Dave and Janis' Caribbean Crusade!

And now for the much anticipated (by my parents) blog devoted entirely to the visit of my Mom and Dad to our beloved Island of St. Kitts!  Be prepared; it's going to be a long one!

My parents - Janis (Mom) and Dave (Dad) arrived on Sunday, February 13th to the Robert L. Bradshaw Airport in St. Kitts.  They were greeted by Andee, myself, and Jamal (our car), who had trouble fitting all four of us, four suitcases, and 3 carry-ons inside!  It was a bit of a bumpy ride, but we eventually made it back to the Crackhouses - Home sweet Home!   My parents loved our apartment, and couldn't understand why they were nicknamed the Crackhouses in the first place! (maybe it's because white powder appears on your clothing when you lean against the side of the building?)  We all quickly changed into our bathing suits, and headed out to our first excursion!

Andee and I decided to take my parents to Shipwreck Beach on the first day because they boast a live band on Sunday evenings.  Jamal barely made the trek up the massive hill with numerous potholes, but it was well worth it!  We stopped along the way to get some scenic pictures of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, which turned out amazing!  At Shipwreck, we saw a ton of monkeys, visited the beach for the first time (my parents stuck out like a sore thumb due to their pasty skin), ate some delicious burgers and fries, and enjoyed some live Caribbean music - a perfect start to our week!

The next day, Monday, just happened to be Valentines Day!  With that in mind, we decided to take a "Catamaran Cruise" of the Island!  What made it even better was that Andee was able to join us for this one!  On the Catamaran, we enjoyed an open bar and Caribbean style lunch, as well as some amazing snorkeling!  This was definitely one of the highlights of our trip!  And in true Canadian fashion, even through spf 60 sunscreen, we all managed to get sunburned!  Overall, a wonderful St. Kitts experience for my parents!

After the catamaran, we showed my parents Port Zante and Downtown Basseterre, and they bought a couple souvenirs!  A little different than shopping at home!

That evening we has a "romantic" spaghetti dinner at the apartment, and then headed out to the Piano Bar at the Marriott!  My parents (especially my Dad) really enjoyed the music, as well as the free drinks! (that's right!)  We would have liked to have gone back again, but had trouble fitting it in!

On Tuesday, I took my parents to the infamous "Rituals Coffee Shop" so that they could try a much anticipated doughnut - and it certainly did not disappoint!  We also checked out the two tourist shops and the Rams Express next door, which would be visited multiple times throughout the week!

Most of the day was spent at the Marriott beach (a reoccurring theme throughout the trip) where my parents and I were able to soak up the sun (with our 60 spf sunscreen of course!)

That evening we attended a local restaurant located on The Strip called Cathy's.  Andee and I tried the lobster (my first time eating it - it was fantastic!) and my parents had barbecue chicken and ribs!  The sides were very local (or Native...Mom) and the entire meal was very delicious!

We followed up the meal with Trivia Night at Bamboo Lounge, which swiftly increased Dad's ego when he answered four questions right in the "Music" category, bumping us into Fourth Place - our best finish yet!  He couldn't have been happier with his contribution, and we were glad to be out of our usual last place finish!  Another great day in St. Kitts!

On Wednesday, we enjoyed some more beach time, and an excellent lunch at the Bohemia Pool and Beach Bar, consisting of Caribbean wraps and Crunchy Chicken Sandwiches!  Andee joined us for this deliciousness, but then continued to study as we sunbathed for the remainder of the afternoon - what a dedicated student!  We took it easy that night, with a home-cooked dinner and an early bedtime for all of us!  St. Kitts can really tire you out!

Thursday during the day included more beach time, a Marriott Photo Shoot (of course), and Marriott fries for lunch!  The ocean was wavy and fun, and the pool was calm and exciting with music, the pool bar, and lots of tourists!

Thursday evening we visited the ever popular Shiggity Shack for dinner, as well as to witness the Amazing Blazing Fire Man and Bonfire, as well as some more music!  It was a great time filled with fish burgers, fire, and some amazing sunsets!  A very Caribbean-esque evening!

Friday consisted of beach time at both the Marriott and The Strip (we decided to venture out a little) and more delicious food at the Shiggity Shack!  We also visited the Marriott in the evening to listen to the live band in the lobby!  It was a lot of fun, with a very local atmosphere!

On Saturday, we finally made it to the Marriott Breakfast Buffet - an amazing food experience at the Marriott!  We all ate way too much, and certainly enjoyed our meal!

That evening, (after some more beach time) we went to a restaurant that Andee and I had never been to before - and it was amazing!  It is called Sunset Cafe, located on The Strip, and the food, service, and overall atmosphere of the restaurant was just amazing!  It was probably the best meal we had the whole week, and so was a great experience for my parents' last night in St. Kitts!  Andee and I will definitely be returning for a date night!

On Sunday we woke up slow, and my parents packed their bags to go back to the cold and snow.  They clearly were not happy with this idea, and so Mom decided to enroll Dad in Medical School so that she could hang out with me all day at the beach!  Dad was not at all thrilled with this decision!

Taking my parents back to the airport was the worst part of the whole trip, because we knew they were heading back to the cold and back to work!  Fortunately for us, there is still lots of time for skyping!  Unfortunately for them, the beach can not be experienced through skype!

Today, Monday, is an overcast and cool(ish) day, which is fine by me, as I am burnt to a crisp!  Andee and I had a great time with my Parents, and I know they had an amazing time with us and enjoying St. Kitts!  And who knows....maybe they will be back again this year to enjoy the tropical weather!  We all sure hope so!