P is for The Petroglyphs

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 Petroglyphs, St. John

No one knows what these carvings mean and there are different theories as to who carved them. But most likely it was the Taino Indians well over 1000 years ago. Located in a ghut on the Reef Bay Trail, they are carved into the hard volcanic rock above a small pool where there is usually water year round. You can read more about them HERE.

Other P Names:
Pelican Rock, St. John
Pineapple Beach, St. Thomas
Prince Rupert's Cove, St. Thomas is named after a buccaneer who harassed the English. Prince Rupert visited St. Thomas around 1650. Apparently he careened his ship in a cove on Hassle Island. Careening is laying a ship on its side in shallow water so as to make repairs to the hull. By the way, in 1607 on his first voyage to America, John Smith who founded Jamestown, stopped at St. Thomas for water.

Peace Hill, St. John is this point of land between Hawksnest Bay and Denis Bay. If you look hard you can see the ruins of a wind mill.

Here's a close up.

Peter Bay, St. John with Victor Hall, a childhood friend. Now Peter Bay is the home to some VERY expensive villas which you too can rent for anywhere from $1000 a night to $32,000 a week. Care to take a look? Click HERE.

As it looks today with some of the multi-million dollar homes.

Pillsbury Sound with cruise ship. It is a three mile stretch of water that separates St. Thomas and St. John. Here the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea mix and blend. St. Thomas is in the left background. To the right, Mingo Cay and Grass Cay. The small rocks are the Brothers. In the foreground, The Creek, St. John and Lind Point.

Paradise Point, St. Thomas: it faces south and overlooks Cowpet Bay.

Palm Passage

One of the many alley ways that link Main Street to the Waterfront in downtown St. Thomas 

The Pissarro Building, St. Thomas. 

Birth place and family home of Camille Pissarro, father of French Impressionism. 

These windows open onto an art gallery within the Pissarro Building. 

It is warren-like and has many stairways connecting the different rooms. It is easy to imagine a young Camille running up and down the them, playing chase with his siblings.