It's a celebration

I almost died of boredom this weekend while Jon was studying for exams (again), so when he finished his last test yesterday I decided we were going out. We’ve passed a restaurant called Ocean View Terrace every time we’ve gone to the beach, and I always gaze at it longingly. But the menu posted outside advertised ridiculously expensive prices, so we always walked on by to the tune of my dragging feet and a sad melody (think of Charlie Brown, or George Michael Bluth). But wait! Our friends mentioned having gone there for Valentine’s Day and spending just over 20 dollars total! How is this possible?? Well as it turns out, the menu outside only advertised meal prices in GUILDERS. We mixed up dollars and guilders! What a rookie mistake! Lucky for us, the Netherlands Antilles guilder is worth nearly half of an American dollar. And while that means that each time we pay for groceries in dollars we get three pounds of guilder coins back for change, it also meant that we could go to the Ocean View Terrace to celebrate the end of Jon’s exams. Hooray!

We headed down early so we could explore old Fort Oranje and watch the sunset before the restaurant opened. PHOTO OVERLOAD:

This is Statia’s claim to fame (aside from once being one of the busiest ports in the Caribbean). When America first declared independence, they sent a ship out to notify the Caribbean islands. Apparently there was some sort of code, using cannon blasts, and St Eustatius was the first island to fire back in a salute showing their support of American independence. Then during the Revolutionary War, Statia was key in providing ammunition and weaponry to the colonies. Yay Statia-America ties! Some of the locals would do well to remember our longstanding friendly history before nearly running American pedestrians over with their cars.

Stupid power lines!!

The restaurant. Don’t let the red Christmas lights fool you. The food was AMAZING. We both got snapper. I’m drooling.

In conclusion, I have the cutest niece ever.