Castries and Points South

I took this photo in the central park on the Island of St. Lucia in the Capital City, Castries. The tree is 400 years old. I asked what sort of tree it is. Legend has it that a British officer asked the same question over 100 years ago and a local boy said, it's a masab. It was so classified -- only 'masab' in St. Lucian means "I don't know".

Castries as seen from the military barracks and the old colonial governor's mansion to the south.

Marigot Bay is one of the most charming places on St. Lucia. The narrow harbor surrounded by steep volcanic cliffs presents one of the only hurricane-safe anchorages on St. Lucia.

The two peaks (Pitons) are walls of an ancient and still somewhat active volcano. The city of Soufriere served as capitol of the island during periods of French rule. The island was the scene of fighting between the British and French and changed hands a dozen times over about 100 years.

I ate lunch today at the Ladara hotel, overlooking the volcano's caldera. It's a very nice hotel and the view is spectacular. It's very difficult to show a photo that will do it justice. The hotel and the restaurant is perched on the peak.

Inside the caldera there are a series of sulfur pools that continually steam and bubble, reminding you that all glory is fleeting - and the island could go up in smoke.

A waterfall in the caldera of the volcano - note the iron oxidation on the rocks.

Typical St. Lucia street - taken from the car while in motion.

Outside Rodney Bay (heading north again) the rain fell, but the rainbow was vivid!