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I post on Monday with an occasional random blog thrown in for good measure. I do my best to answer all comments via email and visit around on the days I post.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

B is for The Battery


For this, my fourth year doing the challenge, I've decided to share place names from the Virgin Islands. For such a small spot in the ocean, it seems like every rock, cove, hill and house has been christened. The names are a unique mix of Spanish, Danish, French, Dutch, English, and African to name a few.

The Battery, Cruz Bay, St. John
Originally known as Fort Christian and constructed in the late 1700s , The Battery guards the harbor of Cruz Bay. It was armed with cannons and by 1825 had a court house and a dungeon. It is on the National Registry of Historic Sites.

Most of the island's administrators have lived in it and several government offices are located here.

This is the Battery taken from the other side,  looking across what we called the Creek. The building to the far right is where we used to pick up our mail. It was general delivery for all of us on the island. However, we had an actual box, a cardboard box, into which the post mistress put all our mail.
Other B names:
Brown Bay, St. John - Site of some of the most beautiful sugar plantation ruins on the island.
Booby Rock
Bellevue Estate
Beverhoutberg
Blackrock Hill
Blasbalg Point
Blinders Rocks
Bordeaux Mountain - The highest point on St. John at 1277 feet.

There is also the Bordeaux Farmer's Market on St. Thomas

Bluebeard's Castle, St. Thomas was built sometime in the late 1600s. There is no connection to pirates either at Bluebeard's or Blackbeard's Castle. They were towers built by the Danes to keep watch against possible invasion by the British.

Brewer's Bay, St. Thomas during the annual Texas Chili Cook Off. The winners go the famed Terlingua International Chili Cook Off.

On the hill in the background you can see buildings belonging to the University of the Virgin Islands.
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15 comments:

  1. Anne MackleApril 2, 2013 at 4:44 AM

    What a lovely looking place you are so lucky to live there.

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  2. Bob ScotneyApril 2, 2013 at 6:09 AM

    I immediately thought of pirates when I saw that magnificent castle.

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  3. farawayeyesApril 2, 2013 at 6:51 AM

    While we might have 'real' mailboxes today on STX, the delivery isn't very good, actually probably was better when you were little. For three weeks in March we had no stamps available. You had to take every piece of mail to the PO and have them put a metered stamp stamp on it. Ah, paradise. It does teach you to live at a different pace.

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  4. ManzanitaApril 2, 2013 at 7:23 AM

    What a big white majestic building on-stage with that sky-blue background. Did you take your basket and set off for that quaint market?
    Happy B.

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  5. Nick WilfordApril 2, 2013 at 7:28 AM

    Beautiful indeed! What intriguing place names.

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  6. Rosalind AdamApril 2, 2013 at 7:48 AM

    Great photos. An interesting place, isn't it :-)

    Rosalind Adam is Writing in the Rain

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  7. L. Diane WolfeApril 2, 2013 at 8:54 AM

    Can you tour the Battery? I'd love to see the dungeons.

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  8. Carol KilgoreApril 2, 2013 at 9:43 AM

    Did they have a chili cook off on St. John?

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  9. Alex J. CavanaughApril 2, 2013 at 9:43 AM

    The tower is cool!

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  10. Misha GerrickApril 2, 2013 at 9:45 AM

    Beautiful buildings. Interesting to see how big the Battery really is. From the front, it almost looks small. :-)

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  11. cleemckenzieApril 2, 2013 at 10:45 AM

    Another group of pictures to lure me the Virgin Islands. Lovely as always, Bish.

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  12. J.L. CampbellApril 2, 2013 at 11:48 AM

    The castle looks like a character within itself.

    Some time on the beach would do me well right now.

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  13. Susan KaneApril 2, 2013 at 12:17 PM

    Oh, to walk along that sand and buy fruit at the market! Lovely.

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  14. MelodyApril 2, 2013 at 4:12 PM

    I think local histories are so interesting, and what a beautiful location for yours!!

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  15. MelodyApril 2, 2013 at 4:12 PM

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