Please Register / Login to take part in discussions about the Virgin Islands.
I returned last week from eight days in St. Croix - my 23rd trip their. Since my usual trip reports tend to run into several pages rather than paragraphs, and since my desk is still buried under an apparent avalanche of paperwork, I’ll be as brief as is possible (for me) this time.
Thurs., 3/11
Flight delays meant that while we left home at 4:30 AM we didn’t arrive until almost 5:00 PM. Oh well, better that they fix the plane than get me there on time. Happy hour at Rumrunners (which is in the hotel and on the water), then dinner at The Bombay Club, as usual the filet mignon ($20.50 with two sauces, potatoes and salad) was delicious.
Fri., 3/12
Having trouble accounting for this day, which I think was spent mostly puttering around the pool and renewing acquaintances. We stay at the Hotel Caravelle on the waterfront in the historic district of downtown Christiansted and are always treated extremely well there. Breakfast (omelette) at Shenanigan’s for about $5, happy hour (again) and dinner (again) at Bombay where fish and chips (fresh mahi in a superb batter for $10) was terrific.
Sat., 3/13
The day of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Christiansted. Breakfast again at Shenanigan’s (smoked salmon omelette with cream cheese, dill and capers), posed on the webcam for the folks back home and then off to the parade. The streets are full and the atmosphere is festive with many vendors selling local food. Parade itself is a hoot and a great deal of fun. Last year we had our own float, but this year we armed ourselves with bubble guns and filled King Street with bubbles. Lunch at Pleasant’s (burger, about $6), then pool time. Friends took us out to the new restaurant at Hibiscus Beach – H20. Beautiful location and fairly upscale with large appetizer portions that served as dinner (crab cakes, $9.50; chicken satay $6.50). We'll want to go there again.
Sun., 3/14
Out to Cane Bay for brunch (lobster omelette with tons of lobster, home fries, fruit - $12, excellent huevos rancheros with same sides - $8). Other friends then came and took us out to Sandy Point. This is a wildlife refuge and sea turtle nesting site, open to the public only on Saturday and Sunday, September to March. This beach is one of the longest stretches of sand in the entire Caribbean and is the site where the last scene of The Shawshank Redemption was filmed. Incredible doesn’t begin to describe it – sandy, with a quick drop off and lots of waves, it’s absolutely gorgeous. Dinner yet again at Bombay because choices are limited a bit on Sundays and we split the aforementioned filet mignon this time (I really like this place).
Mon., 3/15
Skipped breakfast and had an early lunch at Rumrunners with still other friends (tried their fish and chips with a chipotle remoulade - $11 and pretty darn good). Spent the rest of the day in the sun by the pool or shopping. Happy hour at Rumrunners then dropped by the crab races but did not purchase a loser crab this time. Dinner was at Luncheria, where a huge plate of food and a “cool refreshing adult beverage” (margarita) came to about $12.
Tues., 3/16
Walked the half mile to Gallows Bay for breakfast at The Golden Rail in the marina (around $5). Again relaxed by the pool and shopped. Happy hour again at Rumrunners and dinner again at Bombay Club because you can’t quarrel with success.
Weds., 3/17
Off to pick up a rental car for the day, which we plan to spend at the Divi resort on the southeast shore. Arrived there around 11 to meet friends for lunch, then to the beach where we met other friends. They decided we needed to take back roads up to get close to the Contessa’s Castle, which we did, and then went out to Point Udall, which we hadn’t seen since the Millenium Monument was erected. Thereafter we went to explore the ruins of the old Grapetree Hotel, which was destroyed by hurricane Hugo in 1989. It must have been a very nice place prior to the storm. Returned to get ready for dinner, preceded by happy hour with friends who live at The Reef (upscale condos out east). Dinner at Duggan’s was superb (crab and white asparagus bisque, grilled mahi with crab and goat cheese – somewhat expensive and worth every penny), I can’t believe we haven’t gone here before.
Thurs., 3/18
Our last day. Up early to take the car back, then walked to Gallows Bay again for breakfast and to check out a store we had only learned about last night. Then last minute packing and shopping followed by a tiny bit of pool time. Our flight was at 3:40 and we left for the airport around 1:40. This was more than enough time for this flight, but is probably barely sufficient for Saturday returns. No hitches this time and we were lucky enough to find a sports bar in the airport in San Juan where we could watch the Syracuse/BYU basketball game (Go SU!) during our layover. Arrived home about 11:30 and could almost watch our tans fade as we deplaned :-(. Only 212 days until our next trip and I miss it already.
Weather Report: It was warm, as was the ocean (surprisingly) but not stifling. There were more clouds and it was windier than it has been at this time of year in the past – there’s just no predicting. No problem to speak of with rain, a few extremely light showers and one or two heavier squalls that were short and occurred very early in the morning, so they did not interfere with any plans we had.
Changes in Restaurants: Tutto Bene has move just east of C’sted because of landlord problems at their previous location, Stixx is open only for dinner (I won’t go there anyway), Indies has closed, Savant has a new courtyard out back that is very nice, Top Hat was sold to Kendrick’s and now operates as Truffles, Rumrunners now has a deck bar serving sushi, Marina Bar is closed as the King’s Alley Hotel is renovated, and I’ve already mentioned H20 at Hibiscus. Reservations were a must for all of the better restaurants.
Shopping: We generally buy our liquor at either Baci or Royal English in Christiansted. Baci is consolidating its two stores and moving into the space previously occupied by Colombian Emeralds. We also picked up items at Tesoro (great tropical pieces, pretty reasonable prices), Traveler’s Tree in Gallows Bay (great decorator items and touches), at Jan Mitchell’s fantastic glass studio (always a must stop place), The Jewelry Factory (moderately priced), Violette Boutique (discounted top line cosmetics), Many Hands (local artisans) and some cute shirts from Up Island. One of our favorite clothing stores, Out of the Blue, is closing – they said business is good for them but they just want to do something else. Depending on who you talk to business is up or down, but overall it looked improved.
Enjoyed your trip report. It's good to see people write nice things about STX. A lot of people miss the boat by not coming to the Big Virgin. My wife and I have lived here for eight months now and will have to live here for 30 years just to eat at all the restaurants we want to eat in and go to all the beaches we want to go to.
A thank you from me as well.
I'll search the board for your previous trip reports also.
Thanks Joanne, Great report!!
--Islander
Ya know, Ric, I keep thinking I'm going to run into you and Linda while I'm on island. Linda has posted descriptions of the two of you, I've been known to frequent your usual haunts and I even know people who know who you are but don't exactly know you. Someday it will all come together, or I'll just have to arrange a face to face 🙂
I agree totally with your statement elsewhere that it would take years to get to all the restaurants and beaches.
I've said it once -actually many more time- STX is the place! No comparison if anyone is interested in a relaxed enviroment, nice beaches, good folks!
PH
Joanne,
Just let us know when you're going to be on island again and we'll definitely get together.
October 23 -30, how's that for planning ahead!
Thanks for the daily run down of things you did...I am leaving Saturday for 11 days in STX....I have been there many times but never made it to Bombay....Is it kid friendly, or something to do when baby sitting is an option?
One question....The countessa castle...;.what is the story? I saw her in Duggan's a very long time ago....is she still around? and what's up with that castle? Does anyone live there?
curious about the contessa castle also, can any one tell the story on it other than built by a recluse. who is she etc.
Thanks for a splended report Joanne
Great report! Thanks for sharing your trip. I love hearing all the little details and look forward to trying out some places you mentioned. Our trip is just eleven days away. My first trip to STX (hubby commuted there for work a few times when we were in STT) I am getting really excited.
It definitely appears that someone is living in the contessa's place, as we waved to workers (or were they guards?). For those who don't know, the contessa (I believe she's Romanian) built an outlandish, Moorish-inspired castle on top of the highest hill on the east end of St. Croix. I'm not talking villa here - calling it ostentatious would be an extreme understatement - it is huge and dominates the landscape. It is very secure and has a guard house at the entrance to the long, palm-lined drive to the castle itself. I'm told that if the flags are flying she is "in residence" but that may be local legend. I don't know much beyond this - Islander, Ronnie, anybody have more info? I'm curious myself.
With regards to Bombay, I would say that it is kid friendly, I've certainly seen young children in there. The menu ranges from burgers and fries up to filet and fresh catch specials so a youngster would not starve or need special preparations. One note - it is set back slightly from the street and this gives it a slightly foreboding look at night. Nothing could be further from the truth.
There isn't much said about the place or the women - it is often just refered to as "the castle" and "the contessa".
I think they call the castle Mountaintop Eyrie. The owner is the Contessa Nadia Farbo (or maybe its Farber) Navarro. I have also seen it written as Contessa Nadia de Navarro. She is a Romanian-born heiress. The castle is huge as described, you can not miss it when you drive along the roads to the east end of the island.
--Islander
You folk seem to know the island well..Please try to settle a bet. On which beach and which Island did they shoot the closing beach scene in the Shawshank Redemption. Proof is needed...thanks.
Hello Vicki,
Sandy Point Beach on St. Croix.
--Islander
Thank you so much. Do you have any visuals to support this. Not that I doubt you but some jackass is saying that the scene was shot in the British Virgin Islands and the crew was helicoptered there each day for filming from the US virgins.
Having just been there in March, I'll have to say that visuals will be hard to come by. The beach itself is gorgeous - the longest in the USVI, but it is very steep and the waves really pound you. I tried to get some photos, but was knocked over by the waves. I just did a brief web search and found only aerial photos. I did find the following reference in a film site http://www.filmsite.org/shaw3.html that states it was filmed in the USVI. BTW, the shots of Andy Dufresne driving after his escape were shot on the east end of St. Croix. Hope this helps.
Vicki,
According to this website: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111161/locations, the scene was shot in the U.S Virgin Islands.
According to the Buccaneer website: http://www.thebuccaneer.com/04newsletter/04news2.htm, the final beach scene was shot at Point Udall.
Thank you all for your input. There is a windbag out there who used to live in the USVI who keeps saying the the scene was actually shot in the BVI and they helicoptered the cast and crew to Sandy Spit in the BVI every day from the USVI. Nothing to back this up...Immigration/labor laws etc. Really want to put him in his place. Anything to proove this is welcome. Even the credits on the movie and on the IMDb say it was the USVI.
