A stop in Antigua

Having arrived by ship (Costa Atlantica) at the port of St. John's, capital of the island and capital of the State of Antigua and Barbuda. Having disembarked with my wife and a couple of friends we met on the cruise, we took a modern taxi for a complete tour. Having left the city, which lies right behind the port, we headed south-west to Darkwood Beach, a wide beach of fine white sand lapped by blue sea. Same setting but less wild at nearby Crab Hill Bay. Following the southern coast at Old Road we turn off onto a hilly road that crosses the small tropical forest where villages, banana plants and a tiny stone Anglican church make a fine show. Before returning to the coast we stopped at a little market selling tourist trinkets, from which you could enjoy the view of the small harbour of Falmouth from the top of a hill.

Bypassing Falmouth we went to the historic English Harbour, once home to the British fleet in the Caribbean, which still preserves some restored Georgian-style vestiges and a small museum of relics of the era, including the bed of Admiral Horatio Nelson, who stayed here in his youth. The most beautiful view of English Harbour, however, is from an overlying hill where some ruins of British defensive forts stand. In the distance, very hazy, you can make out the profile of the English island of Montserrat, famous for its fully active volcano. We then head east to the Atlantic side; the sea isn't so calm there but the wide beach of Half Moon Bay is among the best on the island and, what's more, we are the only visitors, so we take the chance for a swim and to eat a sandwich our friends had got from the ship's canteen.

Next stop at Devil's Bridge, a natural arch near a rocky shore where high waves break. A completely different setting in the well-equipped and elegant Long Bay, the classic little beach surrounded by palms. We cross the interior of the island through countryside and pastures; once this was an expanse of sugar cane, the white gold of the Caribbean, and now only the two ancient windmills of the Betty's Hope plantation with their small and insignificant museum remain as a testimony to the era. Continuing inland we are caught by a brief shower, followed by sun that welcomes us on our return to St.John's. We leave the taxi and walk through the centre of the capital up to the Anglican Cathedral, which stands on a hill and is surrounded by the cemetery. The exterior of the church is in stone with tall towers while the interior is lined with wood.

The rest of the city, rather poor and chaotic, doesn't offer much. Since we were there we went as far as the covered market, in front of which stands the colourful statue of the former dictator, truly kitsch. A few steps to the port and we are back on our ship.