Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/280564
Spa, a Marriott property located at the base of a rainforest teeming with life. Featuring oversized luxury guest rooms, with private screened-in porches and rich, mahogany furnishings, the resort is a favorite for many who prefer a slower island pace. A nature lover, I reveled in the lush, nat- ural landscape and was delighted to learn the surrounding reef is one of the healthiest reefs in the Caribbean. The location also is a major migrat- ing channel for whales and dolphins . The property features 150 rooms and eight meeting rooms, and is a diver's delight. Divers can dive the surrounding wall without boarding a boat, and the resort's dive shop will even arrange undersea weddings. If visiting, be sure to check out the elegant spa that offers a variety of services, including body scrubs, massages and facials. Also, check out the resort's Saman Tree Restaurant, which boasts excellent food and can seat 160 for an event. My visit to St. Croix include d a trip to the Diageo Center, maker of Captain Morgan's Rum, where I learned about the exploits of real-life buccaneer Henry Morgan, originally from Wales. My visit concluded with a candlelight dinner at the stately Estate Whim Museum, once a thriving sugar plantation. Operated by the St. Croix Landmarks Society, the estate's 18th century buildings "stand as a testament to the ingenuity, skills and labor of enslaved Africans and the hopes and dreams of Europeans seeking wealth in the "sugar islands" of the Carib- bean," according to a brochure. If visiting, explore the industrial complex with its fully restored windmill, where sugarcane was processed into raw brown sugar, molasses and rum. You also can sit in the nearby slave quarters and almost feel the spirits of its former inhabitants. If you are lucky, you'll meet S onia Jacobs Dow, the society's executive director, and a native Crucian whose passion for history is infectious. Dow noted that the museum's research library and archives house the best collection of genealogy records anywhere in the Caribbean and serves as a vital resource for scholarly, academic and genealogical research. In Dow's opinion, "There is good history and bad history. We claim it all. I tell people 'Find your ancestor who was enslaved, and then your ancestor who was the enslaver.' There are bitter sweet stories that end up con- nected." Dow noted that "because the Danes kept meticulous records, we have over 10,000 photographs and many rare manuscripts. They taxed people and kept excellent census records, marriage records and bur- ial records. In addition, every year, every property owner had to sub- mit a list with the names of their slaves, including their place of birth and date of baptism. What the Danes did to follow their money is a treasure trove for us." For more information on St. Croix, visit www.visitusvi.com. Saman Terrace at Renaissance Carambola Resort Renegade Catamaran B M & T ••• January/February 2014 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 43 •pg_40-45__BMT_pg3-58 2/27/14 4:55 PM Page 43