2019-12-25 - Saint Kitts
Saint Kitts is one of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles and well known for being home to the first Caribbean British and French colonies in the mid-1620s. It is also formally Saint Christopher Island and perhaps one of the first islands Christopher Columbus landed upon on his voyage out west. Together with nearby Saint Nevis across the 3 km Narrows channel, they form the country Saint Kitts and Nevis. With a population of 40,000, primarily of African-descent and with a history of slavery for labor-intensive sugar cane cultivation.
Wingfield Estate is an lasting representation of that history, set next to Wingfield River in a lush rainforest. It originally planted tobacco and indigo but shifted to sugar cane in the 1650s due to stiff competition from the colony of Virginia, continuously grown until the mid-2000s. Among other historical connections, it was owned by one of the ancestors of US President Thomas Jefferson.
Wingfield Estate is an lasting representation of that history, set next to Wingfield River in a lush rainforest. It originally planted tobacco and indigo but shifted to sugar cane in the 1650s due to stiff competition from the colony of Virginia, continuously grown until the mid-2000s. Among other historical connections, it was owned by one of the ancestors of US President Thomas Jefferson.
At the nearby Romney Manor stands a 400-year old Saman tree, said to be the largest living organism on the island. The manor house was originally called the red house and renamed to its present name when acquired by the Earl of Romney. In 1834, it became the first estate in Saint Kitts to free its slaves. In present day, it is famous for its Caribelle Batik, one of the Caribbean's most acclaimed textiles. Live demonstrations of the technique take place daily and many of the pieces sold were produced on site. The technique involve boiling hues, applying wax, dying fabrics, and creating brightly colored, intricately patterned pieces,
Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the northwest of the island. Brimstone Hill was a place for cannons and fortifications since 1689 first by the French and then by the English. Known as the impregnable Gibraltar of the Caribbean, the fortress lasted a month-long siege by the French in 1782. Restored to the British in 1783, it was refortified and never fell again - surviving another French attempt in 1806. Abandoned by the British in 1853 and locally by militia in 1854, the fort fell into decay and disrepair until efforts of restoration in the early 1900s. It was partially reopened in 1973 by Prince Charles and informally named a national park in 1985 by Queen Elizabeth II, made official in 1987, and a World Heritage Site in 1999. Getting to the fort involves a long tricky drive on narrow roads but its worth it. The fort is a marvel to behold and the sights from the top are incredible including that of other nearby islands.
Another spot with great views is at the Southeast Peninsula that stretches towards The Narrows separating the two islands of the country. The peaceful Caribbean sea flows on the west while the darker waters of the Atlantic Ocean churn on the east.
It was a long day filled with history and beauty for my brother and I. We greatly enjoyed the van-based tour. And slowly the picture of how these islands in the Caribbean are connected to each other and to the rest of the world became a little clearer.