More Hilly Places

Well, I didn't think that I would stick to my "hilly places" theme in this post. However, upon my return Sunday from St. Kitts/Nevis, I feel that I have no choice but to do so. Both destinations do fall into that category.

Our first stop was St. Kitts, or St. Christopher, its official name. The first thing I noticed, even as the plane made its descent onto the tarmac, was the vast greenery of the island carpeting its many peaks and valleys. Our island tour later confirmed this. Like many Caribbean islands, it has a volcano (Mt. Liumuiga) but one that has been dormant for ages. (Likewise for Nevis.) I was not one of those brave souls who embarked on a volcano tour, as the buzz was not only does one have to be in tip-top shape to do it but also be fearless when it comes to negotiating steepness. Again, as I touched upon in my last blog post, I may love hills but climbing them isn't really my thing. (Also, I didn't relish the idea of perhaps accidentally slipping and turning my ankle, or something worse.) I captured an image of Mt. Liumuiga's majesty from the comfort of our tour van.

However, driving in the hills, as long as whoever is driving me can handle the twists and turns adeptly, is fine by me. Our island tour guide, Scotty, certainly was versed in that and so when we wound up the roads to Timothy Hill on the south end of the island, my jaw dropped at the beauty below me of the Caribbean Sea on one side, the Atlantic Ocean on the other. Of course, out came my trusted camera. Houses stretched across the shoreline's arc as the waves ebbed at the beach. At that point, Connecticut and the U.S. seemed a world away as I slowly sipped the view, to use a cliche, like one of the island's famed drinks.

Now I will get into the nitty gritty of hilly in the form of Brimstone Hill Fortress and Ottley's Plantation Inn. The former first. A stone fort that the British built in the late 17th and early 18th centuries to defend against the French and native Indian invaders, it is about 800 feet high. Climbing to the top via a ramp is a true test of one's physical mettle but I proudly made it, worth the view below of the Caribbean sea and surrounding islands. (Which, save for a glimpse of St. Eustatius, or Statia as the locals call it, it was too foggy to see out too far but I used my imagination to supplant that. Caught the image below, Statia's poking up in the background.) The fort has re-creations of rooms that soldiers stayed in and the illustrations of the work undertaken by the African slaves to guard and maintain it. I could only vaguely imagine the arduousness of it all, especially in the intense heat. How we take good old A/C and creature comforts such as plush mattresses for granted, myself included.

Ottley's is a world-famous, former sugar mill/plantation-turned-boutique hotel. You want hilly? Take a taxi ride to Ottley's and you'll be quite satisfied. Driving parallel to the Atlantic Ocean, you can see the island of St. Martin in the distance if it's clear, which it indeed was. Then, the climb. One lane each way, being in the back seat of what I can only describe as an ageless, stick shifted van driving on the left. (The island got its independence in 1983, but some Britishisms remain.) Our driver, named Bouncer, possessed quick reflexes with the steering wheel so I actually took a breath and relaxed as we wound up into the hills of St. Kitts. And wound, and then I saw the Ottley's sign. And wound a little more. We reached the resort's driveway, and I still couldn't see the actual plantation house until we made our way up to its restaurant, situated outside in the remains of an old sugar mill. Then, perched on top of a hill and lit brightly, there it was. It was also about 10 degrees cooler up there than down below, thanks to the altitude. Oh yes, dinner was quite worth it, especially the rum chocolate cheesecake. The pictures I took upon arrival came out a bit dark, so I am content with one of its signage. Even though this picture may not evoke hills, trust me, it is high up.

And Nevis. Quite smaller than its sister isle but still hilly. Our half day tour started at the Four Seasons resort and wound its way up to an abandoned sugar plantation-turned-luxury guesthouse, complete with honeymoon suite in the sugar mill. Looming over the island is Nevis Peak, its resident volcano that hasn't uttered a word since the dawn of time. Quite impressive and imposing to look at though.

I have a list of places I want to visit next, some hilly, some not. My next blog might well have a totally different theme, as it should to keep it interesting. However, one never knows ... could a Hilly Places Redux be in the cards? Only my choice of a next destination will tell. Till then, happy travels!