(Saturday morning market at Rodney Bay Marina)

Having just returned from the wonderful island of St. Lucia, I am left with a feeling of happiness. A happiness that lingers from my encounters with the warm and welcoming people of this Caribbean nation. A smile blossoms when perusing the lasting images, both in my mind and now in print.

(Taxi boat at Marigot Bay, St Lucia)

Every stop in St Lucia is an opportunity for new experiences. My taxi boat operator was pulling double duty while babysitting his twin daughters.  And they seemed to be enjoying dad’s “bring your kids to work” day!

(Anse La Raye, St Lucia. Oceanfront pick-up cricket match)

And the most fun of the day? My stop in Anse La Raye where I discovered a makeshift cricket field right on the street, facing the pier. And complete with an ocean “center field”!  Kids and adults shared in the fun as some of the toughest batters barely stood above the knees of the catcher.

These guys were really playing it up and as I was about to leave, the batsman said “Hey, don’t go yet, I’m gonna give you a really good picture. Just watch this swing!”  Instead of being perceived as a nuisance as the “foreign photographer”, I was welcomed to stay.   You have to love the hospitality of the St Lucians.

It seems as though everyone in Anse La Raye was having their own fun enjoying a sunny Saturday at the beach. The guys were quite welcoming of my inquiry about the game they were playing and encouraged me to capture them in action. It’s actually poker with bottle caps and laminated sheets with images of playing cards.

(Near Soufriere, St Lucia)

It’s nice to get out and about in St Lucia. My new friend, Mr Louisy, took me into every nook and cranny of the island and I was able to experience St Lucia from the road and live like a local. Even if it was just for a day.