St. Lucia

Serenity was one of five cruise ships in port today at Castries, St. Lucia. A short tender ride brought us to the pier where Alison and Stewart with Barefoot Holidays were waiting for us.

After a brief visit with Alison, we were off on a driving tour of St. Lucia. Along the way, Stewart, our wonderful driver and guide for the day, stopped periodically to suggest a photo or introduce us to local favorites - coconut water, banana ketchup and cassava bread.

During our drive down the west (Caribbean) side of the island, I was delighted to see a number of familiar sights: acres of banana trees, the twin peaks of the Pitons, the town of Canaries, lush vegetation of the rain forest, and of course Marigot Bay.

As I stepped out onto the pier at Marigot Bay, my mind went back to the 1950’s when my yacht charter company operated from this secluded bay. I’ve always been fascinated by stories of ships hiding in the bay to escape detection by passing enemy vessels.

We thoroughly enjoyed a leisurely lunch at Ladera Resort as the guests of Ralph Hooper, owner, and his daughter Holly Scott. From the vantage of our table we had a spectacular view, and again I was reminded of my many pleasant visits to the island now so long ago. Ralph and Holly invited us to see the most unique suite on the property. As if the furniture which was handmade onsite by local artisans and the handcarved details and mosaic designs were not exciting enough, I was amazed to see the fourth wall, the one that would have faced the Western horizon, has been left completely open, allowing an open air, unobstructed view of the beautiful Pitons framing the Caribbean beyond.


Although of course there have been many changes during the years I have been away from St. Lucia, the beauty of this island nation and the hospitality of her people are as real and inviting as ever. St. Lucia has always held a special place in my heart because I began my travel career here. My return visit today was made all the more memorable by the warm welcome and full attention to every detail by Barefoot Holidays, a Virtuoso On-Site, and Ladera Resort, a member of the Virtuoso Hotel & Resorts program.


Tomorrow: Bridgetown, Barbados and our first Voyager Club excursion.