A few days ago me and a 4 other lady spouses met up for shopping and lunch. We gathered in downtown Basseterre, the capital of St. Kitts. (Sidenote: Basseterre was founded in 1627 by the French. Basseterre is a French word that translates to "low land" in English. Surrounded by lush green hills and mountains, Basseterre is low, flat land and is on the lee of winds of the island, making it safe anchorage.)
We browsed through the local shops that outlined the town square, entitled Independence Square. This particular area of town is inundated with cultural history dating back to the slave trade. At first, it was the administrative center of the island, as well as the place where slaves were bought and sold for labor on the many sugar plantations that surrounded the island. Some of the buildings where they were kept in grim cellars, notably the Georgian House, are still standing. Originally known as Pall Mall Square, it was renamed as Independence Square in 1983 to mark the island's independence from British colonial rule.
The north side of Independence Square
The Georgian House, where slaves were stored in cellars/underground tunnels until they were escorted to the square to be bought/sold.
The Catholic Church at Close Range.
This is a local art shop, where Kittitians make Caribbean influenced pottery and glass designs. The building is a typical structure for many homes and businesses in St. Kitts.
After shopping, we had a nice lunch at Caribe Cafe. This place offers a cool balcony to dine upon, overlooking the Caribbean Sea and Sister Island, Nevis. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures to share of this Cafe. We had a great day of food, fun & fellowship while our spouses were in class. Thank goodness for friends to keep one occupied!
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