Martinique


Always pose next to something large like a cruise ship. Next to something that size, you're bound to look small.

Fort-de-France is the capital of Martinique, an island of approximately 360,000. French is the official language and you could hardly miss that as all signs were posted in French. The first notable difference on this island is that the women are very stylish. They are also noticably distant, bordering on being unfriendly. The second is that it is very expensive here. Currently the island enjoys one of the highet standards of living in the Caribbean. Among its notable former residents was the future empress of France, Naoleon's wife Josephine who was born on Mortinique in 1763. Pau. Gauguin also lived and painted here in the late 1800's.

St. Pierre used to be the island capital until it ws wiped out by the eruption of Mount Pelee in 1902. Killed all 30,000 residents except one, who was in jail.

The city itself isn't particulary attractive so we walked towards the fort which Hans and Alethea had toured on a previous visit here. However, since 9-11 they no longer allow tourists inside and despite my pleas in French, we were politely declined admittance. *sigh* On the way back to the ship, we got caught in a quick and dirty downpour. Luckily, we had just passed the fort and raced back to shelter in the lee of an old doorway leading into the hill and presumably the fort. We did get a little wet but there was a very welcome warm breeze pushing us back to the ship which dried us off in no time. However I noticed that our bodies are absorbing all this humidity through osmosis. Both of us found our fingers so puffy we couldn't make fists, but our skin feels like silk. Well, mine does.

Not a favourite island. Didn't like it much the first time we were here and still don't.

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