West Indies Adventure: Tortola Excursion (12/18/2023)

Monday, December 18, 2023 (continued)

After lunch on the Viking Sea, we took the included shore
excursion, Tortola Scenic Tour and Beach; this time in one
of the open-air 4x4 modified pickup trucks called "safaris"

You needed the 4x4 and more powerful truck engine to negotiate some steep hills.

Oh, that is St William's Catholic Church (1999);
we had only seen the rear on Main Street

Passed the historic 1780 Lower Estate Sugar Works
(built by the enslaved of the McCleverly family and also
produced cotton (ginning and pressing) and lime juice;
the museum was closed, I suppose, since 2017

Up on Ridge Road, we had views of the other islands
of the British Virgin Islands

I think we see the tip of Guana Island on the left, and
Great Camanoe Island in the distance; we are on Tortola,
the largest of the BVI islands

Now a view down on Road Town (KSS)

Fahie Hill Wall Mural (2001-2002, by Ruben Vanterpool
and others) depicting traditional life on the island

Watering Cattle (KSS)

Baking Bong Bong (cassava bread) (KSS)

Oven Full of Bread

Funjie Band/scratch band

Bambashay Time/traditional Caribbean dance

Georges North Side Mill Works shows
juice being pressed from the sugar cane

Inside the Boiling House (KSS)

Loading Santi (sugar cane crstals) (KSS)

Preparing for Crab and Rice 

Memories of Georges North Side School

Journey Up Soldier Bruck Neck

Cutting Sugar Cane

Evening Relaxation

A closer view of Road Town with small Dead Chest
Island, Peter Island, and Norman Island on the horizon

Heading down to Cane Garden Bay Beach

At Myett's on the beach, we had 45 minutes of free time,
and a few of the group were ready in swimsuits;
they also offered us one complimentary drink - 
a rum punch or water (Kent has the rum punch)

We purchased a Carib and Ting

The beach at Myett's with a view of Jost Van Dyke
and Little Jost Van Dyke Islands

Cane Garden Bay Beach

We took the time to purchase a couple postcards and find a post office to get stamps. To our great surprise, they use the  US dollar in BVI, and to our greater surprise, the stamps cost 35 cents each!

On our return, another view of Road Town (KSS)

Christmas decorations along DeCastro Street (KSS)

Next: Charlotte Amalie, US Virgin Islands