Guadeloupe, 04JUN2022. Long taxi ride from the airport to my hotel. Ended up thinking a bit about my life-long relationship with this island. And what an interesting one it is, indeed!
Guadeloupe was the final destination on the very first time that I got on a plane heading to a foreign country for the sole purpose of… vacationing! We are talking about Christmas break, 1978. Now, I had travelled by plane internationally before, both alone and with my family. But I had never gotten into a plane to go by myself to some foreign country where I did not know anyone just for holidays.
In Venezuela, where I lived (and worked) at the time, most companies shut down from just before Christmas to shortly after New Year’s. And that was the case with my employer at the time—an international public works consortium working on the enlargement of the La Guaira seaport.
So, there I went. On the big Air France plane, the one that would eventually go to Paris. I got off in Fort-de-France, in Martinique. And then onward to Pointe-à-Pitre, in Guadeloupe, on a smaller plane. if I recall things properly…. (BTW, yes, I still have my original AF tickets and luggage tags; and yes, the latter are hanging up—with a few other tags, no less—on some wall at home!)
Anyway, why Guadeloupe for that trip? I haven’t a clue! Maybe it was the allure of big Air France plane. The truth is I just don’t remember. I have a very vague idea of having stayed at a small, B&B-type place in downtown Point-à-Pitre, near the cathedral. I have no recollection whatsoever on how I found it. Keep in mind that we are talking about times well before the advent of internet!
But I do recall a few episodes of this trip. I remember hitchhiking along the coast, all the way around the Basse-Terre—the western half of Guadeloupe. I didn’t speak much French at the time, so while standing with my thumb out waiting to be picked up, I would practice a few simple sentences. Like, “Il fait beau aujourd’hui” and “cette jolie ici.” You get the idea. Once in the car, I would wait a little bit and then I would release my first sentence. Which invariable lead the driver to think that I spoke French, and blah, blah, blah, blah, back to me. I wouldn’t catch a thing, of course, but I was ok with that… And I would wait a bit more, and then I would release my second sentence. And so on! I am quite sure that the majority of the drivers eventually caught on to my ruse, but they were equally ok with that… I guess!
And I remember taking a day trip to Club Med’s La Caravelle beach, by Sainte-Anne. My very first visit to a Club Med. And one of the earliest times in my life—if not the very first one—that I came across women at the beach going… topless! More “shockingly” still: I recall that, at the time there was a nudist beach at one of the ends of the Club Med beach. Not that I went there. Because I didn’t. It would have been way too much for a good old boy from a very catholic country!!
And I also recall visiting the extreme eastern end of the island as some sort of important meeting was taking place. Or it was about to take place. Or it had just taken place. Something with U.S. President Carter and a few other world leaders. Lots of flags. …And lots of security!
Much more recently, in December 2002, Guadeloupe was the end point of my TransAt crossing. On this time, I arrived to the island not on an AF plane, but aboard S/V Cintra—my 39’ Beneteau sloop. And I did so 13 days after leaving from Mindelo, on Cape Verde’s St. Vincent Island. My most vivid memory from this second visit to Guadeloupe is walking around the Bas du Fort Marina shortly after our arrival drinking champagne from the bottle…!
Interesting indeed, my relationship with this little island!!!
Cheers.
Krista
Fantasticoooo!! I love the story, the “younger you” & the bag tags! Oh, and of course the bateau. I think, perhaps, I’m you in spirit. If I’m lucky, I may be you in another life! For this one, I’m reading your post from Fermo, Italia. Not so bad… il fait beau aujourd’hui – certo! 😀
JSerpa
Krista, thx. Enjoy Italy. Cheers.
Rita Gama
Fascinating stories! Saving the airplane tickets and luggage tags embodies your love for traveling.