Posts Tagged ‘luxury’

Freshly Built Rockwall Residences

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

Many individuals, each working professionals and families appear to invest in new luxury homes in Rockwall, Texas. Many individuals place great emphasis on owning a new residence. It is because there exists a particular appeal of being the very first person to reside in a home and getting a new place to live in, for many individuals.

When purchasing a brand new home there is no need to worry about how out-of-date such things as appliances are. Also newly built homes could be financed with reduced rates of interest, and many of these houses are energy efficient and fulfill all safety and fire requirements. There’s no end to the listing of factors as to why buying a new luxury home is a good decision for many people. The decision to purchase a new luxury home is a simple one for many folks, nonetheless finding that residence can sometimes be quite a job.

Luckily, there are lots of new high end houses being constructed within the Rockwall region. Many individuals want to find new high end homes that are getting constructed so that they can obtain ideal colors and accessories put in the house prior to construction is done and that their new high end house will look just the way in which they wish it to. However, for house hunters trying to not just determine counter top supplies and door knob colors, but for individuals who need a fantastic spot to call home they have the option to constructa customized residence.

If you are looking at building a new luxury residence, then you might want to have a custom residence built. There is no greater sensation than strolling into a new residence that is especially designed to match both you and your family’s needs. Many people dream of getting their own custom made residence created, which explains why a lot of people looking for a fresh luxury home decide to build. By joining up with the proper contractor the process could be equally easy and fun. Building a custom residence is a really big undertaking but it’s also extremely satisfying, as once the final project is done, it is possible to lastly be living in your dream home, and there won’t be any places or sections that you will need to alter. Everything in the house can be achieved precisely to your liking, so you have full functionalities you are searching for in a home.

Buying a new residence is probably the most significant investments a lot of people will make in their life time, which is why it is necessary the judgements with regards to your residence are dealt with carefully. For this reason a number of people decide to purchase a new residence, so they have less concerns and know these are getting completely new everything when they make this purchase. Regardless Of Whether you are looking to purchase a freshly constructed luxury home or having a house custom built, buying a new house can be a fantastic decision for all types of buyers.

If you’re a likely house owner interested in New Homes in Rockwall TX then you will want to see our web site where you could discover everything regarding Rockwall Luxury Homes.

Cruises On The High Seas

Friday, July 1st, 2011

Are you planning a really special holiday? Say to celebrate a extraordinary event like retirement or an anniversary? If you are, then you really must add a cruise to your shortlist of vacations to research more.

A cruise is a very extraordinary type of vacation, because you get to visit a number of locations and even a number of different countries over the length of your holiday.

It is a very peaceful type of holiday because you have nothing to do except enjoy yourself between destinations. You do not even have to pack and unpack between destinations because your hotel takes you to your port of call not a bus or a car. Normally, the cruise liner has already docked when you wake up for breakfast.

After breakfast, you can opt to go ashore or not, as you like. Usually, the ship will have a few tours you can choose from or you can go it on your own. You are told what time to be back on board, say 19:00 hours and whilst you go down to dinner, the liner will weigh anchor and head for the next port of call.

This routine will be repeated each day, but at another port, although you do get a ‘day at sea’ on some cruises. This is not a bad thing as it allows you to spend all day relaxing and enjoying the motion of the ocean. Most cruise liners have lots to do during these days at sea.

Nearly all liners will have a cinema and special interest classes or lessons, some of which are led by guest celebrities. For example, you might be interested in learning about wine. Well, there is usually a wine appreciation class on board or you might want to learn some of the history of the next port of call, especially if it has connections to an ancient civilization.

Food figures large on cruises. On my last cruise, we had: breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, high tea, dinner and a midnight feast. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were comparable to five course meals, but really you could just consume as much as you wished. In between the meals, there was room (or cabin) service.

Food was included in the cost of our cruise, but you had to pay for alcoholic drinks, although they are free too on all inclusive cruises. Luckily, cruise liners also have gyms, swimming pools and deck sports to help you endeavor to keep the pounds off. I was unsuccessful at that and I gained two pounds for each week of the voyage, which I am told is around average.

After dinner, there is usually a cabaret, a piano bar and a night club going on somewhere and if you can remain awake, you can normally visit all three dos to find out which one suits you the best that evening. For me it was cabaret, night club and last drink in the piano bar before going to my cabin.

The bunk was always turned down with a sheaf of papers on my pillow explaining about the next port and the excursions available, which could be booked any time of the day or night over the cabin phone. I would go again tomorrow.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with cruises to St Croix. If you are interested in St Croix Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands, please click through to our site.

The Thrill Of Luxury Cars

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

Few things in life are sweeter than driving a top of the line luxury car; a car designed for incredible comfort and top notch performance. Many people like to say that “Money Can’t Buy Happiness” but I beg to challenge that! It’s impossible not to feel a slight thrill when cruising down Pacific Coast Highway in hundred thousand dollar car with a cockpit opulent enough for the Queen of England herself while you enjoy the sound of her powerful engine. Here is a list of the top luxury car brands in the car industry.

Mercedes Benz- The Mercedes brand is synonymous with quality, prestige, status and affluence. It has been voted to be the highest quality and most prestigious brand by affluent consumers in numerous studies. The brand has pumped in new energy into its lineup with an updated exterior for the 2011 E Class trim which is now a lot bolder and edgier. The classic double headlights gone for a sporty and sleek look. One interesting fact about Benz is that even though the brand is considered to be luxurious in the States, numerous older C-class models are being utilized as taxi cabs in Europe and in many third world countries. This is testament to the durability of Mercedes engines; some of the engines on the taxi cabs have approached a few hundred thousand miles! Many of today’s most famous stars choose to drive a Mercedes Benz; Britney Spears has been often seen tearing up the streets in Hollywood in her white Mercedes SL65 while Lindsay Lohan has been involved in an infamous car crash in her black SL65. My favorite model is the SL65 AMG; the 2011 version sports a V12 engine and an incredible 604 HP with a hefty MRSP of approximately around $199k.

BMW- BMW is all about performance and a dynamic and engaging driving experience. The main difference between BMW and Benz is that the first is engineered to be performance oriented while the latter is aimed towards a luxurious drive. BMW’s usually come with a very robust engine and a stiff suspension. This German brand tends to be more popular with lots of younger folks; well to do teens and yuppies. The most popular model for BMW by far is the 3-series line, which offers superior performance, handling and power at a competitive price in the entry-level market. The 335 model comes with an engine that puts out an immense 300 HP and 300 lb feet of torque. My personal favorite has to be the top of the line 7 Series, which oozes power and class; the 2010 model boasts a eight cylinder engine with 400 HP.

Aston Martin – One of my favorite exotic car manufacturers; their cars are classy, sleek, sophisticated and extremely powerful. James Bond has driven the DBS V12 in the movies “Casino Royale” and “Quantum Of Solace”. If It’s good enough for Mr 007 then I’m sure it will be good enough for me too. Top choices in the Aston Martin line include the Vantage V12 (which offers an impressive twelve cylinders for massive power!) and the new V8 Vantage N420 roadster which is a speedy and stunning convertible with fluid curves, clean lines and a total of 420 horsepower.

Infiniti – Infiniti is Nissan’s luxury spin-off line. Infiniti is a rather new in the market versus the powerful German players but it’s already a major contender in the luxury segment thanks to its stunning and high performance autos. Infiniti’s highly acclaimed IPL line is a viable alternative to the more expensive Benz’s AMG line and M3 series from BMW. The advantage of an Infiniti vehicle is that its service and repair costs tend to be significantly lower than that of the German cars. Infiniti also has a lower price point than that of Benz and BMW. My personal favorites are the powerful and sleek M56 which boasts a powerful eight cylinder engine and 420 HP, and the gorgeous G37 convertible, which is rather easy on the eyes!

Written by Jacqueline Star: Infiniti G37 Bay Area, Luxury Cars Las Vegas

Saint Croix Of The US Virgin Islands

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

Saint Croix is the biggest of the US Virgin Islands although the capital city, Charlotte Amelie, is located on St Thomas. Saint Croix itself has two towns Frederiksted (pop. 830) and Christiansted (pop. 3,000). The name of the island comes from the earlier Spanish name given by Christopher Columbus in 1493 – Santa Cruz or ‘Holy Cross’. As Santa Cruz, Saint Croix gets a lot of mention in swashbuckling stories of pirates and buccaneers sailing on the Spanish Main.

The populace before the Europeans got there was Arawak and Carib and they had probably been there since about 5000 BC. After 1493 the population of the Caribbean got involved in a 100 years war with the Spanish and the type of people living on the island altered forever.

Saint Croix has been owned and therefore predominantly occupied by the Spanish, The British, the French, the Dutch, the Maltese and the Danish all of whom had slaves and plantations

The slaves were freed in 1848, but many chose to remain on Saint Croix. Descendants of slaves still live on the island. The total population of the island is now roughly 60,000.

English is the official language and is the most commonly spoken, although there is also some Spanish, French Creole and Virgin islands Creole, better known as Crucian, which is spoken by most inhabitants in informal situations.

This Hispanic section of the Crucian population is mostly of Puerto Rican lineage. The US bought Vieques from Puerto Rico during the Second World War and evicted its inhabitants. Many moved to St Croix because of its similarity to Vieques. These people have fitted in well, but also kept a few of their old ways. They usually speak a mixture of Spanish and Crucian English in a unique form of Spanglish.

Continental Americans make up about 13% of the population and mostly live on the eastern side of St Croix. Arab Palestinians are also a sizeable minority owning most of the petrol stations and supermarkets on St Croix. Other modern immigrants have come from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and the Philippines.

There has been some tension between immigrants and those calling themselves ‘real Crucians’, but it has largely evaporated because of to intermarriage. There have been attempts to define a ‘real Crucian’.

The matter seems to have been sorted out when in 2009, the recommended U.S. Virgin Islands Constitution voted by the Fifth Constitutional Convention proposed three definitions of U.S. Virgin Islanders: “Ancestral Native Virgin Islander”, who have ancestral ties (and their descendants); “Native Virgin Islander”, who were born on the island (and their descendants); and “Virgin Islander”, who are any United States citizen who has lived in the territory for five years.

Christianity, in the form of Protestantism is the main religion, although the Hispanic community is Roman Catholic. There are also small groups of Jews and followers of Rastafari, Islam.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with St Croix Virgin Islands. If you are interested in St Croix Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands, please click through to our site.

Taking Your Dog To St Croix

Monday, June 14th, 2010

Whether you prefer clear mountain air or the ozone-rich, salty air of the sea, you can find places to take your dog for a walk that are idyllic, even when you are on holiday. If you are a nature lover and a dog lover, you could choose a vacation destination with nature and your dog in mind.

City-bound hotel holidays or long, driving holidays are not so pleasurable for your dog. If a dog is going to be at home all day, he would rather be in his own home all day. Likewise, with driving. He might plead to go the mall with you in the car, but doing a coast to coast run in a scorching fortnight in June, is not really what he is all about.

Therefore, if you are planning a vacation that you think your pet would not really enjoy, why not do him and yourself a favour and leave him behind? Leave him with a dog-loving family member or friend or board him in a kennels that you have researched well yourself.

There are literally hundreds of boarding kennels operating in every state and often there are thousands. Most of them are good, some are excellent and the owners of some could do with a stiff talking to. I put my dog in one once that I had not checked out well enough and went away for two weeks. When I returned four hours early, they were not ready me and my dog looked unclean and dejected.

I felt awfully guilt-ridden and my dog would not ‘speak’ to me for a week. Honestly! No eye contact, no tail wagging, would not always come when called, no joyous running about, just a hang dog appearance for seven days. She must have felt that I let her down badly, which of course I had, by not researching the kennels.

A tremendous place to take your dog is St Croix in the United States Virgin Islands. The US Virgin Islands are literally part of the United States of America and you can go there without a passport, with your US dollars and with your dog.

Not every hotel allows animals just as in continental USA, but there are loads that do. There are also package holidays that will take you and your dog from the airport to the island hotel and back again all for one price.

Of the four main islands in the US Virgin Islands, St. Croix is most likely the best option for going to with a pet dog, because it is less densely populated than the other islands and is by far the largest.

The hotel or resort will probably not provide feeding dishes, bedding and toys but they will surely have a shop where you can purchase such things. It is probably not worth bringing your own either unless you have a large suitcase and a decent weight allowance. Food for your dog will also be widely available on the island, of course.

St Croix has various sorts of landscape and plenty of activities to take full advantage of them. There are beautiful tropical beaches just right for swimming or playing in the shallows; there are the undulating plains of the old plantations, which are perfect for long walks and there are hills, mountains and rain forest to explore with your dog too.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with St Croix Virgin Islands. If you are interested in St Croix Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands, please click through to our site.

categories: virgin islands,dog,vacation,holiday,recreation,caribbean,USA,travel,happiness,luxury,sea,outdoor,other,uncategorized

Adults Only All Inclusive Resorts And Hotels

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

There are a few possibilities when talking about going to an adults only all-inclusive resort. Most all-inclusive resorts were intended for families with young children, however there are an growing quantity of adult only all-inclusive resorts.

However, there are also adult only and family nude all-inclusive resorts, especially in Europe and Australia. If you are searching for a nude adult only all-inclusive resort for your vacation, you will probably have to go abroad to destinations like Greece, Italy, the old Yugoslavia area or Australia.

Most people in the USA, the UK and northern Europe would find sharing a nudist beach with children awkward in these ultra-PC days, but nudist beaches for adults only can be excellent fun. It is best not to be shy, however some people find it helps to go to a nudist beach alone while others feel more comfortable in the company of adult friends. Couples often find adult only nudist beaches exotic, erotic and romantic.

Finding adults only all-inclusive resorts is not difficult with the power of a search engine and the Internet at hand. However, if you want to try nudist adults only all inclusive resorts in the USA, it could be tricky. This is because nudity is a contentious topic in the USA.

If, however ‘by adult only’, you simply mean to imply over twenty-one year olds only, then you will have a lot more luck. There are hundreds of non-nudist adults only all-inclusive resorts, hotels and cruises around the United States, Hawaii, the US Virgin Islands and everywhere else in the Caribbean.

Adult only all-inclusive cruises are very popular. Cruising is not especially suited to children. There is not enough room and they can get into serious trouble or even fall overboard unobserved until it is too late. Adult only all-inclusive resorts are fine, if you like staying in a chalet or cabin.

In between these two extremes of luxury on the all-inclusive vacations front are the all-inclusive hotels. Lots of hotels, but far fewer resorts, do put age restrictions on who can stay there. The Club style holidays are good examples; ‘Club 18-30′ is well-known, but not all of its resorts are all-inclusive.

If you are still thinking about nude adult only all-inclusive resorts, you might find it easier to unearth a collection of topless beaches. These are two a penny in Europe and elsewhere, but in the united States and the some of the Caribbean, you may be able to subscribe to a private beach that allows this style of dress.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with St Croix Virgin Islands. If you are interested in St Croix Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands, please click through to our site.

categories: all inclusive,rental,vacation,holiday,recreation,caribbean,USA,travel,happiness,luxury,sea,outdoor,other,uncategorized

An All-Inclusive Hotel Or An All-Inclusive Resort?

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

If you are planning to go on vacation this year, how are you thinking of going about it? There are several alternatives to investigate, if you start planning early enough. There are the self-planned, ‘I will find a hotel when I get there’ style; there are cruises and there are package vacations.

The self planned is for those without children and is more bold. Cruises are great, if you like being on the water more than being on land and there are the package holidays, some of which are all-inclusive package vacations.

If you choose a vacation package, you have the alternative of looking for an all-inclusive resort or an all-inclusive hotel. There is not much to choose between them, if you are going alone or with your spouse, but if you are taking children, the all-inclusive resort is the one for you.

This is because all-inclusive hotel rooms can be on the small side and if you have a small child or even children with you, your room will soon become overcrowded and suites are more expensive. An all-inclusive resort, on the other hand, will usually provide accommodation in the form of cabins or chalets, which are designed with young families in mind.

You do not want to be staying on the 12th floor of a large hotel with toddlers, because either they have to stay in the room until you want to go out, in which case they might get grouchy or they might learn how to get out and wander off in the hotel. A chalet, however, will necessarily be on the ground floor, frequently be in groups, so that you can help keep an eye on each other’s kids and may even have a small garden with a fence.

Whether you go to an all-inclusive hotel or an all-inclusive resort really depends on whether you have or can put up with children. If you have children then a resort is for you, if you do not like children’s racket, then you would be better suited to an all-inclusive vacation in a hotel.

Once you have chosen your kind of all-inclusive package vacation, the rest is plain sailing. Actually what is all-included in these style hotels and resorts can vary quite widely, so you should make sure you know well in advance. Cost is a good clue. If one resort at the same destination is much cheaper than the others, look into it more carefully before booking.

Often the disparity will only be in degree. For example, an all-inclusive hotel or resort may offer the free use of diving gear, but when you read on it might restrict that to non-mechanical diving equipment, so you only get a mask, snorkel and flippers. Others may only have ten sets of equipment – first come first served.

However, having said that, most all-inclusive package vacations are fantastic deals. They include your transport to and from your home town to the destination, which depends on you and where the resort is of course. For St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands transport could be by cruise or flight – you must determine that at the outset. Having to travel 500 miles to Orlando by bus or train with three young children might not be much fun.

When you arrive there, they almost always include all your meals and snacks and all soft drinks, tea and coffee, beer and non-branded spirits. An all-inclusive will also include all fees to on-site entertainment. That means the, pool, the club house, pool, snooker, table tennis, the gym etc, and access to any private beach attached to the hotel. It will also include night time shows usually.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with St Croix Virgin Islands. If you are interested in St Croix Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands, please click through to our site.

categories: all inclusive,rental,vacation,holiday,recreation,caribbean,USA,travel,happiness,luxury,sea,outdoor,other,uncategorized

Superior Cruises

Monday, May 10th, 2010

If you enjoy travelling and seeing new destinations, I advocate a cruise. I have cruised the Mediterranean and the Baltic and my next cruise will be a Caribbean cruise. I am genuinely looking forward to it. If you have never been on a cruise, start saving up now, because it is luxury like you have never imagined before.

Never having been on a Caribbean cruise before, I do not know how much the different Caribbean islands differ from one another, so I do not know how varied that cruise would be. However, I have cruised the Med and the Baltic and woken up to a different country every day and in both of those seas and every country is very different from its neighbours.

On our Baltic cruise we departed from Southampton and steamed to Gothenburg in Sweden. From there we went to Helsinki and Leningrad (in those days). On the way back, we called into Copenhagen and the Tivoli Gardens. None of those countries was in any way similar to another or even Britain.

Similarly, my Mediterranean cruise left from Minorca in north eastern Spain going east to Sardinia and then north along the southern coast of Europe. Italy, France and Spain. The second week of the cruise left Minorca again and went to Sicily and then south along the northern coast of Africa including Malta.

The luxury on a cruise is practically indescribable to someone who has never been on a cruise. There is no standard higher than five stars, but the cruises I have been on offered superior levels of luxury than any five star hotels I have stayed in anywhere in the world.

Food and shore trips play a major part of cruising. The food is top notch with no mistake. Breakfast on a cruise liner is better than most Americans and most Europeans have for dinner. Whatever you want from prawns to steak, from exotic fruit to porridge. Lunch and dinner are even more sumptuous.

Shore excursions are well organized too. They include a ferry from the cruise liner to the shore and then a coach trip by a local firm to the location, which could be an historical site or a shopping mall. Most cruisers go on these trips, but some prefer to stay on board and take advantage of the reduced number of passengers and the free food.

I went on every shore excursion and thoroughly enjoyed each one. The trips are usually pricey though, but you are part of a trapped audience, so what can you expect?

I thoroughly recommend a cruise holiday to any and every one. You should go at least once in your life, but do not leave it until late in your life because you will want to go again.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with St Croix Hotels. If you are interested in St Croix Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands, please click through to our site.

categories: honeymoon,wedding,marriage,vacation,holiday,recreation,caribbean,USA,travel,happiness,luxury,sea,outdoor,other

A Wedding On St Croix, USVI

Saturday, April 17th, 2010

St Croix, in the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean has been a stylish honeymoon location for newly married couples for decades, because the weather there is bright all year round and you can enjoy any number of wonderful holiday activities together.

Things to do include hiking, exploring, taking tours, horse riding, water sports like diving or sailing or just and lying in the sun. However, in the past few years, it has also become very popular to travel to St Croix for the actual wedding ceremony itself, not just for the honeymoon. However, there are both advantages and disadvantages to getting married abroad.

First, you have to think about who you want to have there at your wedding. St Croix is regulated by American law, so you will be obliged to have a certain number of witnesses. You can use local volunteers but you may not be able to imagine your wedding without your family or your best friends being there.

It is worth remembering that every guest you want to be at your wedding will have to be flown to the island and in many cases, the guests will not be able to afford this trip themselves, which means that you will have to pay for all or at least some of the cost of the flight and the stay. If you cannot afford this, it may not be possible for you to have everyone there at your wedding ceremony that you would want. The cost of a Caribbean wedding on St Croix is a distinct disadvantage.

Remember also that you will almost certainly be spending your honeymoon wherever you hold the wedding and although it may be nice to have friends and family around you for the wedding, you might wish they would disappear for the honeymoon.

However, your guests may want to take a vacation while they are in the Virgin Islands, so if you want some time to yourselves, book them into a package holiday deal which will keep them occupied in order to give you some time to yourselves. Try to make a block booking and ask for a big discount.

However, one of the main advantages is that you are already in the location where you will be honeymooning. Travel is stressful and tiring, although St Croix, USVI is less than 1,300 miles from Florida, so being on the spot for your honeymoon will spare you all that.

Not only that though, your wedding will be an even more memorable event because an idyllic beach setting with a sunset backdrop is really very moving. Most couples adore the island scenery, so a Caribbean wedding in St Croix may be just right for you.

When planning your marriage in St Croix, remember that the US Virgin Islands are a legal part of the USA, so US laws and marriage laws relate there. You also do not need a passport to go to St Croix, although you are allowed $1,600 worth of duty free items per person per 30 days. This can make up quite a saving.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with St Croix Hotels. If you are interested in St Croix Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands, please click through to our site.

St Croix Of The US Virgin Islands

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Saint Croix is the largest of the US Virgin Islands, which lie 1730 miles east south east of Miami and 93 miles west of Puerto Rico. This sector of the Virgin Islands has belonged to the United States since 1917 when they were purchased from the Danish government for $25m in gold to safeguard American coasts from German U-boat attack.

At the time, it was feared that Germany might subjugate the islands and construct submarine pens there in order to attack American supply shipping, which was essential to the allies in Europe during the First World War.

The US Virgin islands is a cluster of about 60 chiefly uninhabited islands, the four biggest of which are called St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John and Water Island. (By the way, ‘Saint’ is pronounced in the English manner). The Islands’ residents, however, have other names for these four which are Twin City, Rock City, Love City and Small City respectively.

Christopher Columbus landed there on November 14th, 1493, but there is proof of human habitation on the island going back to 5000 BC. In fact, the Arawaks and the Caribs made up the islands’ populace, before the Europeans got there.

Possession of St Croix and the other Virgin Islands changed a lot over the subsequent centuries, but it became famous to many people as Santa Cruz, which is its Spanish name. As Santa Cruz, St Croix featured highly in 17th and 18th century stories of pirates and buccaneers on the Spanish Main.

In fact, after Spain initially took control of the island, it changed hands seven times; having been Spanish, British, French, Maltese, Dutch, Danish and now American. The inhabitants of the US Virgin Islands are now US citizens and carry US passports. They also use the US dollar and US laws.

St Croix was an agricultural powerhouse in the Caribbean until the 1960′s when the local government decided it was time to industrialize. The island is now home to HOVENSA, one of the largest oil refineries in the world.

There is also a large distillery, the Cruzan Rum Distillery, which used to produce rum from sugar cane grown on the island. Sugar cane, or its extract, molasses are now imported from the Dominican Republic to make Southern Comfort and Cruzan Rum. Diageo is planning to build a distillery there too in order to produce Captain Morgan Rum.

Inhabitants of the island call themselves Crucians. However, there is a great deal of debate about what constitutes a ‘real Crucian’. Many say that a Crucian is someone who was born and raised on St Croix, while others claim that descendants of the slaves that the Danes brought over in 16th and 17th Centuries are the only true Crucians.

Many Crucians can trace their ancestry back to Puerto Rico or other Virgin islands as the sugar cane industry attracted a lot of migrant workers in the 1930′s, 40′s and 50′s. There was also an influx of down-islanders (ie from other Caribbean islands), as the residents say, after the industrialization of St Croix in the US Virgin Islands in the 1960′s and 1970′s as tourism and petrol became more central to the economy.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with St Croix Virgin Islands. If you are interested in St Croix Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands, please click through to our site.