Antigua

Monday the 16^th of April 2012

Our last port of call in the Caribbean is St Johns in Antigua. We have been here before and apart from the development in the port area it has not changed. It is a typical example of a Caribbean Island with a fierce heat a population taking their time to get to places (apart from the cars that want to be faster but can’t because of the traffic)!and there is reggae music blasting out from shops with the cars are running on the bass beat of the music as they pass by with the windows wound down so that the music in the cars mixes with that of the general sound in the town.

We spent today in the town going to and fro as best we could in the melee of the Centre with taxi drivers vying for fares and shop owners crying out for us to visit their shops to buy their wares. This place is certainly not disability friendly and I had often to join the cars in the roads. We were even offered some drugs by a Rasta man in the street.

We visited St John’s Cathedral but it was closed for major renovations.

Before that we visited the Salvation Army! Last time we were here we also made visit and were welcomed to go into the school to see the children in their learning environment. This time the kids were on holiday but we met the DC Major Rosemary Brown and we had a long chat with her about the work they do which is very prolific. Major Rosemary is a friend  our CO Major Mandy White and she sends her best wishes.

We enjoyed today in this hot, busy, friendly place and would not hesitate to come again if we have the chance.

Leaving port we had another sail away party on the back deck with Black Watch orchestra and Fely (you say it Fayly) the band singer. Let me tell you a little about Fely; she is a lovely Filipino woman with a voice that lends itself entirely to the band. Her voice is sometimes hard but then softens into some beautiful tones. She has amazing breath control and her vowel sounds are often lifted on her breath and finished with consonants that are softly but clearly stated. A great singer but some on the ship do not like her. She has a Filipino accent which is absolutely delightful as she sings. Thinking about it even Frank Sinatra himself did not do it. Oh and Fely is the girlfriend of Joey the Trombone player.

We are off to the Azores now for our final port of call!

Fd