St. Thomas - (First Cruise- Installment #2)

Day two began at the cruise dock located near Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.  Now if you are a big shopper, every island is packed with shops and locals trying to sell you things as soon as you disembark.  There is usually quite a selection, with jewelry being the big ticket item.  After a while i found the bombardment to be quite frustrating and annoying but you can't blame them for trying to make a living.


Now, I'm not a big fan of shopping so I made my way to find some local transportation.  I found it quite easy to get around on the islands.  There was what seemed like an endless supply of taxis and what I would call safari type trucks (picture below).  In my opinion the trucks were the way to go as long as you don't mind riding with a truck load of tourists!  

My First Cruise (Installment #1)

I have always wanted to take a cruise, if for no other reason than to experience the Caribbean.  A cruise is a great way to experience a lot in a short period of time and I feel it is one of the best ways to experience islands.  


In October 2009, I found a great deal on a cruise through carnival.  The economy was nearing the base of the recession.  Needless to say it was the perfect time to take a vacation.  Anyway, I booked a 7 night cruise with the following ports of call: Puerto Rico (cruise began and ended here), St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, and St. Kitts.  For me it was perfect.  Each day was a new island and a new adventure.