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| Port Zante Entrance to St. Kitts from Cruise Ships Copyright Andy Richards 2014 |
WOULD OUR third time stopping at St. Kitts be "a charm?" Not really. In the next several years we would stop there 2 more times, with a planned 6th stop on a scheduled cruise in 2027. Having done the island tour/catamaran ride and the narrow guage railway on our first two trips, we were kind of "excursioned - out." For the next 3 trips, I didn't really do much. Time will tell what we do in 2027.
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| St. Kitts Cruise Pier - Port Zante - St. Kitts, West Indies Copyright Andy Richards 2014 - All Rights Reserved |
ON THIS trip, we had 5 guys and 3 of them were pretty active and athletic. Two of us were less so-inclined. The three "athletes:" Bob, Mark and Bob decided to join an excursion that was designated a "volcano" climb. The 5 ladies decided to take a Jeep tour (which they reported later, was fun). Jon and I demurred on both counts (for the volcano climb, we made the right choice - even our "athletes" agreed and said it was torture). Instead, we met in the buffet for breakfast and agree to meet up down in the port later.
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| St. Kitts Cruise Pier - Tug - Port Zante - St. Kitts, West Indies Copyright Andy Richards 2014 - All Rights Reserved |
I SOON got a little "stir - crazy," so I grabbed my camera and went ashore. Its always enjoyable for me to get some time off to myself with my camera - exploring. On our first two stops on St. Kitts, we really didn't get much time to just walk around. Not knowing much about our port city (Bassetere), I didn't really leave the port area. But I always seem to find some interesting, often colorful subjects in the ports. I have always liked "marine" subjects - especially boats of every description. I started with the Tug. It has been in the marina every time I have been there. Usually it is berthed over a bit from the ship pier, but today it was moored right on our pier, so I was able to get rather close to it. I like the colors and reflections, but probably my favorite shot was a closeup I made of the bow and reflection. I have photographed it a number of times over the years - an probably will do so again.
Looking around, I had a funny sense there might be a photo here
ONE OF the unique features of Port Zante at St. Kitts is its classic arched, bright yellow entrance portico. Not only must you walk through it to get to shore, but it has become - for me - a kind of beacon of familiarity whenever we approach (or leave) St. Kitts. It immediately attracts the eye.
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| Port Zante - St. Kitts, West Indies Copyright Andy Richards 2014 - All Rights Reserved |
THE PORT Zante cruise port is one of the largest, most modern, and clean of the tourist/cruise port entrances to any island we have visited in the Caribbean. It is very commercial, but also very lively. Directly inside there is a large courtyard area. It is not uncommon for performers to be out there (hoping, of course, for "donations"). There is also a large area of bar - seating, with a Gazebo style bar in the middle. It is always hopping. The drinks are good, but it is probably not your best bet. Especially if your drink of choice is beer. There are several spots in the port where there are "specials" on one of the local beers (Caribe). I would be meeting up with Jon in a short while, and we would probably be finding one of those spots.
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| As an unkowing viewer, my first thought would be to wonder who belonged to those sandals? St. Kitts, West Indies Copyright Andy Richards 2014 |
ON MY own time, I wandered some of the side streets of the port. It is really kind of misleading to call them side-streets, as there is not very far you can go in either direction before hitting water, while in the port area. So these "side-streets" were mainly just more tourist shops. And St. Kitts has all the "regulars:" Diamonds International, Kay's, Luis Vuitton, Nike, Duty Free stores, Cigars (remember my admonition: "Just Don't Do it"), and even a Harley Davidson store. One of my partners at the time had a thing for Harley Davidson "stuff" (he didn't - nor had he ever - owned a bike 😕), but thinking of him, I wandered down that side street. I saw a young woman (she worked in the Harley store), sitting on a picnic table, but as I walked that way, someone entered the store and she quickly walked back in. I took the brief opportunity to make what I thought was a kind of interesting photo before she returned.
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| Streets of Port Zante - St. Kitts, West Indies Copyright Andy Richards 2014 |
BUT I probably enjoyed the next two images as much as any I have ever made - certainly one of my lasting memories of St. Kitts. I had seen the little shack with the Caribe Beer sign (3 for $5 USD), and wandered down that street; the colors attracting me as usual. I made a few images from that spot, including some of the street activity. Finding a shady spot,I sat for a few minutes. Shortly, this very attractive, well-dressed, local woman came walking down the street. She was clearly on her way somewhere with a purpose. Looking around, I had a funny sense there might be a photo here, so I got ready. I immediately knew this was one of those "moments" that happen on the streets. Watch the guy in the blue shirt from the first to the second image. 😈 LOL. I don't blame him for looking. I did! I doubt either of them even knew I was there.
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| Streets of Port Zante - St. Kitts, West Indies Copyright Andy Richards 2014 |
I HAVE seen the National Museum of St. Kitts a few times when we have visited. I have never been inside. It is one of those places that I probably should visit. Maybe on our next stop. It is, as you can see, a very photogenic building, and as I was looking at framing it up, I was having a hard time isolating it for any kind of interesting shot, when I realized that the people in the foreground were the interesting shot.
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| The National Museum of St. Kitts Copyright Andy Richards 2014 |
WE KNEW the beer would be cold and cheep somewhere in the port, so as soon as Jon and I met at the appointed time and place, we began our search. I had done some scoping earlier, and it turns out we didn't have far to go. Out of the arch and immediately to the right. Caribe at The Sweet Lime for $0.99 USD! 😋 The other guys met us there at the end of their excursion and we "reminisced" about our "eventful" days before returning to our ship to clean up and get ready for sunset cocktails.
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