Two Down, One to Go...

I have arrived home for a few days between trips 2 and 3.
As promised, here are some photos from my trips. Unfortunately, I can't share more from Jamaica since my students are in the pics, and that is a definite no-no. If I did this right, there are a couple boxes on the right side with my Flickr photos from the trip. I am new to the Flickr thing, so we'll have to see if my technical knowhow is satisfactory.

I am feeling much more tan, but I haven't seen anyone (except husband) since I got back, so I have yet to compare my bronze glory with any other pasty Minnesotans. Aside from the tanning, here are a couple points to share from my trips:
1. Cruzan Rum recently purchased Absolut vodka, so it's ridiculously cheap in the VI. Anyone want to come over for bloodys and cosmos? I have a fully-stocked bar for sure.
2. St. John is my favorite place in the Caribbean, and it was great to go back. I visited two places that I previously hadn't: Trunk Bay (which has an underwater snorkel trail through a huge reef), and the Annaberg Sugar Plantation Ruins. The snorkeling was great at Trunk, and the sand was so fine-- somewhere between sugar and flour. Annaberg was fascinating; what I find most compelling is the story of the slave revolt of 1633. The island had about 10 times more slaves than white people, so it was inevitable. Slaves held the island until 1634 when the military came in to restore order. Needless to say, it ended tragically: over 500 slaves committed suicide by jumping off the cliffs at Annaberg, rather than be taken alive.
3. In Jamaica, I loved the Bob Marley museum. It is housed in his former home; the recording studio is still used by his children.
4. When I asked my students what they would miss about Jamiaca, they said, "Everything!" I had a great group of kids with me, and the Kingston Rotarians and Interactors were incredibly hospitable. We all were homesick for Jamaica as soon as we landed in MN.

I'm going to sign out for now. My first glass of delicious homebrew is starting to get warm. It's an ESB, and although I would like it a little hoppier, it tastes pretty darn good, if I do say so...