Stunning Views and Historical Ponderings

---

---

The tour I did in St. Kitts was incredible! We went to the Brimstone Hill fortress, built high on the hill by the British in defense from the French. The saga of the Seven Years War is endless! Perhaps it is because I’ve spent so much time educating students about the war and how it shaped Canada is why I find it so interesting. As a guide, I really focus on the Plains of Abraham and summarize the rest of the war in only a few sentences. But that war was so immense! The effects seem endless. What really interested me about St. Kitts though is that these two sides joined forces together initially, preventing the Spanish from taking the island and wiping out the Carib-Indian population (which I think is tragic). Then they both set up on the island, both using it as a point to move off to other islands. But inevitably this didn’t last because they fought each other while they fought all over North American and Europe.

What drove these two countries to fight so much on such a vast level? The island of St. Kitts is gorgeous and I can see why someone from there would want to defend it. But that’s not what the actual battles were about. It wasn’t about wanting this stunning island to live on. It was just another pawn in a giant game.

The other day, I was talking with Garth, the piano bar musician. He told me about how he was reading about the concept of “development” - that it’s the current reasoning given by certain powerful countries to explain actions that were once defined as colonization. Fascinating theory. So I think of the wars that are happening today and I wonder about the historical impact they will have. 200+ years from now, will the world’s shape be completely altered by the outcome of these current battles? And how can it even be judged if the outcome is positive or negative? Does anyone today know what was driving the wars of years ago?

All of the local people on St. Kitts are descendants from African slaves who worked on the sugar plantations (which largely funded the Industrial Revolution). I wonder what it is like to know that painful and horrible past belongs to your ancestors. What gave people the right to ship millions of people off from their homes? And yet now, these descendants are the locals, the ones who give the islands history and culture . . . while at the same time they were robbed of their own.

The scenery from the fort was astounding, out of the world beautiful. High rolling green hills that went up into the clouds, brightly coloured villages at the bases, all ringed with the sparkling blue ocean. And in the distance, the islands of St. Eustice & Saba could be seen. From the pier you can also see Nevis. I could have spent all day up there soaking up the views.

After the fort we went to Romney Manor, an old home set on the edge of the rainforest and surrounded by tropical gardens. Again, simply stunning. At the manor is Caribelle Batik, where they make beautiful Batik (painted cloth) artwork. I bought a wall hanging of a string band playing beneath a tree.

The most incredible thing there was a 350 year old Saman tree. It is enormous. Some branches are so long they go down along the ground, then back up again like another tree! The tree defined majestic to me. I wanted to spend all afternoon beneath it. I imagine a yoga practice beneath those branches would be phenomenal. There was just something about that tree that filled me with positive energy and peace.

These last 3 days on the islands have been perfect. I want to maintain the sense of wonderment and gratitude that I’ve found on them.

---

Photos

View from Brimstone Hill Fort
The island in the distance on the right is St. Eustice. Faintly in the top left side you can see Saba.

The Saman Tree
In the gardens at Romney Manor, a 350 year old tree. Majestic.

Comments

[swills82]

I love old trees like that. I have quite a few pics of trees like that here too. Awesome. So glad that you were able to enjoy the history of St. Kitts. I was never good with history so it's awesome to see someone who is. Glad you're enjoying your trip. February already huh? CRAZY!