Filling my passport with family, travel and bliss

James pulled his air conditioned van to the side of the road, reached under his seat, turned to face us and with a serious expression, held up his large machete.

“Wait here…”

Exiting the vehicle, James entered the dense brush on the side of the road and proceeded to hack the lush foliage with his sharp blade as we watched curiously.

“What is he doing?”

Desiree, James’ charming and informative colleague, replied with a reassuring smile,

“It’s a surprise…”

James returned to the vehicle, handed me what appeared to be a piece of bark and smiled.

“Smell this.”

To my delight, this wasn’t just ordinary bark. This was fresh cinnamon bark sliced right from the tree. I held on to the bark tightly as if it were gold, trying to breathe in every ounce of the heavenly aroma before I had to pass it around to the five other passengers to enjoy. Little did they know that this was my favorite scent!

Cinnamon Bark

This was just one of the many personal touches that James St. Prix of James Touring Service offered his guests making our day in St. Lucia a special one filled with one surprise after another!

At 9:00am that morning, we disembarked the Carnival Valor and stepped outside the gates of the cruise terminal. Seeing a “James Tours” sign, we were greeted warmly by Desiree. As the other members of the tour gathered, James came to introduce himself with his friendly smile and fun personality.

A Pittsburgh Steelers fan to the core, James’ Toyota van was no exception. Proudly displayed on the hood of his clean and comfortable van was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ logo and wide receiver, #84, Antonio Brown. Although many taxi services have claimed to be James to draw business away, don’t be fooled! There is only one James St. Prix!

After we introduced ourselves to the four other passengers including a newly engaged couple and two friends from Chicago, we piled into his Steelers van complete with free WI-FI and listened to James as he gave us a brief summary of the day ahead.

Given the twisty roads of St. Lucia, James focused on driving and left the informative guiding to Desiree. If you succumb to motion sickness, don’t let this stop you from experiencing James Touring Services! James drove up those winding switchbacks carefully and with a seasoned hand. For those with extra sensitive equilibriums, consider taking a few ginger tablets beforehand like I did, and you should be fine.

The adventure began with a stop at a large and bountiful banana plantation. After James explained to us how bananas were harvested, three friendly young ladies who worked at a nearby souvenir shop treated us to samplings of banana ketchup, banana & honey barbecue sauce and banana rum! We even got to try fresh, sweet bananas picked right off the tree! Everything was so delicious, and my husband and I left with a bottle of the barbecue sauce to enjoy at home.

When asked how he chose which local merchants to stop at, James said that it was based on their behavior and whether or not they pressure the tourists into buying their products. He ensured us that as long as he’s around, we will not be harassed. Each vendor we encountered was very pleasant and open to answering any questions…or even just having a friendly conversation!

Christiana, a very nice lady with a sweet Grandmotherly presence, made cashew candy and sold it for $2.00.
It was a great purchase…and so delicious!

As we drove through the old fishing village of Canaries, James and Desiree discussed the local economy, pointed out where locals spend their free time and even showed us where laundry is washed on the banks of a river (where the juiciest gossip is shared!) As we passed the first church on the island, James stopped to ask a young boy who was selling shell necklaces why he wasn’t in school. After a brief conversation in Creole, he bought a necklace and told the boy to get back to school. In addition to being well respected in the community, it was obvious that James also cares about his home and the people of St. Lucia.

Canaries

During the tour, James peppered the conversation with funny jokes which he confirmed are funnier when told in Creole, a “harsh” French-based language containing African and Carib words. He was also very generous when it came to photo stops and complimentary snacks where he would stop at local eateries and let us experience local treats like “Crunchy Cookies” and “Cassava Bread”. He even kept his van stocked with ice-cold beverages to keep us hydrated throughout the day. We learned that James had worked for Royal Caribbean for over 15 years, so he knew all about providing excellent customer service, and it showed!

Photo stop of the Pitons on our way to Soufriere.

Cassava Bread

Crunchy Cookie

I was most excited about going to the oldest town of Soufrierie where we would experience Sulphur Springs Park, the Caribbean’s only drive-in volcano and St. Lucia’s premier tourist attraction! Ask anyone on the island, and they will tell you that the mud is supposed to take ten years off your appearance! So with that in mind, my hubby and I did not hold back on this natural beauty treatment!

Check out this long line of cars trying to get in! 

The mud bath was a 4-step process.

First, we bathed in a mineral rich thermal pool. If you like taking hot showers, this will be a most welcome experience. The temperature is about 100 degrees Fahrenheit!

Next, we slathered ourselves in the age reducing mud. There were two types of mud – black & grey. They both have the same therapeutic properties but differ in that the black mud is from volcanic ash and could permanently stain your swimsuit. The grey mud, on the other hand, is thicker, less messy and won’t ruin your swimsuit. James had someone set aside a container of the special grey mud for us that we eagerly slathered ourselves with!

I didn’t know getting muddy could be so fun!

After letting the mud dry on for a few minutes, it was time to turn up the heat as we slowly reentered the mineral pool to rinse off as best we could. It helps to have someone with you to assist in those areas you can’t easily see or reach.

The last step was the shower…or what I’d like to call…the trickle. We basically stood under a spigot and attempted to rinse ourselves by contorting our bodies in a way so that the very light stream of water could reach those remaining muddy bits. As I rinsed off, I was baffled by what I saw…for someone who usually gets devoured by mosquitoes, I was bite free! It turns out that sulphur repels mosquitoes…oh happy day!

The mud bath experience made us feel rejuvenated, and the pumice consistency of the mud left our skin softer than I can ever recall! My hubby’s sunburn was even less intense. As far as looking younger, I’m not sure if it took ten years off my appearance, but I’ll make any excuse to get back to Saint Lucia!

The excitement was far from over as our next stop was to Toraille Waterfall, or as Desiree called it, the “Power Shower”!

Toraille Waterfall, one of St. Lucia’s natural heritage sites, spills into a refreshing pool that visitors are welcome to swim in or in some cases walk in, scream upon the realization of the freezing temperature, and quickly exit the pool!

Guests lined up to bravely stand under the “Power Shower”. A photographer was available to capture those special moments of being pounded by the force of the water!

Desiree was kind enough to capture these romantic awkward moments for us…lol!

Try to smile normally…I dare you!

Take 1:  “Smile at the camera honey!”

Take 2:  “Ok, let me just fix my hair first!” 

Take 3:  Cover of Sports Illustrated here we come! LOL!

Take 4:  When all else fails!

Yay, we did it! (Well, kind of…)

Did I mention how fun that was?!

The water didn’t feel so cold afterwards…quite refreshing actually!

Tah-dah!

Words of advice – bring water shoes because rocks line the bottom of the pool and were slippery and challenging to navigate through. And be sure to reapply sunscreen immediately afterwards because after sloughing away a layer of skin at the mud bath, the sun can be very unforgiving!

After a thoroughly enjoyable morning learning about the island and trying new things, it was time to experience the flavors of Saint Lucia!

Tucked high above the bay with phenomenal views of the Pitons is La Haut Plantation Resort.

It is here that we were treated to a delicious Authentic Plantation Gourmet Lunch that matched the glorious views before us!  This all-inclusive island luncheon consisted of:

• Creole chicken
• Breaded fish with lime ginger sauce
• Caribbean Rice
• Stew pink beans
• Sauted freshly picked garden vegetables
• Collis of tomato & onion on root vegetables (dasheen, plantain)
• Local signature macaroni and cheese
• Fresh market garden salad with a choice of mustard and balsamic vinaigrette
• Banana ice cream

Hands down, the most delicious meal on the trip!
It doesn’t get better than this…

…or does it?  YUM!

It’s easy to lose track of time at La Haut Plantation Resort. The grounds are so green and lush and filled with flowers of every color, a refreshing pool that guests are welcome to use, a breathtaking backdrop of the Gros and Petit Pitons and the volcano that was emitting steam, and gorgeous grounds to explore. I thought I was in heaven!

A photographer’s paradise!

I think I’ll stay here!

The day was quickly coming to an end, and James had two more surprises for us. We stopped at a vista overlooking the gorgeous Marigot Bay. This is the site where several battles between the French and English took place, and it’s also the setting of where Doctor Doolittle was filmed! Today, it’s a peaceful haven surrounded by a mangrove of trees with a wide range of accommodations, restaurants, land and water activities, shopping and entertainment.

The best tour team on St. Lucia – James & Desiree!

On our return to Castries, we even stopped to see a unique rock formation called the Natural Bridge that was featured in the popular movie Pirates of the Caribbean. 

Natural Bridge

The tour came to a close much too soon, and we all agreed it was a one of our favorite tours from our cruise!  Our tour mate, Art from Chicago, said, “It’s a beautiful island and worth coming to see. James gives a great tour.”

Our tour group looking 10 years younger!

When considering a tour of St. Lucia, remember that you get what you pay for. According to James, taxi drivers who charge $20 may claim that they’ll provide an island tour with lunch, but what you will get is an impersonal drive from point A to point B with a simple lunch of bread and cheese on the roadside.

Pay $70.00 per person for James’ Tour, and you will receive an exciting, personal and quality tour of St. Lucia with two considerate, fun and professional tour guides whose goal is to treat people well and show them a good time while introducing you to their homeland!

I had the best time with this fun group!

When I asked James and Desiree how they’d describe St. Lucia in one word, it wasn’t easy for them because St. Lucia embodies so many things! James said, “It’s incredible, so lush and green, and the people are wonderful!” Desiree described St. Lucia as picturesque and simply beautiful. She also revealed her favorite things about St. Lucia including the freedom to walk wherever she wants, the delicious food, the friendly people and the relaxing evening mud baths!

James showed us everything he loved about St. Lucia and more!

On the back of his van, it states, “I ain’t no joke.”

Remember, there’s only one “Steelers” James St. Prix – he’s the real deal, and he will give you the time of your lives and a tour of St. Lucia that you will never forget!

I know I won’t!

Have you ever been on a tour like James Touring Service?
What aspect of James tour would you enjoy to do the most?

James Touring Service
www.jamestouringservice.com
tourstlucia68@yahoo.com
1 (758) 712-6285
1 (758) 719-5836

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