From: Stan Halpin
So from St. Thomas we did a slow overnight transit to St. Kitts. Properly, "St.
Christopher & Nevis", an independent two-island federation within the British
Commonwealth. But we only visited St. Kitts. A morning saunter around the shops, then a tour
around the fringe of the island on the St. Kitts Scenic Railway. The island used to be all
about sugarcane production. A narrow-gauge rail with carts that look similar to ones you'll
see in coal mines would circle the island to pick up the cane and take it to the mills. In
2005 the sugar subsidies ceased (Eurozone action?) and the island has since been trying to
convert to a tourist economy. As part of that, an Alaskan entrepreneur bought the rail line,
had double decker cars custom built, and created the Scenic Railway. After the tour we spent
some time in Basseterre, then back to the ship . . .
One interesting factoid gleaned on our tour: the island was for some time
shared by the British and the French. The French held the middle of the island,
the British the two ends. But it was all said to be very amicable, and then in
the Napoleonic era the British assumed full control. Power on the island was
not about international politics but rather about commercial advantage in sugar
production. Until 2005.
I hope you enjoy this brief tour of a beautiful island and its lovely people.
http://photos.stanhalpin.com/p897438480
Very nice. Not so nice as being there myself would be, but someday ...
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