Nevis today!

Michael and I went to Nevis today (Jossie chose to run a Behaviour Clinic instead). We walked around for hours! Good thing too, because I had a slice of cheese cake right off the ferry that a kids charity was selling. I haven't had cheese cake... in well, since I've been here, and it was topped with fresh fruit. I haven't had blueberries in a really really long time too.

Nevis has a hot springs (sorta) within walking distance of the ferry. The water was pretty scuzzy and there were naked people bathing in it! They said it was the 'Nevian way' to bathe naked with ye' ole melons hanging. I was too shy to get a pict of it (that and I didn't want to have to give them money). The water was very hot, as hot as a spa (110.F), and had no fish. Did I mention it was really scuzzy?

We then walked to a nearby gas station and caught a bus. It has Bob Marley stickers all over it. Hmmm, suspicious? The driver dropped us off along a dirt road and pointed us toward the botanical gardens. He said it was a bit of a walk, but he didn't mention we'd be walking for over an hour! By this time it was getting close to mid day, and mid day in the Caribbean is pretty hot. We stopped to rest several times, walked through road construction, and finally found our destination.

As you can see, the botanical gardens were worth the walk. They had orchids everywhere-- on in the dirt, in the palm trees, on the walls. The orchid garden was probably an acre in size. There were all colors: red, purple, blue, green, yellow, and some with brown spots.

There was also a huge rain forest thingy complete with a fake Aztec/Inca temple and screaming green Amazon parrots. We found the overpriced gift shop after that and went upstairs for lunch. Unfortunately, they wanted to charge an arm and two legs for lunch, so we had a snack.

The snack was really good. It was 3 chicken strips, 3 jerk chicken wings, and blue cheese dip for $12US (plus 20% tax and tip). Way over priced, but it was really good.

Next we wandered over to the cactus garden and found some really huge awesome caterpillars! They were so cool and I have no idea what they were, but they were really cool. I think I'm going to give them bonus points for eating cactus.

I hate cacti. I love kitty-a-pillars.

As we left we asked the guard which direction to the main road would be quicker: left from where we came, or right a new adventure of walking. We chose the path not traveled yet: right.

We walked and the path was fairly level, then it got hilly. It was like a mountain. I'm not sure which was further, the left or the right, but there was a food hut on the walk toward the right. We stopped briefly to grab a bite of coconut cake, and continued on.

The road snaked thru the shacks of Nevis. It felt like we walked forever until we finally found a bus stop. We hopped in a bus, but the guy wanted to charge us way too much. I eventually haggled him down to something more reasonable (even though there are supposed to be set prices, which he still exceeded) and he drove us to the Four Seasons Resort.

The Four Seasons was nice, but I think the Marriott is nicer. The Marriott is definitely larger, but the Four Seasons definitely has a nicer beach. As we walked around we got looks as though he was a really rich old guy and I was the big boobied blonde trophy wife. I thought it was funny since i get the same looks when Dad and I go places. People have dirty minds these days.

We walked down the beach until we found a more affordable bar to partake in adult beverages and settled on some crummy lounge chairs. I covered my face and took a nap on the beach. Sure is nice to be in vet school in the Caribbean... or earning my DVM while I'm on vacation.

We were awoken by a screaming local woman asking to know if we were "the archaeologists." I was unbelievably ticked, but held it in quite well. We checked out the bar for food, and since it was so overpriced, we decided to hike to the main road to catch a bus back to town.

A rasta man stopped to pick up up and he asked where we were from. We told him we lived over on St Kitts and that everyone kept trying to over charge us. As we got out he said the ride was on the house, but I paid him anyway. He recommended a few Jamaican restaurants for us too (we were hungry).

On the way, we swung by Alexander Hamilton's birthplace, which was closed, and we continued to search for food. We found the Jamaican restaurants , which were closed too, and we continued to wander in circles. We found another food hut and had some fabulous home cookin.'

By 7pm we were back at the port ready to catch the 7:30pm ferry back home. And and and, I didn't get sick and vomit on the ferry ride there or back!!! (I think that's a first.)