Jazz Festival
We got driven away from Castries by a “Pirate Ship” that moored up in the harbour and put on a disco from 10.30 pm till after dawn!! Playing that awful doof doof music with a base that we could feel all the way through the keels. So we went to Pigeon Island where we waited till Sunday for the Jazz Festival final night that we had booked.
Pigeon Island is a National Trust property as it has remnants of the British fort and garrison buildings here. Back in the day it was a favourite spot for the Brits as you can actually see Martinique from here and they could keep an eye on the French comings and goings. We’re going to explore that later when the Festival has finished.
The concert was great. The crowd very well dressed and behaved. Standing room only. The women mainly favour the very tight spayed on looking dresses with lots of cleavage and splits. They are strapping lasses but look terrific – everyone very affectionate and fun and music loving – at least the ones at the concert were. We went early and got a good spot to put our folding chairs. Very hot so we had lots of water and umbrellas. A couple of enormous ladies came and laid out a rug in front of us and I thought “Oh no, if they stand up we’ll never see a thing!” but they left all their hand bags there and we didn’t see them again… George Benson was great. Air Supply were next and we had taken our spare Australian flag and held it up and got a nod and thumbs up and kisses blown from the guys - the first Australians we have seen for 8 months! May possibly be getting on a bit or had a few (or both) as there were one or two missed choruses which left a rather confused guitarist a couple of times. Didn't detract from the show though.... Kool and the Gang we OK – very loud - and we decamped to a restaurant for dinner and a drink during most of Marc Anthony (who had a massive following here from Trinidad and Tobago). The bay was chock full of boats as many came for the weekend on Saturday from Martinique and Dominica for a big local French band. Our dingy managed to get pushed under the dock but we took turns to keep an eye on it. Lucky we took it rather than a water taxi as there were big queues after the concert. We watched the fireworks from the boat – all in all a super day. Quite different from what we normally do. Quite took me back to the Auckland Western Springs Stadium days going to see the Stones, Led Zep, Joe Cocker, Elton John etc.
