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Cuba, the Caribbean Islands,
and Central America in 2001
Antigua & Barbuda
Bec2004-09-17 17:07:55
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Rating: 3.00 out of 5.00. 1 members have rated this article
Antigua
I flew in from St Kitts at about noon. Antigua is a hub and there is a lot of air traffic from the USA, Canada and Europe here.
The taxi drivers at the airport asked 10 $US to take me into St John's. It did not feel right so I hitchhiked without any difficulty. (I paid the going rate of 5 $US when I left Antigua for Guadeloupe a week later.)
St John's
I stayed at the Palm View Guest House where I had a large room with bathroom for only 15 $US. , It was a friendly place with only half a dozen rooms, usually full. Shared kitchen facilities and this large veranda provided the opportunity to socialise and share experiences with other budget travellers. I definitely recommend it.
Antigua is also a favourite cruise ship port of call. I must have seen a dozen different ones during the week I was there.
Managing a herd of a thousand passengers who all want to see everything at the same time requires precise logistics and more importantly, superb psychological manipulation. The experts first break up the mob into small groups led by a flag carrying leader such as the one shown here. Then they provide fleets of mini vans and orchestrate their dispersion precisely to avoid crowding and confusion between groups. The real experts do all this without the tourists being aware that they are being herded.
The sail boat looked very much like the Jolly Roger fun boat I once boarded for an afternoon's dancing and drinking in Barbados some 23 years ago. Actually, it was a copy.
The cruise ship docking facilities, Heritage Quay and Redcliffe Quay provide specialised shopping malls that relieve some of the tourist pressure of downtown Antigua.
St Johns is a colourful town as islanders have no inhibitions about using vivid colours.
Of course, there is also an open market that is worth visiting.
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See photographs from:
Antigua and Barbuda Gallery
