Caribbean getaway (and congrats to S & S Wills!)
Well, we got on a plane late last week and jetted off to St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. It was lovely.
The occasion? Ah — dear friends marrying each other, of course! We saw Sam and Steve get hitched beneath a rooftop gazebo–a brilliant white-on-white stage that looked across the islands and the exceptionally blue-green water, towards the horizon that seemed to stretch off into forever.
The water: amazing. A shade of blue I wasn’t sure could possibly be real. You could see right through it, to fish, to rocks, to plants growing in wild great fields. Speaking of fields — where there was grass and there was sun, there were iguanas. Fields of iguanas. As well as herons, pelicans,
ducks, birds, and something like a billion varieties of lizard in addition to the iguanas. I wish it had rained a little less so that I could have taken more real pictures of the flora and fauna, without the fogginess that accompanied any trip from inside to outside, and without the risk of getting my
photo gear damp in a sudden rainstorm. And I thought southern humidity was bad. I can’t imagine what it was like inside Sam’s wedding dress or Steve’s get-up.
Steve wore a traditional tux (his own) with a striking silver tie. Though the official photographer made him take off his glasses for the formal pictures, I like the ones in his glasses: Totally Steve, totally stealth, totally ninja! He was so patient and gracious and plainly delighted through the whole thing. He might have been nervous, but we’ll never know. Isn’t he so handsome?
Sam wore her beautiful gown, strapless and beaded slightly at the top, with a smallish train and a wispy veil over her done-up hair. There was an audible gasp when she appeared in the archway leading onto the rooftop. Though she is a beautiful girl, I’ve never seen her look like that. Beaming, radiant, brilliant–all those cheesy words they use to describe women in love… she was that, plus some.
The service was exceptionally sweet and beautiful and fitting. It was also short and literary and hot as hell up there on the roof in the sun. (It was the only totally sunny day we had, but it was the important day and quite perfect for them, so we’ll totally take that!) After the ceremony, the happy couple and just a handful of close friends and relatives toasted with champagne and milled about with the handsome minister and a steel drum. It was truly magical. Congratulations to the Wills!
The whole trip was magic and wonderful, especially so the obvious: discovery of USVI and so-called ‘all-inclusive’ resort amenities. I must say… though I found the bill at the end a bit shocking to my spendthrift-y side, it was nice not to have to constantly count cash and worry all the way through. The food wasn’t the most delicious, delicate fare, but it was in all aspects solidly edible. Breakfast was incredible — easily the best meal every day. Hash browns, omelets, eggs benedict, quiche, pastries. The omelets were particularly delicious. The same gentleman made them every day and they were perfect and brown and crispy, the egg filled with onion or ham or peppers with the cheese tossed on at the last minute so it was melty deliciousness.
We spent most of our days hanging out poolside, replete with waterfalls, gigantic hot tub, bar, grill, and restaurant. There was also a snack and supply shack (waterproof cameras, food to feed the fish, snacks, magazines, and books), and a dive shop (snorkeling and scuba gear, t-shirts, fins). The
waterfalls fell over stone walls that housed a large grotto containing a pool table, ping pong table, and fussball table, as well as locker rooms and showers, and the pool concierge’s desk. He could get you a dry towel or a taxi.
The pool house held both the bar and a buffet restaurant that served lunch and dinner. The poolside buffet was the most hit-or-miss of all the food offerings, as anything out there had to be flexible enough to sit out, exposed, in the humidity and heat. Fish and shellfish tended to get a little overdone, and I was a little scared to try things like ceviche or heavy cream dishes. Some stuff, like fried foods or heavy meats, simply weren’t appealing in the tropical weather. But the fruit they served — everywhere — was fantastic and we often made meals off of big chunks of pineapple, mango, honeydew and kiwi. We also drank as much fruit as we ate: fabulous pina coladas and mango and strawberry daquris, drowning in big puddles of Caribbean rum.
K and I did spend one afternoon at the resort’s spa. I must say that was quite a lovely experience. She got a massage, which she declared heavenly and necessary much more frequently in the future. I got a manicure and pedicure, an experience that also bears repeating. The women who worked in the place were a laugh riot, and we ended up discussing Lost and American Idol. Some things truly are universal. (Like Keifer Sutherland. We had a taxi-ride conversation with an Aussie girl and her hubby about Jack Bauer and 24 on our way back to the airport.)
St. Thomas itself is also a fascinating city. I didn’t get to see as much of it as I would have liked, as it was quite rainy. The only day we managed to pull ourselves away from snorkeling among the raindrops was Sunday, and not as many of the shops were open on account of the day and the weather.
We drove through downtown on the way out, and it was a lively, bustling, crowded place. (We could see the cruise ships docked, so we knew this was the time when locals had warned us to certainly stay away — wall-to-wall cruise tourists!) As it was, the day we shopped there were a few places open, and many many more that looked interesting. The stores are small, their fronts gaily painted. Lots of flowers and detailing and murals. I would love to go back there, camera-in-hand, and take some pictures. A LOT of pictures.
The pace of life is slow there, and we were all forced to relax and enjoy ourselves. I think that was the best part of it — sitting around with my friends, shooting the breeze, having pina coladas while getting caught in the rain. Or champagne on the porch. Or vodka with the barest splash of cranberry while watching local karoke at the hotel bar.
And now we have returned home, refreshed a bit… and possibly with an alcohol problem. ;)
And some of us returned home… married. Congrats, guys, and all the best. Thanks for including us in your beautiful journey to the Caribbean. It was amazing.