Almost there!
While not our typical mode of travel, every once in a while it feels great to escape on a more traditional vacation. Since we’re still planning (hoping?) to earn some income this year, we decided on a short hop, and exchanged a timeshare week for a stay at Bluebeard’s Beach Club in St. Thomas, one of the US Virgin Islands.
Bluebeard’s Beach Club
Our unit was a studio, with a sleeping area, a sitting area (each with its own TV), a balcony, and a “limited” kitchen. We bought groceries at the beginning of the week at Pueblo, the supermarket in downtown Charlotte Amalie, and the full-sized fridge and two burners plus dishes, coffee pot, blender, knives and other accessories were plenty for our cooking needs. This was especially helpful, since there is no restaurant on the property, but it’s also a great way to save quite a few bucks by at least making breakfasts and eating in some of the time. Pueblo also has GREAT prices on their rum. We checked around. The Cruzan Blackstrap we bought at Pueblo was almost $3 cheaper per bottle than Al Cohen’s Discount Liquor warehouse right down the road. The beach at Bluebeard’s is really nice, small, but big enough to not feel too crowded. The resort felt secluded and very relaxed, which was perfect for us. We were left on our own to discover the island. It’s best to rent a car if you want to do some exploring, but even though the steering wheel is still on the left and St. Thomas is part of the US, they drive on the left, so be sure to keep that in mind! Otherwise, there are numerous taxis and safari cabs (like an oversized, open air tuk tuk!) to take you around the island.
Looking down to Charlotte Amalie
St. Thomas is the most cosmopolitan of the US Virgin Islands, and it receives more cruise ships than almost anywhere in the Caribbean. The island is about 32 sq. miles in area, so it’s got lots of space to get away from the crowds. The most popular activities for tourists are oriented around the picture-perfect beaches and the clear waters offshore. There’s good snorkeling, diving, sailing and boating, paddleboards and jetskis all easily accessible. On land there’s duty free shopping if you’re into that (and it seems many are, especially those cruise-shippers). There’s also a lot of history mixed in: Fort Christian, built in 1680, Market Square (once one of the Caribbean’s busiest 18th-century slave markets, and The 99 Steps, built from ballast from British and Danish ships.
Dining options are varied, from upscale, white tablecloth to basic food-truck. Bars are everywhere, most with good Happy Hour specials and free-flowing local rum, along with the famous Virgin Island Painkillers. One thing that got to us in the US Virgin Islands was that “local” or “Domestic” beer was Budweiser and Coors. Blah! While it might not be THAT much tastier, it’s somehow more fun to down a Banks (Barbados), Red Stripe (Jamaica) or Kalik (Bahamas) if you’re in the Caribbean. Seeing that St Thomas’ capital, Charlotte Amalie was established in 1666 as Taphaus (Beer House or Hall), it seems they should capitalize more on that history and focus on some good beers. That being said, we did discover a new love for the distinctive Blackstrap rum, and enjoy some delicious fresh fish and local flavors.
It was a relaxing week, but we were able to see and do a lot, which we’ll cover in an upcoming post.
