It's Carnival, Baby!!

It is carnival time on St Thomas- Food Fair on Wednesday, J'ouvert yesterday, the children's parade and horse races today... The Adult's Parade and fireworks over the harbor tomorrow. All play and no work. The weather is hot, hot, hot, but "Don't Stop the Carnival"!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dance.gif" alt="" />

My first visit to STT was carnival week 1979.
What a blast!
Enjoy!

Wish I was coming this week instead of next week.

you remember 36 years ago? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />, holy crap we were married in 1979 <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

That must have been someone different because your spouse is not old enough to have been married that long. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

So nice of you to say that Nutmeg. My sweetie is 4 days older than me, but everybody thinks she is youngest of the two of us. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> Believe me I do not let her forgot those 4 days every year.

Yep Sail2Wind, we stayed at the Windward Passage downtown and most of the happenings were in park and where the flea market is today. I have been blessed with a vivid memory and can still see the parades and hear the music.

We also drove around STT caught the ferry on our little yellow scooters and spent a day exploring STJ. It must have been the Roanoke because there was a palm tree on the bridge and we joked about Mr. Roberts. Once we putted off the boat we immediately knew that paradise lost... had been found. Every time we go to STJ, I still stop at the Trunk Bay overlook and remember my first time seeing it. I have traveled many places, but that view rates at the top.

We got back to STT late and had conch fritters and Heinekens at McDs on the waterfront. (I would go to McDs today if they served that meal)

In the words of one of my favorite songwriters, Jesse Winchester, ...and it seems like it was only yesterday

Nutmeg, Nina says thank you

Then you sure must remember the Arby's in CA that had a full service bar! We'd make that our last stop before heading to the airport and the bartender would "make" us drink the full blender of painkillers. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

Nope do not remember Arby's. We took a break in the early 80s from the islands. Our children were being born and funds were fairly limited. After 1980 our next visit was 1988. Then most of the time we were blowing through STT headed to the BVI and STJ. My son move to STT in 2005 and it was only then we did lots of visits back to STT.

He did not have a car, so if we stopped at Arbys on the way to the airport in DC one of his friends would always pick us up. The cost - 5 Arbys Roast Beef sandwiches.

Where and when was there Arbys?

The Arby's was on the waterfront between the Green house restaurant and Sparky's Bar And Restaurant.

Was that the one upstairs? I remember eating at a fast food place upstairs, years and years ago.

That's the one!

No, it was at ground level
Their used to be a 2nd floor restaurant on the waterfront called Sebastian's On The Waterfront.

OK, guys, make up your minds! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Sorry but you're thinking of someplace else as the Arby's was definitely upstairs as the stairway was on the outside left of that building. Timeframe 1990's. As a matter of fact I know I have pictures taken there looking out the front arched openings toward the water. I'll dig around later today , find them, and post.

Maybe in the 1990's Arby moved to the second floor but the original place in the time frame 1979 to the eighties Tom B was referring to they were on the water front at ground level.

Yes, I was talking the 90's, and I remember going up the stairway to the left. It definitely was some type of a fast food restaurant from the US, whatever it was.

Yes Carol, the stairway on the left went to the second floor which used to be Sabastians On The Waterfront.
But we are supposedly talking 1979 + where Arby's was on the waterfront.

Gee, well, I ASKED if that was Arby's and Rick said yes...

In 1979 Jim Bridgeman's "Sebastians" was on the 2cnd floor of the eastern corner of Raadets Gade above Joe Vogels dive shop and adjacent to the VI Taxi stand.Up Raadets Gade was "Crazy Cow".
Going west from Raadets Gade on the Waterfront just past Drakes Passage and Trompeter Strade was Sparky Puritz's "Sparky's Saloon" next door was the "Carousal bar" and just west of that "Arby's" which did have a second floor after taking over the "Orange Julius" space, going west past Palm Passage and across Store Gade was Bob Armour's "Greenhouse".
I lived downtown in the 70's, worked on Raadets Gade and walked that part of town everyday.

Apparently the only question for Sail was what floor the Arby's was on in what year. They were both on the "waterfront". So Arby's was in fact upstairs. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

The original Arby's was was at ground level.
Anyway their sandwiches were garbage.

Well, aren't you a ray of sunshine--especially at Carnival, Baby!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Rofl.gif" alt="" /> Sorry for taking your thread way off in the weeds, Nutmeg!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/sorry.gif" alt="" />

Geesh! Besides if anyone actually ate at that Arby's they would remember that they had a totally different menu in addition to their typical fast food menu. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

wow... I did not mean to divert the topic.

I have been trying to do more research and I have received a few PMs. There is a pic of McDs in 1979 on the web. I thought that was the placed but was corrected in PM. After looking again at the shot I concur it was not the place I was talking about, albeit I have been there also. Oh to be young and eat junk food.

So the place I thought I remembered in fact may have been the Arby's not McDs. It was definitely on the first floor (street level), but I think there was a business above it. It definitely had conch fritters and Heineken that I do know.

The important thing about the trip - Carnival was Blast!

Back to the foot lockers when I have some time to go through the negatives. I know I have a shot of the [color:"red"]Mc[/color][color:"blue"]Arbys[/color] in my mind from 1979. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Does anyone have a shot of the Arbys?

I'm still diggin in the "files" <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> NOW how bout that Carnival!

I was not here when Arby's was (and it is still one of the first places I search for on trips to Big America <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" /> ) but someone told me the place on the second floor (above what is now Local Color) was Burger King. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Rofl.gif" alt="" />

This is getting better by the day <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

I called the man-in-the-know to solve this mystery...
<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

Okay. Let's get it straight. On the waterfront, between Sparky's and the Carousel was the original ground level Arby's. There was a courtyard it was located in. There also was a Lion in the Sun there, if I remember correctly. When they built the two story complex, that eliminated Sparky's and the Arby's courtyard et al, they put Arby's upstairs. Yes, the stairs were on the left. It is now Tavern on the Waterfront. On another note, if you took a barge to St John, more than likely it was the Jaws or P'ti Bleu. The Thuglife(Roanoke) did not come until the 90s.

Okay. There you have it. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

Whew!! We should have just asked Ronnie to begin with! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Oh yeah, and Burger King was a two story place on the corner of Raadet's Gade, across from what we call Sebastian's corner.

The second floor restaurant was called Sebastians on the Waterfront
There also was the Bomba Charger ferry It was the fastest at that time(1979)

Here's a question, what was the name of the first Charter company in the VI and its location?

Actually Sebastian's had and up and down restaurant. Downstairs a lunch counter with Lowenbrau on tap and upstairs their dining room, with piano entertainment, as well as some local trios playing cool local music.

I believe it was called a "separate thread" <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Or give credence to those who actually had been there. Thanks to Ronnie for verifying what Carol and I had said. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

What has Ronnie said that disputes the conversation period of 1979?

I Forgot to say it's a Bareboat charter company. Try again.
And so is Arby's

Avery's Boat Yard the Pearson dealer in St Thomas. Now known as French Town Marina the home of CYOA Charters. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

CORRECT!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

sail445--I think what Rick was trying to say was to start a new thread..

Yes I realized that afterwards and added Arby to the comment.