NetWatcher's Guide to Everything

After doing it 4 times, I have come to the conclusion that nothing relaxes someone more than a nice cruise through the Caribbean...especially the Eastern Caribbean. I've seen many of the islands there, and have found that each one is different, unique, and offers something special to visitors that go there.

On this last trip, a long 10 day cruise, I visited St. Martin, Barbados and Martinique. St. Martin was very nice. The people were friendly; the island is so small that everyone there knows everyone else. It had a very casual, laid-back, relaxed feel to it. Despite the fact that from most places on the island you can see Saba, a very intimidating looking volcano south of St. Martin.

Barbados was a complete washout - it apparently had been raining non-stop for a few weeks before we arrived. The northern roads were completely washed out, and all of our tours were cancelled. I did go ashore, however, and can now say I have at least been to Barbados.

Our last stop before heading home was the picturesque, and wholly unique island of Martinique. This island, like St. Lucia, stands out in my mind. The people were the most friendly of any I've found in the Caribbean. These people go out of their way to do nice things for each other, regardless if they know each other or not. About half-way through the tour of the island, I realized why.

Now to say that there are no gentle slopes on Martinique would be the worlds greatest understatement. I really couldn't find a "slope" that didn't angle at about 85 degree's straight down. I'm assuming this is because the island is 100% volcanic, and is composed of layers of volcanic ash sandwiched between volcanic rock. Not a terribly stable setup. Anyway, taking a tour of the island, in a full size tour bus over two-lane roads up these impossibly steep mountain slopes gives one an amazing perspective on life... mostly because you know that with one wrong move of the bus driver, yours will be ending soon.

On this tour, I noticed immediately the steep mountain sides, and just as the thought "I wonder if there is a problem with landslides here" passed through my mind, we came up to the Advanced Landslide Alert Station. I didn't freak quite yet, however I did make a red starred mental note. Also, I bared in mind that our ultimate destination on this trip was St. Pierre, the city that Mt. Pelee destroyed at the turn of the twentieth century.

While in St. Pierre, we stopped at a very old Catholic church. Behind the church was a very old graveyard, and futher, behind that was one of the island's trademark cliffs. Being an avid geocacher, I noted the graveyard as a possible site for a virtual cache. It began raining, so I decided to observe from the inside of the bus. As I watched, I noticed a waterfall coming from the cliff behind the cemetery. The word 'picturesque' came to mind until I realized that the waterfall had become very muddy. I thought about it a few more moments then realized that the waterfall had not been their prior to the rain. It was about that time I noticed the muddy sludge coming down the road toward the bus from the direction of the cemetery.

We left shortly thereafter.

I really never have seen an island that was so intent on killing off its inhabitants. It really is quite interesting; from landslides, flash floods, to volcanos, earthquakes and the abundance of cliffs, the island itself really goes out of its way to harm people. Thinking about it on the return trip to the ship, I realized that it was probably these challenges that the island provided that was the catalyst for such a willing, helpful, society. Something along the lines of 'if we're going to survive here, we'll have to get along'.

Now, if more people would realize that.