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Date: 09 Jan 2008 19:11:56
Title: Wednesday 9th January - Young Island Cut, south St Vincent
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Sunday we spent around Wallilabou. In the morning walked along the road to a waterfall. This proved to be a bit of industrial heritage, as we walked we noticed a very old stationary engine in some buildings beside the road, and at the waterfall it was obvious from the extensive dam just below the fall that this had obviously fed a water wheel to power some plantation activity in the past. No effort to conserve or explain, but enquiries at the handicraft shop down the road revealed this had been an arrow root factory. See picture of Vida the handicrafts lady, who had been our walking companion into Barouillie the day before. On up to the two Ronnies for Sunday lunch, and then a stroll around the remains of the Pirates of the Caribbean film set in the afternoon. Once again, no effort to preserve the set, a Norwegian couple that we spoke to said a lot had fallen down since last year, seemed to us a lost opportunity, the site is not even labelled at the turn off from the road.
Still, things are different here, and St Vincent is not very tourist oriented, partly due to the lack of an international airport. One is planned for 2011, but there seems to be some doubts surrounding the project.
One surprise has been to find Waitrose own label products in the local supermarkets, both here and St Lucia. So at present we have Waitrose squash and tea on board. We try to buy fresh local fruit, the grapefruit, bananas, mangos and papaya are excellent. So when Kenneth the boat boy came up to us in Wallilabou, and said his father grew fruit and he would go and get some if we wished, we naturally said yes. So back he came, and when we got it out to have a look, the bananas were all labelled with Waitrose stickers! Not even prepared to make the effort to peel the labels off to support his sales pitch, but we still bought them.
Monday morning we sailed down the coast, past Kingstown bay, and along the south coast to pick up a mooring between Young Island and the eastern outskirts of Kingstown, in what is known as Young Island Cut. After a late lunch had to go back into Kingstown to sort out a local phone problem, so bought some good tuna in the market for supper. Also managed to sort out the bus system, so we could get inland up the windward coast to visit the Montreal gardens the next day.We were on a bus out of Kingstown by 9 on Tuesday morning, and very fortunate with our driver, who for a small consideration took us the two miles beyond his terminus in Richland Park, and dropped us at the garden gate, saving us a stiff climb.The gardens are spectacular, up on the edge of the rain forest above two beautiful fertile valleys full of various crops. After admiring the gardens we walked back down the hill to Richland Park, chatting to various people on the way, including a group butchering an armadillo to eat, and a government agricultural adviser. Every  one extremely friendly, and happy to chat away with us. Then back on a local bus, this time a very scary downhill ride with a wild driver. But 25p, instead of £5 for a taxi, and we survived. Did require several beers to recover, so a quiet evening onboard after all that.
Today into Kingstown to do customs and immigration, so we can make an early start tomorrow to head up the windward coast back to Vieux Fort, St Lucia. Then up the hill to Fort Charlotte, overlooking the town for a bit more history and some fine views. A bit of interneting, and some more purchases in the market, lunch in an atttractive old building, a converted sugar warehouse, and back onboard. Intend to step ashore onto Young Island for sundowners, it is a very exclusive and expensive hotel, the grounds landscaped by an Englishman who now owns the Montreal gardens. Hope they will serve a couple of English scruffs. Apparently Bill Gates rented the whole hotel, and he doesn't wear a tie.
 
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