Brimstone Hill

Everybody safe out there? We're hoping all that crappy weather goes offshore before Mom has to fly back and then drive home next week. Glad we can keep you in fantasy land for a bit, but don't get used to it. After next week, we'll be back to our once/week entries of the mundane on the island. But we'll look warm at least! This could be you - come visit! And here's a shout-out to Jilly who confessed to reading and enjoying our blog - we'll have to meet up the next time you're in the neighborhood!

So yesterday, Michael got a ride into work and I took his company car. My first stop was the fire station to get a license. Yay - I'm legal now! Then I found the grocery store, worked a couple of hours, and then picked up the Mom for a trip up the coast. You've got to wonder if she was more scared when she sailed with us 2 years ago or getting in the car with me yesterday, but she's a brave woman (where I get it from...). We headed to the Brimstone Hill Fort and made it there unscathed, thank you very much!

The fort is a UNESCO heritage site and is huge! There are many buildings that make up this insanity, with the main one largely restored. This blog entry will mostly be pictures. The fort definitely saw some fighting - between the French and Brits- but that's the extent of the history lesson I'm going to give you. If you want to learn more, you can go Brimstone's website.

Here's the fort from a distance. One picture I took while I was hashing, the other while we sailed past.



Here's an overall shot.



Many exterior pictures.



The entrance. Are those stinky British soldiers?! No, just sunburned British cruise-ship passengers.



Think the kitty's been here since the 1600s?



The courtyard.



The upper level.



A few interior shots. The place had its own bakery, a jail (how'd Michael get in there?), and a few places to shoot from.



The Barracks. There's supposed to be a ghost roaming this area, but Mom was the only one willing to pose.



Cannons cannons everywhere!



Cannons facing Statia & Saba.



Cannons facing Nevis.



Cannons facing the sea.



Oops! Sorry about that! Guess I shouldn't have lit that wick.



And oddly, that's Jacumba half-heartedly motorsailing out there on the water (about 2 hours from where she's normally anchored). She seems to be following us. I knew it was her because her front sail, the genoa, has been removed. Hmm...the last time we saw her she was out in the ocean during yet another small-craft advisory. Wonder if the sail was blown out? I think that boat is begging us to take her back. Ha! What goes around comes around Jacumba - take that!

We had one close call coming back as I was trying to pass a bus that had started moving making it impossible for me to move back over. The local coming toward me actually hit his brakes and made them smoke. Wow - 2 miracles there: The islanders do know how to use their brakes; and the brakes on older Toyota's still work.

Today we head to Nevis.