St Thomas fast facts...

For you political junkies, we received 1.2 B from the Federal government which goes to St Thomas, St John and St Croix.
St Thomas has a population of approx. 52,000  AND for those 52K residents....there are 5 Post Offices....
The island is approximately 32 Sq Ft. = 13 miles long and  4 miles wide.
Charlotte Amalie is the main Harbor and where most of the Cruise Ships visit and if you are in harbor/Charlotte Amalie around 5-6 PM, you will hear the departing horn blow, notifying the "cruisers" time to go.... (or happy hour) that is why more than 1/2 of the city disappears and the shops close...at 5PM...When the Queen Mary 2 visits, she has to stay out away because the harbor will not accomodate the size. Cruisers  will have to be ferried in on small dingy's.
The cruise ship industry is a multi-million dollar industry here.

Duty free shopping = no sales tax....
No state income tax....
No passport needed....
If you choose to leave the island, 100 cigars and 5 cartons of ciggs may leave with you, a 5 pack of liquor or if the 6th is Cruzen rum (the island favorite), that may leave with you also....
Money = dollar for dollar the same....
Yea Mon - In Colonial times, Danish was the language of the elite, plantation mgrs. were often Scots or Irish, so English became our base language. Village Islanders greet each other with "Good morning", "afternoon", or "night". More smiles or acknowledgements will come from that instead of "hi"! I have found this to be true working my retail job....really true!

US territory = American citizens, however residents of American Territories are denied the priviledge of voting for President. The Islanders are represented in Washington by locally elected officials. We were here for this years election, and they really get into these elections....even the children....Parades, lots of events along the side of the road, and at the race track with lots of LOUD music....loads of fun.

Driving...left side...which is quite the mind game....remember... always remember to look LEFT....where else can you see how close you are to the side of the road right before you drop off onto the roof of someone's home. The speed limit is 35 mph. Those evil highways with 5 plus lanes of traffic each way and thousands of speed demon drivers - not here....

Historic Attractions:
St Thomas Synagogue, the 2nd oldest in the Western Hemisphere, btw, the past Rabi lives in our community here at Regatta Point...by the way...the Rolex Regatta races will be here early 2011...more later!
Blackbeard's Castle located just above 99 steps where the Danish built a watchtower for enemy ships in the 1600's.
Emancipation Gardems, commemorates the emacipation of slaves by the Danish Gov., July 1848...
Legislature Building, original barrack for Danish trooops in late 1800's
still learning about the rest!

lots more to learn...next post.....ahhhhh.. Night life here on Island...
have a great day today and I hope the sun is shining on you.
V.