Vacation Versus Permanent Residence

What a tourist wants and what locals want varies, sometimes a great deal.

Take rain, for example. Tourists don't want rain--sunny days, bright and beautiful all day, every day. Locals, well, if it doesn't rain then we don't have water to bathe or do laundry. Locals depend on recycled rainwater for our household water.

Economy
Tourists want an inexpensive room rate and the conveniences of the states, namely air conditioning. Many tourists fail to notice (or calculate) the additional energy fee charged by some hotels. Tourists often pay 10 percent above their bill as an energy surcharge to offset the AC expense.

Locals want affordable WAPA bills. Our utility costs are tied to the price of oil. Note the recent spike in oil prices. Our utility company proposes a planned 22 percent increase in monthly rates. Ouch!

The difference in vacationing and actually living on island varies greatly, even if one is retired and finding a job isn't a concern.
A great vacation in the Caribbean doesn't mean that one would find living here great. Want to move to the Caribbean, consider a permanent move visit. Take an extended visit and find out if you're really cut out for island living. You may discover that life isn't always a beach.

At Haypenny Rest we're happy to share our thoughts on the ups and downs of living on the beautiful island of St Croix.

Carnival-Jump Start

Apologies to the few of you who maintain contact with us via the blog. An ongoing kitchen renovation, a nasty cold/mini flu, guests and a couple of freelance projects consumed my time. A new month is here, time more manageable and carnival looming.
Last evening a short season welcomer occurred in Christiansted. For those of you who don't know, the main Carnival on St Croix occurs Jan. 6, but the month of December is series of festivities culminating in the big event. Last evening served as a teaser.
The parade consisted of three or four beauty queens, three majorette troupes, one singer and the stars of the show the Major Minorettes. A troupe of senior citizens wearing clown costumes of St Croix madras, glitter socks, masks and top hats lit with candles, the Major Minorettes' thrilled the crowd with a low-skill, high-comedy routine. The troupe "twirlled" glow-in-the dark batons which served more as a prop for funny business. After marching in place, the group lay in the street and performed mock aerobics with the batons, made an arch with the batons, and then just danced around and drank with the batons. The "drum major" also shook a pom pom.
Following the Major Minorettes, the Caribbean Revellers truck of music rolled past inviting the crowd to join the tramp.
The big Jan 6 day is still available at Haypenny Rest. Come spend Carnival with us.

Elation! Great guests

A quick note in praise of my most recent guests. I am relatively new to the bed and breakfast business. I love to travel and stay in b&bs, guest houses, zimmers rather than a traditional hotel. I like to experience the local culture rather than sequester myself in a 5 star resort. I had hoped for guests of that share the same philosophy and am grateful to have received this week's patrons.

I'm continuing to learn and trying not to beat myself up for forgetting things like refilling the sugar bowl. Both guests, the great ones and the problematic ones, have taught me lessons. This business adventure is a work in progress and probably always will be.

An unusual two-day rain has descended on St Croix, but my spirits are hardly dampened. I welcome next week and new guests and improving my game.

At HaypennyRest.com all is dry and cozy.

Bad Cloud Coming

A snap shot of this afternoon's weather. Had we viewed a scene like this outside our window in South Georgia someone would have remarked, "there's a bad cloud coming up."
As ominous as this cloud appears, the weather here is quite calm, slightly breezy, slightly cooler than usual. Perhaps not perfect tourist weather, but a relaxing change for a local. Then again, I'm indoors not on the beach or heaven forbid in a small fishing vessel.
Light and clouds can be deceptive here. One can see rain miles before it arrives. Certain areas of the island tend to glow at sunrise and sunset. I am astounded at the number of rainbows I see here. I started this morning off with a large double rainbow off to the west behind our pool. St Croix is not a flat sandy strip, but slightly mountainous. I guess the reflective qualities of the ocean and the angles of the mountains yield these startling vistas. I can't explain the physics, I merely revel in the views. Golden clouds or dark ones, both demand one stop and take notice, if not a photograph to share as I did.

Beautiful views at HaypennyRest.com

Bush Men

As I stated a couple of posts ago, I'm enduring home renovations. In addition to the dust, mess and drain on my personal time, I've discovered another unforeseen issue. No it's not hidden costs or faulty work, it's contractors and subcontractors who refuse to use indoor plumbing. That's right, they'd rather pee in the bush.

The first workman I spied walking 20 feet across the road to relieve himself in the undeveloped lot between my neighbor and myself, I dismissed as slightly odd. I was just glad my neighbor was not at home at the time. However, more workman from other firms continued his trek. The countertop installers spoke with me about their preference for the "bush" the local term for woods/vegetation. I was not interviewing them, mind you, they just waxed philosophic when asking me to show them the bathroom. They said they'd prefer to use the bush rather than the toilet. One man said he liked it better because urinating in the wild is "more free and breezy." Well the trade winds have picked up, so I guess a break to relieve one's self and cool one's business after a hot day of work is refreshing.

This isn't the first time I've encountered this preference. I once had a college biology professor who informed the class that he situated potted plants and a large ficus tree in his toilet to mimic the outdoors. That was in Georgia. Since I last lived in Washington, DC one had few opportunities for "bush breaks" and it would be a ticketed offense, besides.

Oh well, the repairs are nearly done and for the remaining few days, I'll simply avert my eyes.

At HaypennyRest.com our plumbing works just fine.

A.M. no Water

My cistern transfer valves. The booger on the left gave us all the trouble this morning.

Guests arrived yesterday and they are everything one could hope for in guests: pleasant, personable, here to explore St Croix. I thanked my lucky stars. These same stars must be slightly out of line because we all arose this morning to discover air not water in the plumbing pipes.

I raced downstairs to transfer the cistern settings. We have a double tank cistern: when one tank goes low, transfer to the other tank. We have plenty of water right now thanks to ample rain and a back up water delivery made last month. I entered the pump room expecting to solve this problem in 30 seconds and my guests would never be inconvenienced. But my lucky stars had other ideas.

Immobile valves. The cistern valve, that looks something like a garden hose faucet, refused to budge. I begged, I pleaded, I employed a wrench and WD-40. Nothing. Frantic, I called for my husband who was attempting to dress for work. He plodded downstairs, requested larger wrenches, strained and cursed. Nothing.

I phoned our plumber at 6:30 a.m. who answered, arrived an hour later, employed a very big wrench, loosened the valve and only departed once all the pipes were tested. A big relief that arrived only after our guests had departed for an early morning scuba dive at Salt River. I can only hope they showered last night. I can only hope they are forgiving.

I'm offering them a discount on today, but this doesn't make up for the inconvenience or make me any less embarrassed. Word to those seeking to operate a bed and breakfast: be prepared, be meticulous, be obsessive about the details or you may wake up with your stars out of line.

Lost in Translation

I've learned a few lessons in this endeavor to start and succeed as a bed and breakfast owner and I'm only just into the high season here in St Croix, Virgin Islands. I'll summarize my experience thus far this week, a minor break from my lyric posts in ode to the natural beauty of the Caribbean.

I'll start with the most important less learned thus far: miscommunication. Miscommunication affects my business far more than I would have anticipated. Miscommunication necessitated a change in room reservation policy. No longer will I allow a friend or family member to book a reservation for someone else. Gift certificates yes, but actual reservations, no. See the location mom or your best man thinks is great may not be the guest's cup of tea. No matter that I tell mom or your best man that my b&b is ocean view not water front (a significant detail most definitely reflected in our lower price) when guest arrives and finds stepping out of the door and into the ocean not an option, well, complaining to me is much easier than complaining to mama.

I learned that miscommunication arises with more frequency and tenacity that I would have ever imagined. Maybe vacation encourages this trait. Vacation is supposed to be special and wonderful--an opportunity to escape your daily grind. We need it to be perfect--an unachievable goal.

What is achievable here is beautiful scenery, unique culture, tranquil ocean breezes and if you can stop yourself from analyzing it to much, what could be more perfect?

Relax at Haypenny Rest.

Seven Highlights of Scenic Old San Juan

Old San Juan is only seven blocks by seven blocks. In that small space; however, a wealth of museums, lovely architecture, delicious foods and scenic vistas abound. Here are 7 highlights of our Old San Juan walking tour.

Enjoy carillo, the local food fare. Some of our favorites: mallorcas, a wonderful ham and cheese on puffed bread sprinkled with powdered sugar and plantain tamales with pork wrapped in banana leaves. Yum!

Sip the delicious yet strong local coffee while people watching in one of the many shady parks known as plazas.

Dine on tapas at El Convento. The former convent and oldest hotel in Old San Juan's room rates may burst your budget, but tapas in the courtyard dining area are both tasty and reasonably priced.

Tour one of the many museums of local arts, culture and history. Our pick the museum of the family showcases family life of Old San Juan in the 1800s. Cost: free!

Shop for local and regional crafts. Yes, mass-manufactured goodies can be found in several tourist shops, but a seek out the stores offering unique finds such as wood carvings, jewelry and handicrafts.

The wide-open horizon of the Atlantic Ocean from El Morro is worth the hike on a hot, sunny September day. Refresh yourself with a Piragua, the Puerto Rican snowcone.

Or just browse the side streets and quiet courtyards behind the doors of Old San Juan. A beautiful and welcoming city.

Puerto Rico--a peek inside

About 40 minutes from St Croix as American Eagle flies lies the historic gateway to the Caribbean, Puerto Rico. While I've visited the San Juan International Airport many times whist awaiting connections to other destinations, I recently enjoyed a few days on the island herself. An experience definitely worth the wait and most probably another blog post.

Did you know Puerto Rico is the most popular Caribbean destination? The diverse island offers Atlantic and Caribbean beaches, a large rain forest, delicious food, beautiful architecture and the U.S. economy with a distinctly Latin flavor.

We visited in September: the height of the hurricane season and nadir for tourist season. Even so, a cruise ship docked in Puerto Rico during our stay. A behemoth from which camera-clad passengers in shorts trickled. I've never cruised before. I'm waiting for the pet-friendly cruises to begin. Did you know that only the QE2 offers a pet-friendly cruise?

The photo is a shot of one of the watch turrets of El Morro the massive, ancient Spanish fort that essentially surrounds Old San Juan, our home base. Did you know this particular blog was just a tease for more to come? I warned you at the beginning.

Small delights

A key ingredient to enjoying life here is reveling in the small delights. When you live on an island that is less than 30 miles long and about 7 miles wide, new opportunities are, well, confined. Unless one intends to fly or sail away regularly, inspiration must be found at home.
I am surprised, consistently by the slight details: the light patterns made by clouds passing over the mountains and the light affecting color of the sea out my window which changes day to day sometimes reflecting astounding shades of turquoise, gold and even pink.
I am both enthralled and vexed by the local flora. Beautiful flowers will blossom for a day then disappear. Tan tan trees will affix themselves to any surface, root and grow, despite all eradication efforts.
Often people travel to the Caribbean, to experience the undersea creatures. I find the terrestrial fauna just as fascinating. Take the little visitor in the photo. Lizards dart and dash about the flower beds, hang suspended from the exterior window screens and sometimes find themselves inside the house, where my cat Gus hunts them with skill. This little guy surprised me on the clothes line, resting atop a pillow sham, tinier than a clothes pin.
No, he's not the latest movie, or die-for restaurant, or must-have purse, but a bit of wonder nonetheless and inspiration enough for this post.

Come enjoy the small details at HaypennyRest.

Sour Times

This blog is dedicated to the over-productive key lime tree on my property. We juice them, flavor with them, I even clean with them and I'm barely able to keep up with the dozens of new fruits that appear each morning.
My goal is to squeeze about 50 each day this week and freeze the juice. Maybe then I'll catch up to the little key lime tree that could.

I read in A Short History of the West Indies by Parry, Sherlock and Maingot (purchased at the Whim bookstore on island) that the majority of the fruits thought of as tropical are not native to the Caribbean. According to the book, the only native plants of significant importance were cassava and tobacco. Coconuts and carambola fruits arrived from South Asia. The Spanish brought bananas, figs, the economic juggernaut sugar cane and all the citrus, including, I suppose, my key lime.
While it will not taste nearly the same for those enduring a frosty morning in the extreme northeast, enjoy a nod to sunshine with our favorite lime concoction.

4 key limes (the grocery green variety can sub)
1 cup sugar to taste (probably will need less for less pungent grocery limes)
water

Crush limes in a food chopper then transfer to a standard size blender
Add sugar
Add water to nearly full
Blend until smooth as possible
Strain into pitcher

Serve over ice with a shot of Cruzan Rum, if you like. After all the Cruzan Rum tag line is "so have a drink today."

Limes available while they last at HaypennyRest.

the Current

St Croix spend Friday night in the dark. An island-wide power outage occurred sometime Friday afternoon. Power was restored at varying times depending on location. Ours clicked back on sometime around 9 p.m. (when we'd decided to go to bed) but a friend on the west end of the island said hers was not restored until 10 p.m.

Power outages arise intermittently on St Croix. The local reference is the "current" is out or gone or off. Our current is usually unaffected. We lived previously on the northwest side of the island and current outages happened more frequently than I liked. A long-time resident of the east end of the island said his current goes out once a week. Embellishment? Perhaps, but I tend to think that St Croix exemplifies most locations of natural beauty in that neatly-ordered conveniences take a back seat to nature. With beautiful views and beautiful weather, a few hours in the dark is a small price to pay. Besides the stars and fireflies provided us an evening of sparkling entertainment.

Come visit us at HaypennyRest, where, yes, we have a back up generator.

Mango Melee

Large rose colored orbs hanging from long skinny stems like spiders at the end of a web, if the web was a large dark green leafy tree, began to appear across the island. Mango season has arrived.

Mango trees can grow as large as a live oak tree and many are heavy with abundant mango fruits. Sidewalk stands of mangoes emerge not only along the side of the road but in driveways manned by children, the local equivalent of a lemonade stand.

Each year the St. George Village Botanical Gardens hosts the Mango Melee to celebrate the harvest. In addition to crafts and food booths, typical of any festival, the Mango Melee features a display of the unbelievable amount of mango varieties. Besides the named species, I would estimate that at least a dozen unnamed local mangoes were on display. They range in size from larger than a softball to the width of a cell phone and all number of hues, textures and sweetness.

For someone who only found one variety of mango in her local Winn Dixie, I gained quite an education on the vastness of mangoes. I also bought some mango soap and a mango jam put up in a baby food jar and sold by an elderly woman sporting an American flag patterned bandanna around her head and matching petticoat. I have yet to try it, but I am convinced that it will be goo-ood.