Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.”
St. Lucia is definitely a gem of the Caribbean! It is an island of verdant forests, volcanic black sand beaches, brilliantly painted flowers, and very friendly people. As we approached, we saw houses nestled within the rainforest adding splashes of contrasting colors to the tapestry of green woven over the island.
Before we reached our first destination, we had several places where we stopped for photos as we ascended into the rainforest. Our first stop provided us with an amazing panoramic view of the azure blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. From this vantage point, we could look down on Castries, the capital, and also, our ship at the dock. Our next stop was overlooking Marigot Bay. A beautiful inlet that often shelters boats during hurricane season, this spot was known for several films made here. Each overlook had a few locals selling their handmade wares, but all we took back with us were pictures.
Finally, we arrived at the Tet Paul Nature Trail. This was a precarious hiking trail that would take us between the Pitons, two peaks that seem to be rising right out of the sea! Made of hardened lava, they rise to an elevation of approximately 2,000 ft. above sea level. I managed to stumble my way up the trail without a spill, and was rewarded with a breathtaking view of the Pitons! Once we made the trek back down, we were rewarded with crispy fish fritters (so delicious!), the sweetest Valencia bananas (I think 1 ate 3 of them throughout the day!), and guava (my first time)!
Our next stop was brief as we made our way to a local waterfall. Most of the folks there were jumping in and taking their photos under the falls, but we chose to stay dry and snap a picture from the sidelines. From here, we went to have lunch at a restaurant on the beach. It was buffet style and had several local selections: plantains, fried bread, cabbage slaw, breadfruit pie, boiled green bananas, lentils, saffron rice, creole chicken and whitefish. Yum!
On the ride back to the ship, I had the opportunity to think about the variety of cultures that we’ve been able to experience. It is so mindboggling to think about the creative mind of God. Our world is diverse in so many ways, and yet it all came from His mind alone. Never mind the incredible process of creation that occurred simply from His spoken word, but just the profound assortment of plants, animals, topography He designed takes your breath away! Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe it!
Next stop: Antigua