Tuesday- St. Lucia

Tuesday was a wild and crazy day, at least for me. We went out on the dock and booked a boat ride tour out to the Piton's- two volcanic mountains that grow right out of the ocean. We thought we were booking a touring boat, but when it came to pick us up on the dock, we discovered it was just a fishing vessel. It was interesting trying to get on and off that thing! You had to time your jump. Then, there weren't seats for everyone. Then the "pump" broke. It was quite the experience. But the company was great and we had a good time.

There's the pitons. I understand that even with our eventful trip, it's a whole lot easier to get to these by water than it is by land.

There's us on the back of that funny boat.

Looks like this picture made it on here twice. Well, good because, like I said, it wasn't easy getting here!

I love this picture of Cindy photographing John.

Self shot (I learned this from John. He's forever taking shots of himself. I love it.)

This wins picture of the week. Man, I love those two.

When we got to Soufriere, a small city in St. Lucia, we got off the boat. John and Cindy took a van to the volcano, but Joan and Tom and us walked around the city. After the restroom, the first stop was an Internet cafe so they could read their email from their missionary, Taylor, who is serving in the Dominican Republic. We could feel his pain, as it was SO hot in that town. Whew!

We visited this sweet church in their town square (the town square where they used to do beheadings- OOOSh!)

Locals selling their wares. . .

Including a wheel barrow full of freshly-caught fish. Locals would just come up and choose their fish and pay for them.

After the volcano visitors got back, we jumped back on that . . .vessel . . . and went out to a famous snorkeling place. The problem was, there wasn't a place to dock, and since it wasn't a touring boat, there was no ladder and no easy way to get back onto the boat. So, I opted to stay on the boat, though I was DYING to get in that beautiful water.

I was pretty bummed until "John" showed up. "John" was a local Rastafarian who rowed out to our boat on his "water taxi" a plastic canoe. He came to sell his wares- handmade jewelry and conch shells, and to get some rum from our boat, and to chat. I thoroughly enjoyed my chat with John. He had braided hair, that when taken down, would reach mid-calf. His near-toothless smile and charming ways helped me pass the time while the others snorkeled and swam. Cindy was the first of our group to attempt that difficult ascent back onto the boat. She did great. I encouraged her and we had a brief exchange. After witnessing our interaction, John asked me if she was my friend. I told him that Cindy was my sister-in-law. I then pointed out others from our family out in the water, explaining that our whole family was there together. John wistfully said, "Oh how I wish I was in that family!" Then he said it again, "Oh, how I wish I was in that family!" Then again, and again. He just kept saying it. It really made me think about what a blessing it is to be part of a family.

Cindy getting back on the boat. Isn't she cute?

After becoming fast friends, I, of course, had to purchase some handmade bamboo necklaces from "John." Ken was oblivious to all of this, and was more than surprised when he got back on the boat and I announced to him that I had gone shopping. He looked around and saw that we were completely surrounded by water. "How did you go shopping?" "The mall came to me!" My granddaughters just might find those bamboo necklaces in their stockings this Christmas. Shhh! Don't tell.