So yesterday was a sea day and Peter had his art classes. The film Papillon was shown at the same time as the class yesterday, which was disappointing. Even though we've seen it so many times before, we wanted to see it again. We've been recommending it to the passengers up until now, and then the Captain did the same thing during the noonday announcement. Needless to say, Peter's class numbers were down. Apparently there was also an added bit of entertainment during the showing of the film. Two passengers wanted to sit in the same place, and neither was going to give way. They where pushing and elbowing, trying to force each other out of the seat. The ship's Assistant Cruise Director stepped in to try and resolve the problem, but they were having none of it. Both passengers sat and watched the whole film more or less on each other's laps. Still pushing and elbowing each other throughout the showing.
Peter has also caught a raging cold, and although he managed to get through his lessons, he was absolutely knackered at the end. We hoped he would be better today, but he is still suffering. He's determined to get ashore and enjoy the day, so he's doing his best to ignore the symptoms.
And this is because we've arrived at our favourite island, with all day to enjoy it. Knowing that most of the passengers will be dead keen to get ashore early, we weren't in too much of a rush even though we wanted plenty of time ashore. But we did get across a little after 10.
As usual, we set off right, and as usual, we took the low path to walk completely around the outside of the island, taking in views of St Joseph's and Royal island as we went. As usual, there was a good strong breeze bustling through the palm trees, and as usual waves crashed against the shore. We looked for turtles in the water, and wildlife along the path as walked. Definitely one of our favourite places in the world.
We met on the passengers who'd been ashore for an an hour or so, someone we knew from Peter's classes. He'd already been around the island and was now heading back to the pier and the ship, apparently not that impressed with the place. "Have you not seen the monkeys and agouti's?" I asked, "Macaws? Hummingbirds? What about the old penal colony buildings?" Nothing seemed to have affected him. "Well, you must have been impressed with the flowers?", I mean, the place was like a botanical garden, full of so many different beautiful flowers, plants and trees. Nope, he'd not seen those either.
I've heard it so many times in the past. Voices complaining that the Amazon was disappointing, because you don't see anything. To many of those voices I would say "Stand still, open your eyes, shut your mouth and listen", because these are people who spend all their time looking out for faults, listening for gossip and thinking about petty issues. They can't see the wonderful things around them because it takes a little bit of time and concentration. But not everyone is like that, including the man in front of us. He isn't ignorant or stupid, he just didn't see the same things that Peter and I did. Is that because we are used to looking for them and he isn't, or is it because we have different interests? I don't know. It's weird though. I wanted him to find the same pleasure in the place that we did, probably because we all want people to like the same things that we do, it confirms that we are correct in our enjoyment. Thinking about it a little more, it's a shame that he didn't see with the same eyes, I would have liked to see him to enjoy the place more.
We carried on walking around the island, noticing that there was something different from our previous visits. The noise of the cicadas. I say noise. I mean racket! Normally there is a loud whirring sawing noise that fills the air as soon as you step of the pier on to the island, and that noise was missing. We walked two thirds of the way around, and all we heard was the wind rustling and bustling throught the leaves of the palms.
We did see other stuff though. Agouti's, ghecko's and these evil looking wasps.
Then the noise started, as if someone had started a chainsaw, then another chainsaw kicked in, then another. The cicada's were back and the place felt normal again. They've not let us down yet.
As we walked on around, we got to see the turtles again. They must feed in the area and you only see them when they come up for a few moments for air. This makes it very difficult to get a photograph.
Now nearly back at the pier, we turned inland and walked uphill to the centre of the island where all the buildings are. There's a restaurant and cafe there, and places to stay if you want to. On the way, we came across the monkeys. There are two types on the island, this is a Brown Cappuchin.
On our way to the buildings at the centre of the island, we passed the children's cemetary, the large number of graves a very sad reminder that this place could be nearly as miserable for the prison staff as it was for the prisoners. Malaria and Yellow Fever make no distinctions.
At the cafe, which is housed in a building that used to be the prison warders mess, we enjoyed a sandwich, a cold drink and the view of Devil's Island. The monkeys kept everyone entertained, squabbling with each other and stealing food while peacocks and hens pecked at any crumbs that had been missed.
Then it was time to have a wander around the old buildings of the penal colony, but not before checking out the gardens and the old pond near to the restaurant, the flowers are beautifu and the trees bear fruit that we would never see in the UK. Iguana's live there too.
As for the penal colony buildings. They are a cold reminder of the horrific history hidden beneath the beauty of the island. I've taken loads of pictures in the past and they can be seen on previous blog posts.
Isle De Salut 2012
Isle De Salut 2013 - 1st Post
Isle De Salut 2014
It started to rain as we started back the tenders, which only served to make sure we got back quickly, but it's been a brilliant day and we were more than happy. Tomorrow is a sea day and then we reach the Caribbean. Our first port will be Scarborough, on the island of Tobago, and we'll probably be escorting. I wonder where that will take us?
Peter has also caught a raging cold, and although he managed to get through his lessons, he was absolutely knackered at the end. We hoped he would be better today, but he is still suffering. He's determined to get ashore and enjoy the day, so he's doing his best to ignore the symptoms.
And this is because we've arrived at our favourite island, with all day to enjoy it. Knowing that most of the passengers will be dead keen to get ashore early, we weren't in too much of a rush even though we wanted plenty of time ashore. But we did get across a little after 10.
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| Devil's Island from Royal Island |
We met on the passengers who'd been ashore for an an hour or so, someone we knew from Peter's classes. He'd already been around the island and was now heading back to the pier and the ship, apparently not that impressed with the place. "Have you not seen the monkeys and agouti's?" I asked, "Macaws? Hummingbirds? What about the old penal colony buildings?" Nothing seemed to have affected him. "Well, you must have been impressed with the flowers?", I mean, the place was like a botanical garden, full of so many different beautiful flowers, plants and trees. Nope, he'd not seen those either.
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| Agouti or Palm Rat |
We carried on walking around the island, noticing that there was something different from our previous visits. The noise of the cicadas. I say noise. I mean racket! Normally there is a loud whirring sawing noise that fills the air as soon as you step of the pier on to the island, and that noise was missing. We walked two thirds of the way around, and all we heard was the wind rustling and bustling throught the leaves of the palms.
As we walked on around, we got to see the turtles again. They must feed in the area and you only see them when they come up for a few moments for air. This makes it very difficult to get a photograph.
Now nearly back at the pier, we turned inland and walked uphill to the centre of the island where all the buildings are. There's a restaurant and cafe there, and places to stay if you want to. On the way, we came across the monkeys. There are two types on the island, this is a Brown Cappuchin.
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| This is a Soursop. Apparently it's really nice and sweet when it's ripe. |
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| Add caption |
As for the penal colony buildings. They are a cold reminder of the horrific history hidden beneath the beauty of the island. I've taken loads of pictures in the past and they can be seen on previous blog posts.
Isle De Salut 2012
Isle De Salut 2013 - 1st Post
Isle De Salut 2014
It started to rain as we started back the tenders, which only served to make sure we got back quickly, but it's been a brilliant day and we were more than happy. Tomorrow is a sea day and then we reach the Caribbean. Our first port will be Scarborough, on the island of Tobago, and we'll probably be escorting. I wonder where that will take us?
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