Blackbeard's Castle

Not much history, but nicely restored, and there are big bronze statues of pirates everywhere...

And the star is this 20 foot tall Blackbeard himself!

And look at these beautiful blue skies finally... After over a week of rain.

Pirate Statues at Blackbeard's Castle

All Bronze, and several of them...

I do like this one, if you look close, you can see the governor's Mansion in the background just above this pirate's wrist.

Step daddy Harley, a pipe smoker himself, related to this guy...

Me, while I don't know much about art, I was partial to the less than hidden meanings behind this pose of the only female pirate in the gallery.

IGUANAS EVERYWHERE!

Not as easy to see (or hear) as the roosters, but there certainly are a BUNCH of these critters on the island...

 

 This guy was in the grass at FDR park, where Jackie and I have lunch most days.

This one is named IGGY, and is the "mascot" of the hotel we are staying at, "The Green Iguana"

And this guy I saw in the bushes at Bolongo Bay.  We looked each other up and down for a few minutes and then suddenly...

He climbed up the side of the building... it is a three story building, never slipped a bit and made it very fast...

Even islanders were surprised when I told em... Good thing I had my camera.

Nothing to do with Iguanas, but I do know what I like in art!

THREE QUEENS OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Statue honoring "FIREBURN"

I walk Jackie to her workplace every morning. It is about a 10 minute walk, all downhill. the Island is essentially a large hill. Everything is either downhill or uphill. Except around the coastline, there is nothing level.

Each morning, we walk by this statue.

The bronze sculpture of the historic Three Queens
has been placed in Blackbeard's Castle gardens.
"Set in bronze, Queen Mary, Queen Agnes and Queen Josiah - who on Oct. 1, 1878, led laborers in setting fire to half of Frederiksted on St. Croix in a successful demand for better wages and working conditions. " The sculpture, made by famed Richard Hallier, shows the women standing with arms raised, holding a machete, jug of oil and flambeaux as water from a fountain made out of the island's blue bit stone cascades over their backs." This sculpture commissioned by the St. Thomas Historical Trust in partnership with Circa 1675 and Virgin Islands Inns."
Quote courtesy of the Blackbeard's Castle website - http://www.blackbeardscastle.com/

The local government is in the process of declaring October 1st as a national holiday to commemorate the day. Similar to the States remembering the Boston tea Party as a day of rebelion for personal autonomy.

the garden's are marked with the name of the flowers and foliage.



When we come back at night, we get the view of the statue, gardens and in the background, the pirate tower used by Blackbeard's men to see who is coming in the harbor.