On Yer Bike!

We should have been in St.Barts today, the bling capital of the Caribbean. Instead at 6.30 this morning the captain decided it was unsafe for us to go ashore by lifeboats because of the stormy seas so we are back in St Maarten.

But our travel disruptions are nothing compared to the horrific conditions in the UK which we see nightly on Sky News. Each time we switch on the telly the weather seems to be getting worse.

The extra time in St Maarten allowed us to visit the islands museum, a labour of love by Dutch woman Elsje Bosch, now a not for profit community project run by volunteers.

For the first time in the Caribbean I saw a brief history of slavery, a subject that is taboo. The national museum in Barbados offered a sanitised version of its past with slavery barely getting a mention.

The work of E. Bosch saves just in time the islands past before it is subsumed in mass tourism. Today there were five cruise ships in bringing 10,000-20,000 people to this tiny island. Fortunately many chose not to go shore.


Strolling along the promenade this afternoon I had a leaflet offering a free necklace provided I stepped inside a certain diamond centre.
Never one to turn down a free gift I stepped smartly inside noting that the two young men positioned either side of the door glanced at me then at each other and nodded.


I had just got my free gift when in seconds there was a huge ring placed on my finger.
Now I don’t “do “ jewellery “but even I could not fail to be impressed by the size and colour of the stones.

“How much? “I asked.
$5000,” he said.

“I don’t have my credit card with me, “I said.
“No problem. We’ll send you back to your ship by taxi to get it,” he said.

I made my excuses and left.