Podcast appearances and mentions of charlotte amalie

Part 2 - The Virgin Islands Tourism Department and the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the highly anticipated Miracle on Main Street and the Lighted Boat Parade for 2024, with Leslie Fisher and Joe Aubain joining Neville James. This popular holiday celebration will illuminate the Downtown Historic District of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas on Friday, December13, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.  

Part #1: Greg Guanell, Director of the Green Caribbean Technology Center at UVI, joins host Neville James. The United States Virgin Islands has seen extraordinary growth in its alternative energy sector. As a result, the Caribbean Green Technology Center and the University of the Virgin Islands Albert A. Sheen campus recognized the importance of meeting these needs by developing a two-year Associates program that teaches students the theory, application, and fundamentals of renewable technology to prepare them for employment. UVI will begin offering the Associates program in the Fall. Neville James speaks with Zak Zouk, the founder of 81C, and Curator Joseph Hewes to present a new solo fine art exhibition that opens Saturday in ancient Charlotte Amalie. Flexingx - La Puerta Borrosa by Nel Figueroa, a Ponce-based painter. Nel Figueroa houses a notable full-scale painting exhibition, curated and organized for 81C's summer season of art and festivities. Figueroa presents a disruptive and amusing show of works influenced by graffiti, urban street art, and colonial reflections, concluding in a psychedelic homage to Caribbean culture, identity, and inventiveness. The art opening celebration will be held on Saturday July 20th from 5 to 10 p.m. in 81C's main gallery, with artist Nel Figueroa on-site.

Das glorreiche Brüderpaar der deutschen Geistesgeschichte kennt heute jeder. Aber wer weiß schon, dass Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm auch noch vier jüngere Geschwister hatten? Nämlich Carl, Ferdinand und Ludwig Emil – sowie die Jüngste, Charlotte Amalie. Funck, Gisa www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de, Lange Nacht

Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 1203, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: Music Icons 1: Valerie Bertinelli said of this rock icon that she loved him "more than I know how to explain. I loved his soul". Eddie Van Halen. 2: Fans the world over celebrate this reggae legend on February 6, his birthday. Bob Marley. 3: At the 2022 Newport Folk Festival, she delighted fans with her "Both Sides Now" and "Big Yellow Taxi", among others. Joni Mitchell. 4: On a historic day in 1976, Joe Strummer met Mick Jones in London, calling their legendary band this came later. The Clash. 5: Her recording career lasted less than 4 years; her final studio album was 1971's "Pearl", featuring "Me And Bobby McGee". Janis Joplin. Round 2. Category: Crossword Clues D. With D in quotes 1: The usually wealthy widow of a king(7). a dowager. 2: Pre-Christian Celtic priest(5). a druid. 3: France's patron saint(5). Denis. 4: Touch-tone predecessor (4). dial. 5: Bird of peace(4). a dove. Round 3. Category: Hairy 1: The short hairstyles worn by the men who fought the Cavaliers in 17th C. England earned them this name. the Roundheads. 2: The feet of this arctic ursine creature are partly webbed and have hairy soles to help with traction. polar bear. 3: This term for a knight's apprentice is also the name of a bobbed, usually jaw-length hairstyle. page boy. 4: This great ape's name comes from a Greek word referring to a legendary tribe of hairy women. gorilla. 5: The name of this type of insect larva is from the late Latin for "hairy cat". caterpillar. Round 4. Category: Women'S Memoirs 1: "I Feel Bad About My Neck", about the travails of aging, is by this late, great writer and director of "You've Got Mail". Nora Ephron. 2: "Fight Like a Girl" and "Unbecoming" recount women's experiences in this "most masculine" branch of the U.S. military. Marines. 3: "My Life in France" is the story of how this chef found her true calling. Julia Child. 4: Award-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody's record of her time as one of these performers is titled "Candy Girl". a stripper. 5: This advisor to Barack Obama wrote "Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward". Valerie Jarrett. Round 5. Category: Culinary Before And After 1: Finest olive oil grade whose British capital is Road Town and whose American capital is Charlotte-Amalie. extra Virgin Islands. 2: Round Southern fried cornmeal cake that's the object of a youthful crush. hush puppy love. 3: Chili's rib cut that stars in a Robert Zemeckis time-traveling comedy. Baby Back to the Future. 4: Bite-size French language dessert cake that wreaks havoc in the Book of Revelation. petit Four Horsemen of the Apocalyse. 5: French dish of chicken, onion, wine, mushrooms and pork blindly stewing onscreen as space opera anti-hero Riddick. coq au Vin Diesel. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia!Special thanks to https://blog.feedspot.com/trivia_podcasts/ AI Voices used

Wonder of the Seas Scores St Thomas Carnival Food Fair is the lead story on Wednesday's Travel and Cruise Industry News Podcast, May 1, 2024 with Chillie Falls. Wonder of the Seas was scheduled to visit San Juan today, however last month the MSC Meraviglia inadvertently impacted a mooring dolphin on Pier 3 West and the repairs are not completed, Wonder of the Seas schedule was altered and today will be in Charlotte Amalie, from 11 to 6 on Fair Day, thus Wonder of the Seas Scores St Thomas Carnival Food Fair Also today, Wonder of the Seas Scores St Thomas Carnival Food Fair; Floating Dock Repaired; Villa Vie Odyssey Has Entered Drydock Before 1,300 Day Cruise; Record Year Expected For the Philippines; Lucky Coin Ceremony; Margaritaville At Sea Adds Key West; Queen Anne Arrives In Southampton; and Lots more LIVE today at 11 AM EDT. CLICK HERE to access video feed #wednesdaytravelandcruiseindustrynews #podcast #cruisenews #travelnews #cruise #travel #chilliescruises #chilliefalls Thanks for visiting my channel. NYTimes The Daily, the flagship NYT podcast with a massive audience. "Vacationing In The Time Of Covid" https://nyti.ms/3QuRwOS Cruise Ship Doctor Cruise: https://bookayt.net/cruisedoctor/ To access the Travel and Cruise Industry News podcast; https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/trav... or go to https://accessadventure.net/ To subscribe: http://bit.ly/chi-fal As always, I appreciate super chats or any other donation to support my channel. For your convenience, please visit: https://paypal.me/chillie9264?locale.... Chillie's Cruise Schedule: https://accessadventure.net/chillies-... For your special needs, contact me, or Whill.inc/US, at (844) 699-4455 .or Scootaround, Check out my streaming partner: https://streamyard.com?pal=4889083533852672 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChilliesCruises Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chillie.falls Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChillieFalls Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chilliefalls/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chilliescruises Business Email: chillie@chilliefalls.com Accessible Travel Blog: https://accessadventure.net/ Chillie Chats With Sue Bryant, London Times Cruise Editor About Emerald Azzurra https://youtu.be/_bnrkqPf2gE Chillie Chats With Disability Advocate Kristy Durso https://youtube.com/live/YNyiUDyW82o Chillie Chats with Sylvia Longmire, Ambassador for Scootaround and WHILL Powerchairs https://youtu.be/VovRJ5Fh1I8 Chillie Chats With Ali Ingersoll, disability advocate and 2023 Ms Wheelchair America https://youtu.be/o31zOMYYqiw Chillie Chats With Special Guest Kevin Martin, 30 And A Wake Up https://youtube.com/live/7Q5AFPDD0YY Chillie Chats with Mark Chilutti on Accessibility of Oasis of the Seas https://youtu.be/ibuJe7sfvrA Chillie Chats With Kelly Narowski, Disability Rights Advocate and Avid Traveler https://youtube.com/live/YKzSpi8jdB0 Casino Loyalty Programs with Sue Sherer https://youtu.be/p0SsewJC_cE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part 1 - Neville James reflects on the POTUS's recent stay and departure from St. Croix.   Ronald Russell and Donald "Ducks" Cole join Neville for the first Table Talk of 2024 with a discussion about President Biden's choice of vacationing in the US Virgin Islands, economic strategies regarding tourism, and the recent road expansion in Charlotte Amalie.  

Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 932, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: the quotable nixon 1: 1973:"People have got to know whether or not their president is" one of these; "well I'm not" one of these. a crook. 2: 1970:This Asian nation is "A great and vital people who should not remain isolated...". China. 3: 1977:"When the president does it, that means that it is not" this. illegal. 4: 1969:"It's time for the great" this "of Americans to stand up and be counted". the silent majority. 5: 1962:"You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore, because, gentlemen, this is my last" of these. press conference. Round 2. Category: charmed, i'm sure 1: The more important a person you meet in Japan, the lower and longer you do this. bow. 2: He may be addressed in conversation as "Most Holy Father". the pope. 3: Dr. Leo Buscaglia aside, Miss Manners says a gentleman shouldn't kiss or do this to a lady when first meeting. hug her. 4: It's the French equivalent of the English "charmed" or the Spanish "encantado". enchante. 5: Since Robert Rubin took over the Treasury Department, he's been addressed as Mr. this. Mr. Secretary. Round 3. Category: seasonal stuff 1: Autumn is also called fall because it's when these fall. leaves. 2: Seasonal term for a week when college kids don't have class, like at Bakersfield College April 9-13, 2001. spring break. 3: In ancient times this spooky autumn holiday of ours marked the beginning of winter. Halloween. 4: In the U.S. winter ends on or about the 21st of this month. March. 5: Some animals estivate in summer; others practice this sleepy winter equivalent. hibernating. Round 4. Category: u.s. territories 1: Visited by Columbus on his second voyage west in 1493, this commonwealth became part of the U.S. in 1898. Puerto Rico. 2: A Pacific island group is divided into the independent nation called this and a U.S. territory called "American" this. Samoa. 3: Their capital, Charlotte Amalie, was founded in 1672 and named for the Danish queen. the Virgin Islands. 4: U.S. ownership of Navassa Island in the Caribbean is disputed by this nation that traces its claims back to France. Haiti. 5: In 1927 the U.S.granted citizenship to residents of this territory in the West Indies whose 3 main islands all bear saintly names. the U.S. Virgin Islands. Round 5. Category: national historic parks 1: Cumberland Gap Park contains parts of Tennessee, Virginia and this state. Kentucky. 2: Of Faneuil Hall, Bunker Hill or Fraunces Tavern, the one not part of Boston Park. Fraunces Tavern. 3: Hawthorne's home is in the Massachusetts park named for one of these ready-in-a-moment soldiers. a Minuteman. 4: Established in 1978, the War in the Pacific Park is on this island in the Marianas. Guam. 5: This park where the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers join was once home to an Army arsenal. Harpers Ferry. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia! Special thanks to https://blog.feedspot.com/trivia_podcasts/

La obra temprana del reconocido pintor impresionista Camille Pissarro se desarrolló precisamente en Venezuela. Procedente de Charlotte Amalie, capital de Saint Thomas, colonia danesa perteneciente a una de las Islas Vírgenes, Pissarro llegó al país junto con el artista danés Fritz Melbye en noviembre de 1852. La experiencia en Caracas fue de estímulo e intercambio recíprocos que dio lugar a una labor artística muy prolífica para ambos. A diferencia de otros visitantes extranjeros, Pissarro no recorrió el país. En Caracas, La Guaira y alrededores, obtenía todos los motivos que le interesaba registrar. La escena de género y los temas costumbristas le permitieron analizar tanto a las personas como al paisaje rural y urbano. De allí la importancia de los apuntes o bosquejos con los que tomaba el dato inmediato. Cualquier detalle, por banal o cotidiano que fuera, era interesante registrarlo. Solía dibujar el reverso y el anverso de la hoja de papel. Algunos son estudios con los que Pissarro analizaba personajes y animales para luego insertarlos en el paisaje. Gustaba reproducir bajo un concepto realista detalles locales, aparentemente triviales, que tienen, en el fondo, enorme valor documental para conocer a la Venezuela de entonces. Sin embargo, pese a esta cualidad, su factura no era detallista. Por el contrario, trabajaba las atmósferas por medio de manchas y variaciones tonales buscando sugerir más que describir. Mediante la valorización de la línea -trazada en grafito o en plumilla- creaba efectos de luces y de sombras. Podía hacerla más expresiva e intensa como dar con ella sensación de ligereza a sus paisajes y a las escenas de costumbres. El resultado son dibujos luminosos e intimistas que muestran su mirada sensible ante lo que lo rodeaba. La etapa de Caracas, considerada por los historiadores como formativa, denota la amplitud temática que el artista poseía. Además de paisajes, vegetaciones y personajes, registró las diversas vistas de la ciudad, entonces desolada y precaria pues aún era patente, por un lado, la devastación del terremoto de 1812, y por el otro, los estragos de la guerra civil entre liberales y conservadores en 1848. A ello se agregan las largas revueltas armadas que existieron durante casi todo el siglo XIX. Pissarro mostró el aspecto pueblerino de la capital con sus templos, caminos y obras de ingeniería a medio hacer. Una devastación que no escapó de su percepción sobre el país. Afortunadamente, gran parte de los dibujos de la etapa caraqueña de Pissarro se encuentran en varias colecciones de museos nacionales e instituciones públicas y privadas del país. No se destruyeron como una buena cantidad de obras que se quemaron años después, en 1870, cuando tropas prusianas invadieron a Francia e incendiaron la casa del pintor. Estos dibujos quedaron en el país, un legado que, según los historiadores, tuvo gran importancia en su obra impresionista posterior. La luz y su manera de interpretar la realidad parecen confirmarlo. Camille Pissarro regresó a Saint Thomas y luego vivió en París, donde falleció en 1903. Escrito y narrado por Susana Benko Foto: Camille Pissarro La Pastora, 1853Tinta y sepia sobre papel Colección Galería de Arte Nacional, Caracas 1854

Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 500, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: Color My World 1: Skelton or Buttons. Red. 2: Bing was first "dreaming of" this kind of holiday in the 1942 film "Holiday Inn". White Christmas. 3: Hit songs in this style of music include "Wicked Path Of Sin" and "The Ballad Of Jed Clampett". Bluegrass. 4: Jaundice and liver degeneration mark the second stage of this viral disease. Yellow fever. 5: For adults, the U.S. Judo Federation has this rank directly below a black belt. brown. Round 2. Category: Let's Go Cruising 1: Princess Cruises now offer scuba and volleyball as well as this beloved game that uses cues to push disks. shuffleboard. 2: The person who handles passengers' accounts; Gopher on "The Love Boat" was an assistant one. a purser. 3: This Virgin Island with its city of Charlotte Amalie is among the most popular Caribbean ports of call. St. Thomas. 4: You can sail from Southampton on this Cunard liner that has covered 5.3 mil. nautical miles, a record for any ship. the QE2. 5: Term for a woman who christens a cruise ship, like Kim Cattral for Norwegian Dawn and Judi Dench for Carnival Legend. the godmother. Round 3. Category: Around The House 1: The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture says this by-product of sugar will last 2 years on the shelf. Molasses. 2: Because of power draw, extension cords should not be used to connect this storage appliance. refrigerator. 3: The amount of wall between 2 of these is called an interfenestration. windows. 4: Tray, parsons and coffee are types of these. tables. 5: Also called a breast wall, this type of wall is built to resist lateral pressure and to hold back soil. a retaining wall. Round 4. Category: Anagrams 1: Female found amid the household staff. Maid (amid). 2: Chemical element: coil sin. silicon. 3: Bob taught himself this low country language. Flemish (himself). 4: The name of this Canadian province is an anagram of "main boat". Manitoba. 5: This character in mythology amused me more than she scared me. Medusa (for amused). Round 5. Category: College Crossword Clues "C" 1: Holiday yule have off (9). Christmas. 2: Grounds for a college (6). campus. 3: Element-ary subject (9). chemistry. 4: 2-year college (9). community. 5: Degree ceremony (12). commencement. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia!

Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 304, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: College Bowl 1: When completed in 1923, this Ann Arbor school's Yost Field House was the first field house on a college campus. the University of Michigan. 2: The colors of Notre Dame's athletic teams are blue and this. Gold. 3: Sports teams from Grambling, Clemson and Auburn share this nickname. Tigers. 4: Following the Civil War, the University of Florida moved from Ocala to this city. Gainesville. 5: From 1953 to 1991 the University of Leipzig was named for this co-founder of scientific socialism. Karl Marx. Round 2. Category: Literary Pop 1: Welsh singer Thomas John Woodward became this after his boss compared him to a Henry Fielding character. Tom Jones. 2: This techno musician got his name from a book about a big ocean mammal. Moby. 3: The band Veruca Salt took its name from the spoiled rich girl in this Roald Dahl children's book. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 4: This band was born to be wild enough to take its name from a Herman Hesse novel. Steppenwolf. 5: These mega-cool rockers took their band name from an Aldous Huxley book about using mescaline. the Doors. Round 3. Category: Let's Go Cruising 1: Princess Cruises now offer scuba and volleyball as well as this beloved game that uses cues to push disks. shuffleboard. 2: The person who handles passengers' accounts; Gopher on "The Love Boat" was an assistant one. a purser. 3: This Virgin Island with its city of Charlotte Amalie is among the most popular Caribbean ports of call. St. Thomas. 4: You can sail from Southampton on this Cunard liner that has covered 5.3 mil. nautical miles, a record for any ship. the QE2. 5: Term for a woman who christens a cruise ship, like Kim Cattral for Norwegian Dawn and Judi Dench for Carnival Legend. the godmother. Round 4. Category: It's Jason's Bar Mitzvah 1: Like most of his peers, Jason has his bar mitzvah on this day of the week. Saturday. 2: Jason was jealous when twin sister Jennifer had this equivalent ceremony at age 12. Bat Mitzvah. 3: This synagogue employee, also called a hazan, taught Jason how to chant his Torah portion. Cantor. 4: Jason's guests may dance to this type of Jewish folk music, from Hebrew for "musical instruments". Klezmer music. 5: Jason settled for his parents' temple but wanted to celebrate at this site on the Temple Mount. Wailing/Western Wall. Round 5. Category: Bitter Battles 1: The Confederate victory at Chancellorsville paved the way for this early July 1863 Pennsylvania battle. Gettysburg. 2: The 1824 battle of Ayacucho marked the end of this European country's power in South America. Spain. 3: The Battle of Austerlitz, one of his greatest victories, is sometimes called the Battle of the Three Emperors. Napoleon. 4: The Battle of the Argonne during this war was part of a general offensive against the Hindenburg line. World War I. 5: The recapture of Antwerp was a goal of this 1944-45 battle, Germany's last great offensive in the West. Battle of the Bulge. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia!

Vi skriver november 1901 og Jens Grane er på vej til Caribien. Han sejler som maskinist på flådens stolthed: krydserkorvetten Valkyrien. Det er første gang, han er uden for Danmarks grænser. Foran venter eksotiske havne som Falmouth, Cadiz, Funchal, Charlotte Amalie og New York.Blandt besætningen går rygter om, at Valkyriens togt har forbindelse med den danske regerings forsøg på at sælge Dansk Vestindien til USA. At det er derfor, man skal sejle derhen netop nu.Besætningen holder juleaften i Caribien. Jens Grane holder en andagt for tre værnepligtige, og den er så god, at den ene lægger sit liv fuldstændigt om. Nu ved Grane, at han kan være et nyttigt værktøj for Gud - men snart begynder de dårlige nyheder at melde sig...Sejlplanen siger, at Valkyrien skal sejle videre mod USA d. 26 december. Men det politiske spil om ø-salget betyder at rejsen udsættes igen og igen. Midt i det hele står den mystisk Walter Christmas, der vist har lovet lidt ofr mange gaver til de amerikanske politikere... Men hvad betyder skandalen for vores hvoedperson, Jens Grane?

FEJL RETTET:  Der var en fejl i den tidligere udsendte episode, så du får den igen – uden fejl. Jeg beklager meget!   Jeg gik ombord på det gode skib Equinox i Fort Lauderdale, Florida, sammen med min nye ven Siobhan, som jeg skulle dele kahyt med. Du kan møde hende i den seneste episode. Mit navn er Palle Bo. Velkommen tilbage til nye episoder af Radiovagabond. Dette er sæson 7, episode 253, og i dag skal vi til et stykke Danmarkshistorie på de Amerikanske Jomfruøer, som vi måske bedre kender som Dansk Vestindien. PÅ KRYDSTOGT I EN PANDEMI Denne episode er optaget for kort tid siden, da krydstogtskibe begyndte at sejle igen efter pandemien. Og den er jo stadig ret nærværende – specielt i Florida, hvor vi starter, så Celebrity Cruises har taget rigtig mange forholdsregler for at forhindre, at der er smitte på skibet. Alle skal være vaccinerede og alligevel skal vi alle møde op med en frisk Corona-test. De har ændret på ruten (som jeg fortalte om i den seneste episode), og så er der stop på turen, hvor vi ikke må gå i land, medmindre vi køber en af deres ekskursioner, hvor de har mere styr på, at sikkerheden er i top. Så jeg føler mig ret sikker på, at der ikke bliver smitteudbrud ombord – selvom det nok ville være med til at denne podcast ville gå viral. VELKOMMEN TIL SAINT CROIX Da vi sætter fod på den første af seks caribiske øer, bliver vi mødt af dansende piger, en DJ og et par fyre på stylter. Og jeg har glædet mig meget til at komme netop hertil. Som dansker, der har lidt historisk nysgerrighed er dette et spændende sted at besøge. Men lad os starte med lidt fakta om hvor vi er: MAN KAN STADIG SE NOGET DANSK HER Der er stadig noget dansk at se her. Her på Saint Croix så jeg både en Kongensgade, en Kirkegade og i dag besøger jeg både Frederiksted og Christiansted. Jeg gik også en tur på kirkegården og så mange danske …sen-navne. For eksempel var der gravsted for ”Frederik Jøgen Christensen fra Køge”. Ja, der står Jøgen, men jeg mistænker, at det er gravsten-manden, der har lavet en stavefejl efter han havde brugt meget energi på at finde ud af at lave et Ø. EN MEGET STOR EJENDOMSHANDEL De Amerikanske Jomfruøer (eller US Virgin Islands) hed Dansk Vestindien indtil Danmark solgte øerne til USA tilbage i marts 1917. Prisen var 25 millioner dollars i guld, hvilket vil være omkring 554 millioner dollars i nutidens penge. Jeg tror, at Trump ville kalde dette en ”meget stor ejendomshandel”. Bemærk, at dette var tilbage, hvor vi solgte dele af vores kongerige. Grønland er ikke til salg. HOVEDSTADEN ER IKKE PÅ DEN STØRSTE JOMFRU-Ø Saint Croix er den største af øerne, men hovedstaden Charlotte Amalie ligger på Saint Thomas. DEN SIDSTE JUMFRU De fleste kender de tre øer, St. Jan, St. Thomas og St. Croix, men der er faktisk kommet en fjerde til – for ikke så mange år siden. Det er den lille ø ”Water Island”, som ligger tæt ved St. Thomas. Men den er også meget lille: Kun omkring to kvadratkilometer. USA købte øen for bare 10.000 dollars. De lokale kalder den ”The Last Virgin”. HALVDELEN AF BEFOLKNINGEN BOR PÅ SAINT CROIX Der bor lidt mere end 50.000 mennesker på Saint Croix, hvilket er næsten halvdelen af den samlede befolkning i dette territorie. ØEN HAR ET LILLE BJERG Selvom øen er lille, så har de faktisk et bjerg, der er omkring dobbelt så højt som Himmelbjerget. Det højeste punkt på St. Croix, Mount Eagle er 355 meter højt. TO HOVEDBYER HAR GIVET ØEN SIT KÆLENAVN St. Croix har kælenavnet ”Twin City” efter de to byer, Frederiksted i den vestlige del (hvor vores skib ligger til) og den lidt større, Christiansted, i den nordøstlige del af øen (hvor jeg skal til senere i dag). EN KAFFE OG TO SAMTALER, TAK Jeg starter min dag i Frederiksted inden jeg tager på byvandring i Christiansted. Jeg gik lidt rundt i byen og endte på en café, med navnet, Polly's at the Pier. Her ville jeg nyde både en kop kaffe og noget Wi-Fi, der var en del hurtigere end det skibet kan præstere.   Her falder jeg i snak med ejeren, Susan, som fortæller mig, at hun valgte at forlade Colorado for at finde et sted med lidt varmere klima efter hun gik på pension. Og til sin egen store overraskelse, så ”kom hun til” at købe en café midt i en pandemi. Og efter den første måned, der var langsom, er det faktisk gået rigtig godt. Hun nyder livet her, og har ingen planer om at forlade Saint Croix – selvom der både er det, de kalder ”island-time” og at man godt kan få lidt økuller ind i mellem. Vi sidder I caféens baggård med høns rendende rundt mellem bordene. Der er også et sted heromme, hvor man kan leje cykler, og her møder jeg Rebecca, som er født og opvokset her. Du bliver nødt til at lytte til episoden for at høre, hvad de to skønne kvinder har at sige. Og så vil du også høre, at min alarm pludselig ringer for at minde mig om, at jeg skal gøre mig klar til at tage på tur til Christiansted. CHRISTIANSTED OG MANDEN PÅ 10-DOLLAR-SEDLEN Inden byvandringen starter vores guide med at læse en lang besked, hun har fået fra Celebrity Cruises. Den handler om alle de ting, vi skal huske omkring, hvordan man opfører sig i en pandemi. Med andre ord, ting vi alle har hørt 200 millioner gange før de seneste 18 måneder. Vi skal vaske hænder, holde afstand og bære maske. Man bliver lidt træt – selvom det naturligvis er rart at vide, at de tænker på vores sikkerhed. VORES HIMMELSKE TURGUIDE Guiden på denne tur er en lidt ældre kvinde med de himmelske navn ”Heavenly Petersen”. Ja, hendes fornavn er virkelig Heavenly. Og hendes efternavn er Petersen – stavet på den danske måde. Hun bekræfter min mistanke om, at hun har danske rødder, men reagerer slet ikke da jeg fortæller hende, at jeg er fra Danmark. Jeg havde ellers forventet ee “wow, virkelig?” eller noget i den dur, men intet. Jeg tænkte, at hun nok ikke havde hørt mig, så jeg gentog mig selv. Og Heavenly gentog sin larmende stilhed. Det er måske slet ikke så specielt at være dansker i Caribien, som jeg havde troet, men jeg må indrømme, at jeg synes, at det var så underligt, at jeg fortsat ikke troede, at hun havde hørt mig. Men senere, da vi står foran indgangen til Fort Christiansværn og ser et Skilderhus, nævner jeg, at der også står den slags foran Amalienborg i København. Og så siger hun: ”Nå ja, du er herren fra Danmark”. MIT NAVN ER ALEXANDER HAMILTON " How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot in the Caribbean by providence, impoverished in squalor, grow up to be a hero and a scholar?" Disse ord er fra den berømte Broadway musical om Alexander Hamilton. Og det var en nyhed for mig, at han faktisk voksede op her på Saint Croix – inden han blev en af USA's ”Founding Fathers” og fik sit ansigt på den amerikanske 10-dollar-seddel. Vi går indenfor på Fort Christiansværn og hører mere om ham og især om hans mor, Rachel Faucett Lavien, som tilbragte tid i en fængselscelle her. HISTORIEN OM HAMILTON OG HANS MOR, RACHEL Heavenly fortæller os om Rachel og Alexander, da vi står i hendes celle, som de i dag kalder ”Rachel's Room”. Her tilbragte hun seks måneder bag lås og slå, fordi hendes mand fik hende anholdt. En mand, som Heavenly kalder ”ældre mand”, den 32-årige John Michael Lavien. Ifølge Heavenly blev hun anholdt for at havde opført sig flirtende. Jeg har researchet lidt, og det lader til at hun vist havde gjort mere end at flirte. Mens hun var gift med den ”gamle mand” blev hun taget med bukserne nede sammen med en anden mand. Hun og Cronenberg blev taget på fersk gerning – nøgne i et soveværelse og som det stod i retsprotokollen, ”med omstændigheder der tilstrækkeligt demonstrerer deres skamløse samleje og skandaløse opførsel”. Så, det er nok derfor, at Lin-Manuel Miranda kalder Alexander Hamilton ”son of a whore” i den populære musical. Både Rachel og Cronenburg tilbragte flere måneder bag tremmer for deres utroskab – og Rachel tilbragte seks måneder her på Christiansværn. Da de blev løsladt, blev Cronenburg udvist fra øen og han dukkede senere op på St. Thomas. Rachel blev løsladt da hun lovede at tage tilbage til sin mand, at hun ville opføre sig pænt og gøre alt, hvad han bad hende om. Men hun snød ham. Så snart hun kunne forlod hun også Saint Croix og tog tilbage til Nevis, hvor hun kom fra. Nevis er en anden caribisk ø og en del af det lille land Saint Kitts and Nevis. Her mødte hun skotten, James Hamilton, og sammen fik de to sønner mens hun stadig var gift med Lavien: James Hamilton Jr og den yngste, som de valgte at opkalde efter hans farfar, Alexander Hamilton. I 1759, bad Lavien om skilsmisse. På dette tidspunkt var James Jr seks år og Alexander to (eller måske fire – der er lidt usikkerhed om, hvornår han var født). Da James Hamilton Sr fandt ud af, at hun faktisk allerede var gift, forlod han hende, og hun måtte forsørge de to drenge alene. Det gjorde hun ved at drive en lille butik her tilbage i Cristiansted. Det var i en bygning, som vi også besøgte, der i dag kaldes Hamilton House. Kort tid efter fik hun dog gul feber og døde i 1768. Så i en alder af 13 (eller måske 11) var Alexander forældreløs. NOT THROWING AWAY MY SHOT Så hvordan bliver denne horeunge, forældrelæse, søn af en hore-kælling og en skotte en af USA's fædre og ti-dollar-ansigtet? (frit oversat fra Lin-Manuel Mirandas engelske tekst) "He got a lot farther by working a lot harder. By being a lot smarter. By being a self-starter. And by fourteen, they placed him in charge of a trading charter. " Selvom han kun var teenager, var han dygtig nok til at have ansvaret for et firma i fem måneder, mens ejeren var til søs. Han læste meget og begyndte også at skrive en del. Og så begyndte han at drømme om et liv ovre på fastlandet. Han spildte bestemt ikke sine chancer. Hvis du vil have resten af historien, foreslår jeg at du tager en tur til New York og ser Hamilton musicallen. Hvis du kan få billetter. MEGET MERE PÅ SAINT CROIX END BARE HISTORIE Selvom øens historie er meget spændende – og jeg har kun kradset lidt i overfladen, så er der meget mere at opleve her på Saint Croix. Der er bogstaveligt hundrede ting at se og gøre her. Her er en liste med titlen 100 things to do on St. Croix. Men det var, hvad jeg havde valgt at opleve, de få timer, jeg tilbragte her i Dansk Vestindien. Jeg kunne sagtens finde på at komme tilbage og prøve de andre 99. Jeg hedder Palle Bo, og jeg skal videre. Vi ses.

I boarded the Celebrity Cruise ship, Equinox, on the pier in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with my cabin-roomie, Siobhan – that I featured in the latest episode.  My name is Palle Bo. Welcome back to all new episodes of The Radio Vagabond. This is Season 7, episode 206, and today we're going to St. Croix – one of the US Virgin Islands.  CRUISING IN A PANDEMIC This episode is recorded just a few days ago, as cruising is starting up again after the pandemic. And they are taking so many precautions for our safety. As we all know (from the beginning of the pandemic), a cruise ship is not the best place to be if there's a Coronavirus outbreak.  They require that all passengers are fully vaccinated, and on top of that, we all need to have a Covid test to board. Plus, they are sailing with less than half as many passengers as they have the capacity for.   Also, as I mentioned in the latest episode a few days ago, they changed the itinerary, and then at some ports, we're only allowed to leave the ship on port days if we go on one of their excursions.  Everything is to prevent any cases of Covid on the ship. So, we're probably relatively safe – and thank God (even though it could make this podcast go viral).  WELCOME TO SAINT CROIX As we set foot on land at the first stop on the cruise, we're greeted by local dancers, a DJ, and some guys on stilts. It's a special place for me as a Dane because the US Virgin Islands used to be a part of my home country, Denmark.  But let's start with seven facts about where we are: 1. YOU STILL SEE A BIT OF DENMARK HERE Up until March 1917, they were called the Danish West Indies, and still, there is a lot of Danish history here. Like location names. The street sign in Kings Street also has the Danish name Kongensgade. There's also a Kirkegade (Church Street). Today, I'm visiting Frederiksted and Christiansted – also very typical names for Danish kings. 2. A VERY BIG REAL ESTATE DEAL Denmark sold the islands for 25 million USD in gold (around 554 million USD in current money). Someone might call it "a very big real estate deal"...   3. THE CAPITAL IS NOT ON THE BIGGEST ISLAND St. Croix is the largest of the islands in the territory. But the capital, Charlotte Amalie, is located on St. Thomas.  4. THE LAST VIRGIN Most people know that there are three main US Virgin Islands, but not that many years ago, a fourth was added: tiny Water Island, located off the coast of St. Thomas. And it is tiny – less than one square mile (around two square kilometres), and the USA bought it for a cool $10,000, making it what locals playfully call "The Last Virgin."  5. HALF OF THE POPULATION IS ON SAINT CROIX The population of St. Croix is a bit more than 50,000 – almost half of the populations on the islands.  6. AN ISLAND WITH A LITTLE MOUNTAIN The highest point of St. Croix is Mount Eagle, at 355 meters (1,165 ft).  7. TWO CITIES GAVE IT THE NICKNAME St. Croix's nickname is "Twin City", for its two towns, Frederiksted on the western end (where we dock with the cruise) and the bigger, Christiansted, on the northeast part of the island (where I'm going later today). ONE COFFEE AND TWO CHATS, PLEASE I start my day in Frederiksted, before I go on a tour in Christiansted. I went to a coffee shop for some coffee and better Wi-Fi than what is available on the ship. After walking around the city, I ended up in a place called Polly's at the Pier. I got chatting with the owner, Susan.  She tells me that she's from Colorado and came here to the island looking for a warm place to retire. And then she ended up buying the coffee shop in the middle of the pandemic. In my conversation with her, she confirms that there is a thing called "island time" here, and you do get a bit of Island fever. But Susan likes it here and have no plans of leaving anytime soon. We're sitting in the courtyard behind the café with chickens running around us. And there's also a place where you can rent a bicycle. Here I meet Rebecca, who is she's born and raised here. Please have a listen to the episode to hear my conversation with these two women. Then you will also hear my alarm going off in the middle of the last chat – reminding me that it's time for me to get ready to go on the tour to Christiansted.  CHRISTIANSTED AND THE TEN-DOLLAR MAN At the beginning of the walking tour, our guide goes into a 2-minute statement given to her by Celebrity Cruises. They asked her to read it to us, and it's all about the things we need to know about how to act when going on a walking tour in Covid-times. And guess what? We need to wash our hands, maintain social distancing, and always wear a mask. You know all the same things we've been hearing 200 million times in the last 18 months… But good to know that they are taking it seriously. OUR HEAVENLY TOURGUIDE Our guide is a slightly older woman with the wonderful name Heavenly Petersen. Yes, her first name is really Heavenly, and the last name is Petersen – which is a unique Danish way of spelling it.  She confirms my suspicion that she has Danish ancestors, so I tell her that I'm from Denmark. And much to my surprise, I get no reaction. I was expecting a "wow, really" or "maybe we're related" or just a smile. But nothing. There was no reaction whatsoever – just a "good to meet you, sir" a few seconds later. So, I thought she might not have heard me, and I repeated myself: "My name is Palle, and I am from DENMARK". Again, nothing. I found it funny and slightly weird, and I still thought that she didn't hear it. But a bit later, I find out that she did. When we came to the entrance of the fort Christiansvern, there was a "Skillerhouse" outside. It's a little red human-size house that is uniquely Danish. It's where a soldier can stand in when it rains, and we have them outside the royal castle in Copenhagen, Amalienborg. And as I mention that to Heavenly, she shows me that she did hear that I was "the gentleman from Denmark". MY NAME IS ALEXANDER HAMILTON " How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot in the Caribbean by providence, impoverished in squalor, grow up to be a hero and a scholar?" These are words from the famous Broadway musical about Alexander Hamilton, and he grew up right here on St. Croix and later became one of the founding fathers of the United States – and got his face is on the ten-dollar bill.  We walk inside fort Christiansvern and hear more about this man and his mother, Rachel Faucett Lavien, who spent time in a prison cell here.  STORY OF HAMILTON AND HIS MOTHER RACHEL Inside Hamilton's mother's prison cell, which they call Rachel's Room, Heavenly Petersen tells me that Rachel was sent in jail with a push from her, John Michael Lavien, for having "flirtatious ways". But it might have been just a bit more than flirting. While she was married to Lavien, she and another man, Cronenberg, were caught in a bedroom, undressed and (as it said in the court documents) "with more circumstances that sufficiently demonstrated their shameless intercourse and scandalous life."  So, this is why Lin-Manuel Miranda refers to Alexander Hamilton as a son of a whore in the hit musical.  Both Rachel and Cronenberg ended up in jail for several months for their adultery. Rachel 6 months here in Christiansvern. Once released, Cronenberg was booted off the island and later showed up in St. Thomas. Rachel had to promise that she would go back to her husband and be very nice to him and do everything he told her to do. But she tricked him and left the island to go back to Nevis, another Caribbean Island in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Here she met Scotsman, James Hamilton, and they had two sons when she still was married to Lavien: James Hamilton Jr and one they named Alexander. Lavien asked for a divorce in 1759 when James Jr was six and Alexander was two years old – or maybe four – it's a bit uncertain when exactly he was born.  When James Hamilton Sr. heard about her real husband asking for a divorce, he abandoned her. She was alone back here in Christiansted on St. Croix with the two boys, where she supported them by keeping a small store – now knowns as the Hamilton House. But not for long. She contracted yellow fever and died on February 19, 1768, leaving Alexander orphaned at 13 (or 11). NOT THROWING AWAY MY SHOT So, how does this bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman become one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and the ten-dollar face?  "He got a lot farther by working a lot harder. By being a lot smarter. By being a self-starter. And by fourteen, they placed him in charge of a trading charter. " Despite only being in his teenage years, he proved capable enough as a trader to be left in charge of the firm for five months while the owner was at sea. He was also an avid reader and later also a writer. He began to desire a life outside St. Croix.  So, he was not throwing away his shots.  For the rest of the history, go see the Hamilton musical on Broadway in New York… If you can get tickets. MUCH MORE TO DO ON SAINT CROIX THAN JUST HISTORY And if you come to St. Croix, you should go on a historical tour of this place even if you're not Danish.  But there are 100 things to do on St. Croix. Adventure, arts and culture, food and drinks, scuba diving and water sports. Click the link and see a list of the 100 things to do. This was what I chose to do in the few hours I was here, but I might come back again and do some of the other 99.  My name is Palle Bo, and I gotta keep moving. See you. 

Ep65 OverviewIn Episode 65, Emma from Emma Cruises drops by to update us on her recent Celebrity Silhouette cruise and naming of Saga's Spirit of Adventure. Chris answers a listener question about Queen Elizabeth and we wrap up with a bumper edition of cruise news.Buy Me A CoffeeThis podcast is only possible thanks to our supporters, simply buying a coffee keeps us on air. It is just like shouting your mate a coffee, and we consider our listeners close mates.  https://bit.ly/2T2FYGXEmma CruisesEmma joins the show this week, be sure to drop by her social pages and follow her on YouTube: Website: emmacruises.comFacebook: @EmmaCruises Instagram: @EmmaCruises YouTube: @EmmaCruises Maritime HistoryListener Ian, asks, Why is the current Cunard ship, Queen Elizabeth, not referred to as QE3?Image Credit: Queen Elizabeth, Cunard LineCruise NewsPrincess Cruises and Holland America Line Kick Off Return to Service in the U.S. from Port of SeattleTo kick off their return to service in the U.S., Princess Cruises and Holland America Line held a celebration at the Port of Seattle (23 July 2021). Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises, and Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line, spoke to what the positive multidimensional impact the resumption of cruising means to Seattle, the local community and Alaska.Holland America Line will kicked off its Alaska season with Nieuw Amsterdam setting sail, July 24, and Princess Cruises followed with Majestic Princess sailing on July 25. Each line will operate ten cruises sailing out of Seattle through September. This marks the return to cruising and Alaska for both lines, which combined have more than 125 years of experience bringing cruisers to The Great Land. Historically, one in two guests who cruise to Alaska sail on Princess or Holland America.Both cruise lines have been homeporting out of the Port of Seattle for more than 20 years. Operationally, each ship visit directly contributes more than $364,000 to the local economy in provisioning (fuel, food, flowers, piano tuning, supplies), port taxes, and spending during a full season.Princess Cruises is the world's leading international premium cruise line and tour company operating a fleet of 14 modern cruise ships to 380 destinations around the globe. Princess celebrates more than 50 years sailing to Alaska, bringing more guests to the Great Land than any other cruise line. Holland America Line has been exploring the world since 1873 and was the first cruise line to offer adventures to Alaska and the Yukon nearly 75 years ago. Its fleet of premium ships visits more than 400 ports in 98 countries around the world, offering an ideal mid-sized ship experience.Princess Cruises Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Shore Power in JuneauPrincess Cruises made history when the cruise line introduced its revolutionary shore power program and began operations in partnership with the City and Borough of Juneau and Alaska Electric Light and Power Company in the summer of 2001. Now, 20 years later when Princess Cruises vessels arrive at the Franklin Dock, ships continue to “plug in” to local surplus hydroelectric power and turn off the diesel engines, reducing the impact of visible air emissions and the cruise line's carbon footprint in an effort applauded by local government officials and the residents of the capital city.The 20th anniversary milestone was recognized as Majestic Princess made her maiden call to the port of Juneau and commissioned to connect to the Juneau electrical grid. Princess Cruises President Jan Swartz, Majestic Princess Captain Dino Sagani, Alaska Electric Light and Power Company President and General Manager Connie Hulbert and Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon and City Manager Rorie Watt were in attendance.“Shore power in Juneau has been a significant win-win situation, not only for Princess but also for the customers of Alaska Electric Light and Power Company and the residents of the City and Borough of Juneau who have been incredible partners over the last 20 years,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. “Our beneficial collaboration has paved the way for the cruise industry to reduce air emissions and allow cruise ships to ‘plug in.'”In addition to this investment, for the past 20 years, every dollar spent by Princess for purchasing electrical energy in Juneau has been credited to a cost of power adjustment, or COPA account. This credit is used to offset any diesel expenses in the next quarter, and any extra funds go back to residents and businesses in Juneau in the form of a rebate on electric bills. To date, this has benefitted the Juneau community by $8.5 million dollars.Each year, Princess ships plug in more than 300 shore power connections. This ground-breaking technology has now grown and is used by various cruise lines in port cities including Seattle (2005), Vancouver (2009), San Diego (2010), San Francisco (2010), Los Angeles (2011), New York (2012) and Halifax (2014), as well as internationally in Shanghai and Kristiansand, Norway, with more and more port cities becoming shore power enabled.The length of time needed to connect a ship to shore power and shut down the vessel's diesel generator is approximately 40 minutes after the ship has been secured at the dock. Once connected, the ship's engines are powered down and the ships relies on the local power system for all ship's services while in port. Holland America Line Takes Delivery of Highly Anticipated New Ship Rotterdam from FincantieriHolland America Line took delivery of Rotterdam today, July 30, 2021, officially making it the 11th ship in the fleet. A handover ceremony took place at Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard in ItalyThe ceremony was attended by the ship's master, Captain Werner Timmers, and Cyril Tatar, Holland America Group's vice president of newbuilding services. Giuseppe Bono, CEO, Fincantieri, and several other executives also attended. Video congratulations were extended by Jan Swartz, president of Holland America Group, and Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line.Upon delivery, Rotterdam will remain in non-guest operations until its transatlantic crossing Oct. 20, 2021, from Amsterdam, Netherlands, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where it will then begin its maiden season in the Caribbean. Naming details have not been finalized and will be announced at a later date.The third vessel in the Pinnacle Class series and the seventh ship to bear the name for Holland America Line, Rotterdam will carry 2,668 guests and feature highly successful amenities and innovations introduced with her sister ships.Holland America Line's first ship was Rotterdam, which sailed its maiden voyage from the Netherlands to New York on Oct. 15, 1872, and led to the founding of the company on April 18, 1873. Rotterdam II was built in 1878 for British Ship Owners Co. and purchased by Holland America Line in 1886. Rotterdam III came along in 1897 and was with the company until 1906. The fourth Rotterdam joined the fleet in 1908 and also served as a troop carrier when World War I ended. Following the war it made regular cruises from New York to the Mediterranean.Rotterdam V, also known as “The Grande Dame,” set sail in 1959 and began sailing transatlantic crossings with two classes of service. It later converted to a one-class ship in 1969. She sailed with Holland America Line for 38 years until 1997, including several Grand World Voyages, and currently is a hotel and museum in the city of Rotterdam. Rotterdam VI, the most recent to cruise for Holland America Line, was introduced in 1997 as the first ship in the R Class.Rotterdam VII is the 17th ship constructed for the brand by Italian shipyard Fincantieri.Norwegian Cruise Line returns to cruiseNorwegian Cruise Line (NCL), officially commemorated its highly-anticipated cruise comeback on 25 July, 2021 with a double debut: Norwegian Jade was not only the first of its 17-ship fleet to welcome guests after 500 days, she also made NCL history as the first vessel to homeport in Athens (Piraeus).Until November 2021, guests sailing aboard Norwegian Jade's immersive Greek Isles itinerary will wake up in a new destination every day, able to spend eight-to-nine hours exploring some of Greece's most picturesque islands including luxurious Crete, bustling Mykonos, historical Rhodes and the iconic blue and white Santorini.Norwegian Jade is the first ship to recommence voyages as part NCL's larger restart efforts. On 7 August, 2021, Norwegian Encore will be the first ship to return to service from the U.S., when she debuts in Seattle for her inaugural season of Alaska cruises. The fleetwide redeployment will continue in partnership with local governments and are guided by the robust protocols of the Company's Sail Safe health and safety program, which at its cornerstone includes that all crew and guests must be fully vaccinated to embark for voyages through 31 October, 2021. Working with the leading experts of the Sail Safe Global Health and Wellness Council, the robust protocols will regularly be evaluated and modified as needed, making science-based decisions to protect guests, crew and the destinations it visits.MSC Seashore Delivered The Cruise Division of MSC Group has officially taken delivery of its new flagship MSC Seashore – the largest cruise ship to be built in Italy. Sister ship MSC Seascape is currently under construction at the Monfalcone shipyard and is due to come into service in winter 2022.An intimate ceremony was held to mark the occasion as tradition dictates at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone and was attended in person by MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago, other members of the Aponte and Aponte-Vago families, Giampiero Massolo and Giuseppe Bono, Chairman and CEO of Fincantieri, as well as representatives from MSC's new builds team along with executives and workers from the shipyard. During the ceremony, which pays tribute to centuries-old maritime traditions, Roberto Olivari, Fincantieri's shipyard director, presented to Giuseppe Galano, Master of MSC Seashore, an ampoule containing the water that first touched the hull when the ship was floated out earlier this year.MSC Seashore will commence her inaugural season in the Mediterranean offering the popular West Mediterranean itinerary calling the Italian ports of Genoa, Naples, for visits also to Pompeii, and Messina in Sicily; Valletta, Malta; Barcelona, Spain and Marseille, France.On 31 October, the ship will depart Genoa for an epic 18-night cruise as the ship repositions to North America. From 20 November the ship will then offer 7-night cruises in the Caribbean calling San Juan in Puerto Rico, Charlotte Amalie in St Thomas, Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic and then Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in The Bahamas – MSC Cruises' private island.MSC Seashore Key Specs:Length/beam/height: 339 /41m/76mGross tonnage: 170,400Guests: 5,877 (max capacity for short international voyage)Cabins: 2,270Crew: 1,648Maximum speed: about 22.4 knotsFlagship of MSC Cruises global fleet19th cruise ship to join MSC Cruises' fleeMSC, FINCANTIERI AND SNAM TO PARTNER FOR WORLD'S FIRST OCEANGOING HYDROGEN-POWERED CRUISE SHIPThe Cruise Division of MSC Group, Fincantieri and Snam announced the signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly determine the conditions for the design and construction of what would become the world's first oceangoing hydrogen-powered cruise ship.The owner of the world's third largest cruise brand and part of the leading global shipping and logistics conglomerate MSC Group, one of the world's largest shipbuilding groups and a leading international energy infrastructure operator, have joined forces to initially carry out a study that will assess the feasibility of designing and building the world's first oceangoing cruise ship powered by hydrogen, which would allow zero-emissions operations in certain areas, and the development of the related hydrogen bunkering infrastructure.Green hydrogen can be produced without fossil fuels, using renewable energy to split water in a process called electrolysis and can therefore be emissions-free on a full lifecycle basis. It can be used to generate electrical power through a fuel cell, emitting only water vapor and heat. This type of ‘green' hydrogen holds great potential to contribute to the decarbonisation of the shipping industry, including cruising, whether in its pure form or as a hydrogen-derived fuel.Azamara Quest departs from Glasgow Ahead of the Brand's Return to ServiceAzamara, today announced that Azamara Quest® was the first of its ships to depart from Glasgow's Peel Port (King George V Dock), on the afternoon of July 26th, following thirteen months docked in the Scottish city.For over a year, Glasgow has been a safe haven for three of Azamara's fleet, Azamara Quest®, Azamara Journey® and Azamara Pursuit®, and in this time the ships and crew have enjoyed fantastic support from the local people and the authorities, businesses, including taxi companies, hotel owners and grocery stores.The ship sails for drydock in Cadiz, Spain to finalize preparations ahead of its return to service in August with five back-to-back Greece Country-Intensive® Voyages®; each seven-nights in length and a total of 18-late nights in port, including Santorini, Rhodes and Heraklion, Greece. Bringing the culture and heritage of destinations onboard, these sailings will debut a brand-new immersive onboard program for guests – Destination Celebration – the adaptation of AzAmazing Evenings®.Celebrity Cruises' return to service of Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity MillenniumCelebrity Equinox returned to the water yesterday on Sunday, 25 July, departing from Fort Lauderdale for the Caribbean. The recently ‘revolutionised' Celebrity Equinox's first sailing features a seven-night Western Caribbean itinerary visiting the beautiful ports of St. Maarten and St. Thomas, along with Nassau, Bahamas. This sailing marks eight of the 14 ships within the Celebrity Cruises' fleet returning to sailing in 2021Celebrity Millennium also set sail last week on Friday, 23 July, from Seattle, Washington on a seven-night itinerary exploring the renowned natural beauty of the Last Frontier. Guests will be treated to an experience that is as beautiful as the scenery they will encounter as they sail past Alaska's breath-taking glaciers and landscapes including Ketchikan and Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier.AIDA Cruises restarts AIDAluna in September from KielAIDA Cruises today announced that on Sept. 5 AIDAluna will be the seventh ship in the AIDA fleet to restart guest operations in 2021.Up to and including Oct. 14, 2021, a variety of travel dates for three- and four-day cruises departing from Kiel are now available for booking.On the four-day voyage, AIDAluna will call at the Polish port of Gdynia after a relaxing sea day passing the island of Gotland, among others.“Scenic Cruising” is also the motto on the first day of the three-day cruise from Kiel, which leads to the Swedish metropolis of Gothenburg. Both voyages will be offered alternately.By the end of this year AIDA Cruises plans to have 10 ships sailing, offering travelers a broad range of vacation options — including its highly anticipated new ship, AIDAcosma, to be delivered in December 2021Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines unveils brand new 101-night Around the World Voyage aboard Borealis in 2024Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has today unveiled the first sailing from its 2024 programme – an epic 101-night Around the World adventure taking in the USA, Australasia, Asia and Europe.The cruise, which is setting sail from Southampton in January 2024, offers a wealth of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, from calls into the historic cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, to visits to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the chance to step ashore in the rarely-visited Alotau in Papau New Guinea.Fred. Olsen's team of Journey Planners has hand-crafted this sailing to allow plenty of time ashore in each port of call, made possible by the faster sailing speeds, with extended overnight stays in Charleston, Aukland, Sydney, Australia and Dubai.Guests will also have the opportunity to venture to the famous Taj Mahal in an extended, three-day overland tour from Mumbai in India.Viking Welcomes Guests Back on Board for River Voyages in FranceViking celebrated this week, the official restart of its popular river itineraries in France, marking the latest milestone as the company resumes operations in Europe. Guests are now embarking journeys on the Seine and Rhône rivers for the Paris & the Heart of Normandy, Lyon & Provence and France's Finest itineraries.Viking's voyage in Bordeaux, Chateaux, Rivers and Wine, will resume in August.Along with restarting river operations in France, Viking has launched four new Viking Longships® that are purpose-built specifically to navigate the Seine River. Hosting 168 guests in 84 staterooms, Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid, Viking Skaga and Viking Fjorgyn dock at Viking's exclusive docking location in the center of Paris, just a short walking distance from the Eiffel Tower.Star Cruises Presented with the Special Award for Community Care at the Singapore Tourism Awards 2021Star Cruises was presented with the Special Award for Community Care, by the Guest of Honour, Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Gan Kim Yong at this year's Singapore Tourism Awards 2021 for its pioneering and key role in providing temporary housing for over 8,000 recovered COVID-19 migrant workers aboard it ships, SuperStar Gemini and SuperStar Aquarius last year, from 29 Apr – 30 Sep 2020 (5 months). The only two vessels in the world to be successfully repurposed to provide temporary accommodations for recovered COVID-19 migrant workers, Star Cruises set a new milestone for Singapore and globally, as well as for the cruise industry in its joint-effort to fight against the pandemic.Meeting Singapore's strict requirements for this first-of-a-kind special initiative last year, Star Cruises was able to participate and effectively contribute towards creating an alternative accommodation option for Singapore to temporarily house its recovered COVID-19 migrant workers in a safe and comfortable environment on board the two ships. From this learning experience, Genting Cruise Lines had created a positive opportunity to implement enhanced safety and preventive measures across its fleet, which formed the initial foundation for many of its current protocolsDream Cruises Celebrates the Inaugural Cruise of Genting Dream in Hong Kong; First Cruise Ship to Restart Service in the CityDream Cruises officially re-started its cruise service in Hong Kong on 30 July with Genting Dream's maiden voyage of her first “Super Seacation” high seas itinerary. Genting Dream's new high seas cruises will provide Hong Kong residents with a new “staycation' option that will truly evoke the sense of a “vacation away” to enhance their holiday experience. Over 1,000 enShow NotesEthical Cruise T-Shirts Now available branded podcast t-shirts, cruise-tees and Christmas gifts or design your own in the studio. All using organic cotton, printed using green energy and plastic-free packaging! https://bit.ly/32G7RdhJoin the show:If you have a cruise tip, burning question or want to record a cruise review get in touch with us via the website https://thebigcruisepodcast.com/join-the-show/  Guests: Chris Frame: https://bit.ly/3a4aBCg    Chris's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ChrisCunard  Peter Kollar: https://www.cruising.org.au/Home  Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2XvD7tF  Castbox: https://bit.ly/2xkGBEI  Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/2RuY04u  I heart Radio:  https://ihr.fm/3mVIEUASpotify: https://spoti.fi/3caCwl8  Stitcher: https://bit.ly/2JWE8Tz  Pocket casts: https://bit.ly/2JY4J2M  Tune in: https://bit.ly/2V0Jrrs  Podcast Addict: https://bit.ly/2BF6LnE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part 2 - Neville James hosts the creative team behind Charlotte Amalie's newest contemporary art gallery, 81C. Zack Zook, Joseph Hewes, and Augustin Kelvin Holder speak to the vision behind their dynamic salon space with input from recently featured artists Lucien Downes and Laurie Smithwick. They reflect on their mid-pandemic launch, the inspiration they draw from the Virgin Islands, the camaraderie that drives their venture, and what the future may hold. For more information on 81C and their upcoming events: https://81cvi.com/home.

Episode 82 is going to the Caribbean with a week trip to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. In this two-part episode we explore Magens Bay Beach, Sapphire Beach, Coki Beach, and Lindquist Beach on St. Thomas. We also say the best things to do on St. Thomas including Drake’s Seat, Mountain Top, Coral World Ocean Park, a sea trek adventure and exploring Charlotte Amalie and Fort Christian. Tune into episode 84 for part two with St. John National Park. On Sale Now! Six different 20+ page PDF trip and national park itineraries that plan the entire trip for you. Get yours now for just $25 on our website: https://travelsquadpodcast.com/travelitinerary Connect with us on Social Media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3_gxT16uimZ2Vrl9gnjk2g? Instagram: @travelsquadpodcast Co-hosts: Jamal: @jamal_marrush Brittanie: @brittanieharbick Kim: @lushdeez Get in touch! Email us at travelsquadpodcast@gmail.com to discuss: Being a guest on our podcast or having the squad on yours Ask a travel question for Question of the Week Inquire about brand advertising --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/travel-squad-podcast/support

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Cadwell Turnbull. His novel, The Lesson is a work of speculative fiction is about what happens when a spaceship arrives at the US Virgin Islands with a race of super-advanced aliens on a research mission on board. This story grapples with the tensions between these newcomers and the local Virgin Islanders and explores various themes, including: the nature of belief, the impact of colonialism, and how far are we willing to go for progress? This book breaks new ground as one of the first science fiction novels to be set on Saint Thomas, in the Virgin Islands. It’s a combination of literary social fiction and speculative fiction, and it also paints a vivid picture of Charlotte Amalie, which is Cadwell’s hometown. Cadwell has an MFA in fiction from North Carolina State University, as well as Master’s degree in Linguistics. He was the winner of the 2014 NCSU Prize for Short Fiction and attended Clarion West 2016. His short fiction has appeared in The Verge, Lightspeed, Nightmare, and Asimov’s Science Fiction and several of his stories have received honors or been nominated for Best-Of lists. I have been reading his debut novel, The Lesson, and it is absolutely un-put-downable.  In this episode Cadwell and I discuss: How a dream inspired The Lesson Keeping a story character-driven while also adding speculative elements The power of using--and sometimes withholding--multiple points of view  Using speculative fiction to grapple with contemporary social issues Blending past, present and a speculative future Writing speculative fiction in an MFA program Plus, his #1 tip for writers. For more info and shownotes: diymfa.com/269

Frederik Birket-Smith, direktør for STRØM (Danmarks organisation for elektronisk musik) og dj under navnet 2000F, fortæller her om ”Struggle” med King Solomon – et nummer han havde med hjem i kufferten fra en tur til De Amerikanske Jomfruøer, det tidligere Dansk Vestindien. Det var en rejse, der var drevet af Frederiks interesse for sin egen families historie, men også af hans begejstring for caribisk musik. Med retur kom en vinylplade og en sang, der ikke er til at opdrive på Youtube, streamingtjenester eller i den ellers særdeles velinformerede pladedatabase Discogs. En sang hvis smittende energi og dybtfølte tekst inkarnerer den survival-ånd, som Frederik oplevede på Jomfruøerne – på trods af øboernes enorme udfordringer. Frederik Birket-Smith er aktuel til Bas Under Buen (http://ohoi.dk/basunderbuen/) på Frederiksberg lørdag d. 13/7 og STRØM Festival (https://strm.dk/festival/) i hele København 7.-10- august. Varighed: 8:02

Valerie will address some of the events she attended: Parades, Book Launchings, Museum Openings, Fundraisers, Tour of the Danmark Training Schooner March 26, 2017 2:00 p.m.: Parade starting at the National Park Dock and ending at The Battery, Cruz Bay, St. John. 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.: Governor’s Reception at The Battery. 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.: Cruz Bay Block Party at Franklin Powell Park. March 29, 2017 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Governor’s Reception at Fort Christian in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. March 30, 2017 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Governor’s Reception at Government House in Christiansted, St. Croix. March 31, 2017 Transfer Day Activities 8:00 – 10:00 a.m.: Parade on St. Croix. 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Ceremony on St. Croix. 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.: Parade on St. Thomas. 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.: Ceremony on St. Thomas. April 2, 2017 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.: Centennial Gala Ball at Renaissance Carambola Beach Resort and Spa on St. Croix. Tickets are $75.00 each and can be purchased at Anally Farms or Undercover Books. www,ValerieSims.com/ www.VITransferCentennial.org www.Facebook.com/USVITransferCentennial/

The St. Thomas Harbor is one of the most important commercial ports in the West Indies of the 1800s. The harbor was a free port. Traffic there was extensive because of its good situation & fine facilities. It was popular among merchants & trading companies for its good facilities: the West Indies’ largest floating dock, good machine shops, clear channel marking, & inexpensive harbor fees. But it was also notorious for 2 problems: hurricanes & diseases, particularly yellow fever & cholera. In the 1800s, an average of 2,000–3,000 ships came annually to St. Thomas. In the 1860s, this increased to 4,600 annually. About half of the tall ships arrived from Caribbean ports & a quarter from European ports. Vessels under the Danish flag made up a smaller share. In the 1820s, it was 23%; in the final year before the sale in 1917, it was only 13%. Most ships in the 1820s sailed under an American flag, but in the 1910s British ships had become completely dominant. The vessels in the harbor became larger. In the 1st half of the 1800s, the average tonnage increased from 60 to 100 metric tons. From the 1820s to 1916, the total tonnage increased from 150,000 to 900,000 metric tons annually. In 1823, the first steamship ever put in to St. Thomas was a small North American steamer. From the 1860s onward, steamships came to the fore in earnest. In 1864 they accounted for 10% of the tonnage in the port. In order to hold their own in international competition, extensive improvements were made to the harbor by the Danes at the start of the 1900s. The basin was deepened, wharves were constructed & conditions were generally improved. There were great expectations for the increased traffic that would pass the Danish colony on the way to & from the newly-opened Panama Canal. However, the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 frustrated all expectations, & the colony was sold to the USA in 1917.

Main Street traverses east-west through Charlotte Amalie, on St. Thomas, parallel to the Waterfront to the South. As the capital and the largest city of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie was founded in 1666 as Taphus (meaning "beer houses" or "beer halls"). The Main Street, the main tourist shopping center, is known for its Danish colonial architecture, building structure and history, with streets and places throughout the city with Danish names. Charlotte Amalie has many residential buildings and stores of historical importance, with several of them on Main Street. During the time of the Danish West Indies (1754–1917), the city was known as Taphus for its many beer halls. Taphus is Danish and directly translates to "beer houses", "beer halls", or (most literally) "taphouse". In 1691 the town received a more respectable name by being named Amalienborg (in English Charlotte Amalie) in honor of Danish King Christian V’s wife, Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (1650–1714). Between 1921 and 1936, the city was named St. Thomas. In 1936 it was renamed Charlotte Amalie.

Main Street traverses east-west through Charlotte Amalie, on St. Thomas, parallel to the Waterfront to the South. As the capital and the largest city of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie was founded in 1666 as Taphus (meaning "beer houses" or "beer halls"). The Main Street, the main tourist shopping center, is known for its Danish colonial architecture, building structure and history, with streets and places throughout the city with Danish names. Charlotte Amalie has many residential buildings and stores of historical importance, with several of them on Main Street. Before the time of the Danish West Indies (1754–1917), the city was known as Taphus for its many beer halls. Taphus is Danish and directly translates to "beer houses", "beer halls", or (most literally) "taphouse". Therefore, in today's episode, we shall attempt to continue our tour of Main Street from the Rothschild Francis Square to The Alvaro de Lugo Post Office, also known as the Emancipation Garden Post Office. Additionally, we have some relevant tidbits and surprises. March is designated as Virgin Islands History Month. This month is also the month when the Virgin Islands celebrate its centennial under the American flag. Dr. Denise Bennerson, a resident of Frederiksted, St. Croix, has created a United States Virgin Islands 100 Years Commemorative Pin as a keepsake and souvenir to commemorate this historical event. This limited-edition pin displays the Denmark Flag, the US Virgin Islands Flag, and United States Flag along with the shaking of hands to represent the current friendship between all places. To get your limited-edition United States Virgin Islands 100 Years Commemorative Pin while they last, go to https://goo.gl/fJfKyK

Main Street traverses east-west through Charlotte Amalie, on St. Thomas, parallel to the Waterfront to the South. As the capital and the largest city of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie was founded in 1666 as Taphus (meaning "beer houses" or "beer halls"). The Main Street, the main tourist shopping center, is known for its Danish colonial architecture, building structure and history, with streets and places throughout the city with Danish names. Charlotte Amalie has many residential buildings and stores of historical importance, with several of them on Main Street. Before the time of the Danish West Indies (1754–1917), the city was known as Taphus for its many beer halls. Taphus is Danish and directly translates to "beer houses", "beer halls", or (most literally) "taphouse". In 1691 the town received a more respectable name by being named Amalienborg (in English Charlotte Amalie) in honor of Danish King Christian V’s wife, Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (1650–1714). Between 1921 and 1936, the city was named St. Thomas. In 1936 it was renamed Charlotte Amalie.

Join us as we continue our stroll down the middle section of Main Street, also known by its Danish name, Dronningens Gade. First, a brief history Saint Thomas, particularly its capital city of Charlotte Amalie: After it became a free port, the island experienced palmy days during the second half of the 18th century as a regional shipping center. A significant amount of exchange of goods took place via the large merchant houses along Dronningens Gade. Shipping from Denmark fluctuated heavily along with world economic trends. Between 1755 and 1838 an average of 53 expeditions per year were sent from the home country to the Danish West Indies. Almost every ship took a direct course across the Atlantic, while just a very few sailed along the triangular route. After the British occupations of the islands ended in 1815, their trade and shipping soon prospered again. Partly thanks to the intense traffic to and from the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies in South America, which achieved freedom around 1820, partly due to the increasing trade and shipping with the United States, further promoted by the commercial treaty which was signed by the 2 countries in 1826. However, the decisive breakthrough for the port came when the British post packet boats began to put in to Saint Thomas from 1835. It was simply the most conveniently situated Caribbean harbor for ships coming from Europe, and a very well equipped port with floating dock, repairing shops, lighthouses, bunker facilities, etc. From 1839 onwards steamships made their entry with a vengeance, because the British Royal Mail from that year onwards began to send its many post steamers directly from Southampton to Saint Thomas. The Danish harbor thus became the center of the Royal Mail’s extensive activities in the Caribbean. Soon bunker coal became one of the harbor’s most important products. 

Come with us as we stroll down the middle section of Main Street, also known by its Danish name, Dronningens Gade. Let us turn our attention to a brief history Saint Thomas, particularly its capital city of Charlotte Amalie, for a moment. After being turned into a free port, the island experienced palmy days during the second half of the eighteenth century as a regional shipping center. Furthermore, a significant amount of exchange of goods took place via the large merchant houses of Charlotte Amalie. Shipping from Denmark fluctuated heavily along with world economic trends. Between 1755 and 1838 an average of 53 expeditions per year were sent from the home country to the Danish West Indies. Almost every ship took a direct course across the Atlantic, while just a very few sailed along the triangular route. After the British occupations of the islands were over in 1815, their trade and shipping soon prospered again. Partly thanks to the intense traffic to and from the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies in South America, which achieved freedom around 1820, partly due to the increasing trade and shipping with the United States, further promoted by the commercial treaty which was signed by the 2 countries in 1826. However, the decisive breakthrough for the port came when the British post packet boats began to put in to Saint Thomas from 1835. It was simply the most conveniently situated Caribbean harbor for ships coming from Europe, and a very well equipped port with floating dock, repairing shops, lighthouses, bunker facilities, etc. From 1839 onwards steamships made their entry with a vengeance, because the British Royal Mail from that year onwards began to send its many post steamers directly from Southampton to Saint Thomas. The Danish harbour thus became the centre of the Royal Mail’s extensive activities in the Caribbean. Soon 1 of the harbour’s most important products became bunker coal. 

Albert Edward Daniel, a native of St. Thomas and the son of Lucy Ann & Charles Daniel, of Charlotte Amalie, was born on May 16, 1897 in the then Danish West Indies. He lived all his life on St. Thomas. Although he had no formal training in the field of Art, he became a self-taught artist and sculptor with an original approach to his subject matter. It is significantly coincidental that he should have spent his early years living in the same house at 14 Dronnigens Gade in which houses the Enid M. Baa Public Library & Archives. Joseph Patrick Gimenez, born March 17, 1893 on St. Thomas, obtained his early formal education at the local grammar school and the Convent of La Sainte Union de Sacre Coeur on St. Thomas. In 1914 when he began writing poetry, he wrote his first poems in Spanish & published many of them in the Dominican papers. He later became known as "The Virgin Islands Mystic Poet". Canada Lee, the adopted name of Lionel Cornelius Canegata, was a noted 20th Century jockey, boxer, & actor. Born on May 3, 1907 in New York City’s San Juan Hill district, he attended Public School 5 in Harlem. He began his musical education at the age of 7, studying violin with the composer, J. Rosamond Johnson. At the age of 14 he ran away to the Saratoga Race Track in upstate New York to become a jockey. After 2 years of jockeying he became a horse exerciser for prominent racehorse owners. Camille Pissarro (10 July 1830 – 13 November 1903) was a Danish-French Impressionist & Neo-Impressionist painter born on the island of St Thomas in the Danish West Indies, now the US Virgin Islands. His importance resides in his contributions to both Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. Pissarro studied from great forerunners, including Gustave Courbet & Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot. He later studied & worked alongside Georges Seurat and Paul Signac when he took on the Neo-Impressionist style at the age of 54.

Water Island is the smallest of the main US Virgin Islands, and that’s what gives it its charm. Rather than shops and restaurants, it’s the thatched cabanas and lazy vibe of idyllic beaches like Honeymoon Beach that are its main draw. Away from the beach, you can tour the underground tunnels and watchtowers of Fort Segarra, built during WWII. Getting around the island is best by bicycle or golfcart. Around 160 people are fortunate enough to live on Water Island, but the volcanic island remains undeveloped.Facilities are limited to a few food outlets, dive shops and charters, a beach bar, fishing operator, & ferry dock. The US Virgin Island’s 4th island, Water Island only joined the group relatively recently, in 1996, and so far it’s kept its low-key atmosphere & local character. A 10-minute ferry ride from Charlotte Amalie, it lies southwest of the capital in the harbor, adjacent to Hassel Island. Virgin Islands Campground is an eco-sensitive resort with self-contained cottages set on pristine, 500-acre Water Island, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Known for its natural charm, Water Island is a secluded getaway that should be at the top of your Caribbean vacation list. Spend a quiet day looking out over the ocean from your cottage’s private terrace.  A leisure 5-minute walk to idyllic Honeymoon Beach will have you snorkeling & sunbathing. In need of even more adventure? Visit rugged and secluded Limestone Bay, also just a quick trek down from your cabin. View "Tour of Water Island" on YouTube featuring Africah Harrigan and Alex Randall. Visit www.viator.com/ and www.virginislandscampground.com/

The Step Street Project of the St. Thomas Historical Trust has the objective of raising public awareness as to the historical value and uniqueness of Charlotte Amalie’s 45 step streets, and to initiate and coordinate programs to renovate, restore and maintain these valuable historical and cultural objects as present day working infrastructure, of benefit to the community. Over the years many of these step streets, although used daily by hundreds of Virgin Islanders on their way to school, work, and their personal business, have been allowed to run down and in some cases are severely decayed due to neglect and lack of maintenance. On the other hand those step streets that have been kept up such as the well known “99 steps” are a source of pride in their community and are well known island wide. These few examples also serve as a model as to what may be achieved by beautification and restoration of these fine examples of our public architectural heritage. The intention of the St Thomas Historical Trust is to partner with the various communities and community organizations and on a phased basis restore, renovate and beautify about 3 to 5 step streets per year. In the first round of restorations we will be partnering with “My Brothers Workshop”, MBW. They have been working with at risk young men and women in the community by teaching them building and construction skills. MBW have been active in restoring a number of historical buildings will training the youngsters in construction and social work skills. The restoration process being contemplated will replace broken bricks, archways and entrance columns, ensuring compliance to the historical specifications. ~ Courtesy of the St. Thomas Historical Trust

Travel with Africah, the newest of the endeavors of Africah Harrigan, is a weekly blog that features activities, events, and fun things that she has done while traveling. Throughout her years of traveling, Africah has often found that people are a lot more enthusiastic to explore or try new things once they venture out from their hometown. However, they are the same people, who often overlook the beauty and attractions of their hometown and will probably opt to remain homebodies or follow a daily routine. Whether you are a traveler or not, her philosophy is to “Live Life like a Tourist!” No matter where you are. By this, she means to explore new activities, attend a variety of events, or tantalize your taste buds with a new delicacy. Each place is unique. For instance, you can drive on a highway in Portland, Oregon that is parallel to snow-capped mountains, or drive alongside the aqua blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean on the waterfront in downtown Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands! Sit back, relax and join the journey with her. . . . . . . . . . . Africah Harrigan is a television personality who has hosted several television programs, recorded voiceovers for radio and television commercials, and has represented businesses as an on-camera spokesperson. When she is not working, she enjoys sharing her travel experiences. To find out more visit www.AfricahHarrigan.com

"Hassel Island is a small island of the U.S. Virgin Islands, a United States territory located in the Caribbean Sea. Hassel Island lies in the Charlotte Amalie harbor just south of Saint Thomas and east of Water Island." ~  Wikipedia  Originally, Hassel Island was a peninsula. In the 1860s, the Danish government separated the land from mainland St. Thomas with the hopes of creating better water circulation in the harbor.  The earliest documentation of the ownership of Hassel Island is under the name “Estate Orkanshullet”.  This Danish name is translated to “Hurricane Hole”. Today, the island is named after James Hazzell, who purchased the land in 1784 and whose family maintained a presence on the land until the 20th century.  There are many alternate spellings of the family name. Explore this site to learn about Hassel’s rich history, the many unique sites on the island, and the constant conservation, preservation, and interpretation efforts made by the National Park Service, the St. Thomas Historical Trust, and dedicated community members. http://www.hasselisland.org/

And the discussion about St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands in the days of the Danish West Indies, starting at Fort Christian. Come on! Follow us as Dr. Richardson takes us on a tour of the city of Charlotte Amalie, starting at Fort Christian.  If you listened last week, come with your answer. You might just be surprised! Mainly, we encourage you to call in at 347-237-4374 with your questions, answers, or comments.

Justin A. Petty, born May 7, 1971 in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, is the middle child of ten children. He grew up in Charlotte Amalie where he began playing music at an early age. In 1984, he joined the Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra where he played the guitar pan before switching to the tenor or lead pan one year later. Following graduation from Charlotte Aamlie High School, Justin earned a Bachelor Degree in Music Production and Engineering from Berklee College of Music in 1993 and a Master of Science Degree in Broadcast Administration/Television Management from Boston University.   In addition to co-founding Pan Loco Steel Band with Bob Lucas, Justin also writes for and directs several larger steel orchestras in New England. These included  Branches Pan Groove Steel Orchestra (under his musical direction Branches won the Panorama competition in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002). In 1999 he helped form the Crystal Panjammers Youth Steel Band on Massachusetts’ North Shore. In 2002 he formed the Celestial Infernos Youth Steel Band of St. Cyprians Episcopal Church in Roxbury, MA. He has given lectures on the origin and evolution of the steel pan at universities and colleges throughout the Northeast and in the US Virgin Islands. He has had the distinguished opportunity to perform with muscial guru such as Aldwyn "Lord Kitchener" Roberts on several occasions. Visit Justin on Facebook by clicking here.

As an invited guest on Ms. J's show, I will simulcast the interview as we speak about a  topic near and dear to her heart, effective parenting. You won't want to miss this unique event! "The Ms. J Show" with Ms. J who takes calls from those who need to talk to her about personal issues. The lines are open to you. Ms. J. has been in St. Thomas since 1967.  She has always had some television or radio show going and hers are usually controversial. Using the media of radio and TV, Ms J speaks up for the underdog while reminding us always be true to ourselves.  The founder of "Business on the Move", Ms J has been a member of the Rotary 2 in Charlotte Amalie and a sponsor of the Special Olympics in the Virgin Islands.

Meet and chat with Soraya Diase Coffelt, lawyer, former judge, small business owner, wife, mother, and caregiver as she enters the race for Governor of the Virgin Islands. Born on St. Thomas to lower-middle class parents, Soraya lived with her family above their small business, known as The London Store, a general store located in the Down Street area of Charlotte Amalie. Her parents had previously lived on the islands of Tortola and St. Croix, and has had businesses there as well. "Children and education are at the top of the list", she said, and she spent a good portion of her speech talking about illiteracy and poverty. “I want to be known, and I will earn the distinction of being your education governor,” she said. “I will make a major push in our education system to have students taught not only what they need to learn if they want to attend college, but also employable job skills, so that they can get a job immediately when they graduate from high school.” If you're concerned about the future of the Virgin Islands, this is a show and candidate you won't want to miss. In the meanwhile, view her on YouTube by clipping on the link below.                  http://youtu.be/vMzgozsxdw4.