Today was the day the four of us decided to explore St. Lucia. The island has some very unique attributes that were just calling us to see. We had made arraignments yesterday with Anthony, one of the local guides, to pick us up at the Anse Chastanet Hotel resort that we are moored in front of. As we drove away from the resort we discovered how remote this resort is from the rest of the world. The road into it from Soufriere was one lane and to call it a road is being generous. As we bumped our way toward Soufriere, Anthony pointed out where a car had driven off the road and plunged down the steep cliff to the rocks and ocean below.

Our first stop was a waterfall that was fed from the hot water coming from the sulphur springs further up the mountain. The waterfall was nothing to talk about but there are a couple of small concrete basins that captured the water and a group of 6 young girls were bathing in them. This was not what we had in mind when we had talked with Anthony in regards to exploring the island. Thus, we were not starting out on the right foot.

Fortunately, the rest of the day and the places we went to from there, greatly improved. Our next stop was at Tete Paul, where a naturalist was our guide. She took us on a hike to vantage points where we could take in the breathtaking views of the two Piton and the lovely agricultural valleys below. To our wonderment she pointed out a little Cocoa Tree with actual chocolate pods (?) hanging on them….much excited inquiry and we learned that indeed they do process the local chocolate and sell the products both raw and in finished chocolate products! Well….we immediately diverted Anthony from his intended route to a local lunch spot to the nearest Chocolate processing location! Walked up an elegant stairway to a true 4 Star Restaurant….where seemingly everything had a chocolate theme, a chocolate sauce, a chocolate reduction!? Simply amazing lunch stop….Mary Margaret snagged the ‘catch of the day’ which was believe it or not… a Yorkshire Pudding with a Chocolate Infused Horseradish Sauce! Imagine!?
Anyway….got to recommend that joint….appropriately named “Chocolat” if your ever in the neighborhood!
Next stop on our tour….volcanic mud baths!!! Excellent! Even if you are not into such stuff….this is late stage magma heated steam with loads of black mud and sulphur (rotten-egg) odors blowing out of these in ground fissures…..stinky….oh yeah! Had a great docent who again confirmed all of Dwight’s expounded Geo-Trivia….again left over from classes he never paid attention to…..but never mind!
Made the trip back to the Leu Cat in a Ponga boat….very classy. Great photo documentation was preserved for this exceptional day. I will fondly recall every stop with great detail!
Dwight