St. John's, Antigua (and don't forget Barbuda)

Day 6 – 13 December 2025 – St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda

 

I would like to clarify something.  The capital of Antigua and Barbuda is St. John’s.  I have no idea why it’s in the possessive form, but it is.  However, the island next to St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands is St. John, without the possessive.  People tend to call the island St. John’s, and to Virgin Islanders it grates on our ears.  So, just letting you know.

 

So, my visit to Antigua.  (Barbuda is a bit of a ferry ride away.). I wandered a bit in town, found a crafty area, and bought a sun hat.  Not a great hat, but it fit my head, didn’t mash down my hair, and kept the sun off my face.

 

Then I wandered in the 
other direction and found a mini vendors’ plaza with small individual buildings in pastel colors for showcasing whatever the vendor was selling.  Not too many were open, but I sat at a picnic table and sketched/painted one of the booths with clothes and bags covering most of the opening.  (I’m not sure if there were other 
openings, the building seemed long for the size of the front display window.)

 

There were little dramas going on around me as the various owners opened and set up their shops: one woman had her grandson, who had to go around and greet all the other shop owners.  Lots of gossiping, and chatting about tourists who wanted to buy items but not pay the full price.  I kept my head low and just sketched and painted.

 

I also sketched/painted another moko jumbie, because I had time, and it's always fun hanging out and painting.  Or at least it's fun for me. 

 

A bit more wandering on my way back to the ship, including a boardwalk over the water which was fun.  The guard told me not to go swimming in there – it definitely grungy looking water!