“At night, when the sky is full of stars and the sea is still, you get the wonderful sensation that you are floating in space.” Natalie Wood, actress

10 Days 9 Islands

My BFF of 47 years, Cyndi, accompanied me on a high-seas adventure through the Caribbean Sea; beginning in Puerto Rico and then on through the Lesser Antilles isles, (Saint Thomas, USVI, Tortola BVI, St. Martin & St. Maarten, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua)  and extending south into the Windward Isles (Dominica and St. Lucia), aboard the small cruise ship, the Viking Sea. With just 930 fellow travelers, it allowed us to dock where larger ships cannot. Landlubber David happily stayed home en México.

Imagine, we both felt like such young ‘uns, due to the fact that Viking’s passengers skew more elderly. However, the cruise line comes through and caters to the discriminate traveler with exceptional detail to its food and service, and without ever feeling rushed or crowded.

The modern Scandinavian design esthetic provides elegant touches and intimate spaces onboard with its generous use of wood and soft palates, making it feel cozy and intimate throughout. Plus, every stateroom has its own veranda to relax and sip a cocktail. Most importantly, the bars poured a mean gin and tonic, using Schweppes Indian Tonic Water. Ya got to love that.

Fellow passengers that we met were well-travelled, engaging, and made for good conversationalists, with some nice, long convivial dinners, all contributing to an excellent, and overall positive traveling experience.

All the islands we visited had more or less the same shared histories; eventually forming into one massive, green and mountainous geographical blob to me … one island melted into the next.

Some of the islands changed nationalities multiple times over the centuries – from French, British and Dutch; as if on rotation. One of the guides mentioned that his island changed flags 33 different times! I’m sure the island population woke up in the morning to confirm what color flag was waving that day, and exclaim, “Ya’ Man.”

Unfortunately, many islands seem to be recuperating from the last, big hurricanes that blasted them with mayhem and massive destruction.

Don’t get me wrong, each island has its own beauty, but with too many to mention, only the highlights that made a lasting impression will be shared with you.

Nordic-inspired spa

One of the features of a Viking cruise is free access to their Nordic-style spa: sauna, steam room, and cold plunge – where you pull the cord and 20 gallons of freezing cold water hits you in an instant. Shocking! Unbelievably, there’s such a thing as an ice room … it’s like a walk-in freezer. I didn’t see many braves souls enter that, but I did for about a minute or two (or so it seemed), then rushed back to the steam room to thaw myself out. I must have been a Nordic Viking in a previous life.

There was also a large hydrotherapy pool, and jacuzzi, with lounge chairs for resting, some being heated. The benefits of cold and hot treatments for the body are well-known in the health and wellness community, and I love the way my skin looks and feels; the steam opens up pores, the cold water tightens them up, helps tone and firm the skin, giving one a refreshed and glowing appearance.

Both Cyndi and I enjoyed spa-ing, and most times when doing so, I could count fellow spa-goers on one hand. I guess very few folks, like to be steamed, sautéed and flash frozen!

High Tea on the High Seas

I’ve written many times before about the joys of High Tea and this very civilized British tradition that I very much delight in. If ever there’s an opportunity for a High Tea, count me in, and on Viking, that was daily at 4pm each and every day of the sailing. It provided just a little something to hold us over until dinner.

Cyndi and I managed to make it to the Wintergarden Tea several times during the cruise. Each time, the three-tiers of food selections changed; one day I scored, for sitting atop the sweet tier was one of my favorite desserts:  Pasteis de Nata ~ the Portuguese egg custard tart. Hello, Gorgeous! Cyndi never stood a chance as I quickly snagged the delectable  treat.

Puerto Rico

Cruise time begins in the port of Puerto Rico’s capital, San Juan, founded by Juan Ponce de León in 1546. You know him – he’s the guy who spent the rest of his life searching for the legendary Fountain of Youth in Florida. Maybe that’s why Florida has so many retirees, thrilling for that mythical and restorative fountain.

San Juan is the second oldest European-established capital city in the Americas (after Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, founded 1496). Today, it’s the island’s most important seaport and the financial, cultural, and tourism center.

At every turn and whichever way you look, there’s pervasive evidence of the city’s Spanish influence. Centuries-old, two-story houses line the streets of the historic and charming Old San Juan, many with brightly painted facades and balconies lining the cobblestoned streets.

There’s many historic buildings to be found in the San Juan Historic District; among them are the city’s former defensive walls of Fort San Felipe del Morro and Fort San Cristóbal, and La Fortaleza, which is the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the Americas. All were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

We visited Fort San Cristóbal; one of the largest fortifications built by the Spanish in the Americas. Construction began in 1634 and continued for over 150 years. The fort features a network of tunnels, ramparts, and other defensive structures, showcasing the military engineering of the Spanish colonial period.

St. Kitts & Nevis

St. Kitts is a lush isle with unspoiled vistas and old sugarcane fields. Together, St. Kitts and its neighboring island of Nevis, comprise the smallest, independent country in the Americas. Basseterre, capital and main port, is one of the oldest towns in the eastern Caribbean and is dotted with Victoria and Georgian architecture. Nevis boasts the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton.

A tour of the isle took us to Caribelle Batik for a fun and informative demonstration, and a chance to create our own batik fabric by using patterned stamps. Batik is a method of dyeing fabric where wax is applied to parts of the fabric that are intended to resist the dye, creating intricate patterns and designs.

Cyndi and I got to design a handkerchief … does anyone use them anymore?! There were lots of patterns to choose from; I chose the hibiscus flower and dragonflies, using a bright orange hue.  Our stamps were inspired by the vibrant colors and patterns of St. Kitts’ natural beauty, culture, and traditions.

Our batik was returned to us wet, and sealed in plastic bags to take home; with instructions on how to complete the project (now in the capable hands of David).

Although sealed, I still managed to get orange dye all over my hands. I can’t wait to see the final result; hopefully, it’ll be a mini-masterpiece suitable for framing (or sneezing)!

Castries, St. Lucia

St. Lucia was my second favorite island. It boasts some of the Caribbean’s most idyllic beaches, many near its capital of Castries. This paradise was so seductive that the British and French fought over it for 150 years. The British finally triumphed in 1814. Today, St. Lucia is a sovereign nation, but still part of the British Commonwealth.

St. Lucia is characterized by the twin volcanic peaks of the Pitons: Gros Piton and Petit Piton, both iconic symbols of the island. For obvious reasons, they reminded me of Madonna’s famous bra-cone top. St. Lucia also features rainforests, waterfalls, and coral reefs along its coastline.

Cocoa beans are grown on St. Lucia, giving us the chance for a Caribbean Chocolate Experience, visiting a chocolate maker, and took a stab at creating our very own bespoke bar of chocolate. Let me tell you – it was a lot of work, but a fun afternoon.  

Now, I’ve visited chocolate farms in Ecuador and Oaxaca, Mexico, where we were taken through the whole bean-to-bar process. Our experience here cut-out the middleman and went straight to the bars.

After an hour’s drive through the thick and dense tropical forest, and along hairpin switchbacks and curving roads, enough to make a burro vomit, we finally arrived at a lovely mountain resort, Hotel Chocolat, and headed directly to our chocolate worktables.

Laid out for us was cocoa nibs, cocoa butter and sugar. Soon, hot molcajetes (mortar and pestles) appeared, and we poured in the cocoa nibs and started pulverizing it into a fine dust. The butter follows, and blended in to create a liquid-like, flowing mud concoction; we then added the sugar to blend.

After much blending, and the approval of our instructor, the molten chocolate was then poured into a bar mold to be flash-chilled. Waiting, we enjoyed a light lunch topped-off with a very creamy, chocolate ice cream to die for.

The finished result is now in the hands of El Señor David, chocolate aficionado. It could possibly be too bitter, but we shall see what he thinks after all the hard work put into its making.

*** Well, David approved of my chocolate making skills as he has been nibbling on the rustic , but tasty bar the last few nights after dinner.

Roseau, Dominica

I’ve saved the best for last. Dominica is by far my favorite island and provided us with the best and most favorite island excursion. Dominica has been dubbed the “Nature Island of the Caribbean” and was listed as one of the “52 Places to Go in 2024” by the New York Times Travel section. I could see why, with its beautiful, mountainous rainforest, and rare flora and fauna. Its compact capital, Roseau, boasts a collection of English and French colonial architecture.

The island’s indigenous Kalinago people, or called Caribs through the centuries, were known for their seafaring skills and their resistance against European colonization. They fiercely defended their territories against Spanish, French, and British colonizers.The Kalinago Territory (3,800 acres) is located in NE Dominica, and numbers about 3,400 inhabitants, much of them under 35 years of age. Despite centuries of contact with European powers, the Kalinago have fought to preserve their language, culture, traditions, crafts and sustainable practices. Many Kalinago communities engage in agriculture, fishing, and eco-tourism to sustain their livelihoods, all while preserving their cultural heritage.

We were fortunate to visit one of their communities, where we had a chance to experience a recreation of their old way-of-life, through dance, food, and artisanal crafts.

We saw the baking of cassava (yucca) cooked over an open flame on banana leaves – coconut was added to the mix, creating a chewy, sweet bite. They also showed us how they extracted sugarcane juice; wherein I had flashbacks to my childhood visits to my Uncle Leandro’s farm in Las Villas, Cuba.

The same contraption was similarly used here, and the juice was then offered to my fellow travelers, which they all declined (!), so I sacrificed myself for the good of the group and enjoyed every sweet and satisfying cool drop of it.

From the Kalinagos, a beautifully handcrafted basket came home with me to add to our international collection. Cyndi picked up some pretty little heart-shaped red seeds she found on the ground and packed them up for David. With due diligence, it turns out they’re called “Jumbies.” The Kalinago use these seeds from the Red Sandalwood Tree to make vibrant red jewelry.

You must come visit Dominica before the super ships descend (4,000-7,600 passengers) and wreak their havoc; compared to our puny 930.

All the islands are known for their stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush greenery, making tourism a significant part of the Caribbean economy. There’s snorkeling, diving, sailing, and other water activities. On land, there’s hiking, exploring historical sites, and experiencing local culture, glorious music and wonderful seafood inspired cuisine.

Lastly, It was only in Tortola that we actually hit the beach. The water was too cold for me, but Cyndi was a trouper and went swimming in the azure seas of the Caribbean. All the while, I looked on from the shore enjoying a rum punch. “Put the rum in the coconut, and drink them both up!”

Such was the positive and impressive experience traveling with Viking from start to end, that I’ve already booked David and myself on a 7-day sailing cruise of the circumference of Iceland in July 2025. “Ya’ Man!”