Getting Reacquainted
Day 2: Tuesday December 4
Ready for St. John Island Time!
We wake up around 9:30 am, which is rather late for us. But we feel refreshed and eager to get back to “Island Time”. Tip: sleep downstairs on the foldout bed. It may not be as luxurious as the one in the loft, but there is a reward – the stunning view. As Heidi rubs sleep from her eyes, I do my daily routine of opening all of the floor-to-ceiling windows while waiting for my coffee to brew. We sit in bed and sip tea and coffee while gazing out over the azure waters of the Caribbean. Nice.
Morning at Gallows
Itching to get outside, we clean up and we pop into Every-ting for walking water, then head into town for some grub and provisions.
Lunch today is at one of top spots – High Tide (formally Rumbalaya). It’s the first bar to your right as you come off the ferry dock. Great food & drink with quick service. Kim is our server for this week and asks if we want cocktails. For maybe the only time on our trip, we politely decline. “Too early for demon rum,” I say. Instead we order Conch Fritters, Jerk Chicken Wrap, and a salad. This exact lunch has been one of staples for years and it never fails to satisfy. Yum!
Kim serving at High Tide
From here we saunter past shops and bars and head over to Starfish Market for some provisions. Prices are decent and we can get the important stuff like fruit and martini ingredients. Gotta have olives. We also decide to get our own ‘pro’ fins this year, so we pop into Low Key Watersports where they set us up with some sweet Mares fins. After kindly lighten our wallet by $130 we head back to Gallows Point with our groceries and gear - but not without stopping at Joe’s for the day’s first round of ‘to-go’ drinks. Bring on the rum!
Great snorkeling at Gallows Point Resort
Having made a personal pledge to be in the Caribbean waters within 24 hours of arrival, I grab my snorkel gear and head down to the ‘beach’ at Gallows Point. Heidi decides she needs some “re-centering” and finds space on the waterfront decks for a nice yoga session. The snorkeling is pretty good here and the water very refreshing. I end up watching Heidi from the floating dock doing her postures. Life is good. After watching our first sunset, we head up to our room.
Heidi finding her inner Zen
We shower quickly and me, being a man, don’t require as much prep time as my lady. What you see is what you get with me. To keep the island vibe going, I turn on JAMZ and head up to the onsite restaurant Zozo’s at Gallows Point. If you go to the top floor, there is this great sunset bar called Jax Lounge and if you ask nicely, they set you up with drinks... to go! One of the great things about visiting a place more than once is the people you meet through the years and tonight is no different. I run into Beth at Jax as she’s working the bar. We’ve known her since our wedding and she’s the sweetest thing. I decide on a Pain Killer and get Heidi a dirty martini. Beth offers us the use of the glass as long as we promise to bring it back to the bar at the end of our trip. I promise. No one believes. (I do end up returning it!). We drink our cocktails while we finish getting ready. It’s looks like a good night.
Awesome sunsets at Jax Lounge
Since LaTapa is closed on Tuesday’s, we draw a blank and say “What the heck” and head off to our ‘go to’ restaurant, Happy Feet! err, Happy Fish. Not before grabbing a quick round at Woody’s. It is a bit of a hike, ya know?
Larry and crew are a bit surprised to see us return so quickly, but as it happens our favorite seats are available at the sushi bar. It is fate. We decide on a different maki this time, but stay with Tuna Tatake and the Spicy Salmon & Shrimp Don. They will be staples for our trip. As will the Pain Killers and martinis Megan keeps serving us non-stop. Life is rough, I know. We close up and make the uneventful journey back into Cruz Bay where we grab ‘nightcaps’ at the Beach Bar before trekking up the hill to Gallows Point. We sleep like babies.
St. John Travel Log 2007
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See you on the Island,
John "Big Hat" Walsh
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Where to Stay
