Orchids

Who could not love this flower...

Anyone know what this is? There are laws about getting flowers from here to Kansas. I am enamored with the idea of growing these at home... any help???

All pretty... But I still like him best...

He was First

More to come.

I could show these every day

Flowers

Creatures - This is an eel, on a very clear day when we were snorkeling.

Fish

Views - This is St John

And I still can not stop taking pictures of Iguanas. even though I see them every day.

More Tropical Flowers

Flowers Everywhere

Tropical flowers are around every corner...

Every color you can imagine...

Even the same type of flower in different vibrant colors...

Water Island

Water Island is one of the two islands in the middle of the harbor at Charlotte Amalie. There is a water ferry service...

Visitors to Water Island must take the small Water Island ferry (max. 25 passengers) which operates daily between Crown Bay Marina on St. Thomas and Phillips Landing on Water Island. The ferry docks in front of Tickles Restaurant at the marina. Ferry service is reliable and takes about 10 minutes, one way. There is no car ferry.

The above quote is from the Water Islands section of VI NOWwebsite - http://www.vinow.com, which is a terrific website for anyone planning a trip to the islands.

Water Island has a population a dozen people could count on their hands, is quiet and at times feels desolate. The baches are beautiful and uncrowded. It is the perfect place to "get away" from it all. Because you are away!

The water ferry is a fun trip on it's own... $5 each way, you get a nice view of the boats in the harbor...

Tiny sail boats, big cruise ships and multi multi million dollar yachts.

Once you land, it is an easy walk to HONEYMOON BEACH! A beautiful cove setting, popular with private boaters, and a hidden secret from tourists...

White sandy beaches, almost no one around and crystal clear blue water. I didn't have my snorkeling equipment, so I don;t know how the fishies look, but the beach was among the best I have seen since I arrived.

I found a path on the other side of the beach and walked around a bit...

there were a few really nice houses, but not many

This is their post office...

And lending library... No need to check anything out, just grab a book.

But the star of the island (other than the beach) is the wild flowers.

Hey, if you don't want to shop in Charlotte Amalie, and don't want to fight the crowds that will always be at Magens Bay (rated one of the top 10 beaches in the world, so always an attraction for the tour buses)...

Hop on the water ferry and give Water Island a shot!

99 Steps... Um... Well, 103 steps actually

Don't bother to count em, thousands before you have, and the published total is 103 steps. No one knows why the incorrect name, but it does have a more romantic sound to it. So, the 99 Steps it is. Located between Blackbeard's Tower (it's coming on this blog soon) and the Governor's Offices, it is a very steep climb to the top.

Much of the city's historical landmarks are at the top of the stairs, so it is entertaining to watch the cruise ship tourists struggle to climb.

Blackbeard's castle (like the number, badly named, but I digress and I am ahead of myself), the Rum Factory, Britannia House, the Three Queens Statue, at the base of the stairs is an Amber Museum and a walking tour of the grounds starts up the stairs.

So, the tourists make the climb. It is the shortest way to get to Jackie's office from our temporary housing. So, I walk them 3 times a day.

First thing you will notice, the stairs are very uneven, and the bricks are different colors. Before the infrastructure of the city was improved with roads (which is another story), this staircase was the fastest way to many of the busiest homes on the island. So, it was used as a mule pull. the broken bricks, wear and ruts were caused by the carts going up daily.

You will also notice the different colors of the bricks. There was not a brick manufacturing business on the island when the steps were built. The bricks were used as ballast on the ships coming to the New World (ships would arrive empty and return with the fruits of the local labor (Molasses to Rum to Slaves)). These bricks were then off loaded and replaced with kegs of rum. The different colors came from the holds of different ships.

But for those out of shape tourists, take a moment and enjoy the flours that line the walk. There are over a dozen varieties of local beauties...





And the view of the harbor from the top makes it all worth the trip...