Famous Faces, Famous Places and Famous Foods
A Very Varied Paradise
Years ago, when I was 19 and living in Washington, D.C., I somehow managed to snag an invite to a party sponsored by the U.S. Virgin Islands. What a night! Non-stop fancy rum drinks, competing steel-drum bands, wacky limbo contests, and all of us running around with big buttons pinned to our chests that proclaimed "I am a VIRGIN Islander."
I had such a good time that I soon traveled to the Virgin Islands to check them out in person. Or perhaps I should say that I visited a Virgin Island, since I never left St. Thomas. It was the first time I'd ever traveled without my parents, and to my young, eager eyes the sociable isle seemed like the most glamorous place in the world. Its small and ancient main town, Charlotte Amalie, had open-air restaurants, nifty shops, and beachfront bars. It offered the exotic delight of driving on the "wrong" side of the road. There were fragrant tropical breezes, white sandy beaches, and waters whose very existence defined the word azure. It was heaven.
I planned to return the next year, but other destinations grabbed my attention and I began what would become a lifelong habit of traveling. I loved beaches, but, after moving to California, new shores demanded discovery: Hawaii, Mexico, Polynesia. From time to time I visited the Caribbean — a bareboat trip with friends through the West Indies; two weeks in Martinique; a few crazy days one time on St. Martin that we won't discuss — but somehow never made it back to the Virgins.
Until a few months ago, that is, when the opportunity arose for a second visit. This time around I made a point of visiting all three major islands: St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. Johns. To my delight, I found the experience akin to visiting three contiguous European countries — Spain, France, and Italy, say. While they have things in common, they're really nothing alike. You feel the differences the minute you cross a border.
And so it is with these three wonderfully diverse islands. Each offers a slice of paradise, but to leave one and arrive at another is akin to entering a different country.
In this article we'll concentrate on St. Thomas:
ST. THOMAS:
I was astounded by how much St. Thomas had changed from my first visit many years ago. Charlotte Amalie in those days was a small, quiet, slow moving town. Now it's the No. 1 destination in the Caribbean for cruise ships. This is great for islanders, who are almost totally dependent on tourism for a living. It does, however, dilute the tropical getaway experience. Still, this island has many charms.
For one thing, it's a pure-and-simple shopping paradise. There is no sales tax, and U.S. visitors are allowed $1,200 duty-free (twice that of other Caribbean islands). The shops in downtown Charlotte Amalie, most of them beautifully housed in remodeled antique warehouses, are overflowing with deals on designer duds, fancy watches, crystal, 
cameras, leather goods and big-name perfumes. More modest budgets will have fun with the inevitable T-shirts, as well as low-cost liquor, local crafts, and postcards. And everybody will delight in the colorful outdoor bazaar on the edge of the shopping district, just outside old Fort Christian, where super bargains abound. For me, a collector of palm-tree art, the greatest find was Mapes Monde. This wonderful store sells, among other things, high-quality note cards and reprints made from old paintings and etchings of palm trees.
There's plenty to do in St. Thomas besides shopping, though. For one thing, beautiful beaches ring the island. As you'd expect, most resorts and many hotels are situated on great beaches, making it easy to put down a towel and stretch out. Or you might decide to explore the island to find your own perfect beach. If so, be sure to check out Magens Bay, voted by National Geographic Magazine as one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world. If you'd rather be active, no problem. On St. Thomas — as well as on the other two islands — you'll find just about any warm-weather sport you can imagine: deep-sea fishing, scuba, snorkeling, sailing, parasailing, windsurfing, kayaking, horseback riding, golf, tennis, and more. We particularly enjoyed a guided kayak tour of the Mangrove Lagoon Marine Sanctuary. The trip took about 2.5 hours (if you don't know how to kayak, they'll teach you), with stops along the way to learn about the wonders of the delicate ecosystem. Our destination was a white coral beach, where we snorkeled and caught sight of the curious upside-down jellyfish, eagle rays, octopus, grape algae, mangrove crabs and thousands of colorful fish.
Coral World makes for another great outing. To call this well-designed place an underwater aquarium doesn't do it justice; it's more like adventuring into another dimension. Aside from the multi-level aquarium, there are imaginative hands-on displays outdoors such as the shark shallows and stingray pools and great tropical flora. Kids love this place, and so will you.
Like history? Then visit red-bricked Fort Christian, a National Historic Landmark since 1977. The fort, built between 1672-1680, was used as a jail until a few decades ago. A small museum inside displays ancient maps and other artifacts from the island's past.
Nightlife is far livelier on St. Thomas than on its sister islands. You'll find plenty of discos, live music, dancing, piano bars, and even a wine & cigar bar. We had a great evening at Tillet Gardens, a few miles from town. This small, casual oasis is a marketplace for handicrafts during the day. It's arranged around a pretty, stone-floored garden, where concerts are sometimes held at night. The Gryphone Trio, an excellent violin, piano and cello ensemble from Canada, performed the night we attended. Others on the bill of late were the Junior Mance Jazz Trio, Charlie Musselwhite's Blues Band, and flamenco guitarist Dennis Koster.
As you'd expect, St. Thomas offers a great variety of restaurants. My favorite spot for lunch, Gladys' Café, specializes in traditional island cuisine such as fungi (a heavenly cornmeal-okra combo), johnnycake bread, peas and rice, curried chicken, conch fritters, a delish soup called kallaloo, and daily fish specialties. Housed in a beautifully restored stone warehouse in Royal Dane Mall, a quiet alley just off the main shopping street, the café is filled with interesting art and photography. You'll probably want to purchase a bottle or two of Gladys' special hot sauce to take home.
Another good bet is The Pointe at Villa Olga, with its colorful history as a bordello and gambling hall. Surrounded by century-old palms, it rests beside the water and away from the town's action. The fare is traditional but good, and they offer a special kids' menu. Other restaurants to try include the Blue Moon Café at Secret Harbour (great lunch menu; quiet and secluded cove) and Entre Nous (high-priced and high-tourist, but the location, high atop a hill in Blackbeard's former watchtower, can't be beat. It's now a National Historic Landmark).
When You Go:
General Facts:
The USVI is an unincorporated territory of the United States, with a non-voting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives. Everyone born on the island is a U.S. citizen. The U.S. dollar is the common currency, and English is spoken everywhere. More than 50 islands comprise the USVI, but most are uninhabitable. The three most well known are St. Thomas, St. Johns and St. Croix. Island temperatures range from 77º in winter to 82º in summer. U.S. citizens are allowed a duty-free shopping quota of $1,200. Getting There:
Major cities on the North American east coast have direct flights to St. Thomas on Delta, US Airways, American, and Prestige. If you're coming from elsewhere, you'll probably need to change planes in Miami or Puerto Rico.
St. Thomas:
Important Note: The area code for all phone numbers given below is 340 (unless otherwise indicated).
Where to Stay:
St. Thomas is a haven for beachfront resorts, which come in all types and price ranges. The Ritz Carlton is beautifully situated and landscaped (800-241-3333). The Sapphire Beach Resort (800-524-2090) is kid-friendly. Marriott's has two resorts, Frenchman's Reef and Morning Star (800-524-2000 for both). The Bolongo is a long-time favorite (800-524-4746; www.bolongo.com ). The moderately priced and newly renovated Holiday Inn (800-524-7389) has a convenient central location overlooking the busy harbor. Inexpensive but charming spots include: Hotel 1829 (800-524-2002), the Admiral's Inn (800-423-0320), and Villa Santana (776-1311).
Restaurants:
The Pointe at Villa Olga (774-4262)
Gladys' Café (774-6604)
Blue Moon Café (775-6550)
Entre Nous (776-9379).
Activities:
Virgin Islands Kayak Ecotours (779-2155)
Fort Christian (776-4566)
Tillet Gardens (775-1929)
Coral World (775-1555)
Coral
World makes for another great outing. To call this well-designed place an
underwater aquarium doesn't do it justice; it's more like adventuring into
another dimension. Aside from the multi-level aquarium, there are
imaginative hands-on displays outdoors such as the shark shallows and
stingray pools and great tropical flora. Kids love this place, and so will
you.
Like history? Then visit red-bricked Fort Christian, a National Historic Landmark since 1977. The fort, built between 1672-1680, was used as a jail until a few decades ago. A small museum inside displays ancient maps and other artifacts from the island's past.
Nightlife is far livelier on St. Thomas than on its sister islands. You'll find plenty of discos, live music, dancing, piano bars, and even a wine & cigar bar. We had a great evening at Tillet Gardens, a few miles from town. This small, casual oasis is a marketplace for handicrafts during the day. It's arranged around a pretty, stone-floored garden, where concerts are sometimes held at night. The Gryphone Trio, an excellent violin, piano and cello ensemble from Canada, performed the night we attended. Others on the bill of late were the Junior Mance Jazz Trio, Charlie Musselwhite's Blues Band, and flamenco guitarist Dennis Koster.
As you'd expect, St. Thomas offers a great variety of restaurants. My favorite spot for lunch, Gladys' Café, specializes in traditional island cuisine such as fungi (a heavenly cornmeal-okra combo), johnnycake bread, peas and rice, curried chicken, conch fritters, a delish soup called kallaloo, and daily fish specialties. Housed in a beautifully restored stone warehouse in Royal Dane Mall, a quiet alley just off the main shopping street, the café is filled with interesting art and photography. You'll probably want to purchase a bottle or two of Gladys' special hot sauce to take home.
Another good bet is The Pointe at Villa Olga, with its colorful history as a bordello and gambling hall. Surrounded by century-old palms, it rests beside the water and away from the town's action. The fare is traditional but good, and they offer a special kids' menu. Other restaurants to try include the Blue Moon Café at Secret Harbour (great lunch menu; quiet and secluded cove) and Entre Nous (high-priced and high-tourist, but the location, high atop a hill in Blackbeard's former watchtower, can't be beat. It's now a National Historic Landmark).
When
You Go:
General Facts:
The USVI is an unincorporated territory of the United States, with a non-voting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives. Everyone born on the island is a U.S. citizen. The U.S. dollar is the common currency, and English is spoken everywhere. More than 50 islands comprise the USVI, but most are uninhabitable. The three most well known are St. Thomas, St. Johns and St. Croix. Island temperatures range from 77º in winter to 82º in summer. U.S. citizens are allowed a duty-free shopping quota of $1,200. Getting There:
Major cities on the North American east coast have direct flights to St. Thomas on Delta, US Airways, American, and Prestige. If you're coming from elsewhere, you'll probably need to change planes in Miami or Puerto Rico.
St. Thomas:
Important Note: The area code for all phone numbers given below is 340 (unless otherwise indicated).
Where to Stay:
St. Thomas is a haven for beachfront resorts, which come in all types and
price ranges. The Ritz Carlton is beautifully situated and landscaped
(800-241-3333). The Sapphire Beach Resort (800-524-2090) is kid-friendly.
Marriott's has two resorts, Frenchman's Reef and Morning Star
(800-524-2000 for both). The Bolongo is a long-time favorite
(800-524-4746; www.bolongo.com ). The
moderately priced and newly renovated Holiday Inn (800-524-7389) has a
convenient central location overlooking the busy harbor. Inexpensive but
charming spots include: Hotel 1829 (800-524-2002), the Admiral's Inn
(800-423-0320), and Villa Santana (776-1311).
Restaurants:
The Pointe at Villa Olga (774-4262)
Gladys' Café (774-6604)
Blue Moon Café (775-6550)
Entre Nous (776-9379).
Activities:
Virgin Islands Kayak Ecotours (779-2155)
Fort Christian (776-4566)
Tillet Gardens (775-1929)
Coral World (775-1555)