Recooperating in St. Croix

After perusing through numerous travel guides, we didn't know where to stay or which places to go. The best find was in Fredericksted - private beach front bungalows, 20 feet from the water, for less than /night! Although there isn't much to do in terms of excitement here, our days were spent relaxing - snorkeling and reading - on the fairly desolate, and pristine beaches, and our nights occupied with grilling up the latest catch, which we bought off of the fishing boats in town. During some days, we strolled the 1/2 mile into the center of Fredericksted, for delicious cinnamon rolls at Thomas's Bakery, or some authentic Cruxian fare at Mel's. We did venture out of Fredericksted, and went on an amazing snorkeling trip of the coral reefs at the national park reserve.

Quick Tips:

The saying goes, "Be careful what you wish for..." We came for relaxation and sun, and that's exactly what we got! The sun is so strong every day, so we found ourselves slightly burned and dehydrated despite our precautionary measures of water and sunscreen. And as for peace and quiet, we found plenty of time for self-reflection and reflection of each other, since we probably interacted with other people for a total of 10 hours over the course of a week! Bring lots of sunblock, and lots of books you've always wanted to read!

Best Way To Get Around:

Being true New Yorkers, we didn't want to rent a car, and rather wanted to rely on taxis and public transportation. Some words of advice: the taxis are very expensive, and unless you agree upon a fare beforehand, don't take them; the public transportation is a bit rustic, but if you're willing "do as the locals do," then it's EXTREMELY cheap; walking is only an option if you're at your final destination - this is due to the intense heat, and the high theft rate that you hear about in the guide books... We did rent a car for one of the days, hoping to drive through the rainforest; unfortunately, due to incomprehensible road maps, (and warnings from locals to "beware of the protective, and sometimes hostile, farmers of 'wacky tabaccy'") we couldn't quite make it through the full rainforest to experience the amazing hikes.

Although it seemed to miss the last remodeling (since the ''70''s), the cottages had all the accommodations that we needed - from working bathrooms, to a fully-equipped kitchen, to a fully-functioning air-conditioner, and a TV with basic cable. What more can you ask for at less than $100/night? The beach is right outside your door, with the water less than 20 feet away. The extremely nice owners lend out snorkeling equipment for free, and we often found ourselves mingling with other cottage guests in the main porch, while grilling our fish. Oh, and I almost forgot, the welcoming gift to every guest is a bottle of St. Cruxian rum and some ice cold Cokes!

We read about this little gem in one of the travel guides. For a good taste of local fare, Mel's gives you conch and johnny cakes at an unbelievable price! Mel's has a different special every day, so we found ourselves scheduling activities around our meals here. Not only did we thoroughly enjoy the food, but Mel is charming as well!

Although it was difficult to wake up early in the morning, we found ourselves up every morning in anticipation of these cinnamon rolls. Thomas Bakery, "Best in the West," as the sign claims, may certainly be. For fresh cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, and apple turnovers, this is certainly the place to go. It's difficult to justify not getting a second or third pastry at less than $1.00/pastry!

Everyone raves about Buck Island, so when deciding whether to do the half day or full day trip, it seemed to be an easy choice. To be quite honest, the cookout, which Big Beards advertises for its full day trip, confirmed the decision for us. Note: Do not do the full day just for the cookout; with burgers, hot dogs, unidentifiable fish, and Lays featured on the "cookout", we decided that it wasn't worth the extra $25/person.

Along with 6 other people, we took a catamaran to Buck Island. We anchored off of the island, and practiced our snorkeling skills before heading out to the reefs. The water is perfectly warm, and clear, and everyone found themselves using their underwater cameras to snap photos of themselves and of the local stingray.

The reefs are unbelievable. Although the rough waters are not for beginner swimmers, everyone managed to trail our guide through the underwater tour of the reefs. We were limited to a half hour out there, but it was well worth the trip. I can't name all the different kinds of fish we saw, but we did see a barracuda hanging out under our boat. Wow. This is a must see!