usvi-on-line
Just what is it about STJ?
Just what is it about STJ?
I am sitting here on a beautiful spring evening. Having a glass of wine & scanning the forum. And thinking. Wondering really. What is it about St. John that just does it for us. It is one of my favorite places in the universe. Just to be there is to be in a better place. It is so hard to define the magic! I've been to many places, but only STJ brings me back again and again. Only St. John leaves a sense of ... oh until next time in my soul.
The magic for me is that after traveling to at least a dozen other islands, I never have felt more at home than I do on STJ. I step off the ferry from St. Thomas and I just feel different. Calm, happy, sedate, warm, welcome. It seems like the stress and frustration of daily life just melts away with the sight of Cruz Bay.
The magic is that though this island is not perfect, it is real. I find something different and enchanting on each trip. There is "traffic" some would even say congestion & overdevelopment looming ... but there are acres and acres of pristine park land, Francis bay with its sea turtles, Uncle Joe's with his finger licking BBQ, the goats that you nearly hit coming around the corners over in Coral Bay, and ultimately the freedom to wake up each day and say..."which beach is it today?" and know that NO matter what you choose you can't go wrong.
The magic is that no matter how many times I come back I discover something new each time. All I can say for sure is that the magic must be real, because my 5 year old who was 3 on her first trip - and has traveled all over - keeps asking to go back to our St John house!
She's gonna be dissappointed to find out we don't OWN Ambiance.
I am usually a rush around kind of gal, do as much as I can as fast as I can. In STJ, I linger. I laze in the pool, nursing a fronzen concoction. I smile more. I laugh so hard at times my stomach hurts the next morning. I dream more. It is just my magical place. It is not for everyone and it is not perfect, but it works for me.
The magic for me is that after traveling to at least a dozen other islands, I never have felt more at home than I do on STJ. I step off the ferry from St. Thomas and I just feel different. Calm, happy, sedate, warm, welcome. It seems like the stress and frustration of daily life just melts away with the sight of Cruz Bay.
The magic is that though this island is not perfect, it is real. I find something different and enchanting on each trip. There is "traffic" some would even say congestion & overdevelopment looming ... but there are acres and acres of pristine park land, Francis bay with its sea turtles, Uncle Joe's with his finger licking BBQ, the goats that you nearly hit coming around the corners over in Coral Bay, and ultimately the freedom to wake up each day and say..."which beach is it today?" and know that NO matter what you choose you can't go wrong.
The magic is that no matter how many times I come back I discover something new each time. All I can say for sure is that the magic must be real, because my 5 year old who was 3 on her first trip - and has traveled all over - keeps asking to go back to our St John house!
She's gonna be dissappointed to find out we don't OWN Ambiance.I am usually a rush around kind of gal, do as much as I can as fast as I can. In STJ, I linger. I laze in the pool, nursing a fronzen concoction. I smile more. I laugh so hard at times my stomach hurts the next morning. I dream more. It is just my magical place. It is not for everyone and it is not perfect, but it works for me.
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Xislandgirl
- Posts: 4163
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:03 pm
- Location: Slightly left of center
When I stepped off the ferry back in the 1990's, I just felt good. Like I had been there before, although I hadn't.
Four Months later I stepped off the ferry with all my bags and made the island my home.
Five years later I cried like a baby as I sat on the barge with all my bags leaving my home.
One month ago I had tears in my eyes when I sat on the ferry pulling into Cruz Bay and tears in my eyes when I left a week later.
St. John is where I realized the person that I wanted to be, became that person, and learned to like myself for being that person. I loved and lost, laughed and cried, worked and played, and "just was".
The island just fits.
Four Months later I stepped off the ferry with all my bags and made the island my home.
Five years later I cried like a baby as I sat on the barge with all my bags leaving my home.
One month ago I had tears in my eyes when I sat on the ferry pulling into Cruz Bay and tears in my eyes when I left a week later.
St. John is where I realized the person that I wanted to be, became that person, and learned to like myself for being that person. I loved and lost, laughed and cried, worked and played, and "just was".
The island just fits.
FF, for something so hard to put into words, you seem to have captured it pretty well. It's a beautiful and magical place that lets you be as you are; a place where we can all smile a little more, laugh a little more and where we can find that inner peace that fills our hearts with happiness and contentment. Ali~
STJ - I "get it"
It is peace and serenity and all that is right with the world and within us. It is deep in the core of my soul.
DH said to me just this evening at dinner, "You're a different person when you're on St John." It is absolutely true.
We start to feel that warm and fuzzy glow as the ferry nears the dock. On the other hand, we have an unsettling and disheartening sense of dread two or three days from vacation's end.
DH announced on our last trip, "It is so hard to leave that I almost don't want to come back." To that I replied, "WHAT??"
DH said to me just this evening at dinner, "You're a different person when you're on St John." It is absolutely true.
We start to feel that warm and fuzzy glow as the ferry nears the dock. On the other hand, we have an unsettling and disheartening sense of dread two or three days from vacation's end.
DH announced on our last trip, "It is so hard to leave that I almost don't want to come back." To that I replied, "WHAT??"
Patr
~~Longing to be back on St. John~~
~~Longing to be back on St. John~~
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obsessedmuch
Immanent.
Obsessedmuch, I road by on the ferry without setting foot on St. John in 1996 and then brought the whole extended family back for Thanksgiving 1997. I could see the difference from the water. I still visit the BVIs, but I feel at home on STJ.
Cheers, RickG
Obsessedmuch, I road by on the ferry without setting foot on St. John in 1996 and then brought the whole extended family back for Thanksgiving 1997. I could see the difference from the water. I still visit the BVIs, but I feel at home on STJ.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
I've been to stj only once, back in 2002......I've longed to go back ever since. We are finally planning trip back in December.
I, like many others, have travled other places. Jamaica, St. Martin, Puerto Rico, cruises....there's just nothing Stj!!!! Calmless washes over me like no other place!! I love having a villa and a pool all to myself. Having drinks, in the pool, listening to music, you really can't get better then that!!
Cheers!
I, like many others, have travled other places. Jamaica, St. Martin, Puerto Rico, cruises....there's just nothing Stj!!!! Calmless washes over me like no other place!! I love having a villa and a pool all to myself. Having drinks, in the pool, listening to music, you really can't get better then that!!
Cheers!
For us its about the natural beauty of the island. There is always something new to discover and the beaches are world class. Like you we've been to many islands and nowere else can compare to the beauty of this little peace of rock that we've discovered. You are on vacation while on island so Im sure it would loose some of its magic if you lived and worked there although I sure wouldn't mind giving it a try!
For us, it is the variety of things to do. After 6 trips, we are still finding new things to do/see/try.
On our honeymoon, we knew within the first two days that we would definately return.
We love strolling in town and being able to meander from bar to restaurant to shop, etc. in the evenings. I am not much of a cook on vacation so casual restaurants appeal to me.
We did an AI trip to the DR in 2003 and it bothered us greatly that we couldn't leave the resort. We liked T & C but Provo lacked a town with the charm of Cruz Bay. Mexico was too built up (where I visited)for my taste.
There are a couple of other islands we want to try as soon as our son is a bit older.
On our honeymoon, we knew within the first two days that we would definately return.
We love strolling in town and being able to meander from bar to restaurant to shop, etc. in the evenings. I am not much of a cook on vacation so casual restaurants appeal to me.
We did an AI trip to the DR in 2003 and it bothered us greatly that we couldn't leave the resort. We liked T & C but Provo lacked a town with the charm of Cruz Bay. Mexico was too built up (where I visited)for my taste.
There are a couple of other islands we want to try as soon as our son is a bit older.
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designbyroe
- Posts: 1348
- Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 1:27 pm
- Location: Chilaxin on White Bay at least in my mind
For me it is home....
I went to STJ for the first time in 1982.....and there was not any development.....
I just felt at peace....
When I got off the ferry in 2003...my heart and soul met for the first time.
It is a place that allows you to just be...
to just do what ever and when ever......
Life off island to me is too hectic.....but no matter how much you have to get done on STJ......there is no stress....
It is small town where people know you and say hi and care about your wellbeing.....
It is a place that I call home no matter where I lay my head.....
I went to STJ for the first time in 1982.....and there was not any development.....
I just felt at peace....
When I got off the ferry in 2003...my heart and soul met for the first time.
It is a place that allows you to just be...
to just do what ever and when ever......
Life off island to me is too hectic.....but no matter how much you have to get done on STJ......there is no stress....
It is small town where people know you and say hi and care about your wellbeing.....
It is a place that I call home no matter where I lay my head.....
Being born and raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains, never even have seen an ocean till I was about 13 years old, I still marvel at the feeling I had stepping off that ferry my first trip. Hard to explain, but I felt at home, I had found the place where my soul was content. It's a magical place where I find peace; I only know that each time I leave, I refuse to tell the island good-bye, cause I know I'll be back.