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Old 5 Jun 17, 06:06 AM  
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This is my island in the sun - Day Seven

Day 7 – Friday 26th May 2017 – "Sailing into the sunset"

So, today is our last full day here on St. Lucia. When we won the competition we didn’t quite know what to expect as previous experience of Caribbean islands has left us cold. This week has been astounding on so many levels. We just know that we want to return. The Rendezvous Resort has been “awesome”. The accommodation, the facilities, the beach, the food, the staff………..I have never been so willing to write a glowing report on Trip Advisor but so many have beaten me to it.

Entrance:



The Porte Cochere:




It is sheer Paradise. Outside our “bubble” we are perfectly aware of the other world of people trying to make a living in a society where there are no benefits, no social or health support. Apart from our bad experience in Castries, everybody else has been warm and friendly and more than willing to chat and talk about their country and their culture. It is humbling.

It’s down to breakfast after Darrin has done his gym session. We have a “Full English” if you can call it that and we linger over the view from the Terrace restaurant.



This morning we plan to go into Castries but to Port Seraphine. This is supposedly a duty free shopping mall located right by the moored cruise ships. You drive as if to enter Castries centre but take a right down a road full of offices and then suddenly you are there.





The Adriana is in port this morning. MS Adriana is a mid-sized cruise ship with old fashion interior in French style, currently owned and operated by Adriana Shipping. She sails the Caribbean Sea under flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis out of Port of Spain.



The entrance is very cleverly designed so that it channels you through a diamond shop. We spend some time looking at the various pieces that dazzle you under the lights. They have a glass model of one of their bigger stones.



However, one of the ladies asks if we would like to see something. Darrin asks to view a 3 carat diamond. It’s about the size of a lentil. She places it in a special holder which grasps the diamond with three tiny claws. They are known as a prong tweezer. Whilst Darrin is admiring this stone I ask what its price is. The assistant astonishes both of us by announcing it carries a price tag of US $ 150,000 !



We respect the fact that she was willing to trust us to view it but given there are some four gorillas standing around the shop I don’t think we would have got far if we had foolishly tried anything. We thank the lady for letting us view this item and she even gives me a guide on ow to select the perfect diamond. It contains a money off coupon of……$100. Only $ 149,900 to find then.

We pass on through to the mall. It is full of lots of touristy souvenirs and we spend some time looking at what we can get for close family or friends. There is no hassle here.





They are happy to chat, ask about where we are from, are we enjoying St. Lucia etc. All polite talk. We get some miniatures of rum, some T shirts, a tote bag for Darrin’s mother, several Tortuga rum cakes , a topsy turvy doll for a friend’s grandchild, two kids ‘T shirts that change colour in the sun and a bamboo T shirt for Darrin. It is so soft to the touch. It’s quite incredible.

It’s a lovely morning and we browse at our leisure. One thing we do discover is that a special Moet and Chandon ice champagne is US $64 in the duty free shops as opposed to US $ 140 at the resort! (In the UK they try to charge £170!)



As to the duty free – you produce photo ID and sign a declaration that you are a visitor to the country. They also ask your flight departure number. This gives you 12 ½ % off ,which is their sales tax which funnily enough they call VAT (Value added tax) just like we do in the UK. Wish ours was 12 ½%!

There is a Kipling shop but it seems to have closed down. Then there is this guy:



Heaven knows why that was standing around.

So with bags a plenty we return to the car and head back to the Rendezvous Resort. It’s nearly lunch time.

Today they are doing fish and chips with peas and tartare sauce. Well, it is Friday!




I get an extra piece of fish which is for the pregnant puss that has been wandering around. I cut it up for her and feed it to her in a quiet corner away from the main dining area.


I may have mentioned these cats inhabit most resorts so if you aren’t a fan, at least I have warned you. (If I repeat myself I apologise but one member of staff has 13 of them at home of which two are pregnant!)

We have some time to chill after lunch and we start to sort suitcases ready for tomorrow. Then Darrin goes for a swim whilst I enjoy my Rendezvous at the bar whilst I do some DIBBing and blogging.



I have a surprise up my sleeve for Darrin. We have one more excursion and we are being picked up at 4 o’clock. We head to the Port Cochere at the appropriate time. The young chap there produces two ice cold flannels and two bottles of water whilst we wait on the little terrace. So, as I said, Darrin has no idea what we are doing. One of the other couples we have made acquaintance with comes by and starts chatting. She asks what we are waiting for and I tell her it’s a surprise for Darrin. She then blurts out: “Oh! Are you doing the sunset cruise?” I could have cheerfully murdered her there and then. I had kept this secret for 6 months and in one minute she has blown it. The minibus comes along to pick us up and run us to the small marina not far from Port Seraphine where we were this morning. I’m still fuming about Mrs. Big Gob blowing the secret but Darrin says to chill and enjoy the experience. He's right and he is quite excited about it.

At the marina we board a catamaran. She is called the Spirit of Carnival and is a beautiful craft.





All the space up front is already occupied so we take a seat “inside”. The catamaran is operated by Carnival Sailing who have won many awards from the travel industry.

There are alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks available and you just help yourself to the sparlking “champagne”. They also provide a finger buffet and I have to say, I was not expecting to see sausage rolls on the menu! The craft takes us from the marina and out to see to start cruising northwards along the west coast. One of the first things we spot is our resort:



The music begins. It’s not raucous or over loud (which I hate) but there is calypso, Mamma Mia, Abba, YMCA – just good bopping music.





On board is a local lady, Verna and her fiancé. Boy! Could she party.? By the look of her Prada sunglasses and her diamond rings she is one of the more wealthy people on this island. She has a lovely personality. She drags Darrin up and soon has him strutting his stuff.



At one point they all do a conga around the catamaran.



It’s just nice party time. We continue on up the coast and past the mountain that we climbed on our Segways just yesterday. You can see the little viewing gazebo where we stood and the tiny bay where Cole’s childhood inlet is.



Next up is the Windjammer resort. This consists of separate bungalows from two person up to family units of 10. It is built on quite a steep hillside and if you want to get around you call front desk who send golf buggies to collect you!



We reach Rodney Bay and slowly follow its curve passing most of the other resorts. People in the sea dance to our music.



We pass the noisy Sandals resort that ruined our peaceful morning the other day. Finally we reach Pigeon Island and it’s here that the trip has been timed to catch the sunset at 6:27p.m. Now there hasn’t been a good one all week. Cloud on the horizon has prevented a perfect sunset. Tonight is no exception. The fiery ball remains golden and then just at almost the right time it disappears into horizontal cloud. So these are the best pictures from our night.





If you do get a perfect setting you get to see the “green flash” which is an optical phenomena .When the conditions are right, a green spot is visible above the upper limb of the Sun's disk. The green appearance usually lasts for no more than a second or two. Sadly not tonight.

The boat turns south and we start to return back towards Castries. The party continues on board and they are holding a limbo contest. I, sensibly, enjoy another glass of fizz.



We get back to the marina around 7:20p.m. and within minutes are whisked back to our resort where we do a quick change. I also plaster myself in Deet if I’m going to be standing in a garden after dark!
Tonight is the Manager’s cocktail reception which will be held in the gardens under the Sanaam tree. The tree is ginormous and has about 6 chandeliers hanging from it. These look absolutely wonderful at night. Everyone is announced and introduced to the manager and then we are handed a cocktail or a glass of champagne by the bar staff.

There is a steel calypso band playing “Yellow Bird / This is my island in the sun “and at one point – “Under the sea”. Photos didn’t come out well as I didn’t want to use flash. We mix and mingle and more drinks are consumed. Canapes are offered. It’s all very civilised.



After the cocktail party there is to be a BB on the beach. The way the set up stuff and then how it disappears afterwards is just astonishing. They are just so well organised. Tonight there a tables laid out with all sorts of salads and vegetable dishes and each table has its own gazebo over the top of it.





The BBQs are oil drums which have been sliced in half vertically and then adapted with a grill so burgers, jerk chicken, sausages and heaven knows what else can be grilled over glowing charcoal.





The aroma is delicious. You can just come and come again. Then there is the dessert gazebo with all manner of temptations. I go for the Baked Alaska. I know that the meringue is supposed to act as an insulator and keep the inside ice cream cool but in this amazing heat it does a perfect job. Delicious doesn’t begin to describe it.



We love the oil burners they have placed on the beach as well as the contained bonfire.

Today has been a perfect day. We have fallen in love with St. Lucia and the Rendezvous Resort in particular. We are determined to return in maybe three years time. Next time we won’t hire a car – tour companies pick you up from your resorts and taxis are available everywhere. There are even buses at Eastern Caribbean (ECD) $2.50 to Rodney Bay. We are adventurous enough to give them a try.
We retire to bed full and content and are lulled to sleep with the crickets and even the squeaky wheel frogs!




INDEX: https://DIBB.in/12539741

Edited at 06:11 AM.
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Old 5 Jun 17, 07:11 AM  
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Geoff. Well all good things come to an end. That was a really lovely day and full of different things. I couldn't get over the price of the Moet in the duty free complex. Hope you bought some!
The evening cruise was a great end to a great trip. Pity your secret plan got blown a bit early but hey ho it happens. To end the trip with that beach evening was excellent.
I have just Googled a price for a week at your Resort.
Come on you can tell us, Darrin did buy that diamond didn't he.
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Old 5 Jun 17, 07:21 AM  
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What a fabulous last day for you. It's a shame that lady spoiled the surprise though.
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Old 5 Jun 17, 07:36 AM  
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Looks and sounds like a wonderful trip, what a great prize to win in a competition!
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Old 5 Jun 17, 07:57 AM  
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Oh what a heavenly break. Loved this report. Thanks for sharing xxxxx Forgot to add... this is my husband feeding the stray cats in Barbados.

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Old 5 Jun 17, 08:19 AM  
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Looks fantastic.
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Old 5 Jun 17, 08:26 AM  
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A perfect day to end the trip . There are several Tourist Boards which should employ you
that's for sure
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Old 5 Jun 17, 09:42 AM  
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A great last day to a fantastic trip.
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Old 5 Jun 17, 09:49 AM  
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But we are not finished yet. The BA farce is about to unfold.
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Old 5 Jun 17, 10:35 AM  
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Oh this could be really interesting reading Must admit wondered if you had got caught up in it
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