Day 50
OCTOBER 19, 2019
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS & NEVIS
Saint Christopher, as it was originally named, is another two-island nation, and the smallest country in the Caribbean with 56,000 people (St Kitts 44,000, Nevis 12,000). Like Antigua, St Kitts was once a one crop island, sugar. Competition from European sugar beets eventually drove Caribbean cane sugar production out of business.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_plantations_in_the_Caribbean
With the loss of the sugar industry most sugar plantations were eventually abandoned. Remnants of windmills and related chimneys are widely evident.
St. Kitts Scenic Railway is a 7 mph ride along the Atlantic side of the island through 65 abandoned sugar plantations which have been replaced by nature with tall grass. To our surprise the number of African green monkeys in the wild here is greater than the number of humans. Monkeys were brought to St Kitts by the French as pets over 300 years ago. The train ride included free drinks (strong ones) - rum punch, pina colada, strawberry daquiri. How civilized!
What began as a day blanketed by dark, brooding clouds, turned into a splendidly bright and hot afternoon with a thoroughly soothing breeze.
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS & NEVIS
Saint Christopher, as it was originally named, is another two-island nation, and the smallest country in the Caribbean with 56,000 people (St Kitts 44,000, Nevis 12,000). Like Antigua, St Kitts was once a one crop island, sugar. Competition from European sugar beets eventually drove Caribbean cane sugar production out of business.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_plantations_in_the_Caribbean
With the loss of the sugar industry most sugar plantations were eventually abandoned. Remnants of windmills and related chimneys are widely evident.
St. Kitts Scenic Railway is a 7 mph ride along the Atlantic side of the island through 65 abandoned sugar plantations which have been replaced by nature with tall grass. To our surprise the number of African green monkeys in the wild here is greater than the number of humans. Monkeys were brought to St Kitts by the French as pets over 300 years ago. The train ride included free drinks (strong ones) - rum punch, pina colada, strawberry daquiri. How civilized!
What began as a day blanketed by dark, brooding clouds, turned into a splendidly bright and hot afternoon with a thoroughly soothing breeze.
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