Castries

Leaving soufriere was our first step to Martinique. Sunshine introduced us to Bryan, who owned a terrible local restaurant. It was "native" food (bull shit) and a good price (unless you're a tourist in which case they job you every time). Regardless of my contempt for these thieves, Bryan got us the hook up. He looked up ferry times from Castreis to Martinique, Fort-de-France, our final location. Unfortunately....ferries don't run on Saturday. Downer. But he drove us to Castreise (an hour drive through the mountains for which he charged 180 dollars ec) and booked us a hotel. SO we're here to stay until the ferry leaves tomorrow at 5 pm. No big. We got a wonderful hotel for a great price, right up on the ocean and with a brilliant balcony and a really nice owner who drove us into town.

View from the room. Heyyyy

Unfortunately, town was the most uncomfortable, uninviting unfortunate place I've ever been.Castreise is the capital of St. Lucia, and the city is a square of Chinese, Syrian and Indian owned businesses. There is no local influence, except for shacks that would be set on fire if inspected by any sort of authority, and the people are not excited to have to deal with two tourist idiots like my father and I. I got eyed up and down more times than I could count, and while I've been in NYC rush hour, I've never felt so crowded, rushed and, embarrassingly, scared. There are no pictures of the city because that only would have worsened my chances of getting out with out any trouble. The buildings are run down, the locals are unhealthy and the food was overpriced for any one with an Irish heritage.
But it's not so bad.

The hotel owner is from England and she is very sweet. Daddy daughter time has been a blast, and the ocean and view of Castreise is soothing and exceptional. It's a short walk to a sandy shore and, while we may be watching Armageddon right now and had Domino's for dinner, the experience has been exhilarating.

Sandy ocean down they street.

View of Castreise from the balcony...at night.

Tim kickin it outside the hotel

So tomorrow to the ferry! I can't wait.

Last night is Soufriere was the most vacation-ey time we've had-- and it was a blast. We went to dinner at Bryan's shit restaurant and then bar hopped through out the night (suck it, America). The local beer, Piton, was our drank of chose; Pitons are cheap and delicious. We met up with Victor several times through out the night, parled some francais, and shared drinks. Something about the warm weather and geologically inspired beer lead my father, Victor and I to a very pleasing, "no problems" kind of night. Thanks, Victor (no pictures again, unfortunately).

This morning we left for Castreise with Bryan's brother Sebastian. The ride was up and down the Pitons, at incredible speeds and breath taking heights. There are no guard rails, however, and the beginning of your decent down would start on the tops of trees. The roads are small, windy and dotted with treacherous holes-- sweet. Needless to say the ride was an adventure. At one point, we drove through some of the damage from the hurricane in October. It hasn't been touched, and looks like a piece of rain forest was run over by a mudslide. Our driver said that people were simply buried alive, and there have been no relief efforts. Twice I have seen the aftermath of total devastation-- The Pentagon in December after 9/11, and the side of a mountain obliterated by a storm with wet clay and tree branches where homes once stood.

Piton

Kickin it

Hurricane destruction

Poor

Laundry Day

The poverty is intrusive-- everything reflects it. The architecture of various Europeans hardly stands and is wasting away slowly but surely. There is garbage everywhere, including mountainsides of rain forest, gutters and yards. The beaches and plant life are beautiful, but the conditions in which these people live hardly lives up to the wonderful, care free reputation of the Caribbean. I asked Victor how old he and he remorsefully said 32. It is no mystery why his voice had so much sorrow-- no prospect of change. I'm glad I got to know him, he made me feel confident about going to study in Martinique.