The View from Here

Here in St. Thomas we are staying in an apartment on the campus of the University of the Virgin Islands. Our original plans were to be in a motel for two weeks, but the University had an available apartment. It's a much better situation all the way around. The apartment is comfortable and has a small kitchen and a nice balcony with this amazing view.

Way out in the distance you can see some other islands. Puerto Rico is out there about 40 miles away. The narrow strip of land jutting into the left side of the picture is the runway at the airport, so we see the planes coming in and out.

After lunch I stepped out on the balcony to take some pictures. After a number of rainy days, the sky was clear and blue and the hot, sun beating down. A beautiful Virgin Islands Day. A couple hours later this was the view.

Within 10 minutes the rain was pouring down again.

By the way, do you know how the Virgin Islands got their name? They were named by Christopher Columbus, who discovered the islands on his second voyage in 1493. He named these beautiful islands Las Once Mil Vergenes, for the legendary 11,000 virgin followers of St. Ursula. After his discovery, Columbus determined there was nothing here of any value and it was another century before any Europeans returned to the islands.