Travel The World
I have written several articles on some of our travels highlighting some interesting points about the places and people we met. However, this time I am far more excited about sharing some of the highlights from our trip with you because, this was our first experience staying in a five star resort. To sum it up in one word, “WOW!”
Our 40-minute trip from the airport to the resort, proved interesting and educational. Most of the terrain was mountainous; we either were going up or down a steep road most of the time. To add a little more intrigue, most roads were just wide enough for two cars to get pass one another with one of them pulling as far over as possible to the side of the road. Mind you, for the most part, one side of the road was up against the mountain and the other side in some cases, was a cliff. Fun! The roads were a very new experience for us. The people there are friendly, helpful and pleasant. They speak mostly English but you will often hear them speaking to each other in French or patois (slang). It seemed all of the locals we interacted with from the taxi drivers, shuttle drivers and resort staff were eager to share their stories and island history with us. From the moment we arrived, to the moment we departed, our every expectation was not only met but also far exceeded. I have often heard the phases ‘being pampered’ and ‘being waited on hand and foot’ I can now attest, they are not just clichés. What a way to spend a week. Every one of their accommodations exemplified relaxed elegance. Right from our arrival where as oppose to standing at a reception desk to check-in, we were ushered to a cozy table in one of their cafes, given a damp face cloth to refresh ourselves and a glass of the resorts specialty drink, (The Bentley) to enjoy as we completed our check-in documents. We were speechless as we entered the secluded serenity of our luxurious sanctuary (suite) where few if any people passed our door. The leisurely time we spent on the pristine black sand beaches was indescribable where the beach attendants keep a watchful eye and saw to our every need. The sand is described as black because of the sulphur, (sulfur dioxide) mixed with the sand from the volcano that created the island. It is visible as black sand when wet. The tours and excursions we took were also spectacular. The forty- minute water taxi trip to their downtown and the open- air market provided us with breath taking views of different towns on the island’s coasts. The tour of the volcano itself was surreal; in fact, rather then trying to explain that experience to you, here I am including a copy of a well-written text that does a great job of talking about the volcano.
“The islands of the eastern Caribbean are linked via a volcanic arc, but the St Lucia volcano is different because the water has therapeutic qualities. You will find people who go to bath there in order to remove blemishes on their skin. Walking in the crater is now prohibited after one of the guides fell in a pool of boiling water when he was jumping up and down on it. Fortunately, it was only waist height, so he was rescued but he did suffer from some severe burns from the waist down.
There is a very strong smell of sulfur that comes out of it. It is weak during the day but very strong at nights. You can smell it for miles away at nights but that is a good thing. If the smell goes away, then that would mean that there is going to be a volcanic eruption. The Saint Lucia volcano is located in Soufriere. The people of Soufriere pride themselves on having the only drive in volcano in the world right at their doorsteps. In fact, there are people living within the perimeter of the craters.”
We walked several hiking and biking trails led by one of the best tour guides we ever had, Ty Jr., fitness trainer of the resort. Finally, yet importantly, was the Jazz Cruise excursion, where we helped rid the boot of some of its fine liquids, met some very nice people from many different places and had a stroke of luck spotting several sperm whales very close to our boat. That was another first for us.
Bon Appétit, breakfast, lunch and dinner at what is considered the best resort on the island, is without question, an unforgettable experience. This excellent cuisine simply speaks for itself and the service you receive in the dining room was excellent as well. However, as a dedicated carnivore, I was particularly fond of the way the lamb was prepared and had rack of lamb as my entrée four of seven nights, I loved it!
My inspiration for the title of this article came after having lunch at a secluded beach bar on a satellite beach a short distance from the main resort we were staying. When I gave our server our suite number to bill our lunch, she looked at our room number and said; “You’re visiting Paradise and sleeping in Heaven”.
It was easy for us to understand and appreciate her sentiments. She has worked at this Resort for over a dozen years and knew it well. Visiting the island of Saint Lucia and staying at both Anse Chastanet and The Jade Mountain Resorts, is simply unforgettable.
by Ty Ferrell, Sr.
