Is this you? “I’m too busy." "I don’t have time to take a vacation. I don’t need a vacation." "I don’t have anywhere to go on vacation." "A vacation costs too much money.” Are any of these excuses running through your mind? Well, stop listening to these evil voices in your head. Everyone needs vacation and should take vacations periodically. A vacation is, “a break or a time of respite from something.” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) Start planning your respite right now!
When you plan a vacation, one of the things you want to consider is ‘what can I do while on vacation?’ Of course, many just want to relax and feel that where they go isn’t that important, because they really don’t want to do anything. Consider this – suppose you decide not to go anywhere, as people find out you are at home, on vacation, the phone starts to ring. It could be people from work who just have “one quick little question” as they apologize for bothering you while on vacation. Or it could be friends or family members who have some great ideas for how to spend your free time by going and doing stuff. Your plans for a relaxing vacation are already blown.
So now, can we agree the best option is to go somewhere? The question is where to go.
Some people only think they are tired, but they are so bored
from doing the same routine things day in and day out, it wears them out. They may be ready to actually do
something different. Well, there is plenty to do in St. Lucia for
fun. Beaches and gardens are there for
you to enjoy, but there is much more.
You can go to major shopping centers where you can find very unique fine
items. If nature is more your style,
take a hike through the rainforest; climb one of the Pitons or other mountain
trails; go horseback riding; go scuba diving; and the list of what to do goes
on... You can go shopping at the vendor
markets and pick up some wonderful jewelry, works of art (paintings,
sculptures, and more), clothing, etc. There
is plenty to do in the evenings too.
Pick your style of entertainment and go enjoy some music, do some
dancing, walk along a moon-drenched beach, enjoy the constellation of stars
that shine bright at night, lots to do!
SOURCE OF INSPIRATION & INNER PEACE
People draw inspiration and inner peace from a wide variety
of sources. Birds soaring above provide
it for a great number of people. There
is something about the act of soaring through the air that seems so free and
unfettered. It is that sense of being
unfettered, and the peace of that gentle gliding that people respond to. While we know we have responsibilities, we
tend to drop that stress of obligations sitting on our shoulders when we watch
birds soaring so freely. Of course that
is a passing moment, but one to be enjoyed nonetheless. When you can have that feeling for prolonged
periods of time; that is when you feel the benefits of true relaxation and
peace.
Just before sunset, the birds begin to gather again through
a process of sailing back and forth through the valley. Then they fly over the ridge on the other side
of the valley, I presume to settle in for the night. Sometimes I see one beautiful white bird make
the final pass through the valley - solo.
After a few months, I found out these are the Cattle Egrets
that feed on the insects that are found around grazing cattle (here that means
cows, goats, and horses.) Finding out
exactly what kind of bird it is and why they are here has not changed how they
make me feel. The way they soar, brings
peace, calm, and inspiration. What things in nature bring you that sense of calm and
relaxation? (Let us know in the comments.)
WAKING UP!
It is 6:00 a.m. and it’s light outside. You are brought to consciousness by the
distant crowing of a rooster. While it
is light, the sun has not crested over the mountain tops just yet. The other sound you hear is the sweet
chirping of birds throughout the valley.
[Too early for you? No problem,
let the chirping birds lull you back to sleep.]
Depending on whether it’s a weekday or the weekend, you will
hear dogs bark occasionally, coming out to greet the new day as people make
their way to work. Then there’s an
occasional car of someone headed to work.
If it’s a windy day, you hear the leaves rustling on the
trees. If it is raining, you hear the
gentle sound of rain against the building and the trees. Sometimes you will hear a horn tooting as it
travels the winding roads, announcing the bread truck so people can go out and
get the fresh baked local bread (yum.)
Little by little you hear more chirping. It’s a variety of chirps as more birds awaken
and arrive in this valley. You may hear
the mooing of cows, bleating of sheep and goats join in, or the whinny of a
horse here and there.
If you’ve decided to get up and enjoy watching the valley as
it awakens, you will also see birds sailing through the valley, stopping
occasionally in the trees to chirp and signal others that it’s a new day. This is when you see the Cattle Egret along
with other birds. When you see the
birds, the sun is in the process of cresting the mountain tops.
Another beautiful day is underway! Birds are not the only activity going on in
this area. During the week, you will see
children making their way to school and adults making their way to work. Some of this foot-traffic and some vehicles go
right past us on the road below, where you can see them. Others are making their way to school or work
on the road above us.
THE TRANQUILITY OF
SUNSET
The sun rises and sets every day. Some of the rising and setting is more
spectacular than others. Many feel
watching the sun rise or set on the sea is the best. We believe there is beauty in the process
wherever you happen to be. If you happen
to be at Calabash Mountain Villa, you can see for yourself, it is a beautiful event,
and here is how it happens……
Calabash Mountain Villa sits in a mountain valley, on the
side of a mountain. There is a lot of
mountain behind/above us. We don’t sit
due north or south. So, sunrise and
sunset look a little different here.
Sunrise for us comes over the mountains that sit across the valley and
to our right as we look out from the balcony.
Sunset is even trickier. The sun
sets behind us to our left. The mountain
where we sit blocks the “real” sunset from our view. However, that does not mean we cannot enjoy
the beauty of sunset.
Our sunset is in the play of sunlight as it slips behind the
mountains and it gets progressively dark.
This is a beautiful sight. As the
sun slips behind the mountains, its rays play off of the clouds in the sky and
the mountainsides we see in front of us.
The setting sun bathes everything in its reddish hue, as it gets closer to being fully set. We enjoy watching the various birds as they
sail up and down the valley as they prepare to settle into their overnight
spots; singing and calling to each other as they soar back and forth. Along with the birds, the crickets, ting-ting
frogs, and other insects create a symphony of sound that goes along with the
sunset. When the sun is just about fully
set, there is still enough light for a moment to see and appreciate the beauty
of the mountains. When all the light has
gone and the mountains are dark, the symphony continues on into the night, the
perfect lullaby.
What end-of-day phenomena of nature do you enjoy the most?
CALABASH – TREE OF
MANY USES
The Calabash tree is the national tree of St. Lucia and
can be found many places around this island.
One of those places is Calabash Mountain Villa. We chose the name of this Villa based on its
significance in St. Lucia and because of the tree’s presence on this property
(we have about five on property.) The Calabash tree is a lovely tree and adds to the beauty of our property. It also provides a nice conversation piece for our guests. The
tree grows to about 40 feet tall, produces a large spherical fruit with a hard
shell and soft pulp. The sphere can grow
up to 20 inches in diameter. The pulp is
whitish with thin brown seeds. The tree
also has flowers with light green petals and purple streaks that come together
in a funnel shape. An interesting fact about this tree is that the flowers bloom at night
on the trunk and branches after being
pollinated by bats.
You might expect the tree would be a food source, having
been elevated to such prominence.
However, it is the overall utility of the tree and the fact that it’s
plentiful, that elevated it to the national tree status.
So, how is the tree useful?
The calabash fruit pulp is used medicinally for cough medicine,
laxative, healing skin problems and bruising, asthma and other respiratory
problems. The shell is used as bowls,
scoops, cups, musical instruments, and as an ornament. The wood of the Calabash tree is said to cure
ear aches and reduce fever. The leaves
are used in blood pressure medicine. Of
course, people with health issues should consult qualified medical
professionals for their problems and direction for use of the calabash as a
remedy.
The Calabash tree is a lovely tree and adds to the beauty
of our property. It also provides a nice
conversation piece for our guests.
THE SOUFRIERE
WATERFRONT AREA
There is something special about waterfront areas,
especially when the waterfront is a sea or ocean. The waterfront at Soufriere, St. Lucia is no
different. It has always been a
wonderfully relaxing place and really great to look at. A few years ago Soufriere decided that it was
time for some sprucing up. They came up
with some new ideas and gathered the necessary resources and they gave the
waterfront a face-lift. This was not
just a, splashing some paint on existing structures, face-lift. They gave some real thought to what the area
should be for tourists.
They decided to expand the tourist info office from one of
the buildings along Bay Street to an additional free standing kiosk right by
Soufriere Bay. It is bright and inviting
and a lot easier to find. All the maps,
brochures, and magazines you need to decide where you want to go in Soufriere
are right there. A real improvement.
The pier was also given a face-lift with some paint and
signage that welcomes visitors to the town.
Many people who are sightseeing in Soufriere arrive by boats from other
parts of the island, or from ships that anchor in the Bay, or even from nearby
islands. While Soufriere always welcomed
visitors, there is no doubt now that you are welcomed to this town. And the beautiful kiosk makes you feel like
this is a place you would really like to know much better!
What things make you really excited to explore an unfamiliar
area? When you travel, what do you look
for to help you find your way around?
Written by,
Sandra Emmanuel
June 4, 2016
