Yesterday Steve and I landed in Village Cay Marina off Road Town, Tortola . As much as we love the cool, pristeen ocean, it’s a nice change to be in a city for a couple days. We have certain things we especially like about Road Town . Right on the ocean, right off the marina and in a parking lot is an air painted van that serves BBQ right out of its side. In the front of the vehicle, juicy ribs are smoked and grilled. Last night we ordered two rib meals with yellow rice, potato stuffing and coleslaw for a mere $19! The ribs were succulent and saucy and the sides nummy West Indian. Lots of local folks buy take-away after work and so far, after four visits, we’re the only white customers that we’ve seen. Last year I asked the guy at the window if we were the only white patrons. He didn’t get that I wanted to be the only white customer and reassured me that lots of whites buy their ribs right at that spot. I still think we’re special. Tonight we’re going back for the barbecue chicken. Last night before we arrived they ran out of potato salad. I’m hot to have it tonight. Also, we love to walk up the dock and pop into a laundry and have a nice woman do our wash for a mere sum. This week I didn’t have lots of clothes to wash but had four towels and queen-sized sheets and shams plus some clothes and the bill only came to $12. It’s sometimes hard to find a laundry when the time comes to sweeten the sheets and towels so it’s a real treat to know that "mom" in Road Town is willing to take ours in.
Because we have water right attached to the dock at the marina, we can use water like crazy. When I shower I don’t have to ration by wetting down, turning off the faucet, then soaping up. Electricity can also be used like we’re crazy teenagers. Our big power cord is plugged into the dock and along with the water, our use is measured by a meter and we’ll be charged before we leave tomorrow. Another big plus in Road Town is shopping. There are big grocery stores (that charge a fortune, of course) and the selection seems endless after almost a month of slimmer pickins.’ Yesterday we spent a small fortune on oodles of food and then walked down the street three blocks with a brimming shopping cart to our boat. Our 24-pack of Presidente beer kept slipping off the bottom of the cart. This pissed-off Steve to no end because he really didn’t want to walk the groceries home in the first place. Eventually I took the beer out of its shallow cardboard case and just threw the cans on top of our plastic shopping bags. Everything got home safe and sound and only one egg broke.
Today Steve is changing the oil in the engine and the generator. What a hot, tight ordeal. The space he is in is so small that he sometimes has to shimmy to get out. It’s also a very dirty process. The whole floor in our upper settee is opened up to display the inner workings of the boat. The teak floor around it is slick with oil so tomorrow before we take off I’ll wash the floor. Today my job is to stay nearby to hand him oil jugs and wrenches.
Last week on the big sea we were social butterflies. You may have noticed that from our site you can reach a blog that is written by Louise on Lulu. Steve has been e-mailing Louise questions for a few years since he first found her site. One day when we were in Caneel Bay they dinghied by and Steve noticed Lulu was written on their dinghy. That started a whole conversation that included drinks one night and dinner at the Fat Virgin the next. I think their Oyster is 65-feet long and if I’m not mistaken they have been sailing that very same big boat since they were virgin sailors seven years ago. Like us they had no experience beforehand. Gary (Mr. Louise) is very handy and confident and they seem to have the aplomb to handle their big boat like pros. I also should mention they didn’t start sailing until they were in their early sixties. They really like feeling ageless out here.
After being with Louise and Gary, I resentfully had to do laundry at a Laundromat. I especially felt put-upon that week because I’m sure the Gary and Louise team have a washer and dryer on their boat. I am a small person. Well, we went over to Leverick Bay a resort that had very nice facilities. While we waited to score machines we sat near beautiful blooming plants from which a humming bird was feeding. Once in a while orioles would pop out of the bush and try to scare the hummer away. During this lovely time we met a couple from Florida, Jay and Kathy. During our laundry conversation it was revealed that they are former members of a symphony orchestra. Jay plays the beautiful oboe and Kathy, the trombone. Kathy is still in a big band orchestra that plays at events. Jay is down here longer than Kathy as she still teaches music part time. It was fun having dinner with them the next night because I got ask them about their music careers. Their boat is littler than ours at 36 or 38 feet. It has a canoe stern (so very cute) but that makes the inside even smaller. They have only once bathroom and because it is paneled in teak, they can’t shower there. They use a sun shower on their deck. I’d never get the soap out of my hair! Both Gary and Louise and Kathy and Jay were on their way to St. Thomas . Because of the size differences between their boats it would take the first couple 10 hours to get there and Kathy and Jay about 16 hours. Just some useless trivia for you folks back home.
My big, fat, birthday was on Sunday. Whooppee ding! But we had a lovely day. We were in
Great
Harbour on
Peter
Island and walked to the big, luxury resort on the other side for lunch. On the way there, it is a must to walk past Conrad’s house. He is a darling islander who tends cats and goats and collects all forms of junk. Because those of us who use the resort must traipse over his property, it is de rigeur to give Conrad a few bucks and shoot the bull with him. He is an older guy and has rheumy eyes that probably don’t see a thing. A character for sure, I wouldn’t be surprised if he mostly lives on cruiser’s gratuities. The resort was big and beautiful. As a former gardener, I loved seeing
the huge assortment of tropical flowers and plants studded with name markers for my enlightenment. We ate at their beach grill and listened to steel drum music. Every once in a while one of their waitresses would get up on the stage and with a hibiscus in her hair, do a traditional island dance. We sat between tables of people from
England and one couple had a little baby. After a couple of beers and a mango and plantain salad I was in heaven and didn’t give a rip about gaining
another year in my sixties! To make the day even more special, we had dinner on Yvonne and Bert’s gorgeous boat that night! Before I go any further, I have to tell you that when we got home that night I told Steve that going from their boat to ours is a little like going from a mansion on
Summit
Avenue to an apartment on
Grand Avenue. And, I think I say that with no resentment but only humor. Bert served champagne to celebrate my dratted birthday before the meal and Yvonne brought out crackers topped with salmon and capers. To begin our feast we enjoyed a fresh salad that had chopped fruit and other nice bits on top. A chicken breast with a marvy sauce studded with olives (we shot the pits overboard) and thin French beans and yellow rice. To top off the meal, a key lime pie arrived just when I needed something sweet. We ate outside on their jazzy deck, enjoying the sounds of Harry Belafonte and Chicago, Yvonne’s enduring favorite group. It was quite a lovely way
to spend and end a birthday! Thanks to both of you for treating us so well!
I have blabbed on for an eternity. This is what happens when you no longer work and have free time on your hands. I’ll bet I’ve lost the attention of many of you. You are probably not even with me anymore but are now reading the blog from Lulu!
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