A Vacation Experiment: Part I
This is the first part of a two-part experiment.
I am going away on a vacation to Saint Lucia; I have done all the research and reading on this lush, tropical island in the West Indies. The brochures picture a romantic escape with snorkeling, windsurfing, sailing, kayaking, tennis, a squash court, a spa, a swim-up bar, banana boat rides, aerobics, beach volleyball and cooking classes.
When I return I will disclose how true or untrue all these claims truly are. This type of delving into an upcoming vacation beforehand and then writing a post-vacation summary afterward is a new form of holiday reporting for me.
I look at the world atlas, on Saint Lucia. Next, I check into Saint Lucia in the encyclopedia. After that, I Googled the island.
These are my findings:
St. Lucia is a West Indian island. These islands separate the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean Sea. It is located in the Lesser Antilles, which is a long stream of islands starting at Puerto Rico and wending south and east. It is a 2,000 mile curve of islands from Florida to Venezuela.
It is situated close to Martinique, Barbados and St. Vincent. At present, St. Lucia is a British affiliate; Britain and France have traded this place back and forth over 14 times.
St. Lucia has thick green tropical foliage. Its mountains rise up to 3,000 feet above sea level. The major crop is bananas, with copra as a second crop.
The weather hovers between 70 and 80 degrees. There is a volcano on the island not far from the two twin peaks, The Tetons, which overlook the water. The beaches are volcanic. Mud baths are a necessity. The trade winds are very kind to St. Lucia.
A romantic tropical rain forest is present. The standard saying is “You are a Guest of Mother Nature.”
The night life is active but reserved. Country Western Music is popular. This was due to the American Army stationed on the island in the past. Hank Williams is their favorite, and my favorite as well.
When I return to Jericho I will re-read this column and report on my personal assessment. Tally-Ho!
