‘Love Letter’ to St. Croix

This morning I opened up an email that really needed to be shared. It came from the travel/tourism to St. Croix and the U.S. Virgin Islands. And her name is Wendy, with a “y”. Enjoy this and we are here when you are ready for your next amazing vacation!

Once I started writing a ‘love letter’ to St. Croix, I found it hard to stop, as the appreciation flowed out of me for my life on this beautiful, understated, spirited, eccentric ‘rock’ I am lucky to call home.  The reasons to love St. Croix are plentiful, and if you are reading this,chances are you also love St. Croix.

Are you willing to share your St. Croix love to our facebook page using  #gotostcroix #ilovestcroix hashtags? It’s easy. We’ll be re-posting your photos and stories for the rest of February.  And… any true romantics out there that want to send a hand-written valentine (by snail mail), I will send a postcard back to each of you in return.  That’s how much I love your enthusiasm, and appreciate you for supporting gotostcroix.com!

I #feelthelove
Wendy Solomon
GoToStCroix.com

The many ways I love you…

I love my morning walks and weekend hikes in the rugged east end hills. The light changes constantly and the views go on forever. I love when people gather to watch the sunrise and moon rise at Point Udall, and the sunset in Frederiksted. I love how brilliant the night sky is, full of bright stars, and how rainbows and shooting stars are a regular occurrence.

I love gentle rolling hills that uncover a new beautiful vista around every curve. I love how there is cactus on one side, and a rain forest on the other side, within 20 miles of each other. I love taking drives – the journey becomes the adventure and often I never reach my destination because something unusual happens along the way. I love sugar mills and ruins that are just waiting to be explored up close.

I love to be surrounded by the glittery water from a kayak, or paddle boarding alongside a family of turtles. I love scuba diving with friends. I love that my sunblock, hat, towel, and snorkel and mask are always in the car, ready to go, and I love that my car has enough sand on the floor to be it’s own beach.

I love how (practically) the entire town of Christiansted is on the National Register of Historic Places. I love that I work in the same town that Alexander Hamilton once did. I love meeting present day locals and visitors whose ancestors can be traced back hundreds of years on the same soil..

I love witnessing the renaissance of Frederiksted and Christiansted, as new residents jump at the opportunity to relocate, reinvest, rehabilitate and reinvent the spaces that have stood for hundreds of years, creating a new chapter in the history books. I love watching the transformation of historic buildings as they evolve for modern day uses.

I love how even our local artists and artisans create products tied to the land and culture of St. Croix. The hook bracelet, the chaney collections, textiles and original fashion collections, housewares made from fallen mahogany in the rainforest, chocolate from cacao plants, hot sauce from our peppers and spices, skincare from our natural botanicals, and local recipes from the freshest local ingredients and a melting pot of African, Caribbean, and European cultures. I love reading books by local St. Croix authors, taking art classes with local artists,and pushing my limits alongside accomplished local pros, athletes and yogis.

I love when our visitors say that upon returning to St. Croix, they are “home”. I love that we are a home people are nostalgic for. I love when island guests and residents become lifelong friends. I love how the land and people are connected. I love the strong community we have. I love the resilience of the people. I love how the landscape bounces back after major storms (the people… we’re bouncing back too). I love that the most.

I love the things St. Croix is NOT just as much. Not Crowded. Not Noisy. Not Over-Developed . Not Commercialized. Not fake or man-made artificial. Not a bustling hub. Not a hub of anything but authenticity, the knockout beautiful scenery is just a bonus. I also love the passion of the community – rising to face the big and small challenges our territory faces and fill the gaps where govt services may be lacking. It is the hard work of the people that shape the identity of St. Croix – past, present, and future. It is an honor to be a part of it.

Love always, Wendy Solomon

GoToStCroix.com

Share your St. Croix valentine : post using #gotostcroix #ilovestcroix