59) Martinique

Marina du Bakoua, Pointe du Bout, Martinique

14° 33.382 N 61° 03.265 W

I picked up my laundry this morning.  It was the size of a large sleeping bag and cost 60 Euros!  That is about $71 USD!  This place is way too expensive.  The same load in Gibraltar cost 10 Euros.  At least I have a clean load of sheets, blanket and clothes that will last me about 2-4 weeks. 

I met up with Clive and Rhonda at 9:15am at the pool this morning.  We planned to go on a very long drive today to sight-see.  Since I was flush with Euros I was able to splurge and get some pastries at the local bakery.  Mmm, donuts.  We planned to make a large circuitous route up the west side, thru the middle and then back down thru the middle of the island.  Food, small towns and tourist attractions were on the list.  I’m not sure of all the names of the places but generally know the location. 

Where Josephine was baptized.

At the restaurant for lunch we were served bread and water to start.  I always expect at least butter or oil or something.  Uh, uh.  Not here.

Saint Pierre.

The steps led up to the ruins of a theater originally built in 1786.  Several renovations and huge loans the management was unable to pay in 1900 led to the closing of the theater in 1901, just a year before the tragedy.  Directly to the left was the site of the prison where a tenant became famous as the sole survivor of the eruption.  There is speculation that Louis Cyparis was perhaps not the sole survivor of the catastrophe, but his destiny led him to be presented as such as a part of the American Barnum’s Circus.  The thickness of the walls of his cell was believed to have saved his life.  The eruption in 1902 of Montagne Pelée caused not lava to flow downward but a gaseous cloud with debris at a rate of 250 mph.  This cloud is what killed approximately 30,000 people.

   

Montagne Pelée in the background enshrouded by clouds as taken from the main entrance to the theater.

 

  

Theater and prison remains, respectfully. 

 

After touring this town on foot we wanted to visit one of the many rhum distilleries on our way to the mountain.  The Depaz Distillery self-guided tour was fantastic.  All the signage included English and the footpath was laid out very well.  The ambiance of the plantation imparted decades of history.  And of course, the tour ended in the gift shop.  We did our part to relieve them of a couple shots at the tasting bar and a couple bottles for the road.  Mine will go home with Clive so as to prevent it from evaporating as we go southwest.  I learned the value of high quality rhum and am sad that at home we are force-fed poor quality stuff and look forward to savoring the good stuff.

 

The water that runs across this plantation is plentiful and pure.  They still use it to generate all the electricity needed for the property.  Due to the quality of the water the quality of the rhum is one of the highest.  Agriculture in this particular area benefits greatly from the natural terrain and is an obvious reason for the length of its success.  

 

We decided to go to a restaurant that Rhonda found in a guidebook that was located in
Anse A L’Ane, a couple miles south of where we were staying.  The signs on this island make it very difficult to find things when they are missing.  We could not find the place and while standing on the curb in front of another restaurant on the beach a guy comes out.  He’s all smiles while speaking French to us.  Clive tried to respond and then the guy responds in French and slides into perfect English.  He was just messing with us.  We asked him for directions to the place we were looking for and he says it was closed.  But, my place is open.  Uh, huh.  So we went in and had a great meal.  The atmosphere was peaceful and the food was very non-French which made it all the more enjoyable.  We’ll never know if the other place really is closed or not.