Tropical Winds

Call me a ham, but I love it when my readers write. 'Dear Geno,' the email begins. 'I have enjoyed reading about your experiences gambling in the Caribbean. While I have never been on an island -- I live in Nebraska -- the thought of visiting a tropical island has always been in my mind. Now I am finally able to make the cruise. I am getting married in January and my new bride and I are traveling to St. Kitts for our honeymoon! Tell me what things we can do and what to expect when we get there. We are not gamblers, but there is a chance we will visit the casino just for the experience.' Robert B., Omaha, Ne.

Robert and his wife are in for a lot of fun.

Since this is his first experience on a tropical island, I am going to lay out the scenario for what he and his bride can expect. Traveling from the harsh January weather in Nebraska to the sunny shores of St. Kitts will be something they will long remember.

St. Kitts was originally known as St. Christopher, named after the man who discovered the island, Christopher Columbus. When Columbus approached the island and Nevis, he thought the clouds circling the top of an extinct volcano was snow, and so he named the island Nevis, which means snow in Italian.

When your ship docks at one of the harbors in Basseterre, the island capital, and you go ashore, you will be surrounded by colorful smiling people who will offer you everything from a taxi to Carib, the island beer. Some may slyly try to see if you are interested in sampling the local ganja.

If you're lucky, there may be a group of traveling musicians playing steel drums since steel band music is popular on the island. There are many colorful buildings along the street next to the harbor that house bars or restaurants, and I can vouch for the food. It's good.

Downtown Basseterre is full of activity. The large pink building is government headquarters where the Prime Minister meets daily with his many ministers to run the island's business. Just around the corner from government headquarters is a popular pizza outlet where you can sample the best pizza you have ever eaten. It's freshly homemade and beats anything I have tried in Chicago or New York.

The taxicabs are reasonable, but it's more fun to ride the mini-buses. Many of them have their own names scrawled in bright colors. The fares are very low and they will take you on an unforgettable trip around the island.

One of the favorite tourist destinations is Brimstone Hill, a fort that once defended St. Kitts from its enemies. The fort is open daily to tourists and sports a stunning view of the ocean.

I would advise you to either take a bus or rent a car and drive it around St. Kitts. You'll want to take a camera since there are many lovely views to take photos that you can show to relatives and friends when you get back home.

If you are a fisherman, the fishing is excellent. You can either fish along the beach or rent a fishing vessel at a reasonable cost. You won't return to shore empty-handed.

Robert says he is not a gambler, but I would still recommend a visit to Jack Tar Village and the Marriott Casino. It's elegant, the food is fantastic, and he might get lucky. The casino operates from noon onward and closes sometime after midnight.

If Robert and his wife are dining at a café and a group of people come snaking by to the sound of music, I would recommend they stop eating and join the crowd.

This in island parlance is known as 'liming.' Somebody will start it up, people will join, and they will snake dance sometimes for miles before the dance breaks up. It's part of island culture. It's part of island life.

Along the roads people will sell homemade drinks, some of them alcoholic, fruits, vegetables and trinkets. It would be nice if you would buy some of these items, not just as something to remember, but to boost the local economy.

One place you must stop in the evening is the Ocean Terrace Inn. This is a popular night spot that has one of the best steel bands in the Caribbean. The band plays at the top of the inn where you can see the ships at sea and feel the tropical winds on your face. That is a feeling you will retain for as long as you live.