Until We Blog Again

Road Town, Tortola Island, British Virgin Islands

Tuesday March 4, 2025

This is the harbor of Road Town, Tortola, where our ship is docked. In the background are some of the smaller islands in this area.

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) are close to, but not the same as, the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). The BVI are a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean consisting of four main islands. The best known of the Islands is Tortola where the capital city, Road Town, is located. The other islands are Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke. The residents are British Citizens.

The U.S. Virgin Islands consist of three main islands, Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas, as well as many smaller islands. People born on the islands are U.S. citizens.

We didn't have a planned tour today so we walked around the town and then to the Botanic Gardens.

Here are some of the plants and animals we saw there:

Plants:

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From the left: False Bird of Paradise; Cestrum Elegans, and Plumeria flowers

The floating plant below is called Water Lettuce. Can you spot the turtle?

Here are some reptiles:

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From the left - Four-lined Whiptail, Puerto Rican Ameiva, Anolis sagrei

Red Footed Tortoise

And Birds:

Spotted Sandpiper

Scaly-naped Pigeon

Killdeer

Great Egret

Magnificent Frigatebird

Green Heron

Throughout our visits to the Caribbean Islands on this trip we have found the people to be very friendly and welcoming. Many helped us find our way if we got lost, or cross the street safely. Music was everywhere, and the bright colors of the buildings and clothes were beautiful.

Fun Facts about Tortola

• Tortola is known as the"Land of Turtle Doves"

• The secluded coves and treacherous reefs made it an ideal location for pirates to ambush unsuspecting vessels.

• Vehicles drive on the left side of the road, but most vehicles are built for driving on the right. (We noticed this walking around, and it makes you do a double-take the first time you see it).

• Fungi is the traditional music of BVI. (No - they aren't playing mushrooms!) Fungi music is rooted in African and European music traditions and is performed using simple homemade instruments like gourds and banjos.

Before we sign off for this blog, we would like to thank the friendly and helpful staff on the Zaandam. We enjoyed getting to know them and appreciate all their hard work.

Finally, we thank all of you who took the time to read our travel blog of the Amazon adventures! Our next trip will be a bit cooler as we travel to Alaska in May 2025. Please come back....until then, "fair winds and following seas."