There used to be a 1 story shack where the 3 story building is right at the end of the St. John dock. It had stones out front with a couple picnic tables, and there was no gate or building on the dock. My dad was involved in the St. John Pub that was there throughout the 1980s that sold subs, hotdogs, cold beer and mixed tropical drinks to the tourists. I used to go over to St. John and have lunch at The Backyard on some Saturdays, that was practically all traveling by road on that island I did in the years I was there. When I was 12 dad bought me a 13 foot Boston Whaler with a 55hp and besides the other 4 boats he had I used to use it to go to St. John once in a while. A couple times was to Trunk where we visited our schoolmate that lived in the house on the peninsula that you see. She used to travel to St. Thomas to go to school and back every day. My best friend's dad owned the largest dump truck on St. Thomas during the time they were moving the Eastern mountain to off the end of the runway extending it. His driver was dropping a load off the end, lost control and jumped out just in time to see it sink into the end of the runway. Time, resources, etc dictated that they just keep going. So when you land there, you are landing on a dump truck. December 1989 through Jan 1990 I helped put the flat roof on the new airport terminal. White guys who hired me got fired for fist fighting the day before I came down to take the job, and I spent three days doing nothing, with the exception of checking the caps that held down the flat roof that had already been done. I think I counted 173 that weren't fastend. I told the guy who came down from Florida to take over the job, but he didn't seem concerned. I have no idea if it passed inspection. My family of 6 including 2 of my grandparents were scheduled on the American Airlines flight that crashed on the island in 1976 running into a Shell gas station at the end of the short runway. My mom had a dream, and rescheduled us for a week earlier with all the work and changes made for dad's 3 stores to run for 2 weeks. We were at Magens when it crashed. A call went out for the 2nd most rare blood, AB-, which my father had. My dad said he wasn't taking time out from his vacation to donate blood. Read the karma my dad died to on that island 14 years after that crash, in this book with links below. I've probably been on more cruise ships than anyone reading this, yet never been on a cruise. My dad ran a ship chandlery that had a monopoly on selling liquor to the cruise ships in the early '80s, that I used to spend my afternoons after school doing my homework at, that was located at the last building on the Havensite dock (has Senior Frogs painted on its roof). After growing up on the island and starting when I was 17 in late 1986, we used to roam Charlotte Amalie downtown streets at night bar hopping Coconuts, Rosie O'Grady's, The Ritz, Yesterdays, then to the Greenhouse at 10pm for the current live band, when everyone was partying in the islands. Since the bars closed at 2 AM we would go out to steal cars, usually rentals, and race across the island, afterward sometimes stripping them for parts. I've floored it in a brand new 1987 Accord LXi from the Fort all the way to Frenchtown one night easily doing 100mph, which was not unusual to do with stolen cars but sometimes done even with the ones we sort of cared about. I hold the record for most boats stolen in one night while alone; three - I took them to a birthday party. Would you like to read about real modern pirates based out of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands taking place in the end of the cocaine fueled 80s? "THE REAL PARADISE: Diary of a Modern-Day Caribbean Pirate" Paperback: www.amazon.com/dp/1653714360 or Kindle: www.amazon.com/dp/B083C3DD19 (free with Ultimate).
I enjoy my trip to st john... I drove plus walked around all the places you went by...it was a party every night that summer 2011 around the end of June till the 4th of july...they call it juve I think
It's been 25 years since we were there. We have been dreaming of a trip there next year. I'm not sure I want to go back. it is nothing as I remember. There were not many cars at all when I was there. The number of buildings seems to have tripled. :(
IMHO, once the kids discovered it for spring break it was the end of good times. No respect for the culture, the history, the true people. Even when I was there, and the Wendy's first opened, all the continentals who were grateful that they could eat so-called "real food" again. Made me feel ashamed for them. But I have aged and learned in my travels what a blessing and curse human nature can be.
Actually quite an ugly place. Caribbean villages/cities have no style at all, random bungalows and trash everywhere. Sad because the nature is so beautiful. Mediterranean region is superb by far in every aspect.
Gotta love all the senior tourists with their white shoes and bright colored hats/visors,
Can't believe all the cars and people. It has grown so much since I lived there
What a change in 57 years ago when we first went there. So many cars!
I still have the sign for the original Meada's Kitchen in my garage somewhere. Been about 35 years since my time there.
There used to be a 1 story shack where the 3 story building is right at the end of the St. John dock. It had stones out front with a couple picnic tables, and there was no gate or building on the dock. My dad was involved in the St. John Pub that was there throughout the 1980s that sold subs, hotdogs, cold beer and mixed tropical drinks to the tourists. I used to go over to St. John and have lunch at The Backyard on some Saturdays, that was practically all traveling by road on that island I did in the years I was there. When I was 12 dad bought me a 13 foot Boston Whaler with a 55hp and besides the other 4 boats he had I used to use it to go to St. John once in a while. A couple times was to Trunk where we visited our schoolmate that lived in the house on the peninsula that you see. She used to travel to St. Thomas to go to school and back every day.
My best friend's dad owned the largest dump truck on St. Thomas during the time they were moving the Eastern mountain to off the end of the runway extending it. His driver was dropping a load off the end, lost control and jumped out just in time to see it sink into the end of the runway. Time, resources, etc dictated that they just keep going. So when you land there, you are landing on a dump truck. December 1989 through Jan 1990 I helped put the flat roof on the new airport terminal. White guys who hired me got fired for fist fighting the day before I came down to take the job, and I spent three days doing nothing, with the exception of checking the caps that held down the flat roof that had already been done. I think I counted 173 that weren't fastend. I told the guy who came down from Florida to take over the job, but he didn't seem concerned. I have no idea if it passed inspection. My family of 6 including 2 of my grandparents were scheduled on the American Airlines flight that crashed on the island in 1976 running into a Shell gas station at the end of the short runway. My mom had a dream, and rescheduled us for a week earlier with all the work and changes made for dad's 3 stores to run for 2 weeks. We were at Magens when it crashed. A call went out for the 2nd most rare blood, AB-, which my father had. My dad said he wasn't taking time out from his vacation to donate blood. Read the karma my dad died to on that island 14 years after that crash, in this book with links below.
I've probably been on more cruise ships than anyone reading this, yet never been on a cruise. My dad ran a ship chandlery that had a monopoly on selling liquor to the cruise ships in the early '80s, that I used to spend my afternoons after school doing my homework at, that was located at the last building on the Havensite dock (has Senior Frogs painted on its roof). After growing up on the island and starting when I was 17 in late 1986, we used to roam Charlotte Amalie downtown streets at night bar hopping Coconuts, Rosie O'Grady's, The Ritz, Yesterdays, then to the Greenhouse at 10pm for the current live band, when everyone was partying in the islands. Since the bars closed at 2 AM we would go out to steal cars, usually rentals, and race across the island, afterward sometimes stripping them for parts. I've floored it in a brand new 1987 Accord LXi from the Fort all the way to Frenchtown one night easily doing 100mph, which was not unusual to do with stolen cars but sometimes done even with the ones we sort of cared about. I hold the record for most boats stolen in one night while alone; three - I took them to a birthday party. Would you like to read about real modern pirates based out of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands taking place in the end of the cocaine fueled 80s? "THE REAL PARADISE: Diary of a Modern-Day Caribbean Pirate" Paperback: www.amazon.com/dp/1653714360 or Kindle: www.amazon.com/dp/B083C3DD19 (free with Ultimate).
GOSH! WHO HAS THE TIME TO READ THIS?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
I enjoy my trip to st john... I drove plus walked around all the places you went by...it was a party every night that summer 2011 around the end of June till the 4th of july...they call it juve I think
I've been here for faction three years ago
It's been 25 years since we were there. We have been dreaming of a trip there next year. I'm not sure I want to go back. it is nothing as I remember. There were not many cars at all when I was there. The number of buildings seems to have tripled. :(
IMHO, once the kids discovered it for spring break it was the end of good times. No respect for the culture, the history, the true people. Even when I was there, and the Wendy's first opened, all the continentals who were grateful that they could eat so-called "real food" again. Made me feel ashamed for them. But I have aged and learned in my travels what a blessing and curse human nature can be.
Why did that chicken cross the road
paradise plastered with concrete.
Paul bland
I built the supermarket in St john. Nice place to visit , not work, island time baby!!!!
Fun Ride
Ann Corcoran
Dreeket bay Virgin Islands
Actually quite an ugly place. Caribbean villages/cities have no style at all, random bungalows and trash everywhere. Sad because the nature is so beautiful. Mediterranean region is superb by far in every aspect.
Zsolt Papp completely different cultures. It's beautiful and unique to me. I love St. John.
Deena Davis I'd love to go there sometime.
There is a beautiful church overlooking Coral Bay, over 200 yr old.
You're just being a racist dick.
what a wannabe snob!