FutureCEO
Well-Known Member
Heres a story about people vacationing in the Carribean when Pirates was filming.
Treasured island
A brush with 'Pirates' adds to the bounty of Caribbean paradise
By JAN NORRIS
NEWS SERVICE
Young Island, St. Vincent and the Grenadines -- We were expecting Mick Jagger. We had been told he frequented the bar on a nearby island. We had cameras loaded and ready.
Instead, we got Johnny Depp, the star of one of the summer's hot movies, "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl."
Better yet: We got up close and personal with the movie's other stars, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush and the quieter Jonathan Pryce.
All this was in Fantasyland -- not at Disney World, but the real thing: The West Indies island of St. Vincent. It's where Disney filmed the blockbuster movie. I was part of a lucky, small group invited by a friend to exclusive Young Island, a rustic resort on a tiny island off the leeward coast of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The trip itself was like winning the Lotto. Would I like to go to the West Indies, first class, all expenses paid, for a week in the wintertime as a surprise for my friend's 50th birthday?
Oh, gee, let me think about it for the next four seconds.
Twelve of us shared the party, and it was everything a 50th -- or any birthday -- should be: A week on Young Island, a resort where only 30 rooms are available; no TV, no radio, no phone, computer or pager -- no indication you have a working life.
Just the warm, blue-green Caribbean lapping at the shore, and mountains and groves of coconut trees and hillsides of green in the distance under bright blue skies.
Living on island time
There really is island time. Breakfast, lunch and dinner at leisure -- in your room if you like. You swim -- or wade -- to a bar off the beach for your afternoon rum runner. A waiter brings out five kinds of tropical breads on a long board at every meal. Most meals are served in tiki huts near the beach. Candlelight makes everything romantic, especially with the moon reflected on the Caribbean a few yards away and tree frogs singing the music, one note at a time.
After doing nothing but lazing on the beach or dipping in the natural pool all day, you shower under the stars. Then you're sung to sleep by bird calls and more frogs, who seem tuned to a magic slumber pitch.
Our host also had arranged for us, at the resort's special package price, two days of sailing on sleep-aboard boats to the nearby islands of Bequia and Mustique -- the latter where Queen Elizabeth II's sister Margaret had a house, and where Jagger, Rod Stewart and other famous Brits are said to have hideaways.
Could this trip be any more surreal? Sure: The moment we found out Depp and the rest of the cast were staying at Young Island. They were already a couple of months into the filming of "Pirates" when we arrived.
Depp kept to himself, but Bloom seemed to enjoy the scene, happily posing for pictures for our starstruck group. Rush liked the birthday girl's party music, and ate a slice of the birthday cake (I made sure he got a fluffy icing flower). He, too, was gracious and friendly.
But who wouldn't be? The sheer beauty of the surroundings made for an island with only happy guests.
Disney scouts must have seen the same magic: Much of the Grenadines remain undeveloped and appear as they did when the British were sailing the high seas to establish their empire. Were there really pirates here? You bet. Capt. Bligh had intended St. Vincent for his stop when his crew mutinied on the HMS Bounty.
Lush landscape
St. Vincent is one of a string of the Windward Islands in the southern Caribbean that includes Barbados.
Originally inhabited by the Ciboney and Arawak Indians, the islands eventually gave way to the more aggressive Carib Indians, who managed to fight off the Brits until the 1800s. The island was a British colony until 1979, when it won its independence. Britain's influence is still evident however; pound sterling is still the accepted currency and much of the trade and tourism on the island is with Europe.
Legend has it that Young Island, about 200 yards off the coast of St. Vincent, was traded to Sir William Young, one of the British governors, for his horse. The stallion was coveted by Chief Joseph Chatoyer, the last great Carib ruler. The 35-acre island remained pristine through the years, and was used as a beach playground for the ruling governor general of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
A Canadian, Charles McCulloch, leased it, and built 25 of the resort's cottages in the 1970s; five more were added by current owner Vidal Browne in the 1980s.
Young Island, like St. Vincent, is volcanic rock, and accessible only by water. And though it's within swimming distance of St. Vincent, two water taxis (built like Bogart's African Queen) keep guests dry. The main bar and restaurant at the island's resort are open to the public, as are the beaches, but security keeps the remainder of the lush resort off limits except to guests.
The cottages are quaint -- seven are interspersed along the beach; the rest dot the hillside, set among the towering coconut, ficus and banyan trees to provide privacy. Tiled floors, banks of windows and ceiling fans help keep the rooms cool (only a couple have air conditioning). Since you are only 13 degrees north of the equator, temperatures can be positively mean in the summertime. The sun in winter, as I painfully discovered, can be deceptively scorching despite the moderate temperatures.
The showers in the cottages are outside the rooms, screened by cedar paneling. They're built for two, adding to the natural romance of the place. Nature is given its due here; minimal paths have been drawn for cabin access; the pool has sea water; parrots, peacocks, iguanas and agoutis -- which looks like a cross between a rabbit and a guinea pig -- thrive in the landscape.
Tucked on one of the hillsides is a clay tennis court for the active types. A lagoon-style saltwater pool is shallow enough for youngsters.
For more activities, you can arrange trips around St. Vincent.
A water taxi away
Snorkeling, diving, sailing and fishing trips in nearby waters can be arranged through the office at Young Island. Likewise for car rentals for exploring and shopping on St. Vincent. (There are no shops on Young Island and no transport except a golf cart, mostly for moving supplies.)
Duty-free shopping and an open-air farmers market are in downtown Kingstown, the hub of St. Vincent. Pubs and restaurants ring the area as well.
Guided tours are available through the Botanical Garden, said to be the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. There you can learn about the island's prized crop, breadfruit. Fort Charlotte, still bearing cannons from King George III's day, figures prominently in the "Pirates" movie. It's on most of the guided tour routes and is not to be missed. (Be aware that getting there up, the mountain on a one-lane road, with goats, people and other cars as possible road hazards, can be a thrill ride like Disney only dreams of.)
To get deeper into the natural beauty, eco-tour groups can take you to waterfalls, caves on which petroglyphs have been uncovered, bird watching (St. Vincent has its own wild parrot) in the Vermont Nature Trails and into the rain forests. A tour of the active volcano Soufriere is a must; it's still under study by scientists since its last eruption in 1979.
'A pirate's life for me'
A few from our group spent a day snorkeling and touring along the leeward coast, where we encountered the Disney set during filming. One of our guests was a set builder for films and television in New York, and was able to explain many of the curious features dotting the beach and docks: hot-air balloons for lighting, wires strung from cliff to shore for cameras, and prop specifics of the giant boat "stage" that made up the Black Pearl pirate ship.
We saw explosions and smoke that would show up in the movie as cannon fire from aboard the pirate ships, and saw in very real detail the gruesome dead pirates swinging from a yardarm -- a scene that opens the movie. (The one anachronistic giveaway: The pirates looked years old while the rope was nearly new.)
It was a jolt moving from the fake sets and high-tech action onshore, to the underwater quiet of snorkeling on a nearby reef, then to the natural beauty of the Falls of Baleine.
A natural fantasyland
The falls, accessible only by boat, are set back into the cliffs. A new dock and boardwalk have been constructed for much of the way in. Still, walking here with waves breaking over the boards and rocks is tricky business -- but the result is worth the slip-and-fall risk. The falls have formed a lagoon perfect for an ice-water swim after the sun on the ocean.
Our guide had a tough time rounding everyone up again; we were reluctant to leave this achingly beautiful slice of paradise.
A promise of food got us moving. We ate at the Carib-inspired Buccama on the Bay, a new restaurant with fine dining at night and a very nice fresh fish lunch for tour groups.
After a short hike up the cliff behind the restaurant, we saw the petroglyphs carved centuries ago into the side of a cave, by whom it's only a guess. It was a fascinating look at a form of recorded history.
A fireworks show on Young Island's beach for the birthday girl, again arranged by our host, capped our stay.
Then again, every visit to Fantasyland ends in fireworks -- doesn't it?
Original publication date: Aug. 17, 2003.
Treasured island
A brush with 'Pirates' adds to the bounty of Caribbean paradise
By JAN NORRIS
NEWS SERVICE
Young Island, St. Vincent and the Grenadines -- We were expecting Mick Jagger. We had been told he frequented the bar on a nearby island. We had cameras loaded and ready.
Instead, we got Johnny Depp, the star of one of the summer's hot movies, "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl."
Better yet: We got up close and personal with the movie's other stars, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush and the quieter Jonathan Pryce.
All this was in Fantasyland -- not at Disney World, but the real thing: The West Indies island of St. Vincent. It's where Disney filmed the blockbuster movie. I was part of a lucky, small group invited by a friend to exclusive Young Island, a rustic resort on a tiny island off the leeward coast of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The trip itself was like winning the Lotto. Would I like to go to the West Indies, first class, all expenses paid, for a week in the wintertime as a surprise for my friend's 50th birthday?
Oh, gee, let me think about it for the next four seconds.
Twelve of us shared the party, and it was everything a 50th -- or any birthday -- should be: A week on Young Island, a resort where only 30 rooms are available; no TV, no radio, no phone, computer or pager -- no indication you have a working life.
Just the warm, blue-green Caribbean lapping at the shore, and mountains and groves of coconut trees and hillsides of green in the distance under bright blue skies.
Living on island time
There really is island time. Breakfast, lunch and dinner at leisure -- in your room if you like. You swim -- or wade -- to a bar off the beach for your afternoon rum runner. A waiter brings out five kinds of tropical breads on a long board at every meal. Most meals are served in tiki huts near the beach. Candlelight makes everything romantic, especially with the moon reflected on the Caribbean a few yards away and tree frogs singing the music, one note at a time.
After doing nothing but lazing on the beach or dipping in the natural pool all day, you shower under the stars. Then you're sung to sleep by bird calls and more frogs, who seem tuned to a magic slumber pitch.
Our host also had arranged for us, at the resort's special package price, two days of sailing on sleep-aboard boats to the nearby islands of Bequia and Mustique -- the latter where Queen Elizabeth II's sister Margaret had a house, and where Jagger, Rod Stewart and other famous Brits are said to have hideaways.
Could this trip be any more surreal? Sure: The moment we found out Depp and the rest of the cast were staying at Young Island. They were already a couple of months into the filming of "Pirates" when we arrived.
Depp kept to himself, but Bloom seemed to enjoy the scene, happily posing for pictures for our starstruck group. Rush liked the birthday girl's party music, and ate a slice of the birthday cake (I made sure he got a fluffy icing flower). He, too, was gracious and friendly.
But who wouldn't be? The sheer beauty of the surroundings made for an island with only happy guests.
Disney scouts must have seen the same magic: Much of the Grenadines remain undeveloped and appear as they did when the British were sailing the high seas to establish their empire. Were there really pirates here? You bet. Capt. Bligh had intended St. Vincent for his stop when his crew mutinied on the HMS Bounty.
Lush landscape
St. Vincent is one of a string of the Windward Islands in the southern Caribbean that includes Barbados.
Originally inhabited by the Ciboney and Arawak Indians, the islands eventually gave way to the more aggressive Carib Indians, who managed to fight off the Brits until the 1800s. The island was a British colony until 1979, when it won its independence. Britain's influence is still evident however; pound sterling is still the accepted currency and much of the trade and tourism on the island is with Europe.
Legend has it that Young Island, about 200 yards off the coast of St. Vincent, was traded to Sir William Young, one of the British governors, for his horse. The stallion was coveted by Chief Joseph Chatoyer, the last great Carib ruler. The 35-acre island remained pristine through the years, and was used as a beach playground for the ruling governor general of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
A Canadian, Charles McCulloch, leased it, and built 25 of the resort's cottages in the 1970s; five more were added by current owner Vidal Browne in the 1980s.
Young Island, like St. Vincent, is volcanic rock, and accessible only by water. And though it's within swimming distance of St. Vincent, two water taxis (built like Bogart's African Queen) keep guests dry. The main bar and restaurant at the island's resort are open to the public, as are the beaches, but security keeps the remainder of the lush resort off limits except to guests.
The cottages are quaint -- seven are interspersed along the beach; the rest dot the hillside, set among the towering coconut, ficus and banyan trees to provide privacy. Tiled floors, banks of windows and ceiling fans help keep the rooms cool (only a couple have air conditioning). Since you are only 13 degrees north of the equator, temperatures can be positively mean in the summertime. The sun in winter, as I painfully discovered, can be deceptively scorching despite the moderate temperatures.
The showers in the cottages are outside the rooms, screened by cedar paneling. They're built for two, adding to the natural romance of the place. Nature is given its due here; minimal paths have been drawn for cabin access; the pool has sea water; parrots, peacocks, iguanas and agoutis -- which looks like a cross between a rabbit and a guinea pig -- thrive in the landscape.
Tucked on one of the hillsides is a clay tennis court for the active types. A lagoon-style saltwater pool is shallow enough for youngsters.
For more activities, you can arrange trips around St. Vincent.
A water taxi away
Snorkeling, diving, sailing and fishing trips in nearby waters can be arranged through the office at Young Island. Likewise for car rentals for exploring and shopping on St. Vincent. (There are no shops on Young Island and no transport except a golf cart, mostly for moving supplies.)
Duty-free shopping and an open-air farmers market are in downtown Kingstown, the hub of St. Vincent. Pubs and restaurants ring the area as well.
Guided tours are available through the Botanical Garden, said to be the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. There you can learn about the island's prized crop, breadfruit. Fort Charlotte, still bearing cannons from King George III's day, figures prominently in the "Pirates" movie. It's on most of the guided tour routes and is not to be missed. (Be aware that getting there up, the mountain on a one-lane road, with goats, people and other cars as possible road hazards, can be a thrill ride like Disney only dreams of.)
To get deeper into the natural beauty, eco-tour groups can take you to waterfalls, caves on which petroglyphs have been uncovered, bird watching (St. Vincent has its own wild parrot) in the Vermont Nature Trails and into the rain forests. A tour of the active volcano Soufriere is a must; it's still under study by scientists since its last eruption in 1979.
'A pirate's life for me'
A few from our group spent a day snorkeling and touring along the leeward coast, where we encountered the Disney set during filming. One of our guests was a set builder for films and television in New York, and was able to explain many of the curious features dotting the beach and docks: hot-air balloons for lighting, wires strung from cliff to shore for cameras, and prop specifics of the giant boat "stage" that made up the Black Pearl pirate ship.
We saw explosions and smoke that would show up in the movie as cannon fire from aboard the pirate ships, and saw in very real detail the gruesome dead pirates swinging from a yardarm -- a scene that opens the movie. (The one anachronistic giveaway: The pirates looked years old while the rope was nearly new.)
It was a jolt moving from the fake sets and high-tech action onshore, to the underwater quiet of snorkeling on a nearby reef, then to the natural beauty of the Falls of Baleine.
A natural fantasyland
The falls, accessible only by boat, are set back into the cliffs. A new dock and boardwalk have been constructed for much of the way in. Still, walking here with waves breaking over the boards and rocks is tricky business -- but the result is worth the slip-and-fall risk. The falls have formed a lagoon perfect for an ice-water swim after the sun on the ocean.
Our guide had a tough time rounding everyone up again; we were reluctant to leave this achingly beautiful slice of paradise.
A promise of food got us moving. We ate at the Carib-inspired Buccama on the Bay, a new restaurant with fine dining at night and a very nice fresh fish lunch for tour groups.
After a short hike up the cliff behind the restaurant, we saw the petroglyphs carved centuries ago into the side of a cave, by whom it's only a guess. It was a fascinating look at a form of recorded history.
A fireworks show on Young Island's beach for the birthday girl, again arranged by our host, capped our stay.
Then again, every visit to Fantasyland ends in fireworks -- doesn't it?
Original publication date: Aug. 17, 2003.
Wish I had the money for that sort of vacation, and it would have been insanely cool to have been there at that time.
But maybe next Monday....
:lol:
