This was our 3rd year in a row to St John. The previous years had been spent with DH's family. This year we were on our own.

We flew in to STT on Saturday and stayed over for the night at the Hotel 1829. We really enjoyed staying in STT the first night cuz that first travel day can be a real energy sucker. The Hotel 1829 was very interesting. It wasn't luxurious, no one catered to us. But, it was very eclectic! The walls are all made of stone and brick and the exposed wood beams are wide and dark and it felt like staying in a castle villa. There was a small pool and a bar (they also served a continental breakfast). The linens and towels were a little worn and I wouldn't stay there for a week but for the price (@ $120), the experience, the convenience to CA shops (a minute stroll down the hill for all the cheap rum and diamonds known to man) and the nice rest and de-stress from packing and flying was well worth it!

We had a late lunch on Saturday at Gladys Cafe in CA. Great ladies, great service. DH's steak was waaaay undercooked but it must've been a fluke and they rectified it mighty quick. I had the Jerk Pork Chops and they were AWESOME!

They have homemade hot sauce, three kinds, and I'm a big hot sauce fan. The bottles were not labeled with ingredients so I asked "What is the difference between the hotsauces?" A very nice lady pointed to the yellow one and said "hot", pointed to the red one and said "hotter" and pointed to the one with peppers floating in it and said "hottest". I laughed and thought to myself "Welcome back to the islands!". FYI, the yellow one has the best taste and is mustard based.... perfect to add to the Jerk Pork Chops!

We also had breakfast at a little cafe in a little alley in CA. I think it was called Time For a Break or something like that. Very good breakfast! It was pretty early, 8.30am, and it was really freakin' weird being in amongst all those shops with NO ONE else around.

We waited for the stores to open, bought way too much alcohol for just the 2 of us (five bottles for $70) and packed up and headed to STJ.

Part 2

From STT to STJ: ferry was running normal schedule so we hop on! We get to STJ @ Noon.

I need to mention that for the last 2 years we've stayed in the Cruz Bay area but we always ended up in the Coral Bay area. This year we stayed in Coral Bay and we never found ourselves in the Cruz Bay area again except when we took a ride around the island one day and then when we had breakfast at the Texas Coast Cafe on departure day waiting for the ferry.

Back to the story...DH goes to pick up rental from Courtesy Car Rental. I wasn't there for it but assume all goes smooth cuz he isn't swearing when he comes to pick me up at the dock. We got a Suzuki Vitara. Let's just say that it got us where we needed to go even when we thought it might not. We'll upgrade to the Jeep next time.

Next is off to Starfish where we purchase food that we didn't really eat. You see, in Coral Bay it can be cheaper to eat out than buy groceries and cook-in. And, since we hate doing dishes (there was no dishwasher), we ended up eating out a lot more than expected.

Back to the story... Oh goodness! We realize that it is @ 1.00pm and guess what is on at 2.00pm? Yup, the Patriots game! We head to Skinny's. This was my first time at Skinny's due to the fact that I'm not a big football fan. DH always catches the game there with his step-dad and brother but since it's just me and him this year, I guess I gotta go. I'd heard from some of the ladies that last year there were a lot of flies. Yuck! Happily, Skinny's is real cool, no flies, an egret, a few chickens and a sparrow. Relax, sit back, have a bushwacker and some water from the cooler and watch the game.

A little while into the game, belly full of burger, I notice that DH has had a few drinks in the past hour and has made a friend. An interesting fellow is talking dogs with my DH (he is a dog trainer). We decide to go see this nice fellow's dog as he tied him up to the tail end of an abandoned truck at the "marina". We're kinda in a hurry now cuz we are scheduled to meet our villa owner at 4pm. Well, we take a stroll, turn the corner and..... no dog, no rope. Someone untied this poor guys dog and the dog is nowhere to be found. Great. We're feeling bad and wishing we could help but, dude, we gotta go.

Next... Sago Cottage.

Part 3

The drive up Calabash Boom was very.... interesting. It's funny how the villa reps and owners never reeeaallly tell you what the drive up to the houses is like. It's as if they have that sink-or-swim attitude. Either we suck it up and make the drive or we lose our deposit and go to the Westin! The first time I came to St John and made that drive up Gift Hill, I was sure that no car could defy gravity and we would flip over one way or another.

The road up to Sago Cottage is all dirt with ruts and stuff and 4 hairpin turns! Holy moly! Who ever thought to coninue to keep building higher and higher up that mountainside!?? I'll tell you who, someone who knew what the pay-off was. Sago has an amazing view. Way better than the view of St Thomas from Cruz Bay. Don't get me wrong, St Thomas at night and the sunsets on the Cruz Bay side are AMAZING but there is something more pristine and adventurous about the view toward the BVI's. Green and lush, mountainous and hilly and very little developement. From our deck, we could not see one neighbor, we could not hear anything but the birds. The landscaping was designed for nakedness!

The cottage itself has everything you need. It did lack a washer/dryer and dishwasher but we were not wanting of either of them. Oh, and, I know it's evil, but.....I kinda missed the TV, UGH! I hate that I missed it but I DID!!! I wanted to at last see what the weather was like in New England so I could chuckle a bit at the poor schmucks :). However, since we didn't have the TV, I surfed the FM and AM bands on the radio and found some really great carribbean Christmas music and some very funny DJ's. I wouldn't have found any of that if we had the TV.

If you need a testament to how the cottage is, DH said that there is no reason to stay any where else on St John.

There was one con, however. It was the bed. It was not the most comfotable bed for us...BUT, the comfort of a bed is unique to everyone and it wouldn't keep us from going back.

We are animal people. DH is a dog trainer. We also have a doggy daycare/boarding facility at our house. And we own a Yorkie, a Rottie, a Westie and a big fat cat. At the villa, there is a resident cat and a band of merry friends. The resident cat is fairly friendly, all of the cats are kinda skittish though. We named the resident cat Larry. Larry has four regular friends and a few we only saw once or twice. There was also a black cat that NONE of the other cats liked. DH named him George Steinbrenner (heehee, sorry NY fans). These cats do not try to come in the house so for those of you who could care less, just feed 'em twice a day and they'll keep their distance. I made friendly cuz I missed mine back at home.

In additon to the cats, the birds regularly visit the birdbath on the porch, lizards are everwhere, there was a land crab in the shower and a little frog at the bathroom window at night. FUN!

I don't remember what we did for dinner that night (Sunday)..... but I do remmeber waking up to the sunrise. Gorgeous! I listened to the changes in the sounds outside....from frogs and cricketts to birds and meowing...oops! Didn't leave the kitties enough food last night.

Our first full day was spent at Maho Bay. This beach has fast become the beach we dream about when we think of returning. It was the beach I thought of on the Thursday before we left at 4.30AM when our furnance backed up and then on the Friday before we left when the washer leaked all over the basement floor and then that night before we left when we were pounded with a foot and a half of snow and hadn't bought the snowblower yet. Yup. We dreamed of Maho Bay and it didn't fail us. I told DH about that guy who wants buy all the land behind it and build a dock and re-route the road and he said "F*!@ THAT!" Poetic, isn't he?

Part 4...Capt George and a sum-up of the week.