Mom Raish's St John Retirement Week - Days 1 and 2

Mom Raish retired in 2020 after ? years teaching a slew of things including biology, chemistry, physics, AP courses, Master teacher things, chaperoning many many school events including trips to NYC, countless hours of parent teacher conferences, private one on ones, grading, lesson prep, curriculum changes, adhering to various state and federal standards, getting certified in this and that, lab safety, raising 2 of her own kids, seeing the rise of the internet and social media, budget windfalls and shortfalls, and putting up with the sh!t that high school students are infamous for and continue to be in new and inventive ways, and finding ways to gain and keep attention and the respect of students. This run on sentence is only a fraction of what Mom Raish has done in her career and thusly has earned a retirement week vacation in the Caribbean on the island of St. Johns that is only accessible by ferry. Except this trip had to be cancelled twice because of the pandemic. So finally in 2022 we made it at the end of may.

We all met at JFK airport with the parents coming in from the Rochester connecting flight. We ate shake shake breakfast sandwiches and then took off. After landing on St Thomas. We went out to find transportation to the ferry to St Johns and decided on the shuttle bus which ended up being the wrong choice because it was full, fumes, winding roads at high speeds and seemingly no air conditioning for us in the back. Dad had AC in the front. We were going to pass out in the back and other people said the same. The driver was going at speeds not conducive to keeping your mental and physical health. It was a harrowing 30-40 min which maybe made our arrival all that much sweeter. Can't remember how much the shuttle bus cost but it was my first shock as to how much stuff costs here, it might have been $20 each for the worst ride of our lives. We chugged what would be the first of many painkillers (drink) because the ferry was taking off sooner than expected. The ride from St Thomas to St John's was much shorter than we had heard, it seemed like 10 min instead of 45 which would have been a big bummer. We met our car rental people, Parents got a Jeep cuz they reserved months in advance and we got a sad Rav4 because I reserved at the last minute. The island is almost all jeeps. We picked up groceries and drinks which are very expensive and drove the winding, steep, often times scary hills out to the house on the easter peninsula of St Johns. 

After getting a lil lost we rounded the last of many many turns and laid eyes on this. If there was a feeling to bottle and take sniffs of for the rest of your life this is one of them. After a harrowing shuttle bus ride (i'm being hyperbolic here but it wasn't pleasant) and winding journey to arrive at the gate and look out and see the ocean in the evening as you discover more and more of the vast beautiful property that you'll be spending the next week at free from work and worries, well that's a feeling like no other. Truly amazing house and property and view and vibe. It's secluded out on the peninsula and the temp was great. Just look at this place.

Goats

we walked down to the water to check out the kayak situation as there were supposed to be some for casa cielo down there.

the pool was amazing and the view from it also the same amazing view as from the various decks. It stayed warm just from the sun on the bubble cover during the day

photo doesnt do justice how huge this moth was

next day its adventure time baby yea

first stop south haulover beach. Named as such i'm guessing cuz you can haul your kayak a short distance to the north beach

north haulover beach

i dont even remember what we ate for dinners. All the food is imported, mostly from America, i'm guessing because they don't have any room to grow/raise food on the island(s). Burgers one night, chicken another. It was harder than you'd think to get caribbean/st johns food but we did one night. I think its because the St Johns businesses know what time it is and that its economy is all about tourism and the time has proven that tourists just want to eat burgers and chicken and maybe if they're feeling adventurous a mahi mahi burger. I do remember the British virgin islands Rum we got was amazing and I was making Daquaris all trip (rum, half the simple syrup recipes call for, lime juice, ice). No one took a photo of the bottle and I can't remember what it was called but it wasn't even the right rum for daquaris, it was caramel colored not clear but that cane sugar flavor was amazing. I do admit that the atmosphere and circumstances can elevate food and drink in your mind higher than it is but I'm a rum boy now because of the week of great rum.