Antigua 2004 – back now!

We had a great time in Antigua … lots of sun and warmth (the locals said it was unusually hot and dry; good for us!). Definitely got brown while we were there!

 

Here’s photos from our trip …

We flew out to Antigua for a late summer vacation, which will include Margarets birthday (tomorrow). We had a very early flight out of Boston, and watched the sun rise in the airport; after landing and changing planes in San Juan, we flew on to Antigua; it was very interesting looking down on the various Caribbean islands – each one had an island shaped cloud floating over it …

 

 

We finally landed at VC Bird International Airport in Antigua and transferred to our hotel (St James Club); we had a great room and enjoyed a spectacular sunset right outside:

 

The hotel had a nice beach – till it got too hot; a pool too:

 

We rented a car and drove to Nelsons Dockyard; once a great English dockyard, now a museum with some relics; we next headed to Shirley Heights, which offered a view back towards our resort, and an overview of Nelsons Dockyard. We were going to a steel band which plays every Sunday night at Shirley Heights as the sun sets; loads of people attend but unfortunately a major downpour ended the day early – we were glad to have a car to get home and not have to wait for taxis!

 

Another day, we toured the island of Antigua; first we drove along Fig Tree Bay which takes you up through the rain forest part of Antigua – very green and quite desolate! We also found more beaches, and had dinner in the city of St Johns:

 

And there was another spectacular sunset!

 

We also took a “Seafari” ride right round Antigua, and to some off-shore islands, riding what is basically a motor-powered inflatable tube! The boat reaches speeds of 40mph+ and is quite exhilarating once you get comfortable with the fact that no matter how much it bumps & tilts, you won’t be thrown out. You get some great views of the island, but the trip is over too quickly:

 

Saugus Iron Works

After yesterdays great weather and Trails & Sails event at Harold Parker State Forest, we had more great weather so decided to go to Saugus Iron Works. Again, we discovered a “Trails & Sails” event which meant that the visit was much more informative than normal!

We were taken on a tour outside the museum location, to where it is believed that the original 1600s dam & water ways were constructed. Later, we had the normal tour of the museum – a “living museum” with working mock-up of the water wheels which once powered the hammers & other machinery used to make iron products in the mid to late 1600s; there was also a nail making demonstration; you can buy real hand made nails in the gift shop (but sadly not actually made on site).