GRANDE TERRE, Guadeloupe-FWI

Downtown Pointe A Pitre
(where you can buy 4 French cut swim suits for 16 Euros)

Next, the winds took us northeast 16 miles or so see some of the other half of Guadeloupe called Grande Terre.  Our course led us to the “crotch” of the butterfly island to the metropolitan port of Pointe a Pitre.  We anchored just outside the multiservice Marina Du Fort Burt and their ENGLISH SPEAKING STAFF were extremely helpful.  We ended up doing what big cities are made for- we shopped.

Guadeloupe is known for its madras fabric (see tablecloth) 

Dan managed to take a few photos at the huge market before a lady firmly told him in FRENCH that it wasn't polite for him to photograph them.   One little boy was selling small mangos and we were his first customers. He was so thrilled that he kept filling our bag with more and more.  At one point, he scurried over to his mother's table and got a few more for us- all for 1 Euro. The fish market was extensive and impressive with theprice of their catch posted as 10 Euros per kilo, translating to less than $5 US per pound. 

  We were going on day number 10 in the French West Indies when I realized that my French was NOT getting any better. One day I told a shop keeper that I was looking for a swim suit for “mon mairie.”  He looked at me funny and directed me to another store. I should have said “mon mari,” as in “husband” not “city hall.”  A few days later while ordering at lunch at a beachside café, I asked for a “gras” bottle of water…I should have said, “grande,” as in “tall” not “fat.”  Dan is doing much better than me because he mainly sticks with only “Bonjour” or “Merci” and flashes his million dollar smile.  And oh, yeah- “Heineken” and “rhum” roll off his tongue pretty easily also.

On this occasion, I spoke French to order a Rhum Punch. 
I got a shot of rum with a squeeze of lime, no ice.
 It took me about an hour to finish it...