Upon return from a vacation it is always hard to
remember all the moving parts that made the trip memorable. I have
found that the very good and the really bad are much easier to recapture in my mind than
the things that just happen daily. So here is the wrap up, and I will
try to capture some of the mundane as well as the high and low lights of our
trip.
Our motivating factors, if we really need one, to go to
St John, was for Janet to participate in Beach-to-Beach Power Swim and catch up
and have some chill time with our friends.
Both of our goals were successful! And to top it all off - this trip included so many first time experiences which made this getaway very special.
Both of our goals were successful! And to top it all off - this trip included so many first time experiences which made this getaway very special.
Janet completed the 3.5 miles swim, and even had a time
improvement under much tougher conditions than her last Power Swim.
The water swells were much larger than in 2010, but what really made this swim harder was that her water iPod went dead at the beginning of the race. No
worries, as reported, it did not affect Towel Boy at all. He was waiting for her at the finish line. If I had to guess, I think she pulled her cap to tight when the horn went off and hit
the off button on iPod. Oh well she had hum her
way to the finish.
The Other Side:
Staying on the “other” side of the island for the first
time was really fun. There is definitely a different vibe between the
Cruz Bay and the Coral Bay side of the island. What Coral Bay lacks in
conveniences of life are quickly over shadowed by the adventures one can find nearby.
One thing I can now say, beyond a shadow of doubt, that whether one stays in
Cruz Bay or Coral Bay they will leave knowing St John is an amazing island.
Lodging this time was with friends in their sabbatical
home. A two bedroom – two bath not far from Aqua Bistro, and was and
ideal location for our week. The screen porch overlooks Coral Bay, and is
a wonderful place to begin or end a day’s adventure. With friends living on island it relieved us from
having to rent a vehicle for the week also. So nothing to add on lodging
or vehicle rental this trip except friends on island are a nice thing to have.
Highlights (in no particular order)
Snorkeling in the Mangroves – I must admit it was a
little creepy, especially at low tide!
Definitely want to do this again with a guide.
Finding Angel’s Rest anchored in Haulover Bay – Great
Snorkel followed by a Rum Punch in a floating bar. How cool is that. The hole in the bottom of the boat with a glass table is just cool. They even have a head (nautical for bathroom onboard) for those who cannot pee in the ocean. Ahh but I digress
Watching a Barracuda get their prey on Francis Bay – Holy
Crap! I felt like I was watching
National Geo Channel on HD. The entire
event happened directly in front of us.
AWESOME! Well… maybe not so much
for the prey.
Open Mic Night at Concordia – A bunch of old hippies (my
group) playing with some strong young fresh voices out front. Very Very enjoyable.
Meeting a few fellow TTOL members - Sailorjane, BVIShuga, and JostPirate
New People - Chatting with so many new and old visitors to the island that have come from around the world to participate or support someone in Beach to Beach Power Swim. And a BIG THANK YOU to all the folks in the Yellow Hats. Without these volunteers there would be no race!
Lowlights (in no particular order)
Mosquitoes – Well this was the top lowlight – They were
very intense in the late afternoon so it cut beach time by about 90 minutes.
Music at Joe's Rum Hut during Happy Hour - They have great happy hour prices and make a fine drink, but when Happy Hour Starts the music gets loud and SUCKS! Of course IMHO.
JVD – This one is very hard for me to write, but I am
afraid JVD has gotten too popular. The
laid back beach bars now have a Jimmy Buffett concert feel. Me… I am just living and dying in ¾ time, and
I do not think I will ever become a cheeseburger in paradise. Maybe it was just a real busy day.
The Haze - Unfortunately we arrived about the same time as the wind-blown dust from the Sahara Desert in Africa. Although it has little effect on the weather, the beautiful blue skies are dull and almost grey in color.
The Haze - Unfortunately we arrived about the same time as the wind-blown dust from the Sahara Desert in Africa. Although it has little effect on the weather, the beautiful blue skies are dull and almost grey in color.
New Finds for Us:
Sloop Jones:
Another first for us was a trip out to Sloop Jones to check out the
artistic apparel. It is one of those
stores that cannot be escaped without pulling out your wallet. No pressure to buy, but the clothing colors
just call out your name. They have big
and tall as well as short and fat sizes, which was lucky for me. Once you slip your shirt on, the hand painted artwork makes you eligible to be a
Grateful Dead Groupie. http://www.sloopjones.com/
Island Cork: Located
in the back of Mongoose Junction in one of the out buildings upstairs. Island Cork offers a small but eclectic
choice of wines, and the prices seem more reasonable than other wine stores on
island. http://islandcork.com/
Meals:
As I have always found, the best meals are always at
home. We had a couple amazing dinners at our friend’s home and we ate out
the other nights. There was one reoccurring theme that I did find very
disappointing when we dined out. The service was adequate to
unacceptable, with the later being more prevalent. Maybe because it is a shoulder season, but
most the wait staff seemed brand new and clueless. I was glad to find the cook staffs were all
very good to excellent, and when you get right down to it – you are there to
eat.
Shipwreck Landing – Party of 4 | It was our first night
on island after a day of traveling. We
had a light dinner, and the food was very enjoyable. The service was efficient and pleasant. However after all the rain the previous
week(s) the mosquitoes made it a very quick meal before heading to the safety
of the screen porch back at the house.
Rhumb Lines – Party of 6 | So there was 6 of us for
dinner, but dinner was only delivered two people. Then 5 minutes later
person 3 got their meal. Meal number 4 was not too far behind, but number
5 and 6 did not arrive until the first four were almost finished their
meal. Quality of the food was excellent! I had never had the Plum
Chicken and it was VERY good. I am pretty sure everyone enjoyed their
meals… but oh the service.
Morgan’s Mango – Party of 6 | Service was much better,
but did not surpass adequate. Each couple got a Creamy Seafood Paella and
split it. There was a piece or morsel left on anyone’s
plate. The wine list was good and also matched up with the menu
very well. A very pleasant experience
with great food is hard to beat. I have
always wanted a tree in my dining room.
da Livio – Party of 6 | Well service reached an all time
low. We did have something in common
with our waiter. It was the first time
in the restaurant for both of us. Meals
came at strange times and not together, bottles of wine that were ordered but
not served until well into the meal. I
am not sure the wine would have ever arrived, but atlas with our parched tongues hanging out, the
headwaiter, who was mortified, save the day.
Putting that behind us for a moment, the food was
amazing. My wife and shared meals and we
ordered for our Antipasto/Primo a gourmet pizza. The
pizzas are cooked in a fire oven as you walk into the restaurant, and
immediately your reeled in - I need one of those bad boys for dinner! Ours was a Bianca with Mozzarella hot
Soppressata onions Gorgonzola and Parmigianino.
For the Secondo, we split a Tagliatelle di castagne al Cinghiale e
Porcini. This wild boar and chestnuts
sat on a bed of homemade pasta with a Porcini sauce. Yum Yum!
Now back to the service… Our Secondo was delivered before
the Primo and with no wine. I know these
things speak or truly first world problems and I know the food all end ups in
the same spot, but it would have been so much more enjoyable with wine in the
order we ordered it. A very nice wine
list, which is heavy on Italian (Duh!) but well thought out. No worries – Bad Service or not - We will
return! OK, I was wearing shorts and flip-flops… should I expect
more?
Aqua Bistro – Party of 4 | We ate at the bar and I truly
enjoyed my Cracked Conch, and Janet had nice things to say about her Black Bean
soup. The calamari appetizer was done very well also. The bartender was excellent and it
may have been the best service we had on the island this trip. Service always gets high marks when your
glass stays full!
Over the years, we have come to love a drink that my
friend and I have tweaked on seeking perfection.
We call it a Rumhattan. Made just
like a Manhattan, but instead of whiskey one uses an aged Rum. Ron Zacapa, a 23 year aged rum, is the liquid
of choice at Aqua Bistro. And a fine choice indeed. The bartender does a wonderful job as the
mixologist of the tropical potion, albeit if he would just add one more shake of bitters I would
have reached nirvana. This drink is not
for the faint heart or pocketbook. Treat
yourself if you are ever at Agua Bistro, and if you see a bearded man sitting
at the bar having a Rumhattan tell him - Tom says hello.
Lunches were either made with items picked up at Sam and
Jack’s Deli or sandwiches we had made at Pickles in Coral Bay. Both were excellent quality! We did eat and Skinny Legs, which is always
dependable, place to find shade, cold beer, and wonderful hamburgers. They
have even introduced a Philly Cheese Steak.
And, I cannot forget to mention Cruz Bay Landing’s
Breakfast. I did give them a shout out
in the blog, but suffice it to say their breakfast was WONDERFUL, and a great
way to start off a day of snorkeling, hiking, or heaven forbid… the return trip
home.
Until next the next trip, I will be hanging out counting the days until we return.
So what did we learn by following this blog?
If you poke something in a hole...
If you poke something in a hole...
Don't be surprised if something comes out.
You have been warned!
Thanks Rich and Sally for a wonderful week!
Ta Ta for Now
Towel Boy
