Just Cruisin’
Anse La Reye – Japanese style…
Anse La Raye is known for its Friday night street parties. Music and fish barbecues adjacent to the beach, but few other comments are given. It makes for some apprehension when you approach this small bay, and there are no other yachts.
Which is a shame as this is perhaps the most genuine fishing village we have been to. Named by the French as the Bay of Rays, it consists of central streets full of wooden buildings, many evidently of great age. In the evening, people sit out on their steps, or walk about the town. Younger folk hang around the centre with cars playing music, older folk with bottles of Piton beer chatting to each other.
It could all be quite intimidating, certainly as the only non-natives visible. But it wasn’t, and many people said hello. A young girl warned us not to give anything to a man begging as he would only go and buy drugs.
There is a new fishermens’ building and market on the seafront. Built with Japanese money, it represents a crude bribe for the St Lucian vote to allow whaling. Cruel as well because St Lucian’s could and maybe will earn more from taking tourists whale-watching than they will get from the bribes.
Oh, and the street party was cancelled during Lent. Never mind, next time…..
(Return visit now arranged in company with Ocean Rainbow for next Friday!)
Freebooter 