Monday, December 6, 2010

Seabourn Sojourn: A Day in St. Kitts

Although we’ve visited St Kitts in the past we’ve never really ventured outside Basseterre, the capital and port city. This time we chose “The Best of St. Kitts” shore excursion offered by Seabourn in order to see the island properly. After a drive through town, our first stop was in the middle of a rainforest at the Botanical Gardens of Romney Manor. Not merely beautiful, the site also holds historic significance to Americans since it was once owned by Sam Jefferson, the great-great-grandfather of Thomas Jefferson. The gardens are luxuriant with a variety of greenery and flowers, but it couldn’t compare with our next stop at Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (pictured here).

High atop Brimstone Hill is Fort George, where visitors are invited to watch a short video recounting the building of the fortress in 1690 and the subsequent struggles that took place there among the British and French colonial powers. The trek up the stone steps is tricky, but well worth the effort. From there, views of the lush green countryside only stop at the brilliant blue sea. The fort is definitely a must-see on any tour of St. Kitts.

Seabourn Sojourn is docked in the commercial Deep Water Port as there are two large cruise ships at Port Zante, from which the center of town is a short stroll. When our tour ended back at the pier, we caught the courtesy shuttle that runs every 15 minutes to take us to the shopping area. Very convenient and much appreciated.

Once back on board Seabourn Sojourn we have another delightful (and delicious) dinner to look forward to as well as a show featuring the Seabourn Singers.

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