USVI-On-Line

Some of my favorite moments come from the imperfections of the island, and its true vibe that keeps me going back. You either get it or you don’t get it. Let me just list a few for you.

There was one princess I had two funnies with, and three of Hollywood.

Sitting at the Beach Bar on the wall and this little princess is coming toward me with her boyfriend. Just as she reaches me I see her jump up and let out a loud scream. The entire bar heard it. She looks at me and says “oh my god a cockroach just went running”. I responded with a simple “that’s just Charlie. He won’t bother you.”

I am waiting in line at the Beach Bar bathroom and out walks the cockroach princess. She’s got the spoon and holding it with a huge bundle of paper towels. She looks at me and outcomes “this is so gross, I can’t believe I had to sit on that toilet.” I responded, “you didn’t hover?” No she says. “Did you build a birds nest?” She replies Birdsnest? “You know, build a safety barrier with toilet paper between you and the toilet seat.” I guess we saved on toilet paper for that visit.

Watching Hollywood do his usual dead man in Cruz Bay routine as he floated in the water facedown and for minutes at a time. I actually saw one dude just drop everything and run to save him. I yelled out “dude, don’t touch him he is fine.” Ignored me and went straight for him. Oh you should have seen the look on his face when Hollywood just looked up at him with “the stare.”

Standing in line at the Beach Bar bathroom. Hollywood is standing just beyond that holding his guitar and a cop comes strolling by. Looks at Hollywood and ask “what are you up to?” Hollywood responds in his raspy voice “crime fighting.”

One of my favorite moments came from Hollywood. Sitting at the Beach Bar on a slow night. It was late but Nicolle was still in her birthday mood. Hollywood comes by and I ask him “Hey Hollywood, I see you walking around with that guitar all the time but I have never got to see you play it.” He took a seat on the stairs going down to the beach and I and Nicolle joined him. He played and sang four songs for Nicolle. One song just happened to touch Nicolle’s heart and out came some tears. Hollywood saw that and stopped playing. Looked at Nicolle and with a concerned face asked if everything was ok. Hollywood proved a couple things to me at that moment. One of them is that he can really play and he is not bad at all.

You see, it is the simple things and the imperfections that draw me back to what I call the magic. I know them and understand them. I get it. My opinion of paradise is exactly how I see it in St. John.

Nothing more, noting less.

Well, said, Mike.
I'm going to ramble a bit, slightly off from the original post.
A while back there was a regular contributor to this board who went by "way2old." I miss his wit, contributions and sarcasm. Anyway, one thing way2old used to say was that STJ wasn't for the weak at heart. It has all sorts of bugs, rough roads,intimidating cement trucks, slow service, problematic villas and rental cars, lousy sewage, sea squirrels, limited availability of some items, West Indians with "screw face", high prices, loutish ex-pats, loutish visitors, funky water in Great Cruz Bay and Coral Harbor, pot smoking ne'er do goods of every make and model, defecating goats and sheep,no parking, aggressive chickens, loud roosters, spotty cell phone service,thieving mongoose 'dem ,spotty hours for some of the businesses, cistern water that may, or maybe not, be safe to drink, etc, etc, etc. But, it's still incredibly beautiful, and in spite of what some of the bumper stickers say, there's still a lot of love in Love City.
On the subject of not getting Skinny's, I think that if I read all the hype about the place, stayed on the other side of the island, took a trip to Coral Bay with a group of friends and/or family, sat at a table and ordered food, I probably wouldn't get it either. I've found hanging out at the bar, interacting with the locals, other tourists, owners, and the staff is, for me, what made Skinny's magical. I personally don't make it my base while staying in Coral Bay for various reasons, but always enjoy a few hours there on every trip. I really miss Doug Sica and his influence on the spice of the place. And, no, you still can't get any stinking french fries there. Have a great week-end everybody!

Boston Mike & JT - Well said & very eloquent. Thanks!

Mike, those are beautiful examples of the character of the place. And jeez, JT, I hadn't thought of way2old for a long time. He was a good one. What was his buddy's name? Was it JSS3, or something along those lines? I wonder what happens to folks who go off like they have.

When we first got to STJ there was a whole lot more of that sort of character and characters still in existence. It's since been pretty over-developed, gentrified, Americanized, and sanitized. We used to go to the Caribbean to experience a different world and a different way of life. There was a strong sense of being a visitor in a different culture. We went to experience and appreciate the West Indies and didn't expect that it would have much to do with the mainland. We went there because it would be very different. It wasn't like going to Mongolia or up the Amazon, but it certainly wasn't Kansas.

We've seen the West Indian population and culture become increasingly peripheral on STJ, replaced by a sort of island lifestyle developed by transplants from the mainland. And the progression seems to be continuing with the Americanized version of island lifestyle gradually being supplanted by a much more generic entity that has more to do with Florida than with the Caribbean. We saw it when it still seemed more an island is the West Indies. The money hadn't come yet. West Indian-style cottages, no pools, no a/c. Old jeeps, not big air-conditioned Vehicles. Today most businesses that tourists patronize during their stay will be owned and staffed by transplants from the mainland. It's really become possible to spend a week there without having any contact with a West Indian. It could just as well be........
But still it's a bit much for some, but it appears to be heading in a direction so that more and more people will be comfortable there.

STJ, as we first experienced it, was a different island than it is today and so, attracts a different kind of tourist. Some people who like it today really wouldn't have liked it back then. And a lot of people who fell in love with STJ then are saddened by what it is today. But the progression goes on. Some folks are very happy with Grande Bay. Perhaps one day there will be happy, excited posts about Sirenusa.

There used to be a bar named The Kite. It was a wonderful place, but a place like that couldn't exist on STJ now. There were places that preceded The Kite, now gone. As things progress, there may come a day when a place like Skinny's won't be able to exist on STJ any longer. The Sputnik would go before Skinny's. Fred's is certainly gasping. Not much room for pirates in Coral Bay anymore. These are like canaries in the mine.

But not everyone will die in the climate where these places can no longer survive. For some folks it will just have reached a stage where they can tolerate it. New tourists will come and they will be happy and excited about what they see. It will look like paradise to them.

"Tourism is the goose that lays the golden egg but soils its own nest."

STJ was paradise for us in the 80s, but we met people on our first trip who told us that we should have come ten years sooner, before all the changes started. People talk about "getting it", but today's "it", isn't the one that I was drawn to. This current "it" has a lot less of what I fell in live with and a lot more of what I wanted to get away from.

I've done my best to discourage some people from going to STJ and will continue to do so. I suspect,though, that I'm coming at the issue from the other end than many.

Jeez, I am wondering about way2old and others from that era. I wonder if they found somewhere else and I wonder where it might be.

Am a newbie and did our 1st trip to STJ back in May. As with all forums,VIOL, cruise ones, TA etc, I read,make notes and get some really great advice & some "eh" advice. I mix it up and make our decisions based on experienced travellers views and what we like & are looking for.

The biggest disappointment we faced on STJ (besides 1/2 of our vac it rained) is the politeness of the people. One of the big topics here on VIOL is the reminder to always be polite ([b]not that we should have to be told this,no matter we where we go)to greet the island people a certain way so can receive friendly service etc. Except at Ms Vies, a gift shop in Coral Bay, & the Morovian church, the service (attitude wise) was the same as anywhere else we've been to. No matter how friendly we greeted the people. We were told to tip the ferry porters (by them no less), the tkt booth people were obnoxious. There was one lady whose hair was beautifully done and I was going to compliment her on it when got to the window, but she was so rude & abrupt that I choose not to. All the store employees,waitresses etc were the same as any other vac place we've been to. So this was surprising to us after reading here how the service is so much nicer if greet them a certain way. And we didn't do it patronizingly, we were totally genuine in our contacts, we love talking to people (I love talking to people period) who live in the place we're visiting, so can get good ideas of where & what to do and get to know the area & people. It has been stated in these postings, that if you sit at the bar,have a few drinks, you will get to meet the island people easier. We're not drinkers and don't sit at bars,so that being said,means we won't get the "feel" of the island & enjoy the company of STJ people then. Not to be annoying or insulting but, why do I have to sit at a bar to have people be friendly to me?

We saw the mangrove hang out in Coral Bay,the drug transactions in both cities going on, had the chickens sit under the table at JJ's while we were eating,had the donkeys on the beach w/us. Was behind the daily animal parade down the main road in Coral Bay. Had lizards in our bathroom all week,killed a very large,unknown bug in our bedroom, my dh attacked by no-seeums one night,the roosters & tree frogs & their noises. The jeep rental w/no AC,and the brakes squealing & metal on metal all week,complained w/no satisfaction. The heat & humidity hit mid week,that made even walking uncomfortable,w/no a/c in our cottage ( was told that high up,didn't need it cause of the breezes), but the front that came thru,took ALL breezes with it so nothing was drying,making it all smelly and damp all the time. Walking up & down 50+ uneven steps to get to our cottage/driveway(wasn't in the description or told to us by mgr). But we conquered them and had muscles in our legs never knew we had till then. .

None of it bothered us,loved the animals & have lots of pics of them all, learned to sleep thru the "night music" of animals,truly felt bad for the people hanging by the mangrove swamp(know alot of them choose this)but they are still human beings. Dh took to the roads like been doing it all his life, and enjoyed riding around seeing the beauty of the island,taking pics of usual & unusual things (sorry to those of you who were behind us in the road), loved talking to Ms Vie & a couple of other customers there (only place where island people did this, even shared a table w/one couple and had a good time), loved the few beaches we got to before the rains came. etc etc. Blew dry the damp stuff and kept the ceiling fans on high.

We always try to rent places where we can make/cook our own meals,at least brkfst & lunch,have no prob. doing my own cleaning up,making beds etc. Even on our honeymoon,rented a condo right on the beach and did the meal prep etc. Rather this then a hotel. We are very casual people,not into dressing up or fancy places to go to. enjoy laying on a beach, reading,relaxing and having the sun on us, we love each others company,are best friends and a fun evening for us is to play a board game w/just us or w/friends. So never look for "high end" vacs,w/lots of glitz. Our last cruise, we didn't even bring dress clothes, never once ate in the main dining room,it was total casual all the way. Had a terrific time.

So with all that said, sorry for running on, we were thankful for the tips we did get from here, saved us $,helped us decide what to see/do and overall a huge help. Know that some of you are huge fans and love STJ & live for your time there, it shows in your postings. But to some this enthusiasm might be too influential who take it 100% to heart and go there w/lots of expectations. Some people come on these forums,wanting others to "make" their vac. for them, they take all that is written verbatum,and when what is talked about doesn't happen for them, they get disillusioned & disappointed. Not being able to understand that most of you are just offering suggestions.

I feel about Lk George and the Amish area in Pa & Ohio,in the same way, used to go to both at least once a yr. Have cut back a little to be able to go other places, but still they are my fav.places to go. It's all a matter of personal feelings,and that's what makes us all interesting.

Except for the disappointment @ the friendliness, & the weather, we enjoyed our stay on STJ and will go back someday, but due to the variables of weather, it's too much to spend only to have it rain for 1/2 of our time and not have other options of things to do. One day of rain ok but 2.5 on an island known for beaches, makes for a let down. We learned alot @ STJ this trip and know of the places we still want to see so next time won't be such a big learning curve.

Again my apologies for running on, but wanted to give some perspective from a 1st timers view.
Thank you for those of you who took the time to read this.

Lex/JT - those folks mentioned plus the late Howie and a few others offered patient and kind responses to newbies like me when I first signed in here in 04. I suspect they've moved on to other real and virtual venues more in line with the vibe you speak of.

Hey Gromit...finally found my pic of the Pigs .
We'll just call them the "Centerline Swine"<a href="http://s285.photobucket.com/albums/ll74 ... eSwine.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll74 ... eSwine.jpg" border="0" alt="Centerline Swine"></a>


Cruzan Chris

jmq wrote:Lex/JT - those folks mentioned plus the late Howie and a few others offered patient and kind responses to newbies like me when I first signed in here in 04. I suspect they've moved on to other real and virtual venues more in line with the vibe you speak of.

Gromit, sorry to drift from your original thread.

jmg, Howie was the best! He was always so positive with everybody and his posts were so vivid expressing his love of STJ. I remember such a warm response from Paul [Howie] when I posted after my 1st trip to STJ. And Lex, as to way2old and JSS3, they both registered with this forum when the format changed to it's present style but way2old posted a few times and was never heard from again. As to JSS3, he never posted again when the format changed. All three of those guys were so informative, entertaining and truly loved sharing their knowledge and love of STJ. I remember JSS3 would go off on the dangers of DEET, and one of them,[way2old?] would playfully scold you if in your trip report you didn't say what color and how many miles were on your rental car.

You know, one of the funny things to me is how hard it is to explain to people that have never been to STJ is how unimportant it is that you must usually drive to a beach from where you are staying. I've heard so many people say," Oh, I wouldn't like that."

Oh my, I thought JSS3 was actually Jorge.
Am I wrong?

(I lurk mostly but on the old forum I posted a whole lot more, the format change dod not do me alot of good either )

I just checked by old emails by the way. I actually had a whole correspondence set up with Way2Old (Randy), as he went on a dream trip to French Polynesia and he was so helpfull sending his research, notes and travel reports, to me.

Really a great guy.....hmmm..I wonder if his email is still the name, maybe I will drop him a note...

Wow - How many times do you have to visit this island before you get to see those pigs? I have been 5 times and never saw them. But then again, I have never been to Woody's or Shipwrech Landing either.

OMG those pigs! Never have seen them. Love the name- Centerline Swine

Thanks to those who have detoured and talked about the past posters- seems like they were great people- enjoyed your stories!

Ina wrote:Oh my, I thought JSS3 was actually Jorge.
Am I wrong?

(I lurk mostly but on the old forum I posted a whole lot more, the format change dod not do me alot of good either )

That's funny, Ina! I remembered that he was from Louisiana.I just Googled JSS3 and guess what? He's got a web page. It's definitely the same guy.
Found him here:http://www.jss3.com/main.htm

Those pigs are huge! And a little scary...we'll have to go on a night ride for a "pig hunt" the next time we are there!

You can see the Centerline Swine during the day too. I generally see them on the south side of the road east of the clinic.

JIM