Paradise Found.

Spent yesterday in the British Virgin Islands. Perfect day! No pictures will ever do it justice. Every inch of the BVI is unbelievably gorgeous! We rented a boat in Red Hook with a captain (JC - Who is Danny's boss' husband). It was so nice because he is really familiar with the area being here 10 years and we basically didn't have to think all day.

 

First stop was British customs in Soper's Hole on the west end of Tortola. Funny that I have 4 British stamps in my passport without going anywhere close to England.

We then shot over to the other side of Tortola to a gorgeous beach in Smuggler's Cove.

A local guy from Tortola, Stephen, was setting up a make-shift beach bar and Capt. JC said we should go get a banana daiquiri. So, with his blender hooked up to his car battery, Stephen used bananas growing behind him and rum made in the British Virgin Island. It was a delicious breakfast and only $5!

Then we headed over to White Bay in Jost van Dyke. JC recommended we hit up Soggy Dollar Bar in the morning to avoid the holiday weekend crowds in the afternoon.

We then went to the other side of Jost van Dyke to this very local amazing restaurant that JC turned us on to - Sidney's Love and Peace...

Sidney passed away last year, but his daughter, Strawberry is now running the place.

 

Sidney's Love & Peace is a pour-your-own bar and runs on the honor system.

JC said they catch the conch and lobster every morning. Since Sidney's is on a dock, there are cages underneath where they keep the lobster and conch alive until ordered. We all ordered the lobster sandwich. And we could hear them cracking open the lobster from the bar.

When we first moved to St. Thomas, we went on a Sunday sailing trip with Pam. Jess had just moved into Pam's parents apartment and we met him sailing that day. His girlfriend, Meg, came to town for the weekend and is super sweet.

Rainy during lunch, good thing we had a great place to hang and lots of lobster to eat while the showers moved through.

We then back tracked to Foxy's, which is also on Jost...

After a quick drink, we had just enough time to head back to Tortola. We went in at Cane Garden Bay to walk over to Callwood Distillery which dates back to making rum since the mid-1700s.

Jess, Meg, Danny and I

Callwood is the Caribbean’s oldest, continuously operating pot distillery. We bought two bottles since they do not make enough rum to export and the distillery is the only place to buy it.

Walking through Cane Garden Bay, it kind of remind us of Costa Rica...

There was a cemetery directly on the beach.

...Until we meet again BVI!!! Hope it is sooner than later! (Like next weekend!)

"Never trust a girl that can't swim!"

Thanksgiving was different this year. Really made us be thankful for our family and friends back home that we miss!! Surprisingly, we did have a delicious typical T-day dinner with good people! Went over to Jess' house, a new friend we met out sailing last month who moved here around the same time we did.  His girlfriend, Meg, is in town visiting and she is a much better chef than I could ever be - Turkey, stuffing, salad, cream of spinach, mashed potatoes. (I made simple break and bake cookies for dessert).

Kayo sat in this spot the entire time we were at their house! I think he ate double what everyone else did!

We ate on his balcony and this was our view...

Then went across the street to Caribbean Saloon to watch some football and play some Blackjack. Gambling is only legal here in electronic form like slots. So, they came up with this creepy computer blackjack dealer girl.

I just like the name of the back bar at Caribbean Saloon...Clown Lounge :) 

The four of us were sitting around the blackjack table in the Clown Lounge and were joined by an older bar local with a British accent. He told us many of wise things. My favorite being, "Never trust a girl that can't swim!"

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!!! And I hope next year we are celebrating with new and old friends! And family!

“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.”

Picked up some locally made desserts at the market while getting stuff for taco night! Zucchini bread for me and marble bread for Danny.

Thanksgiving Cold Front in the Caribbean

Wish me luck...

My neighbor entrusted me with plant-sitting her Basil while she is in the states for a week! Hoping I can't kill it in a week =) But on a brighter note, she said to help myself to it. Anyone know any good recipes with basil? Think I'm going to make some bruschetta this afternoon.

A few pics Danny took this week...

"The sun is but a morning star. " ~Thoreau

Kayo and Danny were still snoozing when I woke up, so I sneaked out for a solo morning hike. 

 

Not sure if you can see it below, but I could see St. Croix far in the distance. I think I've heard St. Croix is 40 miles south of St. Thomas.

This is just what the majority of the houses on the mountains look like here. And most of them have on-going construction. Some of them you park on the roof.

These guys accompanied me along the road part of my hike.

Came home to a Premier League game starting. So funny, I use to dread waking up for these early soccer games. Now with the time change and just that we wake up with the sun here, we are wide awake before kick off. =) Hope everybody has a great weekend!!!!

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” ~Henry Miller

I fell so much more in love with St. Thomas yesterday! Spent the whole day with a new friend, Miri. She works with Danny and has lived here a year or two. We drove all around the island to see some of her local favorites. First over to Charlotte Amalie so I could get some stuff done at the bank, which was nice to get out of the way. Then she showed me a few different farmers markets and veggie stands down there. We had lunch at her favorite restaurant, Barefoot Buddah. I had a wrap with hummus, rosemary goat cheese, sweet potatoes and spinach in it with fresh squeezed lemonade. Delicious! Then we headed to the northside to check out Hull Bay. Stopped at a few overlooks along the way. Then ended up at a store up in the mountains. Grabbed a beer in the store and sat at the Tamale stand below for awhile. Karl there makes his own hot sauce and bottles it in old Patron bottles. I got some rice and beans to bring home and added his hot sauce. It was great - somehow the rice or beans had a delicious smokey taste. On the way home we stopped by a few rastas selling coconuts on the side of the road for $2 and bought a drink. 

Charlotte Amalie

Road to Hull Bay

Hull Bay

Beach is Magen's Bay

Century plants about to bloom

Island in back is Hans Lollik Island. The island is for sale for $45 million.

 

Coconut water

When we got back to Red Hook, I met Danny up to watch the FSU vs UM game at Caribbean Saloon. Dollar cruzan drinks there from 3pm-7pm every day! 

Once we got home we noticed the moon reflecting off Cinnamon Beach in St. John. The beach was glowing.