Charlotte, Amalie, St Thomas, U.S.V.I.

I decided to not get up very early this morning to take photos as we sailed into Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas…needed the rest!!!  When I came out this morning it was bright and sunny.  Then, things began to change, I could tell by the clouds that we might be in for some showers.  I got the loveliest rainbow after we were hit by the first shower of the day. I decided to get off the ship as soon as the weather cleared and walked to downtown before more storms came along.  I remain in awe of the revitalized harbor front walkway to downtown, known as the Veterans Drive, the improvements are just phenomenal, makes the walk into town so much more pleasant. On the way to town, I passed Fort Christian, built by the Danes between 1672-1680, is the oldest building on St. Thomas. Charlotte Amalie is a busy, colorful town that is a host to Danish colonial architecture. I enjoyed walking in the historical district where most of the island’s ancient 17th-century buildings are found when I wasn’t taking cover from another thunderstorm. It seems that every time I come here, I’m dodging showers…  St. Thomas is famous for its duty-free shopping, and I walked the main street and the alleyways looking shopping opportunities. Once I was done, I headed back to the ship…  The rest of the day was spent in the Retreat where it was extremely hot and sunny. It was another wonderful day onboard the Nieuw Statendam…