Saturday was a day out in Antigua’s capital, St. John’s. On the way to the bus stop, we passed a book sale outside of Jolly Harbour's Epicurean supermarket. A kitten had arrived fifteen minutes before us. Delphine fell in love! The lady in charge thought it was best to keep her in the box... Julie Walter’s hardcover autobiography didn’t stop the kitten from escaping though. Sorry Delph; we gotta go and catch our bus to town.

When we first arrived in Antigua over a year ago, we were so excited to be here. After eight whole months in countries of je ne parle pas Francais tres bien and our only Spanish words consisting of Perro d’Agua. Yes, it’s a water dog. A painfully poor language effort from Quest down the coast of Atlantic Europe.. and so Antigua was a massive breath of fresh air. Besides the English for Dummies ease, it’s a handy place located in the middle of the Caribbean arc of islands. British Airways lands every day just after two. Unlike the other volcanic and tear-shaped Caribbean islands with limited beach and anchorage choices, roughly round-shaped Antigua is nibbled into hundreds of amazing white beaches and secret coves. 

So all good so far. But stay a while, which we did last year and other things become apparent. There’s a strong sugar plantation history here. A brutal history. History maybe, but the bus ride to town reveals neighbourhoods where wooden clapboard houses are too small compared to the huge mansions that surround the coast. In the same vein, the capital is a mixed affair. The cruise ship quay is lovely, lovely shops and restaurants. Two blocks away, houses are falling apart. Mostly people are friendly, babies are beautiful and the streets are crumbling around them. On top of it, Antigua's landscape is scrubby like the BVIs but without the BVIs pirate allure. And it's downright parched compared to Grenada, mysteriously blessed Grenada where there’s no seeming end to her lushness and green. 

I hope I don’t sound like I’m complaining. As visitors, we tread softly and always try to see things in the most beautiful, bountiful, tropical light. Still, Quest has been on the sea road for a while now. We’ve been to a enough paces in the Caribbean to compare to other places. And perhaps as we continue, Quest’s eyes are changing too. So here’s the bit I don’t understand. In St. John’s Heritage (cruise ship) Quay, we went to see Sue and Michelle in the camera shop. We bought our (1st!) Olympus TG-4 here last year. It was warmest hugs all round. Afterwards, we went to the bookstore. The bookseller, a small and slight woman remembered every inch of our past conversations. The books we like, the ones we bought here. The ice cream shop next door was soft smiles and doughnuts to die for while the fishing tackle place was a whole new adventure (will expand on this soon).. The fact is, we realised walking back towards our bus, is that Antigua likes us. And maybe that’s enough to feel you belong. 

Love from Quest and her crew xx