Think Caribbean islands and you think about lazing on sunny, sandy beaches, sipping on exotic beverages with umbrellas and munching on fresh pineapple slices. The last things you want to think about are noses and grindstones. How do the locals get any work done? And yet, they do. On the island of St Christopher, the primary language is English and the literacy rate is 98 percent. The island is also home to a veterinary school and two schools of Medicine. Although the island is only 18 miles long and five miles across, one of the best ways to learn your way around is by taking advantage of welcome tours St Kitts (the informal, affectionate name of the island).
Medical degrees aside, there is much to distinguish the Sugar City from other idyllic Caribbean islands. There are approximately 45,000 permanent residents who call themselves Kittians. The majority of Kittians are of African ethnicity. The island has its own UNESCO World Heritage site, and that is Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, which happens to be eastern Caribbean's most substantial fortress.
While most, if not all, tropical islands are volcanic in origin, the Kittians boast no fewer than three distinct groups of volcanic peaks. These are the Mount Misery Range, the Verchilds Range, and the Olivees Range. The tallest peak is Mount Misery.
From about 1812 to 2005, cane sugar was the driving force behind the island's economy. In competition with European producers, the Kittian sugar cane industry became less profitable, the government decided it was no longer viable and closed the industry down. Now tourism is the main industry. Native islanders also make their living in construction, other forms of agriculture, manufacturing and transportation.
In 1996, a music festival was held to attract tourists. It was called the Shak Shak Festival and featured Arrow, Nu Vybes, and Nigel Lewis. Held annually during the month of June, the event has been renamed the St Kitts Music Festival.
The island is served by Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport. Flights arrive daily from New York and Miami and twice weekly from London. The flight time from London is 11 to 12 hours. From Miami, flights take three to five hours, and a flight from New York will set you back between six and seven hours.
Closer to the ground, there is a ferry service between the island and its neighbor, Nevis. A narrow-gauge railway encircles the island and caters to tourists more than it does the island residents. Built in 1912 to carry sugar cane from the farms to the factory, it now runs tours on specially converted open-air, double-decker carriages.
For a tiny island, St. Kitts has produced a number of notable names. Many of these are sprinters and include Tiandra Ponteen, Desai Williams, Virgil Hodge, and Kim Collins. Felix Dexter, actor, writer, and comedian, Calypso musician Konris Maynard, and Lord Hercules George Robert Robinson, governor of the island from 1830, are among the other Kittian luminaries. The island is not without its black sheep, and is responsible for producing professional boxer, Bertil Fox, who was ultimately convicted for murder, and the nefarious George Astaphan, the physician who prescribed steroids for Ben Johnson.
Medical degrees aside, there is much to distinguish the Sugar City from other idyllic Caribbean islands. There are approximately 45,000 permanent residents who call themselves Kittians. The majority of Kittians are of African ethnicity. The island has its own UNESCO World Heritage site, and that is Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, which happens to be eastern Caribbean's most substantial fortress.
While most, if not all, tropical islands are volcanic in origin, the Kittians boast no fewer than three distinct groups of volcanic peaks. These are the Mount Misery Range, the Verchilds Range, and the Olivees Range. The tallest peak is Mount Misery.
From about 1812 to 2005, cane sugar was the driving force behind the island's economy. In competition with European producers, the Kittian sugar cane industry became less profitable, the government decided it was no longer viable and closed the industry down. Now tourism is the main industry. Native islanders also make their living in construction, other forms of agriculture, manufacturing and transportation.
In 1996, a music festival was held to attract tourists. It was called the Shak Shak Festival and featured Arrow, Nu Vybes, and Nigel Lewis. Held annually during the month of June, the event has been renamed the St Kitts Music Festival.
The island is served by Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport. Flights arrive daily from New York and Miami and twice weekly from London. The flight time from London is 11 to 12 hours. From Miami, flights take three to five hours, and a flight from New York will set you back between six and seven hours.
Closer to the ground, there is a ferry service between the island and its neighbor, Nevis. A narrow-gauge railway encircles the island and caters to tourists more than it does the island residents. Built in 1912 to carry sugar cane from the farms to the factory, it now runs tours on specially converted open-air, double-decker carriages.
For a tiny island, St. Kitts has produced a number of notable names. Many of these are sprinters and include Tiandra Ponteen, Desai Williams, Virgil Hodge, and Kim Collins. Felix Dexter, actor, writer, and comedian, Calypso musician Konris Maynard, and Lord Hercules George Robert Robinson, governor of the island from 1830, are among the other Kittian luminaries. The island is not without its black sheep, and is responsible for producing professional boxer, Bertil Fox, who was ultimately convicted for murder, and the nefarious George Astaphan, the physician who prescribed steroids for Ben Johnson.
About the Author:
Find a list of the benefits of booking welcome tours St Kitts and more info about a reliable tour operator at http://skntaxiandtours.com right now.
No comments:
Post a Comment