Bourg des Saintes
Les Saintes
15.52.019N
61.35.165W

Today is Sunday, so we started the morning with pancakes before heading into the village of Bourg des Saintes to walk along their streets. It’s really hardly more than a fishing village with colorful little boats lining their waterways but there are a couple of touristy shops tucked among the bakeries and restaurants that line the main street.

We started our walk toward the home of a local doctor that is shaped like the bow of a ship jutting out into the water; complete with portholes and a large chain cascading down as if attached to an anchor imbedded in the harbor. Someone with a sense of humor undoubtedly.

Then we turned and walked down the main street through the town. Church was just getting out and they were apparently dedicating a new bell as everyone was taking turns having their picture snapped with it.

We were surprised to see that the main mode of transportation, besides walking, is scooter. Scores of scooters were parked in front of the church on the street which seems to have been barricaded for that purpose. I was amused to watch ladies, young and old alike, dressed in high heels or sandals, delicate fabric dresses or cotton pants, who would come out, kick start their scooter into action, hop on and off they’d go.

I supposed we shouldn’t have been too surprised since the streets were very narrow. The hand full of cars that we did see had to pull off onto the sidewalk in order to pass another coming its way.

Again, I was pleased to see how clean they kept their village and the flowers that spilled out of the gardens into the streets and pathways we walked. Every house door and window had heavy wooden shutters that were thrown open to catch the trade winds for cooling. No where did I see any sign of air conditioning. It was if we had stepped back in time and things were simple and efficient.

We walked to the end of the town, went up a block or two and then returned to the center of town where we sat in the town square for a while and watched the people come and go on a Sunday morning. Being French, they greeted each other with a kiss on each side of face while talking non-stop the entire time.

We made our way back to the boat and the rest of the day we spent reading and watching the world go by.

Tomorrow, we’ll try to clear customs but if they aren’t there, we’ll head off to Dominique and hope they let us in.