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those magical moments...
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StJohnRuth
- Posts: 1989
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 8:42 pm
- Location: St. John, VI
BJ,bj wrote:The first time I arrived in STJ it was at night.The electric was out. It was raining, no moon, no stars and pitch black is an understatement! I awoke in the very early morning to a odd animal honking noise. I opened the door to our cottage to a sun coming up over the blue turquoise sea and in front of the ocean cliff was a male peacock opening his multi-colored tale feathers like a fan! WOW
Did you stay on Moorehead Point?!
-Ruth
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Kathyzhere
- Posts: 527
- Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:04 pm
- Location: Cape Cod & SW FL
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Sun4MySoul
- Posts: 524
- Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 1:37 pm
- Location: NC
Waterguy- As X said, I don't know you and I wasn't there...but that story of yours gets me every time. I hope someone loves me enough to spread my ashes on STJ one day.
I think I have a magical moment every time I'm driving down the North Shore road with the windows down...it doesn't get any better: the views, the smells, the...Oh SHIT, there's the water truck!
I think I have a magical moment every time I'm driving down the North Shore road with the windows down...it doesn't get any better: the views, the smells, the...Oh SHIT, there's the water truck!
This might sound corny to some. Funny thing is I am writing it as the clock just turned to 11:11.
We just went down for my son's wedding. My other son died when he was 15. We visited shortly after and I know my son getting married really felt it was a special place. My son who died would always say 11:11 it's going to be a good day. And now we see that all the time.
The morning of the 5:30 wedding I am laying in bed thinking how will I know my son is there with us all. A rainbow? It can't be an 11:11.
My husband and son are getting ready to leave so the bride and the ladies can get ready. My husband asked for the money I put in my pocket the night before. Pulled it out 111.00. To me, and all of us, that was magical. Then the next night we walked to Ram Head under the moonlight, that was surely magical, too.
We just went down for my son's wedding. My other son died when he was 15. We visited shortly after and I know my son getting married really felt it was a special place. My son who died would always say 11:11 it's going to be a good day. And now we see that all the time.
The morning of the 5:30 wedding I am laying in bed thinking how will I know my son is there with us all. A rainbow? It can't be an 11:11.
My husband and son are getting ready to leave so the bride and the ladies can get ready. My husband asked for the money I put in my pocket the night before. Pulled it out 111.00. To me, and all of us, that was magical. Then the next night we walked to Ram Head under the moonlight, that was surely magical, too.
I've had any number of absolutely perfect moments. These are things that for me are the delight of a vacation. They show that I'm moving slow enough to be aware of where I am in the moment and not miss the perfection of it all. They're generally small and subtle, rather than great dramatic moments with dolphins and double rainbows. I'll just be sitting somewhere with my wife, feeling very happy and totally content and suddenly it will dawn on me that I am in heaven. There is nothing that is missing, nothing that I would change. Nothing at all. Not a single thing that I would add or take away. It's perfect. It isn't like heaven, it is heaven. It's the kind of moment that I might recall when I’m very old and on my death bed. And the grace is that I recognize it when I'm there in the moment, rather than after it's passed. Easy to miss if I'm not going slow.
The first I can recall was at The Kite, a little bar that hung on the hillside at what is now Peter Bay. It was run by a local guy named Victor Hall. It was our first trip to STJ. Friends picked us up at the ferry and we stopped at The Kite on our way out to Maho where we would be staying. We'd just left the northeast winter and were sitting in the most beautiful place I'd ever seen with the best friends I've ever had. It was a moment of deep peace and awe, of contentment and well-being. Everything felt complete. It was perfect. It was heaven.
The first I can recall was at The Kite, a little bar that hung on the hillside at what is now Peter Bay. It was run by a local guy named Victor Hall. It was our first trip to STJ. Friends picked us up at the ferry and we stopped at The Kite on our way out to Maho where we would be staying. We'd just left the northeast winter and were sitting in the most beautiful place I'd ever seen with the best friends I've ever had. It was a moment of deep peace and awe, of contentment and well-being. Everything felt complete. It was perfect. It was heaven.
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Marcia (Mrs. Pete)
- Posts: 1576
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:40 pm
- Location: Madison Area, Wisconsin
Most magical day EVER (thus far): Cruise ship docks on STT, hop on the ferry and get picked up by friends staying on St. John (first time seeing STJ, fall in love). Head over to Jost for the day (first time, fall in love for second time!). Have so much fun that we missed the cruise ship (somewhat on purpose) and crashed on St. John at friends' villa for the night. Hot tub after dinner listening to Kenny's island CD. Just as "Something Sexy About The Rain" starts, an island storm hits. The island is dark. The six of us continue to sing that song all night in the hot tub, in the dark, in the rain. Each one of us thinks of that day / night when we hear the song. Next day hubby and I get on a flight to meet our cruise ship in San Juan - doing the walk of shame back on the cruise ship - same clothes as the day before - dirty from the rain storm and falling down in the mud. Amazing! (but the interrogation at the airport was not fun!)
A while ago there was an article in the Sun Times about ghosts on STJ. Ethel McCully and Island Fancy were figured prominently. I found the link:
http://homepage.mac.com/stjohnsuntimes/ ... hosts.html
http://homepage.mac.com/stjohnsuntimes/ ... hosts.html
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chicagoans
- Posts: 1586
- Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:51 pm
- Location: IL
Standing atop Ram Head with DH and the kids. It was our first full day, and we looked out over the water knowing that we had our whole trip ahead of us to enjoy that gorgeous blue.
Waiting on the villa porch for our friends to arrive. They managed to catch a taxi to the villa in Coral Bay, which is located on a hilly bumpy road. We heard them laughing and screaming several minutes before we saw the lights of the taxi.
Sitting atop the Sadie Sea on a clear, beautiful day, heading out through Pillsbury Sound, friends and family at my side. Sigh...
Waiting on the villa porch for our friends to arrive. They managed to catch a taxi to the villa in Coral Bay, which is located on a hilly bumpy road. We heard them laughing and screaming several minutes before we saw the lights of the taxi.
Sitting atop the Sadie Sea on a clear, beautiful day, heading out through Pillsbury Sound, friends and family at my side. Sigh...
It was our 2nd time. The first had been all but a forced trip over from STT as a part of a cruise. Who wants to go to some dumb island anyway (I tiredly thought that morning).
2 years later, the ferry left Red Hook. I had One Particular Harbour in my ears. When we saw Gallows Point (a landmark I had seen on maps but never for real), it hit me that it was all real and this place I'd built up in my head was really right there. It only got better from there. Sunset over St Thomas, beers at JJ's, turning 30 there in paradise.
Of course, come August, when I dance for Ruth (I've decided...on my birthday), I'll have a new one...or at least a new nightmare.
2 years later, the ferry left Red Hook. I had One Particular Harbour in my ears. When we saw Gallows Point (a landmark I had seen on maps but never for real), it hit me that it was all real and this place I'd built up in my head was really right there. It only got better from there. Sunset over St Thomas, beers at JJ's, turning 30 there in paradise.
Of course, come August, when I dance for Ruth (I've decided...on my birthday), I'll have a new one...or at least a new nightmare.
We were following a Realtor in our Jeep along Northshore Rd., came around a curve and WOW!!!! Speechless!
<a href="http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/28 ... eXGa"><img src="http://thumb14.webshots.net/t/58/658/4/ ... XGa_th.jpg" alt="Rainbow in Paradise"></a>
<a href="http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/28 ... eXGa"><img src="http://thumb14.webshots.net/t/58/658/4/ ... XGa_th.jpg" alt="Rainbow in Paradise"></a>
Wow, so many great moments from everyone! Here is one of mine:
It was the year we were getting married on St. John (2001), our second trip to the amazing island. I come from a big family with 6 brothers and sisters and not everyone could make it. So, my Mom and her boyfriend were there, my brother was going to give me away and my sister was my maid of honor. I was walking down the ferry dock in St. John with my sister, Helen. My husband was walking behind me helping out my father-in-law. As I walked down the ferry dock, I was like 'wow, that guy really looks like Gary (my brother in law). I often see people that resemble other people. Then, I was like, 'wow, isn't that Mimi (my sister). I realized, yes it was really them!!! I started jumping and screaming - my husband thought something bad had happened. He then saw them too - they had totally surprised us! Two weeks before my wedding, my sister won a trip to the Caribbean. When she told the girl that it would be great if they could go to St. John instead, the girl hung up and re-booked the trip so she could come to my wedding. It was awesome! This was just the beginning of a fabulous wedding and week away with our friends and family. My sister and her husband had a magical time too - it was their first trip away since their honeymoon 19 years before.
It was the year we were getting married on St. John (2001), our second trip to the amazing island. I come from a big family with 6 brothers and sisters and not everyone could make it. So, my Mom and her boyfriend were there, my brother was going to give me away and my sister was my maid of honor. I was walking down the ferry dock in St. John with my sister, Helen. My husband was walking behind me helping out my father-in-law. As I walked down the ferry dock, I was like 'wow, that guy really looks like Gary (my brother in law). I often see people that resemble other people. Then, I was like, 'wow, isn't that Mimi (my sister). I realized, yes it was really them!!! I started jumping and screaming - my husband thought something bad had happened. He then saw them too - they had totally surprised us! Two weeks before my wedding, my sister won a trip to the Caribbean. When she told the girl that it would be great if they could go to St. John instead, the girl hung up and re-booked the trip so she could come to my wedding. It was awesome! This was just the beginning of a fabulous wedding and week away with our friends and family. My sister and her husband had a magical time too - it was their first trip away since their honeymoon 19 years before.
NancyB