Tuesday, June 20th, 2006

Well, today is a simply wretched day. It's the day we lock up Villa Capiz and say a bittersweet goodbye to the island of my desire. I just need a moment...ok, I'm good. We loaded ourselves and our garbage (I mean that literally) into the Jeep, had one last pitstop at the dumpster and sang Lime in the Coconut on our way down off of Gifft Hill. Honey dropped Graduate Girl, myself and our luggage off right in front of JJ's Cafe while he and Lizard Boy drove the Jeep back to L&L.

It was about 8:30 and JJ's was full but as luck would have it, a table for 5 in the corner had just opened up so we parked our luggage and had a sit-down for our last breakfast in paradise. Just about as soon as we sat down, a sweet voice asks us "how ya'all doin this mornin?" hands us a few menus and asks what we'd like to drink. After a spell we decided to go ahead and order as Honey and Lizard Boy would be along any minute. Unfortunately for my bum, my tum was craving some good old southern comfort and so I ordered a plate of Biscuits and Gravy with a hunk o Ham. I figured ya only live once and I don't usually eat these things at home so what the hells! Picky Food Girl ordered a Grilled Cheese with Hash Browns (yes for Breakfast) and we both had OJ. The boys came walking in just as our meals were brought out so Lizard Boy ordered Pancakes and Root Bear (yes for Breakfast) and Honey had a plate of Sausage, Eggs and Toast along with Coffee I believe. Now I don't know if we were starving or what but the breakfast was out of this world YUMMY! Lizard Boy and I inhaled ours and Picky Food Girl kept up with some "OMG! Soooo Goood's!" after just about every bite. There goes that Halleluja Chorus again! I think we pretty much declared it our favorite meal on St. John and I think we all wished we would have discovered it earlier in the trip. So traveling peeps, if your wondering what to try for breakfast? JJ's all the way baby!!!

After we ate, Honey decided to comatose at the table while Lizard Boy ran around trying to find critters and Graduate Girl and I walked over and mailed a post card. There was a little souvenir shop right next door to JJ's and I found the cutest little black spaghetti strap tank with the islands name spelled out in little silver studs and a pair of flip flops outlined in crystals. A total compulsive buy but it was I HAD TO HAVE IT cuteness so there was no way around it. We still had about 20 minutes to kill before heading over for the 11:00ish CA ferry so we scoped out the tents again and I also found a beaded stone necklace. Just trying to catch up with Graduate Girl here ya know? The sad thing is that I'm still fricken pining over another one that I didn't buy so we have to go back to the island just so's I can! I hate when that happens! It's the worst!

We boarded the ferry as I whispered a quiet goodbye to my favorite place on this earth and it stared to rain (oh-oh, getting visions of Ocean wheelies here) On the way over Hand Bag Girl starts in on the hand bag that she hasn't purchased yet. I told her we'd check out the vendor tents downtown and get her one there just to shut her up. It worked. I knew we'd have to do it though cause she's a handbag afficienado (sp?) and purses are her obsession. I'm pretty sure she was living and breathing for it. Upon arrival in CA, we grabbed a taxi and had him drive us back to checkin at Emerald Beach so that we could drop off our bags and head back into town for a day of what just so happens to be the girls' favorite thing, SHOPPING! The room wasn't ready so they let us keep our luggage in the office while we found another taxi to take us back to the downtown area.

It was still raining a steady drizzle but it was warm and refreshing so we didn't mind walking around in it at all. We walked all over and into numerous shops. Honey likes the Virgin Island Brewing Company and he got a couple things from there. Finally after a few hours, we came to the tents and I thought Hand Bag Girl was going to faint from sheer delight. She was in her element, in a zone and it probably wouldn't have done a damn bit of good to tell her all our lives were in jeopardy if we didn't leave now. I think there were like 5 or 6 different hand bag vendors and their prices really varied. We ended up back at the first tent we went to because his prices, goods and friendly manner were the most impressive. Ok, so she got her bag and she can die happy now. I can just have peace.

By this time we were pretty much starving so we decided to hit The Greenhouse right downtown and overlooking the harbor. It just so happened that it was Happy Hour on Tuesday which for those not "in the know" is 2 for Tuesday Happy Hour. 2 for 1 of ANY drink and $3 off every appetizer on the menu. Right the hells on! Did we come at the right time or what!!! Ok, so we decided appetizers sounded good and ordered Buffalo Wings, Cheese Sticks, Nachos, Chicken Sticks and Potato Skins to go with our libations. I think we had some banana thing, Bushwacker and something else but they were YUMMY and the food was YUM! Nickie didn't mind O-Zoning himself into the video games either. A great time and a great meal and CHEAP! One of our faves and we will DEFINITELY go again.

After dinner it was just starting to get dark so we decided to grab another taxi and get back to the resort. We grabbed our luggage and our room keys and rolled ourselves over to the room. I was really hesitant as we opened the door but to my complete surprise, the room was bright, clean and recently remodeled. A most definite improvement from the first room. I think the Emerald Beach has everything from scungy to pleasing and probably everything in between so you just might luck out and if it's just for a night, I'd for sure stay there again. Honey took Lizard Boy to the pool where they met with onother Honey and his rugrat while Graduate Girl and I had some lets lounge time. After a while, they were kicked out of the pool for closing so Lizard Boy came back and we watched Neopolian Dynamite while Honey went alone down to the bar. He NEVER does that, must have been that shopping excursion. He said he met a nice lady and her boytoy and they kept buying him drinks all night while he chatted animatedly about all our recent adventures. I'll spare you his stumble story back to the room.

The next morning we showered and yes I broke down and painted my face for the trip back home. I'm really surprised it didn't jump off my skull and march in front of me holding up demonstration signs. On the way out Lizard Boy is once again bum sticking straight up and out of the bushes so I grabbed him up, we checked out and grabbed one last taxi to the airport for our 8:40 flight. We waited in the line that did not move for about 20 minutes. There wasn't that many people there but finally I just grabbed Honey's plastic and walked over the AA self serve machine. The tickets printed out and we rolled right into customs where there was no line. Breezed right through and motated into the depths of despair as we did the walk of woe is me straight to our gate. We grabbed some breakfast sandwiches and juice and before long, it was time to walk the tarmack again. The first flight was horrid. Graduate Girl thought we were going to die and she had the fear in her eyes the whole time. The next two were uneventful except for when Nickie told me his sister was a big, loud girl and can I please tell her to shut up! Joy! We arrived back home at 9:45 pm, precisely the same time we arrived on St. Thomas when we flew in.

I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful trip (except for the dinghy part) and I'm still glowing just thinking about it. Every one of us had the time of our lives and yearn to go back. I must send a special thank you to Judi and you know who you are. I did e-mail you twice, I guess you didn't get them. Thanks soooo much to every one of you on these boards who share your knowledge and put so much into your special trip reports so that all of us may benefit. You've made me laugh, you've made me cry and I feel like we all share this cosmic connection for the island we all adore. Thank you as well for sticking with me to the end and cheering me on. I hope you enjoyed my tales and I hope I made you smile. Cheers to you from the cast!

Honey AKA Dave
Bikini Girl, chrisn AKA Chris
Graduate Girl AKA Shye
Lizard Boy AKA Nicholas

Post Script:

Today in real world land, I'm driving my Jeep around with a Virgin Islands front license plate instead of the lame numbered thing that was on there before. I'm also sharing the love dear reader with the STJ symbol sticker proudly displayed on the top center of my rear window. You should probably know that I have NEVER put any kind of sticker on my car as I don't like to tacky things up so this should tell you how much I'm in LOVE with my beautiful, perfect island. And while most Utahn's probably won't know Beans from Applebutter about St. John or where it even is, it makes my heart happy to have known her charms and that I'll return again someday. Have a HAPPY Indepenant to return to St. John 4th of July everyone! I'll see you on the flip side of the freak flag...