Sunday in St. Lucia was a warm, breezy, sometimes rainy kinda day. It was just perfect.

After yesterday’s adventure in the rain forest, we opted for a more laid back approach and visited two family homes. They could not have been more different. The first was the homestead of a 5th generation farmer; the second was the home of a woman and her husband who have a knack for capturing markets.

In the area of Fond Latisab, we visited a simple but remarkable home that has been inhabited by the same family for generations. The owner explained a number of features of living up in the mountains and how they maintain the land. The highlight was an in-depth look into how cassava bread—a staple in St. Lucia—is made. The fruit is first grated and then pressed to extract the liquid. The remaining paste is then formed into a large patty on a banana leaf. At that point it is placed on a large cast iron cooking surface (which is original to the property).

The owner shared a lot of information about life in the mountains and how the residents all help one another. An interesting demonstration was how they make planks. This 70-something year old man clambered up a wooden frame where there was a log tied. He and a helper then proceeded to use an antique crosscut saw to create planks. When asked about the saw, he said it was at least 150 years old. When asked if they still cut wood that way he said, ‘Nah mon. We use chain saws.”

The second home, for which I have very few photos, was built in 1999. It was designed to be the retreat for a husband and wife wanting to be removed from the hustle bustle. Family and friends visited regularly. At one point, the Wyndham Resort had a scheduling problem with a wedding and left a couple without a venue days before their wedding date. Someone asked the owners if they could host the wedding. They did a new business started: events and garden tours. It’s has a spectacular view of the harbor and beautiful gardens moving up and down the hill. It was just relaxing to be sitting there.

Sunday evening was the immersion night where the cruise ship either transports guests to a local culturally significant location or brings people on. In this case, it was the latter. They brought on a Caribbean rhythm band and dancers. For nearly an hour they played drums and danced. Right at the end they did this crazy balancing dance where a lady stood on two bamboo sections held by two guys. She then proceeded to dance and move her feet rapidly while being held in the air. It was crazy.

Tomorrow is a stop in Bequia. It’s an island I had never heard of and will be interesting to visit it for the first time.