Thursday, January 31, 2019

What's saving my life right now



I'm linking up again today with Modern Mrs. Darcy to share what's saving my life at this mid-point of winter.


My lifeline of happy right now isn't particularly reproducible, or one that makes any of my friends sympathetic, but it is honest.


Pictures of St. Lucia.






Pigeon Island in the background, which is neither a pigeon nor an island.  It was an island, until they dumped a bunch of fill and connected it to the mainland, so now it's a peninsula, called Pigeon Island.


Breakfast alfresco.










I can't get enough.








Hiking up Pigeon Island.




Fort Rodney, at the top of one of the two peaks of the [former] island; built by the British to ward off the French.




Our fifteenth-anniversary trip was quite possibly the best vacation I've ever had.






The other hill--Signal Peak (so named for its use by the US during WWII).  Also, the faint outline of Martinique in the background on the left.




Our resort, occupying the artificial causeway connecting Pigeon Island and St. Lucia; and Rodney Bay; from Fort Rodney.






It was heartbreaking to leave.  And, although I have sighed and repined enough that Jason has threatened me ("If you're going to be this depressed, I'm never taking you anywhere again!"), when I look out at a bleak frozen landscape, in my mind I see lush hibiscus and crystal turquoise water.






I later overheard someone at the resort asking someone else how long it takes to hike up Pigeon Island.  The man said, "Well, you go up there, and then you take about a hundred selfies, and then you climb the other peak...."  In other words, you're gonna spend much longer than the actual walking part.


Actual hiking time:  23 minutes.
Time spent taking selfies:  58 minutes.
Total time investment for present and future happiness:  priceless.




Rodney Bay, which we paddled clear across in a kayak on our first day.




I'm doing my best to cruise on the island-vibe momentum, channelling the utter relaxation I felt for a solid week.








Top of Signal Peak.




Looking back at Fort Rodney from the higher Signal Peak.




I love a pretty picture, and getting to flick through dozens of them that are connected in my mind to happy feelings and warm breezes and tons of fun..... it's saving my life this winter.


While at the top, we met a man from London who struck up a conversation, rendered delightful not only because of his friendliness, but also, obvs, because of his British accent.  Noting Jason's NYC shirt, he asked where we were from, which led to a discussion of the US as a tourist destination.  He had been to several American cities but expressed a desire to return for more sightseeing, at which we enthusiastically encouraged him... until we remembered that our federal government was at that moment technically shuttered, led by a head of state who is--ahem--not quite in the posture of unfurling the welcome mat for our foreign friends.  We faltered and then mumbled, "well, maybe in a few years..."  He very generously said, "We all have our lit'l problems, don't we?", citing the Brexit chaos, which I thought very kind, since from my perspective that seems much less embarrassing.  


I also had to ask Mr. London why he chose to come all the way to the Caribbean, when isn't the Mediterranean warm and lovely?  In explaining that the winter weather there is reasonable but not as warm as St. Lucia, he told us that this time of year it's "in the mid-twenties."  Jason and I both fell silent.  I realized right away he was talking Celsius and was mentally scrambling to do the math before he noticed our American ignorance.  Not fast enough--we had to admit we didn't know what that meant, but his apology and interpretation were most friendly, and so charmingly British-accented.


On the way back down the mountain, we met a young woman from Trinidad, who commended a visit to her country to us.  Such enjoyable interactions with people of various nationalities.














1 comment:

  1. St. Lucia looks gorgeous. I think I'd be depressed to leave there and come back to winter too! But I'm glad you got to soak up the sunshine for a little while at least :)

    ReplyDelete

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