St. Thomas Virgin Islands is Paradise on Earth
When I left Philadelphia International Airport on May 6th to attend my daughter’s wedding in St. Thomas, I had no idea that I was in for the experience of a lifetime. Although, the plane ride was grueling and it took five hours to get to the island, I would say the trip was well worth it.
As the plane was landing at the airport, it actually gave you the impression that the plane was landing in the water. It was a thrilling experience and I thought I was going to be able to use the rescue instructions that are given to passengers before the plane leaves the airport.
As I was walking out of the airport looking for my transportation to the hotel, I just stopped and looked around at the beautiful foliage that surrounded the entire island. The cab driver that took me to the hotel was very informative and pointed out some of the various attractions on St. Thomas.
After arriving at the Marriott Hotel where I was staying, I took a walk around the hotel and the beach and I was thoroughly impressed. Unlike the sand I am used to seeing at the Jersey shore, the sand in St. Thomas was as white as snow and there were absolutely no eyesores whatsoever on the beach. The water was so clear that you could see the top of your feet submerged in five feet of water. The sun in St. Thomas is extremely hot and it didn’t take me long to find that out. On the day of my daughter’s wedding I had some time to kill so I decided to sit on the beach for a little while. I was out in the sun for about an hour and a half without sun block (duh) and by the end of the day I had a really bad case of sun burn, which I was still battling nearly three weeks after my departure.
One of the interesting things that I find out about St. Thomas is that it could be bright and sunny one minute and then there could be a brief shower for about five or ten minutes before the bright sun returns. The brief showers keep the plant life vibrant all year round.
Another thing that I enjoyed in St. Thomas was the island’s aquarium which is easily accessible from any part of the island. The countless colors of the fish and the sea coral was nothing short of breathtaking.
One of the things I didn’t like about St. Thomas were the numerous iguanas that populate the island. Not being a reptile lover by any stretch of the imagination, they were downright scary to me. Although my stay on the island was brief, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my visit. St. Thomas is a very peaceful island and a perfect place for a respite to recharge your batteries for the hectic grind of the everyday life in the U.S.
There are many online travel sites that offer affordable travel deals as far as hotel and flight packages, however, I found the food in St. Thomas to be rather expensive. There are some travel packages that are all inclusive as far as meals are concerned, but unfortunately, the Mariott is not one of the hotels that offer such a bargain.
In closing, I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed my stay on the beautiful isle and unequivocally recommend a trip there for anyone looking for some rest and relaxation. To put it mildly, I would describe St. Thomas as a paradise on earth. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and I’m sure you will too.
