Isle de Saintes Impressions

This has to be one of the most beautiful, charming and quaint places I've ever been to. It reminded me of the scenes from Mama Mia...it has a similar charming idyllic feel. I know Roger posted pics of Pain de Sucre, where we anchored, but this spot is so idyllic that the picture of the rock is now my screen saver. I just can't believe how fortunate I am to be able to be in these amazing locations...and they're all over!
We snorkeled and ate and slept and we were as safe as the NY Public Library which has its lions guarding its doors (Patience and Prudence)...we have our own feline door guards!

We took a couple of very difficult hikes. One was to Fort Napoleon where we met an adorable Italian couple who live in Bellagio, Italy. She works in a villa and he own a restaurant high on a hill. They were so friendly. I don't want to offend anyone but it is not so easy to feel the warmth and friendliness of the French...but why is it only they that can bake such a good baguette? Every morning a power boat came by to deliver to us a freshly baked baguette and croissants...still warm from the oven. The fort was interesting. The fort is now a museum with great pictures of the town and its inhabitants in the early 20th century as well as the story of the sea Battle of The Saintes between the English and the French. [The French, under de Grasse, who we believe is the one who blockaded the British out of the Chesapeake, permitting George Washington to demand the surrender of the British at Yorktown, was the loser -- but it is the most exciting thing that ever happened here, so the French museum describes the battle.] Along the top of the fort and going all around are magnificent gardens which overlooks the Bay of the town. The cute Italians took our picture there. Our anchorage is just behind Pain de Sucre which is the lump between my shoulder and the cruise ship

One day found us wandering down a side street in search of what the cruising guide called the cheapest restaurant in town, which we found. It was cheap and let me just say here that, generally speaking, one gets what one pays for. However...what we found alongside the very picturesque restaurant (EVERYTHING here is picturesque!) was the town cemetery. I think this is where I want to be buried although I'd probably be the only Jewish person.

The next day we tried what we were told was a very tough hike, and it was. It was to Le Chameau which sits 1100 feet above sea level.




The views were amazing and pictured above is one of town from up there with Fort Napoleon visible on top of the lower hill at the left. Below right is one of Roger with goat in background on the totally paved road which we went up and up and up in order to get to the top. (All motor vehicles, including scooters, have been prohibited.) BTW, there are goats everywhere. In fact they are, along with the other animal pictured below, our daily alarm clocks. And, just in case they don't do the job at about 5:30-6:00...there is always AG and Whitty jumping on our heads saying...FEED ME!!!!!"



We were planning Monday (yesterday) to head into town to anchor there so we could get the internet but luckliy we went over by dink to say hello to a boat newly arrived in our anchorage in Pain de Sucre on Sunday afternoon. They are Andy and Lori and their two sons, Aiden and Nathan (7th and 5th grades). They are a young couple from California who decided 3 years ago to sell their house, buy a boat and sail here while homeschooling their children. As it turns out, two months into their adventure, the mast on their boat broke and, although I'm not totally clear how or why, their trip was postponed 2.5 years. Anyway, they came on board later that afternoon and we shared some snacks and stories. We really like them and they advised us that the weather for sailing to Dominica would be better on Monday than any other day until later in the week because of very strong winds. We decided to follow their lead. It's interesting how things turn out. We had to say good bye to the Donaldsons on Lucille as they are going no farther south than Guadeloupe. But now we have new friends to hang out with and, in fact, will go touring today with them. Andy is a mechanical engineer who, for 10+ years worked 70 hours a week and decided it was time to experience his children growing up. He took a buyout from the company in which he was a partner and is now enjoying the life on their boat, Volare, a 44 foot Mason, much more the classic look than our boat because it has long overhangs forward and aft.

We arrived in Dominica last night. They have what are called "Boat Boys" who are really grown men who offer a myriad of services. Martin was recommended to us by Bill & Sando and we met him yesterday. So far he has taken our trash off the boat as well as 3 weeks worth of laundry to be delivered back to our boat later this afternoon. He will bring us ice later when he picks us up at noon for a river tour and a swim is some natural pools. Dominica is known as the "nature island" and anyone who has ever been here only tells us how incredible the island is. I am sure we will be posting many pictures. Until then...love!