St. Croix, US Virgin Islands -- June 2014 (Part 7: Christiansted Boardwalk & Return to Picked Greek)

DAY SEVEN:  Friday, 6 June 2014

After another wonderful, if cloudy sunrise, I took my next-to-last morning stroll on the beach.  The last couple days I’d seen an older gentleman with a cane and yellow shirt come out to take a swim as I was doing my walk.  This morning we were able to chat.  His name was Mike, and he was recovering from back surgery, so the water was very soothing.  We didn’t chat long, so he could do his swim and get on with his day.  I noted just with my beach-walking I was accumulating as much by 8 am as I’d reach all day at home during my work week.  Oh, to be on holiday longer.  >grin<

When I came out for my morning swim, I could look across and see people in the dining area.  These are people I’ve never seen on the beach when I’ve been there in the afternoon.  To me, it seems odd to stay at a beach-side resort and not even take advantage of the beach.  I find it even weirder that those who only choose to swim or hang-out by the pool.  If you’re not going to take advantage of what a place has to offer, then stay at a different locale (one which will be cheaper).  Just an aside from the budget-conscious traveler.

Today’s plan was to go down to Christiansted in order to look around the shops to see if I could fine something to be a wedding gift for Rob & Lauren.  Last time I was here, I parked in the public pay lot off of King Cross Street.  I’d overheard (I think it was from Matt at the Palms bar) who said there’s a pay lot by the Fort, which was currently free because the meters were broken.  That ended being a good lead.  Because it was the middle of the work day, the lot was sparsely filled, and there weren’t many loitering around.  There were people enjoying the park of the Fort Christiansted National Historic Site, but no one visible that I had to worry about Silvara being left alone.

Now I did bring a few resumes down also, and I dropped one at the office of Gotostcroix.com, just to see if they needed any PR assistance.  They were directly under the office of Gerry Pate (who I’d visited the last time).  I wandered down the Boardwalk, and then up and down some of the pedestrian-only streets in order to check out some of the shops.  There’s a style of knot bracelet the locals wear as an affirmation of this place, and I heard you could get one as a ring.  I don’t like having things on my wrist, so that’s why I thought the ring would be nice.  The knot ring also functions like a Claddah Ring (wear it one way, it shows you’re available, etc).  There were only a couple in my size, but they didn’t fit well, so I passed on them.

Since it was close to noon, I looked at getting some lunch.  The last time I was here, there were tips that Rum Runners and Fort Christian Brew Pub were good bets.  I was looking for something with bulk which would carry me through the rest of the day.  Many of my lunches have ended up being lighter than I planned, so I was hungry in the evening.

I stopped first to Rum Runners and waited there a bit, as there was no one in the establishment I could see.  Since it was the lunch hour, even nearing off-season, someone should’ve been there.  I could hear people in the back (in the kitchen I guess), and called out to them.  After waiting a short bit more, and still not seeing another person (not even other patrons), I pretty much wrote this one off.

I headed a short distance down to Fort Christian Brew Pub, and it wasn’t at all what I expected.  I’m used to pubs having a pretty varied menu with a lot of different entrees.  Even the local magazine reported this as “one of the best dinner places.”  What they ended up having was all grill-based bar-food, so not anything which I could consider an actual “lunch” place.  I sat in the dining area near the Boardwalk, with a clear view of the people at the bar.  There were two ladies at the side of the bar engaged in their own conversation.  I only point this out because later I learned they were the waitresses.  Since the action seemed to be at the bar, not the dining area, I picked up my stuff and relocated to the bar.  That’s when I got handed the menu and saw the “pub grub” fare which was only available here.

I decided to try their chicken fingers, figuring I’d be able to get some bulk out of that.  It wasn’t.  The three pieces I received looked decent-sized until I bit into them and saw these were three-quarters breading.  Add fries that came with the dish, and it was a lot of starch and very little protein.  Oh, and add the grease on top of that.  By far it was the worst meal I had on the entire island.  I even mentioned the quality of the food to the bartender who’d served me (as the waitresses were still engaged in their personal conversation, which apparently was quite compelling to them), and it was met with apathy.  This will probably be the first negative review I post on Trip Advisor.

Continuing down the Boardwalk, other than Fort Christian, there really wasn’t much here I wanted to investigate.  I’d done the Fort on my last visit, and wanted to see some new things.  I seemed to recall there being more attractions here, but that may have changed with the economy.  I wanted to walk around a bit to work off the meal which was not sitting very well in my stomach.  I was planning on getting an afternoon milkshake from Pickled Greek.  I should’ve just driven there instead of having something on the Boardwalk.  Well, I was following the tips I was given.  I took a few pictures of the Fort, but passed on going back in.  I did a pretty extensive review of this previously.  Man, what a great opportunity to have a place with free parking, but not a lot of things to do.  Bummer.

I heard there were some good areas in Gallows Bay region, which was just directly east of Christiansted, and there was supposed to be a decent Tex-Mex place there.  I went down the road which would take me there (couldn’t tell you which one, as I didn’t see a sign), and the only thing I encountered was a marina, the ferry terminal to St. Thomas, and not much else.  I didn’t see any place I could park and walk around.  If there was a lot there, or some small shops, I didn’t see them.

Well, I still could get my milkshake.  I pulled into Pickled Greek, walked in, and was given a warm greeting by Shawn.  I said I’d be back.  Shawn gave me the bad news that they were out of chocolate ice cream, because the people who normally make it hadn’t had a chance to do so.  The couple sitting at the counter smiled, and the guy said he’d lost a fight with his motorcycle, so he was recovering from that.  I’d heard this story the other day, so I knew who was involved.  But it was nice to get introduced to the owner of the Pickled Greek and his girlfriend, Peter (“Papi”) and Jewels.

Peter’s arm was bandaged, and there was a lot of road rash on his legs.  He was currently on pain meds, but he was still doing some work behind the bar (even though Shawn told him not to).  Jewels had a bandage around her middle finger, and she could barely move the rest of her fingers … and that was an improvement.  She showed me the pictures she had when she first sustained the injury, and they weren’t pretty.  It was an open wound across the digit with visible bone, and it nearly was amputated.

I had a Coke and sat there for over an hour hanging with Peter, Jewels, and Shawn, talking about island life.  They were extremely friendly and the atmosphere was very homey.  It felt like a family.  That just enhanced how great of a place this was.  Being able to sit with them was a great interaction which I’d been missing all week.  I really wished I’d located them at the beginning of the week, because I would’ve visited them more often.  About that time Peter needed to get some stuff done, and Jewels had to motor also.  I did feel bad that I didn’t get anything to eat at Pickled Greek, due to the brick which was still sitting in my stomach from my bad lunch .  I departed then too, so I could head back to the Palms for some last sun-sitting to work on some aspect of a tan before leaving tomorrow.

I grabbed a chair right out front of the main area to soak up what rays I could.  A brief sprinkle sent me to the bar area where I was able to see Matt, and I told him about my trip to VLBA.  I’d seen Erin wandering by, but I didn’t get the chance to say anything before she headed out.  I spent a few moments talking to one of the Palms employees named Cash.  He was excited about how I was doing the blog, and I took the opportunity to show him shots of the most recent (2014) Austin Cave Day and the open house at Camp Mabry (as a preview of future blogs).

I then returned to the beach and got some more rays until it became too windy to stay out there.  The wind was sand-blasting the area, so I wasn’t the only one who left because of that.  I then did a major portion of my packing, so I wouldn’t have to do it the next morning.  I wanted to get at least one more beach walk in before my stay here ended.

I took a quick rinse, nibbled some of the munchies I had (so I wouldn’t have to bring them back with me), and then adjourned to the bar.  I got there just as Matt was leaving and Rico was coming on.  I had another root beer, but was feeling famished even though I’d just nibbled on a bunch of high-energy things before coming over.  I didn’t want any more pub grub, so asked Rico for the dinner menu.  (It occurred to me then that perhaps I should’ve done that at Fort Christiansted Brew Pub, and then perhaps I would’ve gotten a better meal.)

I ended up ordering a chicken breast (grilled, and tossed in BBQ sauce), with spuds and veggies.  When the plate came, I just thought it was a fabulous presentation on how flakes of the veggies were sprinkled on everything.  It tasted yummy, and was exactly what my body needed.

I was prepared to take some sunset pictures, as I had my camera at the bar with me.  I noticed the porters bringing a table out to the beach (just beyond the dining area), and some tiki torches were being set up.  Turns out this couple had made arrangements to have a candle-lit dinner on the beach.  That’s romantic.  I took what shots I could before the couple arrived, as I didn’t want to be intrusive.  You won’t get complete privacy doing something like that, but you don’t want some person to be taking pictures, especially when it’s someone you don’t know.  I decided to be okay with the few sunset shots I had.  I’d been purposely waiting to the end of the trip to take these.  Oh, well.

Some of the fun was the interacting with people sitting at the bar.  One guy who I’d chatted with briefly during the week was named Mike, who’d lived in Alabama for about 30 years before coming down here.  Well, Mike had gotten a new phone (not a Smart Phone mind you), and he was trying to figure out how to work it.  Rico would show Mike a few things in between serving other patrons, but Mike was just not grasping the concepts.  It provided some amusement, but finally I hopped over to where Mike was sitting and showed him how to do the things he was having trouble with.  Oh, what were those things?  Being able to read his text messages.

After Mike had finished his drink, Rico was talking to this lady at the bar about the cougar who had sent Rico a number of extremely suggestive text messages.  The lady commented that she wasn’t that bad when she sends stuff like that.  I don’t know who Rico was talking about, but the lady at the bar was named Jill, and she certainly was cougar material.

Jill had been a resident here for over five years and worked as one of the administrators at the local schools.  She was now getting ready to move back to Michigan to care for her sick parents.  She had no pets, children, or spouse, so she was saying the only things she would need to move would be some clothes, six pieces of furniture, and her car.  Jill also commented she’d come here initially with only three pieces of furniture.  She was nice to talk to, but there was a hint of sadness how she worked to get here, and now she had to go back to the main land.

I left the bar not long after Jill departed.  There was one final night I’d get to spend on the beach in my command chair looking at the stars (even though it was very cloudy right now).  By the way, as Rico pointed out, Friday nights tended to be one of the deadest nights at the bars on the island.  He said it’s just weird that way, and Wednesday tends to be when it’s the most happening.  My only theory was the visitors might be arriving on Friday (and too jet-lagged to drink) or preparing to depart the next day.  Still seems like the locals who frequent the Palms would still be there on Friday.

As I sat in the chair one last time and enjoyed the sounds of the waves and the pulses of the sea, I reflected back on the week.  I did have a good time, but this ended up being more of a low-key visit then previously.  There were a number of things I planned to do when I arrived which I didn’t do, simply because it boiled down to not trying to overspend my budget.  Even some of the lower-cost things I wanted to do (like trying paddle-boarding) were things I’d have to go someplace and pay a bit to be able to do that.  Little bits here and there would add up, and I didn’t want to be putting too much on the credit card (as I’m traveling again in July).

I did think about how I’m a person of the earth who is at home when near water.  I don’t think being completely on the open sea would appeal to me.  No, I want to have the tropical coast.  I made a re-affirmation that even though life was conspiring to make it so, this would not be my final trip to St. Croix.  I said that once about Turks & Caicos too, and I still want to go back there at least one more time.  But St. Croix still remains a place which is mine.  This isn’t Turks & Caicos (where I went with Lee, thus will always be “our place”), or Myrtle Beach, or any place I went with someone else.  This is my place.

Of course being an hour earlier than what my body was normally used to, and the consumption of large amounts of alcohol, meant I was tired earlier.  When the body is ready to sleep, I’m letting it.  I don’t have the opportunity to relax like this back in Austin.

For more information on the places visited or mentioned:

Fort Christiansted National Historic Site:  http://www.nps.gov/chri/index.htm

Gotostcroix.com:  http://www.gotostcroix.com/

Christiansted Boardwalk:  http://my-stcroix.com/where-to-play/restaurants-bars/christiansted-downtown-boardwalk/

Rum Runners:  http://www.rumrunnersstcroix.com/

Fort Christian Brew Pub:  http://fortchristianbrewpub.com/

Gallows Bay:  http://my-stcroix.com/where-to-play/restaurants-bars/gallows-bay/

Pickled Greek:  http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g147402-d1078861-Reviews-Pickled_Greek-Christiansted_St_Croix_U_S_Virgin_Islands.html

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St. Croix, US Virgin Islands -- June 2014 (Part 6B: Cane Bay & Northshore Road)

During my drives (on the left-hand side of the road, of course), I’d look at the scenery.  If there was a place for me to pull off, I would so I could take some pictures.  I did that on my first trip here, and continued to do so on this trip.  Northshore Road was very good for that, as I found some places which the distance from the side of the road to the beach was a couple dozen steps.  Many of these were small sand beaches with minimal coral, and all were completely secluded.  Had I brought my suit with me, these places would’ve been nice for a quick swim.

One particular place I pulled off which gave good picture opportunities also gave my creative mind an idea.  I looked at the pristine smooth sand, untouched by rocks, bird tracks, or other things which kept it from being an open canvas to draw on.  Waves come in and out regularly, so there’s not the time to do some extensive artwork, but I wanted to leave a mark.  Using a nearly palm tree frond so I could reach my canvas as much as possible (and cut down on the amount of footprints I’d leave), I wrote a message in the sand about how much I enjoyed this place.

I stepped back to take a picture of it, and a wave came in and obliterated part of it, so I had to redraw it.  But I was quick with the camera and captured my message to St. Croix.  I dated it today’s date, and signed it with the same “A” symbol I use for my anonymous work.  Satisfied with the message, I continued on my journey.  I know the message was fleeting, as wide and tide would soon wash it away, but the intent (and energy behind it) would stay for a long time.

When I decided I was going to return to the Cane Bay area, I had two places in mind to get lunch, one being (of course) Eat @ Cane Bay, and the other was Off The Wall.  As Off The Wall seemed more “pub grub”-like, I went to Eat to get the Build Your Own Burger.

I was attended to by Meredith, who probably thought I was weird to sit with my back to the beach.  While that allowed me to do some people watching in here, it also gave the opportunity for me to lend my camera to her to take a shot of me with the beach in the background.  In hindsight it probably would’ve been easier in the first place to sit sideways (as I turned to look at the beach as much as other people).  I didn’t want to seem like I was really antsy by moving around a lot.

The meal was still good.  I had a piece of grilled chicken with Swiss cheese, and it was yummy.  Again, I noticed that I had no cell signal while I was in the area of Cane Bay.  Other places on the island it would swap from T-Mobile to one of the local carriers, so I was keeping my cell use to a minimum for that reason.  I figured if I’d ever stayed at the Cane Bay area, it’d be like being at my parents’ place in NY where I have no phone reception due to the mountains (and my battery constantly runs down as it’s searching for a signal).

There was a restaurant near where Route 73 joined 80 which had a sign noting they had ice cream (unfortunately I can’t recall the name of the place).  I figured I’d stop there after lunch for dessert.  After leaving Eat, as I was on the way back through this section, someone was parked in what appeared to be the entrance to the establishment (blocking the driveway), so I couldn’t pull in.  There was a corner store also at that intersection (which I’d gotten water at on my last visit) which was now closed.

Near a piece of property for sale, I took a picture across the bay of the tower I’d visited on my previous trip.  Since I’d seen it on the way in, I knew where it was in order to take a shot of that again.

I drove up the dirt road to that tower again, and took a few more pictures, but nothing as extensive as previously.  I could see the weather was starting to get cloudy, and I didn’t want to have all the same photographs as before.  I did a couple selfies there, and also a picture of the grave there.  Juanita “Candy” Dyer lived between 1924-2004, and to be buried on the top of the hillside overlooking this view must’ve been a real special request.

Coming back down Route 80, I did turn into the cove where Columbus’ second landing was.  The half-dozen locals gave me an odd look as I pulled in, and it wasn’t very welcoming.  I ended up just pulling right around.  It’s a pretty secluded area, and you do what you need to in order to stay safe.  If you’re gut tells you something, usually it’s a good idea to follow it.

Off of 80 was Route 78 which had a sign which said “Scenic Drive,” so I took a chance.  The road was wide, smooth, and curvy as it ascended.  I could hear Silvara’s transmission whine the entire way.  The growth at the side of the road was too high in most places in order to get a good view.  I got to one section with a “Dead End” sign immediately followed by one which said “No beach, no view.”  When the road ended at the gate to someone’s driveway, I figured they put the second sign there to discourage tourists.  After coming down and back to 80, I tried to see if there was anything worth seeing down Route 79.  I hoped I could reach the Salt River Bay National Park.  No dice there.

I took a similar chance cruising down 751, which brought me to the Pelican Inn and Condos.  That was the big yellow complex on the hill west of where I was staying.  I asked the lady at the security gate if there was a restaurant I could check out (and hoped I’d get a different view of Pelican Cove).  She said there was no access to nonresidents because there wasn’t a restaurant.  Well, the idea was good.

Since it was partially cloudy, I returned to the Palms so I could grab a beach chair out in the main section to catch some afternoon rays.  I really didn’t have much of a tan because when I was outside it wasn’t usually at the most-intense time of the day.  It gave me time to collect these thoughts while they were fresh.  A little bit later, Erin had come back to the area as she was getting things set up for her daughter’s birthday party.  A few friends on the beach with pizza and chocolate cake; I should do that for the next one.  The clouds came in, and it began to lightly shower.  The water wouldn’t bother me, except I’m writing on paper, which doesn’t like water.  I scooped up my stuff and took shelter at the bar for a bit.  There were snatches of conversation going on, but not anything I was part of.  Eventually I headed back to my room, and took a quick swim in order to rinse and cool off.

Once dressed, I returned to the bar where I was then able to start drinking.  I did get involved in a conversation about good television shows, why some are cancelled and why some stay.  We all had our opinions on what was a “good” show, but the younger the person the more they were into graphic content (like Sons of Anarchy) or things with reprehensible characters (like Deadwood).  I had very different qualifications for what was good.  The couple I’d met on the beach Tuesday morning (Dan & Katayla) came into dine, and we spoke briefly about what things we’d done all week.

I saw one lady come in by herself and sit down at the far side of the bar.  She had a glass of wine, and appeared to be frequently checking her phone.  First I thought she was waiting for someone, and when it was clear that she wasn’t (or had been stood-up), I went over to the other side of the bar and introduced myself.  Her name was Ky (sounds like “tie”), which was short for Kynoch.  You can’t get more of a Scottish-sounding name than that.  Originally from Idaho, she did her graduate work in the Catskills region of New York State, and now worked as an Environmental Researcher at UVI.  Ky had shown up at the Palms because she wanted to do the salsa dancing which was supposed to be happening.  Apparently the event was cancelled, and it didn’t sound like any notifications went out.

Ky and I sat at the bar and chatted while she worked on her wine, and I my Rum Punch.  We talked about island life, and the various education sciences we were involved in (mine being with the Planetarium), and then she asked what I’d done during my visit.  I mentioned the great tour I had of VLBA that Greg had given me.  Ky knew Greg personally, and she thought that it was awesome the way I was able to make tour arrangements.

As if on cue, Greg came into the Palms with some of his Coast Guard unit to get dinner.  Ky and I stopped over to his table to say hi as we headed out.  I got to hear a story Greg told about having to wear an otter costume for some event his unit was doing, and how hot it ended up being.  Ky mentioned that as a local, she’s just have to come back next week and try again for the dancing.  I can’t dance worth a damn (as Bill & Bobby have witnessed when I’ve gone to the free dance lessons at Dallas Nightclub), but I would’ve been happy to try something new … providing Ky was prepared to have her feet stepped on.

The night ended with me finishing off the remaining third of the complimentary Cruzan bottle, and enjoying the sound of the wind and the waves.  Tomorrow wasn’t my last day, but it would be my last evening, so I wanted to get as many sunset shots as possible.  I was supposed to return the rental as empty as possible, and I’d done pretty well with my mileage, so it didn’t look like I needed to take Silvara out to dinner.

For more information on the places visited or mentioned:

Eat @ Cane Bay:  http://eatatcanebay.com/

Off The Wall:  http://www.otwstx.com/

Salt River Bay National Park:  http://www.nps.gov/sari/index.htm

Pelican Inn and Condos:  http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g147402-d151242-Reviews-Inn_at_Pelican_Heights-Christiansted_St_Croix_U_S_Virgin_Islands.html

Dallas Nightclub (Austin, TX):  http://www.danceatdallas.com/

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St. Croix, US Virgin Islands -- June 2014 (Part 6A: Carambola Beach)

DAY SIX:  Thursday, 5 June 2014

Ignore the fact I’m currently in a time zone earlier than what I normally live in, but I’m still waking up (based on the clock time) even earlier than I do at home.  There were some storm clouds present which made the morning sky take on some spectacular qualities.  It briefly showered, which didn’t even last five minutes.  After that, it was then time for my morning walk.  I’ve said before how much I’m enjoying that.

As I was nearing the end of my walk today, I saw a person fishing on the beach.  First I thought it was Gregory, but as I got closer I could tell the person was younger.  His name was Bryan, and he was a Federal Employee on the island.  He had a collapsible fishing pole which he takes with him wherever he goes in order to get some casting time in.  After we finished talking, I went to my wave pool in order to enjoy the white-caps generated by the wind this morning.

Before I headed out, I went over to the front desk so I could borrow some scissors to open the new luggage lock I’d gotten.  The young lady named Erin was able to come to my aid with that.  I mentioned my blog and handed her one of my cards.  She then says with a friendly smile, “You’re Dave McWhorter!  I’ve been seeing all the things you’ve said about us on Facebook!”

Erin maintains the Palms’ page much in the same manner I maintain Austin Planetarium’s page.  She noted how she’d been seeing me linking pictures from their site to my page with all the great comments I’ve made.  I didn’t know I was that famous here.  There’s good service, but then there’s things that show a place really cares about you.  Erin really showed she cared about being a happy guest.  That is something which I’ll note in my Trip Advisor review, because good customer service should be celebrated.

Once I was showered, today’s’ destinations were to head up North Shore Road and eventually have lunch in Cane Bay.  I followed Route 80 all the way until the end, which brought me to the Renaissance at Carambola Beach.  I stopped and took a few pictures of things on the drive out, and made some observations as I went, but I’ll talk about them as I detail what I saw on the return trip.

I learned the key to getting into to see a beach at a resort which has a security gate is to just say I was heading towards the restaurant.  I parked at the Renaissance, noted where the bar was, and then headed directly towards the beach.  While the layout of the bungalows were too close for what I liked, I did think it was nice that each one had a screened-in patio.

Carambola Beach is one of the best I’ve seen on the island, and it was pretty much set aside exclusively for the resort.  I don’t believe this was an all-inclusive place, but the remoteness assured the patrons wouldn’t leave to explore the rest of the island.  I took some pictures here and there, but it was pretty clear I wasn’t a resident (or guest), so I tried to stay invisible as I could.

Since I was thirsty, I headed to the bar, and ordered a water.  My server was Rachel, who like the Crystal Light I put in my drink.  I had an extra packet which I gave to her to try, and she liked it a lot.  She really thought it would be a good alternative to soda for her kids to drink.  As we talked, I of course told her about my blog.  She filled me in on where the only movie theatre was on the island (a six-screener in the plaza where K-Mart is at Sunny Isle), her visit to Dominica (the island you have to be invited to in order to move there), and the jeep tour of the rain forest.

The owner of Tan Tan Tours was Wave Phillips, and he was sitting nearby (and business cards were exchanged).  I don’t know if I was going to be able to get to do this during this visit, but by including in in the blog this time it’ll empower those who read this to seek it out.  I don’t get any kickbacks from any place I reference.  I just see it as good word of mouth advertising.  Rachel and I chatted a bit more, and then it was time for me to head back down the road.

There was a pull-off section which showed the hanging vines really well, and I made sure to get a shot of that.  Also took a pictures of the random horses tied to the trees next to the road, plus any beach shots I could get at random places I pulled Silvara off the road.  As I was coming back eastward, I had to beep my horn at a lady in a red Yaris who was driving in my lane.  Damn tourists.  >grin<  When she got over into her side, I could see the cell phone in her hand.  It’s possible she was talking, but more than likely she was using the GPS function.  She seemed embarrassed at this, and there was no harm done.

For more information on the places visited or mentioned:

Renaissance at Carambola Beach:  http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/stxbr-renaissance-st-croix-carambola-beach-resort-and-spa/

Tan Tan Tours:  http://www.stxtantantours.com/aboutus.html

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St. Croix, US Virgin Islands -- June 2014 (Part 5B: Shoy's Beach & The Pickled Greek )

DAY FIVE:  Wednesday, 4 June 2014

As I passed Estate Whim, I started developing a taste for a milkshake.  I’d gotten one at a place west of Whim the last time I was here; but that was even difficult to locate.  Diary things are rare on the island.  Since I was planning on hitting Cane Bay tomorrow, I shot westward towards the look-out point of the Christiansted Bypass.

The view there was decent, and I took a couple shots of the landscape (including the area where the Palms was, Fort Christiansted, and Protestant Cay).  The Bypass wasn’t here on my previous visit, so it was interesting to see what was done in order to construct it.  A huge gash had been cut through a hill so this would have a decent (not too extreme) grade.  The walls of the gash had giant bolts in it with wire mesh to cut down on falling objects.  The amount of earth which had to be moved from here was significant.  That must’ve been a lot of blasting needed to do that.  I can’t imagine how that probably echoes over the island.

It still was mid-day, so I decided to look for the hideaway spot Denise told me about, and area known as Shoy’s.  All I knew was that I had to turn off the highway like I was going to the Buccaneer resort, and hang a right at the security gate.  Leaving the Bypass lookout and getting on to Route 75 to go east, I spotted a sign which read “homemade ice cream.”  It was at a place called The Pickled Greek, so I decided I’d stop there on the way back through.

Once in the vicinity of the Buccaneer, I followed the directions to bring me to Shoy’s, and was driving through a high-class residential district.  Eventually the road ended at a security gate with a parking spot next to it.  Since this was marked as “Shoy’s” I parked Silvara.  The gate had a pyramid motif on the top, and it was closed, but there was enough give so I could easily slip through.  I figured this was designed to keep vehicle traffic out, but could be opened when necessary.

The area looked nice, but needing to circumvent a gate to get to a beach wasn’t a good thing as far as I was concerned.  I figured the gate must’ve been opened more when Denise and her family had visited. The building on the property appeared to be a condo complex, but the pyramid motifs continued in the architecture.  I wandered around, and took pictures of the beach, but could find no way to access it.  The only gate I found was locked, and no way to get around it.  I was able to get some nice shots of Buck Island, and a closer island called Green Cay.

There were a couple of small out-buildings on the grounds made to look like the mill towers (or were existing ones which had been converted).  These were now a tool shed and an outhouse (for the nearby beach).  I came across a caretaker who told me this wasn’t the beach, and she had no idea how to get there.  Since she didn’t seem too happy to find me here, I made a tactical withdraw with a minimum of fuss.  I squeezed back through the main gate, back to the parking lot.

It was then I realized I’d failed my perception roll earlier.  I now spotted just left of the gate, a walkway obscured by a lot of low branches.  I went through, and had to stoop as I did so.  This passage was made for hobbits, not humans.  The branches arched over from either side, which created a planet-based tunnel.

After a hundred feet or so, I emerged on to Shoy’s Beach.  This was pretty secluded, and certainly is a hidden gem.  Its location means it’ll be used more by east-enders, but definitely a nice area.  I didn’t have any gear to swim, so I just took a few pictures.  Going back to a place I know and finding new things is a great reason why I like to return to places.

I backtracked to Route 75, and headed towards the Pickled Greek.  I asked the gal behind the bar if she could make a milkshake.  Her name was Shawn, and she said she’d never done that before, but was willing to try.  She didn’t even have a blender, but had a Magic Bullet.  I told her the attempt was sufficient, and I’m ready to see the results.  There were two flavors of ice cream available (both made by the owner’s girlfriend), and Shawn used the Triple Chocolate, as it would work better than the Bakavala (which was also called “Fillo So Good”).  The Triple Chocolate was a mix of milk, dark, and cocoa, and it produced an excellent milkshake.  That was enough to satisfy that craving.

Shawn and I talked while I enjoyed the milkshake.  Originally from a tiny island community in FL, Shawn was now a permanent resident.  The Pickled Greek had just celebrated its’ sixth year in business last May, and I sheepishly noted that I hadn’t noticed them before today.  The location is sometimes hard to spot, especially when paying attention to traffic.  The establishment was started by Peter “Papi” Skrivanos, and it was decorated by the flag of Greece which hung in Papi’s dorm during his college years in America.  There were also some signs which had been made by Papi’s daughters during the time the place was getting ready for business.

One of the signs was the “coming soon” sign, which now served as something people could sign after the place opened.  Shawn asked if I wanted to leave my mark on the sign.  Sure, why not.  She lent me a permanent marker, and I write my name there to immortalize my presence on the island.

Speaking of Immortals, the wall which contained the bathrooms had a mural on it of Medusa and Zeus.  The figures were painted on the appropriate gender’s door.

And why is the place named what it is?  I had to admit I pictured Achilles in a jar when I saw the name.  Shawn informed me Greek slang for being drunk is to be “pickled,” so the name “Pickled Greek” means “Drunk Greek.”  Nice little tidbit of information there.

One of the regulars had come in, and her name was Valerie.  She was a transplant from Texas “many years ago.”  Shawn, Valerie, and I chatted for a bit, until the school across the street had let out, and the traffic thinned out.  I thanked Shawn again for the milkshake, and let her know that I planned to be back later in the week for at least one more.  Valerie commented she was on the trivia team which met at the Palms.  Since I was planning on doing that tonight, I figured I’d see her later.

I used the Bypass to avoid Christiansted, and returned to the Palms.  I sat on my patio and consumed the last half of my pizza, soaking up some sun, and working on this journal.  Even though there was a microwave in the common area of the villa, I didn’t have a plate to put it on.  Eating it cold was fine.  With my dinner complete, I returned to the bar to do more writing and whatever interacting I could with the rest of the barflies.  This bunch was less-talkative than the others I’d met here before.  Ocean was back tonight, and I consumed a St. John’s Root Beer while waiting for Trivia Night to begin.  I was watching for Valerie to come in, because I’d just attach myself to the team she was on.  When she didn’t show, I just went in, and decided to pick a team to join.

I spotted an older gentleman with a Navy hat on, and wondered if it was the same guy from my last time who commanded “Skipper’s Crew.”  Wow, what a surprise!  It was!  How kewl is that!  Skipper’s name was actually Marty, and he ran a weather service for the islands.  The other members here were the couple Dan & Patty, and Bill (none of whom I’d met previously).  We had the same tactic this time as we did the last time I was with them:  Doesn’t matter if we lose as long as we have fun.

Since I write this journal long-hand initially (so I don’t have to lug the laptop around), and this trip (2014) was being written in the same notebook which had the previous trip (2012), I flipped it open to the entry I’d made on the trivia night then.  Bill was the most excited about the history in the journal, and Marty was amused by it.

We did decently in our responses, but still came in third.  There were three other teams tonight, two which had three members each.  The other team (the winners) had over a dozen present, and they were wondering where Valerie was.  Like you guys needed her.

Bill sat next to me, so we were able to chat during the game about movies and other topics.  Turns out Bill was originally from Albany (NY), before he relocated to Texas, and eventually ended up down in the island as a permanent resident.  I made sure to give him one of my cards so we could stay in contact.  I’d consumed two Rum Punches during the game, and now was feeling it.  I’m sure Ocean was putting double the alcohol in them.  That’s another reason why you tip your bartenders well.

After the Trivia Night had ended, I scanned the bar area to see I Michelle had come in, and didn’t see her.  Since the night was nice, I went back to my chair to enjoy the night sky before turning into a pumpkin.

For more information on the places visited or mentioned:

Shoy’s:  http://www.shoysparadisefound.com/

Pickled Greek:  http://thepickledgreek.com/

Skipper’s service (Marty’s Weather):  http://www.martysweather.com/

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