Saint Lucia. She is just so incredibly beautiful. She sits in the Caribbean Sea, all 27 miles (43 km) and approximately 14 miles (23 km) wide of her. The capital is Castries, known for palm-lined Vigie Beach and port of call for many cruise lines. The island nation gained independence in 1979, but remains a member of the Commonwealth.

Saint Lucia has some of the prettiest beaches in the entire Caribbean, especially Anse Piton. Did I happen to mention that somewhere along the line, importing the fine grains of white sand from Guyana has probably helped it along the way? Is this cheating? The beaches in St. Lucia are open to the public for free!

In contrast, the wealthy minority in St. Lucia are situated in the plush residential developments to the north of Castries, around which many tourist resorts are to be found. Here, shopping malls, golf courses, and marinas testify to a luxurious lifestyle. Those who are the richest in St. Lucia are white-collar professionals such as lawyers and doctors, local managers of foreign companies, and people connected with successful tourism ventures and private-sector construction. Included in this employment sector are a large number of European and American expatriates (citizens who moved from their native country to live in St. Lucia). The island's middle class is composed of urban professionals and those involved in traditional retail, while in the countryside there are many owners of large farms who have made enough money to consider themselves middle-class.

Primary education is free and compulsory, but poor families often find it hard to afford uniforms and school books for their children. Medical care is available throughout the island, but doctors charge for visits and prescriptions are expensive. Housing conditions vary enormously, from the luxury villas of the island's northern tip to the ramshackle villages of the eastern coast.source

EC =The Eastern Caribbean dollar- the currency of all seven full members (and one associate member) of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. How much is the food in Saint Lucia? I had to use the expatistan prices to get the 2021 prices, about as current as I could get. I imagine they are higher now than they were at that time. I thought they were quite high now, just think that they are probably even higher now. Yikes!

Basic lunchtime menu, drink included in the business district EC$50 ($18)
Combo meal in fast food restaurant (Big Mac Meal or similar) EC$25 ($9)
500 gr (1 lb.) boneless chicken breast EC$16 ($5.93)
1 liter (1 qt.) of whole milk EC$10 ($3.83)
12 eggs, large EC$9 ($3.51)
1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes EC$12 ($4.33)
500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese EC$31 ($12)
1 kg (2 lb.) of apples EC$23 ($8)
1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes EC$10 ($3.52)
0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket EC$3.00 ($1.11)
1 bottle of red table wine, good quality EC$40 ($15)
2 liters of coca-cola EC$4.92 ($1.82)
Bread for 2 people for 1 day EC$2.46 ($0.91)

In the front of your house, on the side of your street, any place that people will walk by. That is the best way to sell your market. In such a small island, you have to carve your niche early on or be left out.

He made a comfortable living playing for the tourist who came to enjoy this scenic outlook. He was personable and interesting, giving history about the island and tips on what to see or avoid. He never asked for a penny, he just simply played and sang, enjoying the good life. People tipped him, some did not, but, he never said a word to guilt, anyone. Which was unusual.I have to wonder how he is surviving with the tourist trade gone.

Please leave the link to your post here so it can easily be found by others. It helps you and me to have them in one place. Where else can you take such a quick trip around the globe? Thank you so much for joining us!! ❤

As always, there must be flowers to color my world. #alwaysaflower