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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Feb 27, 2024 10:00 PM Fish market - come early!
Today it is raining from time to time in Pointe-a-Pitre. But these short showers are welcomed - they make day temperature (normally - 30 deg Celsius) little lower. I woke up earlier to go to the inner port to see the morning fish market. Fishermen are selling their night catch from 6 to 9 am - later it is too hot for the fish even if they put some ice on it. I was impressed not by the size of the offered fish (although there were also few 20-kilo tunas) but by the variety and colors of the fish. Octopuses were also on sale! See more pictures in my gallery...
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Feb 26, 2024 10:00 PM Closed tourist office...
Guadeloupe is a popular tourist destination. In the corner of the main Victoire square there is nice colonial building housing tourist info office. But it is firmly locked since few days - the paper on the gate says that they repair something inside. Tourists are disappointed - no info, no maps... Why they do not pitch a tent in their garden to distribute maps and to help foreigners? But this is lazy Guadeloupe! They have a website but it is worth nothing...
Since my last visit something new appeared in the landscape of the city: MACT - memorial of slavery and human trade. There is conference center and exhibitions. Entry costs 15 euro! But it is worth to be here just to enjoy its modern architecture...
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Feb 25, 2024 10:00 PM Rum in Guadeloupe
From the window of my room I see the cruise ships docking in the port. Today it is Virgin and AidaPerla. Guadeloupe is popular destination for the cruise ships! It is time for me to make the laundry (in the tropics the clothes get quickly very sweaty) and to relax.
I took a walk to the nearest supermarket to buy a bottle of local rum (9 euro per 1-litre bottle and there is a big choice from different local destilleries). It is strong, but the locals usually use it to make a punch - mixing it with different juices. So do I! Cheers!
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Feb 24, 2024 10:00 PM Back to Gwadeloupe
After one week our cruise ship returned to Pointe-au-Pitre. They wanted us to empty the cabin already at 8 am but Pole-Pole! we paid the money and we are on the vacations... The service on this big ship is only so-so, but they charged from us full amount of suggested tips for the crew - 12 euro per night.
I booked well in advance via the booking.com the room in Pointe-au-Pitre. We were walking from the port about 20 m8nutes to find the place - rather ugly house with Chinese restaurant downstairs. But the door was closed. After several phone calls and e-mails the owner called me informing that she is no longer in booking.com. But the reservation was active and paid! I contacted Booking.com and they found for me another room close to the port. They promised to pay the price difference. But we were waiting 3,5 hours in the heat of 29 deg for their decision... Shame...
After lunch and some relax I book a taxi to the airport (some 30 euro) for my son and grandsons. Time to say goodbye... Kids must go back to the school! I hope they will keep this exotic cruise among their best memories...
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Feb 23, 2024 10:00 PM Jolie Martinique... West Indies
The sun is not as strong as yesterday so it is easier to walk along the cozy, narrow streets of Fort de France. Memories, memories... Toll palms, tropical flowers, vibrant music.
I took my companions to the elegant city library, then to the cathedral and to the city market. So many colors there!. On the old city hall with enormous travellers palms in front I met just married local couple - there was a lot of fun when I was asking them for the picture together. I congratulated them, wishing all yhe best on new way of life Fort de France is clean and has a chic! But they destroyed the monument of imperatriz Josephine staying before on the Savane park. Josephine was from Martinique. Lovely day, but tomorrow morning we will be back to Guadeloupe and my companions will fly home
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Feb 22, 2024 10:00 PM Beautiful but poor Grenada
They call it Spice Island because in their gardens local people produce a lot of cocoa, nutmeg, cinamon and other spices. We are docking in the beautiful little port of Saint Georges. The city, full of old color houses is spread around little, picturesque Carenage Bay... Churches are on the hills... I was impressed by the landscape when I was here some 30 years ago. Today I decided to climb to the Fort Frederick overlooking the bay and the lagoon. Public microbus goes there, but I preffered to walk for pictures. It was worth. Already from the proson stop there was great ponoramic view. Fror the fort (free entry) panorama is even wider..It took me 1,5 hours up and 1 hour dowhill . Goood exercise, but took plenty of water!
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Feb 21, 2024 10:00 PM Saint Vincent - Caribbean
In the morning we entered the Bay of Saint Vincent. This is one of the most picturesque ports in the Caribbean - surrounded by picturesque mountains. Hot sun! Already at 9.30 am we got out of the ship to enjoy the life of the poor people living here. Noise music and traffic jams on the narrow main street... Caribbean music, including steel drums were plaing when I was passing the colonial center to the botanical garden and catholic cathedral. They charge 2 USD per person entry fee to the garden plus 4 if you need a guide. Famous breadfruit tree brought from Tahiti by captain Bligh is still there (actually descendent of the first one).
Then I started climb to fort Charlotte like years ago. It took me one hour to reach the gate and to recognize, that Fort Charlotte is now closed for restauration. But the view from the gate is still exciting!
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Feb 20, 2024 10:00 PM Captain Corrado
Day at sea. I have been invited for Captain's Coctail. I introduced myself and captain congratulated me my traveller's achievements. We took a souvenir picture - it is my 38th captain, isn't he?
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Feb 19, 2024 10:00 PM Barbados on the horizon!
Ahoy, we are approaching Barbados. Very hot sun. It was 10 am when we disembared our ship in Bridgetown port. They have nice and clean arrival hall with many souvenir shops. The quality of the free wifi improved!
Always when I am here I skip the taxi drivers and walk from the port to the old, colonial center. It did not changed much. The bells are ringing the time on the tower of parliament, many barefoot people, trees in blossom. Under the roof of Golden Square local people are plaing chess and using free internet like me. Lazy time and pleasant breeze from Atlantic Ocean...
Tomorrow we have a day at sea, on Thursday we plan to reach Saint Vincent and then - Grenada...
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Feb 18, 2024 10:00 PM Saint Lucia Island
The sun was rising when our ship entered the narrow bay on Castries - the capital of independent Saint Lucia state. The port has a spectacular location - surrounded by green mountains. It is poor but friendly nation of the friendly, black skin people. They celebrate anniversary of independence on Feb 22nd and the capital is accordingly decorated in the national flag colors. Despite of the heat I took the walk to the well-known places visiting the wooden cathedral, a big, historic tree on the main square and colonial houses in the center. City market is still interesting too - full of spices, straw product and tropical fruits. Nice place!
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