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Thursday, April 12, 2012

The U.S. Virgin Islands 2010

Traveling the winding mountain roads of St. Thomas or St. John in an open air taxi is initially unnerving but fun. The white and pastel color houses nestled in the emerald mountains, exotic blooms and fragrant herbs, glimpses of picturesque harbors and sapphire seas take your breath away. 




Enjoying year-round mild temperatures, the islands are located between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. The most well known are St. Thomas, St John and St. Croix.

St. Thomas
Charlotte Amalie, named after the Queen of Denmark is the capital of St. Thomas and a major cruise ship destination.  The vibrant color of this quaint town comes from the old Danish warehouses, now restored as retail stores and cafes, stretching from the downtown waterfront to the Main Street. 
Among the beaches, Coki Point has some great snorkeling and is located next to the aquarium at Coral Reef. And Megans Bay, the most famous beach in St. Thomas has been noted in the top ten beaches of the world by National Geographic. Surrounded on two sides by mountains, it gently slopes into calm waters. We spent a wonderful morning at Megans Bay the day we flew back to New York. The water was warm and gentle, and the surrounding beauty and silence soothing.



Contemporary Virgin Islanders are a mix of the Arawak and Carib Indians, people of Africa, Europe, India and the United States. The ethnic diversity flavors the cuisine. 

St. John
St. John is a short 20-minute ferry ride from St. Thomas with numerous hiking trails and secluded beaches offering snorkeling and scuba diving. 
Co-existence of the pelican folk and the human folk!



A must see is The Annaberg Sugar Mill ruin. It has the tallest windmill in the Virgin Islands. Early planters used Danish convicts as laborers and later the enslaved Africans.

Monday, February 6, 2012

CAP JULUCA, ANGUILLA 2011


We took a flight from NY to the US part of St. Marten and then a boat to Anguilla. Our annual Thanksgiving vacation:) This is less time consuming than to fly directly into Anguilla.

The boat ride on a rainy day......



 The 25 mins ferry  ride to Anguilla was fun, we were offered water and drinks on board. The sea was choppy in a few places,  Passed some scenic towns on the way and a few wrecks!



A taxi from the Anguilla port to Cap Juluca was another 20 minutes or so. The resort is not too modern or new, but casually elegant and child friendly. The beach is simply breathtaking, spanning miles of smooth golden sand.



Our Villa had adjoining rooms with balconies, and to our pleasant surprise, one room had a private roof terrace, while the other had a sun room attached to the bathroom.

View from our private rooftop terrace. Sunbathing, stargazing or a romantic evening with candles are nice options.




Tea is served everyday between 4:30 and 6:00 at cap Juluca, in the verandah of the main building; and its relaxing just to sip a drink and look at the darkening Caribbean sea. Golf carts are available for travel within the resort.

A flight of stairs down from our villa, seconds on a charming tree lined path, and presto - the beach on a warm sunny day.



View from the balcony.........




When the evening sets against the sky.............




Morning view......




P.S. Anguilla is a British territory, if you are a U.S. Citizen you do not require a visa. For a list of countries that require visa to enter St. Maarten or Anguilla please check out the website http://www.visahq.com/visas.php. (This website can help you with information about visas to other countries as well).