Ray amp Claire Part 37 St Johns Antigua Antigua or to be true to the flag Antigua and Barbuda is one of the islands in the Eastern Caribbean chain known as the Lesser Antilles Archipelago ID: 269966
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Around the World in 106 Days withRay & Claire!!Part 37– St John’s, AntiguaSlide2Slide3
Antigua (or to be true to the flag, Antigua and Barbuda) is one of the islands in the Eastern Caribbean chain known as the Lesser Antilles Archipelago.
It is an island nation constituting the 2 major islands (i.e. Antigua and Barbuda) and a number of smaller islets
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. Antigua famously boasts 365 palm fringed, white sand beaches.
One for every day of the year – except for 2012 which is a Leap Year!!
It has an area of 171 square miles and a population of approx 67,000. It is generally a low-lying island but the highest point at Boggy Peak reaches 1542 ft above sea levelSlide5
4000 years ago Antigua was home to the Siboney people who disappeared mysteriously leaving the island uninhabited for about 1000 years
The first European to discover Antigua was Christopher Columbus in 1493, who gave it the name Antigua (after a church in Seville, Spain, called Santa Maria la Antigua, meaning "
Old St. Mary's
"). By then it was inhabited by the
Carib
Indian tribe until it was colonized by the British in 1632
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This triggered a sequence of bloody battles involving the Caribs, the Dutch, the French and of course the English
.
Africans had been captured as slaves to work the sugar
plantations. The
French ceded the island to the English in 1667 and
slavery was abolished soon after.Slide7
Antigua became the independent state of Antigua & Barbuda in 1981. The Governor General on the Island represents the British Crown although the island nation also has its own Prime Minister.
In more recent history, Antigua was badly damaged by Hurricane Luis in 1995 but has been rebuilt since.Slide8
We berthed at Heritage Quay which was only a 5 minute walk into capital city of St John’s. ...and a local steel band was on the quay to welcome us to AntiguaSlide9
Heritage Quay has lots of facilities including duty free shops, bars, restaurants, tourist information and even a casino
....
”
I see that John is busy bartering already with a stall holder!
!Slide10
The town is dominated by St John’s Anglican Cathedral dating back to 1834
This current church is the 3
rd
to be built on this site and it is made of freestone with an interior encased in pitch pine to protect the structure from ruin during an earthquake or hurricane. Slide11
Antigua is the home of such cricketing heroes as Sir Vivian Richards Slide12
A short drive away is Shirley Heights which is located 148 metres (487 feet) above the mighty Atlantic Ocean. Named after Sir Thomas Shirley, this was the principal fortification of the British fleet stationed at English Harbour Slide13
At sea level are the remains of Nelson’s Dockyard which was built in 1725 to provide a base for a squadron of ships patrolling the West Indies, maintaining Britain’s sea power. These are the original capstans used for careening the ships
…and here are the remains of the sail house
This is the naval officers and clerk’s house – now the Dockyard Museum.
Today it is the world’s last remaining Georgian naval dockyard that is still in use and instead of galleons, sleek yachts now moor at the old stone quayside
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The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda is housed in the old Court House which is a short walk from Heritage QuayHaving seen “hundreds” of museums during our cruise (and wanting to get to the beach) we gave this particular one a missSlide15
The nearest beach from the Ship was Dickenson Bay which was about 3 miles away and so teaming up with John and Elizabeth we headed that way in a taxi for a relaxing day – doing absolutely nothing (except drink Pina Coladas and eat a local dish for lunch)Slide16
....”..and Claire managed to find us a thatched shade for the four of us!!Slide17Slide18
A little further away was the luxury hotel Sandals who “assumed” that they owned the rights to the beach. But when the dancers from the Black Watch decided to topless sunbath (and were told by Sandals Security Guards to get properly dressed) the locals pointed out that all beaches in Antigua are public beaches!Slide19
John went off to investigate the situation – but Elizabeth said you can go topless, but not me!..in the meantime, Claire was blissfully unaware of what was going on around herSlide20
...and Raymond had found someone to talk toSlide21
We then decided to have some lunch – and met a local “Palm Leaf Weaver”..who presented Claire with a palm rose..in exchange for a kissSlide22
We enjoyed a really nice local lunch of Pork and “Provisions” (i.e. local vegetables)Slide23
....and learnt that the locals collect Sea Kale – which tastes like Kelp and is used in their cookingSlide24
After lunch, the cameraman wandered off down the beachThe girls wondered where he had got to.....?Slide25
..they tried the local phone (which didn't work)..and then (like John) decided that it was all just too much troubleSlide26
They never did find where he had got to...but had their suspicions that it might have been something to do with boats or jet skis!Or perhaps he had gone for a chat with the Dancers?!Slide27
But all too soon our Beach Break was over and it was time to get back to the Black Watch (moored next to yet another floating block of flats) and then it was time to Buckle Up and prepare for our last port of call, Ponta DelgadaSlide28
17th April 2012Slide29
Happy birthday Jean!!Slide30Slide31Slide32Slide33
....”the answer is on the tip of my tongue...but I cant remember it.!!”18th April 2012Slide34
The Black Watch Orchestra and the Rosario TrioSlide35
19th April 2012Slide36Slide37Slide38Slide39
20th April 2012Slide40
..but first.....Slide41Slide42
“I managed to drive all 5 people off my table by complaining about the Black Watch – and then for this dinner I had a new set of people and one of them had more complaints about them Ship than I did!
I am going to complain
to
the Management about this!!”
....
”
....Oh, don't worry about Raymond - its OK , it is only Dawn!!”Slide43
Ashley (in his younger days) played Oliver for six months in the Cameron Macintosh Touring Company.He then carried on with a lot of stage work and even now has a wonderful voice that covers classical, opera, jazz and modern....and he is still only 26Slide44
21st April 2012
....
”
They need your money
Reg
and Jean.....
now.
!!”Slide45Slide46Slide47
....”I know.....its just the one Mrs Wembley isn't it?!”Slide48Slide49Slide50Slide51Slide52