need for the bedroom (mostly me), and an all day “interview” for a job as a second mate on a catamaran (me), we decided to kick back on New Year’s Eve with a nice dinner out and then went to see a band Chris loves called Toots and the Maytals.

No before and after pics of the bedroom yet, since we took the weekend off and have a couple of finishing touches. I know our families are eager to see photos!

The “interview” that I spoke of was for a job that I would probably prefer over the other other two. I could walk to work and would be on a boat all day, but it wasn’t meant to be. Their schedule would be all over the place with nights and weekends, and we are trying to stay away from that. But it was a great day practicing how to be a 2nd mate and the added bonus was that after I was off the boat on Wednesday, I actually felt like I was on a boat all night long. Very surreal. If that has ever happened to any of you before, then you’ll know what I’m talking about. It’s crazy. You are totally off kilter and the ground feels like it’s moving.

New Year’s eve was a lot of fun. We went to dinner near our condo and then to Yacht Haven Grand to where Toots went on at Midnight. It was all outdoors and in an area where the cruise ships come into port. Toots was great and the venue was not too crowded, but had enough people there to be interesting. We have no pictures from New Year’s b/c we didn’t want to bring out the camera. Sorry!

This weekend we decided to make it a “play” kind of weekend, since last weekend was all work. We went to St. John on Saturday and Chris took me on a hike called Ram’s Head, that lead along the shore up to some cliffs and then onto a short trail called Drunk Bay- from the pictures why it is called that. Somehow, a tradition began where visitors make people out of shells, rock and whatever else they can find on the beach.

After the hike, we headed to Trunk Bay, which is a beautiful, pristine beach that is up there on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world (so Chris says he saw on TV). The beach was gorgeous, but the waves were breaking at 9-10 feet and the tide was up so high that there was no room to sit. Just beach and then jungle. But the swimming was fun!

On Sunday, we went on our first dive here on St. Thomas. The dive shop is right down the street, so we hope to use the place often. The diving was very nice, but not too action packed. We saw a couple of barracudas, a sea turtle and lot’s of tropical fish. The second dive was an old wreck that used to be sleeping quarters for the army during WWII. They had run out of room for bunking on the island and needed to sleep people on the ship. Once they were done with the war, they had no more use for it, so they sank it.

That's it for now! Will talk to you soon. :)