Village Squire, 1979-04, Page 29gutters. and others covered, but with
missing capstones can make walking
precarious.
Almost everything is on a small scale,
library, book -shops, gift shops and
restaurants. You will find no public toilets,
and even the one larger department store
offered no accomodations for an emergen-N
cy. It's also an experience to find how it
feels to be in the minority. Often the two of
us were quite alone in a world peopled by
blacks. The island is independent now and
even in government offices a white face is a
rarity.
Souvenir hunting has never been a
primary target, but we were soon aware
that this was no shopper's paradise like
Aruba. All we purchased were bottles of
native perfume distilled from the delicately
scented frangipani blossoms. We did look
for mammee-apple jelly and guava cheese
but found none.
Columbus Square, named after the
island's discoverer, is fenced off and the
gates locked. because teenagers had tried
to turn it into a football field. Flanked on
one side by the cathedral, it's the focal
point of the city. The cathedral itself is well
worth a visit. and so is the library across
the Square, if you are curious about the
island's history.
And what a history it is. Founded by the
French and captured by the British, it
changed hands no less than 14 times. Folks
who delight in poking about in old forts will
find no less than three on the northern half
of St. Lucia. The history suggests English
as the official language. A French based
patois is still very much alive and perhaps
used more on informal occasions than
English.
Backstreets are shabby and crowded. As
at home the farther you work out from the
city core, the nicer the homes.
The landlocked harbour is a turquoise
jewel set in a ring of bright green hills.
Cruise ships are everyday visitors in the
high season and while we were there,we
saw both the Queen Elizabeth II and the
Russian Alexander Kropatkin. Our request
to visit the Stella Oceanus on her way to
Venezuela and up the Orinoco River was
granted. There are small package boats
that make a two day run up to Dominica
and back via the Barbados, for those who
will chance rough and ready accommoda-
tion. There is another run down by St.
Vincent to Grenada.
So how about beaches and swimming.
The answer is suberb, but don't plan to
hike around the island because the beaches
are open. for here and there as we found on
our schooner cruise down to Sufriere, there
are places where the hills are rock -faced at
the water's edge.
This side trip by boat gives one a fine
view of the rugged coast with its green
mountain backdrop, and here and there a
sheltered sandy bay. On leaving the boat
we were driven to an old volcano which still
has its steaming mud -pools for the eager
cameraman. This side trip also included a
IN THEIR SPRING FINERY
FOR CHILDREN
& INFANTS
Girls and Boys
sizes to 14 yrs.
CAMPUS
SHOP
Open Monday to Saturday 9-5:30
Friday nights till 9
92 Wellington St., Stratford Phone 271-3720
LOOkiNq FOR
ThAT SPECIAL qiFT?
Come see our new spring collection of gifts from
the Gift Show. Select from Wickerware, Fenton
Glass, Beswick Figures, Brass, Copper or Crystal
whether it be for a wedding anniversary, birthday,
graduation, Mother's Day or Easter. At Hay's you
can be sure of finding the right gift at a reasonable
price.
GIFT SHOPPE
140 MAIN ST., LISTOWEL, ONT.
April 1979. Village Squire 27