Monday, June 6, 2011

Water, Water Everywhere!

Hurricane season has officially hit with a number of rainstorms. As a lovely neighbour explained to me the other day, hurricanes hit St. Lucia so badly because its the hottest few months of the year and the soil gets dried out and silty - therefore any rain or wind can seriously erode the hills which comprise St. Lucia and all the houses and roads precariously perched alongside. If that is so, the last couple days have hopefully seen enough rain to stave off too much erosion should a hurricane hit.

Today has mostly been rainy and seeing as how it was my longest day at the hospital I was quite happy for that. It's difficult to work in a hospital ventilated by cross breezes and gaze out the numerous windows at beaches, ocean and tropical hillsides knowing I won't be out in them for another few hours. Those same landscapes covered in rain are more beautiful at a distance.

Friday I received permission to leave the hospital early and went to Rodney Bay just north of Castries. It was my first exposure to tourist central and there were shopping malls, tourists and hotels galore! I took the bus to the marina and then walked along the highway to the town center. It was about a 30 minute walk so I was grateful to meet a man selling fresh coconuts just as I entered the town. I enjoyed the fresh coconut juice and he then chopped the rest open for me to enjoy the flesh. I finally wandered into a hotel and through the spacious lounge area onto the beach.

A couple hours later I met up with some fellow med students from Kiwiland as we ventured back to my coconut vender friend and started the evening off right by creating mojitos from fresh limes, mint and local rum. To finish the night we went to nearby Gros Islet for a "Jump Up" a street party complete with Caribbean music, tons of bbq'ed food and a hilarious mix of dancing locals and attempting to dance tourists.

To finish off the weekend right I spend most of Sunday on the beach and swimming. I built a sandcastle with the kids who live where I'm staying and I discovered that the little tiny clams I've always ignored before are apparently quite a tasty treat here taken home, washed and fried. We were chased off the beach by a 10 minute rainstorm which lasted just long enough to ensure I remained soaked as I sat in the back of the truck on the drive back to the house.

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