WHAT I LOVED IN ST. THOMAS, U.S.V.I.

The first port stop on our recent cruise was St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. We were excited because it was our first visit to the Virgin Islands. The ship departed San Juan at 10:00 p.m. on Sunday night, and since the Virgin Islands are just a hop, skip and a jump from Puerto Rico, by 8:00 a.m the next morning we were docked in St. Thomas.

We did not to book a shore excursion; for our first visit we took advantage of the inexpensive taxis/trolleys ($4/person) that travel between the cruise ship terminal to visit the town of Charlotte Amalie. Having never been to St. Thomas, I didn't know what to expect, but here are four of my memories of our visit...

First: the view from our cabin balcony...this is one of the reasons a balcony cabin on a cruise is a must. We just opened the door and saw this gorgeous scene...look at that water filled with sailboats and the green hills dotted with houses!

Second: The picturesque, cobblestone alleys between the old pirate warehouses that sit between Dronnigens Gade, the main shopping street, and the waterfront.

These buildings are made from ship ballast, stone and molasses. You can see that in the texture of the walls of the buildings in the photo below.

Instead of pirate booty, these warehouses now contain duty-free stores and outdoor restaurants.

Third: The colors: I just love the brilliant colors you see everywhere in the Caribbean. Even on dilapidated buildings, the colors present so many photo opportunities.

Fourth: The white and dark chocolate from the Belgian Chocolate Factory. I am a dark chocolate fanatic! When I researched St. Thomas for the upcoming trip and read about the Belgian Chocolate Factory, it became the #1 shopping destination in this port stop. Needless to say, it did not disappoint. P.S. the white chocolate was for husband.

Thank you for visiting,

A Great Europe Trip Planner 

All photos were taken by me during our visit to St. Thomas in April, 2015.

A GREAT BREAKFAST PLACE IN SAN JUAN

I mentioned in my previous post that we chose not to eat breakfast at the hotel during our two-night, pre-cruise stay in San Juan.

During my research for our stay in San Juan I discovered Cafeteria Mallorca. Located on Calle San Francisco, we ate here both mornings for breakfast.

It got rave reviews for its food especially its namesake...the Mallorca. The reviews were correct, and the food did not disappoint. For around $20.00 we got all this:

Husband got his usual pancakes, scrambled eggs and crisp bacon. We both got freshly-squeezed orange juice (pricey, but worth the cost). And I got a egg, ham and bacon mallorca. What is a mallorca?

I describe it as a Puerto Rican panini sprinkled with powdered sugar. But it is much more than that. A mallorca is actually a crisp, buttery, sweetened bread (think brioche) that is baked in a spiral shape. Once out of the oven, it is sprinkled with copious amounts of powdered sugar. They can be eaten whole or split open and filled with egg, ham or other meats to be eaten as a meal, usually breakfast. Simply delicious. The buttery bread melts in your mouth and the powdered sugar adds an extra delight.

TIP: If the restaurant is crowded with locals, the food has to be good. 

Cafeteria Mallorca is located at 300 Calle San Francisco. 

Thank you for visiting,

A Great Europe Trip Planner 

All photos were taken by me during our visit to San Juan in April, 2015.

OLD WORLD CHARM WITH A TERRACE VIEW

In the heart of Old San Juan, housed in two adjacent 19th-century buildings (the peach and blue buildings in the photo below), is the charming hotel, La Terazza. We stayed here for two nights prior to our cruise.

The hotel gives you a security code to open the front gate. Once inside, you walk down the corridor and to the right to the reception desk/bar.

All of the staff at the hotel are friendly and welcoming. Complimentary ice water or espresso is offered at the reception desk/bar.

Opposite the bar is the dining area where the breakfast is served. We did not eat breakfast at the hotel (more on that in a future post), but the hotel does serve a continental-type breakfast.

I like the mural that is painted on the wall in the dining area.

Beautiful inlaid tiles and dark wood furniture give the hotel an Old World feeling.

Our room was on the first floor, but located away from the street so noise was not a problem. The large room had a 15-foot ceiling, a king-sized bed,  a beautiful dark wood armoire for storage and a clean, modern bathroom with a wonderful rain-shower showerhead. Those dark wood shutters that you see in the bathroom are also in the bedroom.

The hotel gets it name from its rooftop terrace (terazza in Spanish). The terrace gives you spectacular views of the bay, the docked cruise ships and of course, Old San Juan.

The terrace has a small infinity-edged pool so you can cool off after a long day of walking on those cobblestone streets of San Juan.

The terrace also has its own bar which is open during the afternoon and evenings.

La Terazza is the #1-ranked San Juan hotel on Tripadvisor. Click here to read the great reviews. From what we experienced during our stay, I totally agree. We will stay here again!

La Terazza is located at 262 Calle Sol. Click here for their website and to book a room of your own. NOTE: La Terazza will match any hotel's price if you are staying two or more nights in San Juan.

Thank you for visiting,

A Great Europe Trip Planner 

All photos were taken by me during our visit to San Juan in April, 2015.

THE CERAMIC TILES OF OLD SAN JUAN

I love Old San Juan...period. The narrow, cobblestone streets remind me of Europe with a twist: the vibrant colors of the Caribbean decorate buildings that in some cases are as old as those you find in Europe. For instance, our hotel occupies a 300-year-old building.

One of my favorite things in Old San Juan is seeing the beautiful ceramic tiles that decorate everything:

They decorate the risers on apartment building staircases:

They indicate street addresses...

Some add extra religious tiles to their addresses...

They tell you the street you are on...

They tell you the name of a restaurant...

We spent two days in San Juan prior to our cruise to the southern Caribbean. This is the first of many blog posts I will write regarding our stay in San Juan and the cruise.

Thank you for visiting,

A Great Europe Trip Planner 

All photos were taken by me during our visit to San Juan in April, 2015.