After getting the tour from Genie and unpacking, we decided to drive down to the Yacht Club and the Anchorage to check out their beach. We didn’t really like the beach, but the beach at Elysian looked inviting. However, we couldn’t figure out how to get to Elysian’s beach from the Yacht Club’s beach (we wanted to walk), so we got into the car and just decided to head to the Ritz to use the pool. The sun was already starting to set. My rule on poaching pools is that I always spend money on bar and food to keep things even…so I gave Ritz $6.50 for a Heineken (hello, they are $6 for a 6-pack on STT!!) and we took a dip. Wow, it was COLD! I am used to June and July evenings on STT – hot, hot, hot. On this evening, the wind was blowing a cool breeze and the pool water was cool. The dip was very quick and we returned to the villa to change for dinner.

We decided to stay close to the area for dinner, so we headed over to Robert’s at Elysian. We didn’t have reservations, so we were told they would try to squeeze us in and were given a table near the back of the dining room. Ok, I guess that’s what happens with no reservations – no problem. We ordered calamari for appetizer (very good) and my daughter had a cheeseburger and fries. I ordered the snapper, which I didn’t like. It was as dry as a bone. There was some sauce on the side of it, which I used to dip it into with each bite because it was really dry. I’ve had snapper plenty of times before, and I’ve never seen it like this (so dry it was a little hard to cut), so I assume it was an anomaly. This place gets good reviews, so maybe I’ll try it again another time. This wasn’t a good experience for me on this occasion. The server was very nice and the staff was all very pleasant.

We left Robert’s and headed to the Food Center for some provisions – more beer, rum and wine (oh, and some cereal and milk for the smaller member of my twosome).

The next day we went to Sapphire beach. We arrived around 10am and paid $10 for two lounge chairs. The water felt good, but it was kind of rough – not Jersey shore rough, just wavy for STT waters). I guess I am used to the summer seas (calm) and the chair guy explained to me about the North swells being in. The water was clear and pretty anyway. We then strolled over to the Marina to look at the yachts and look for crabs and iguanas – we saw all three.

While at the Sapphire Marina, I noticed that some of the buildings in Sapphire Village were under construction and there was LOUD noise everywhere. I would have DIED if I had been staying in those buildings with buzz saws going all around me. This is Sapphire Village, not Sapphire resort.

I didn't notice any construction at the resort...but the fence is DOWN!! Finally!! You know, that big fence that was in the middle of the resort grounds for a million years...it is down. But, they didn't build anything within it. So, what was it there for anyway? Gotta love St Thomas...LOL.

When we got back to our spot in the beach, the rains were coming over from St John, so we packed up to go. Just then, Dex showed up and offered to take us to Indigo for lunch. Indigo became our hot spot for the rest of the trip. Marty was right, this IS a very good place to eat (and swim, and drink, and talk, and hang out). It is located at the hilltop pool at Megan’s Point Resort (over Megan’s Bay).

Indigo has lovely tables with umbrellas surrounding a large swimming pool with a small waterfall. There is a view of the Bay. My daughter alternated between swimming in the pool and eating (the sun was out on this side of the island) while Dex and I had a leisurely lunch. The Mojitos were excellent and the service was super fast here. I had eggplant and peppers on focaccia and Dex had salmon on focaccia. My D had a cheeseburger and fries. Excellent food.

It was here, at Indigo, that my D met a friend in the pool (another girl, her age, who was visiting with her mom – and the mom, like me, was a former resident). After Dex left to return to work, the other mom (Pauline) and I got together for sunning (they also have lounge chairs on the sunny side of the pool) and drinks and spent the rest of the afternoon lazing around and talking while our daughters entertained themselves in the pool. The pool has very few people in it (we only saw about 3-4 at a time) because this is mainly a restaurant, so this is a GREAT place to swim and sun (and eat, and drink, and chat!).

We left Indigo just before dinner time and stopped by Udder Delight (STT Dairies) for milkshakes (on the road just outside of the entrance to Megan’s Bay), which totally spoiled our appetites for dinner.

We then drove back to the Villa and decided that we would ferry over to STJ for dinner at Rhumblines (our usual favorite). We LOOOOOOVE Rhumblines! My D likes it for the rope swings at the bar and I like it for the spicy PUPU menu items. PUPU is a Polynesian term for appetizers. Rhumblines has a special menu of PUPU items, which are great for sampling. This suited me on this night because I wasn’t going to get very hungry since I had the shake earlier. The ferry ride over was wonderful with the lights off on the boat. We sat on the top deck and looked for star formations as the boat made its way across the channel in the dark. Some of the boutiques on STJ were still open when we arrived, so we shopped a little. Dinner at Rhumblines was as wonderful as ever. We sat at the bar, so our server was also the bartender – Ally (or Allie?). She was great. They also have Thai food on the regular menu, along with plenty of other interesting Pac-Rim items. You don’t have to order from the PUPU menu.

Then we strolled around Cruz Bay a little (lively, as always) and caught the 10pm ferry back to STT. Back to the villa and we fell into bed. Long day!