Yesterday, we took the Great Bay Express high-speed ferry over to St. Barths ($80 round trip). It was about a 40-minute ride, but the time flew by as we were treated to views of the different Caribbean islands (St. Maarten, Saba, St Barths, others that are uninhabited).
We landed in Gustavia Harbar and had a really nice day (stories to come), but one of the biggest surprises is the fact that accomodations are 70% luxury villas and 30% hotels - there's only about 500 hotel rooms on the entire island.
Not that you'll mind when you see what the villas look like - I was lucky enough to tour one of them yesterday.
On my tour of Nassau I also met Arlene Nash Ferguson, the Bahamian woman in the video below, and she gave me a tour of her museum and a quick history lesson of the Junkanoo Festival.
The word Junkanoo developed after a slave named John Canoe led the charge for the freedom of slaves in the 17th Century (seriously). It's held every year during Christmas time - a large parade with costumes, music, and Bahamian flair.
Funny fact: The costumes are so big and heavy that a strong wind one year forced the festival to be canceled - the participants were getting blown over (one young man broke his leg)!
Check out this video to get a feel for it - perhaps an idea for a holiday getaway next year?
Rodin Museum Did you know the Rodin Museum in Paris was originally the Hotel Biron where Rodin once lived? Rodin donated his entire collection of sculptures, and paintings by Van Gogh and Renoir to the French State. The government turned the entire building into a stunning museum that is a marvel and a must to see.
