I’m your native son

The most famous person born on Nevis is someone most of us think of as a patriot who must have been born in America. When the musical Hamilton began taking the world by a storm, I could not get my head wrapped around how Lin Manuel Miranda came up with a play about Aelexandwr Hamilton featuring an all black cast and rap music. So, like him, I read Ron Chernow's exhaustive biography on Hamilton and learned that not only was he born in Nevis, his grandmother may have been a black slave, and he was taunted by other founding fathers for being an immigrant and illegitimate. His mother's first husband refused to grant her a divorce but she lived with Hamilton's father anyway.

It's on this tiny island that was exploited for growing cane starting around 1640 and by 1655 was producing more sugar than any other in the Caribbean where he lived before his mom moved across the channel to St Kitts. The replica of his birth home--the original was destroyed by an earth quake in 1834--stands not far from then port where ships bearing slaves arrived and the auction block where they were sold. This experience is thought to be the reason why he was an early abolitionist. He and he army friend John Laurens tried to raise black battalions during the Revolutionary War as a way for them to gain feeedom, but the southern states were opposed After the war, he was one of the co-founders New. York Manumission Society in 1785.

But enough about Hamilton. You have to read

or listen to the book to get the rest of the story!!!

On my morning walk, I encountered some monkeys who were skittish, unlike the ones in India, so I was unable to get any photos. The wild button was much more accommodating. And I found a little spot of beach.

The big breakthrough yesterday was finally getting my scooter so I can get around the island by myself. I didn't fancy paying $20 every time I took a taxi somewhere and not much is with walking distance of my hotel. Ok, so. Nothing is within walking distance.

I can't say I'm a natural; I keep trying to maneuver like a bicycle, which does not go well. Hence a tumble when trying to make a turn and running up over a curb. I took the brunt of that and I pushed it into the shade and rested a few moments before I carried on.

After the Hamilton museum, I stepped into a local dive called the Octagon due to its shape. I felt like I had walked into that bar in Cool Runnings where the Jamaicans watched the bobsled team in tv. I ordered the fish stew which was really batter fried fish under a sort of vegetable relish, rice with pigeon peas, a noodle vegetable side and a wonderful side salad. I'm guessing they don't get too many tourists because after I chowed on that one of the locals who spoke the patios with another man asked me how I liked it. I said it was delicious. And he said it always is.

My next stop was a grocery store to get some breakfast foods and coffee so I could eat on my balcony. I also love to see what other countries stock in their grocery stores. They had Bob's oat cereal So I got some dried fruit and honey yo mix in that, coffee, and ginger biscuits. I love cookies outside the US because they tend to have more flavor as there is not as much sweetener in them. I was not disappointed with these!

Then I was off to the healing hot springs, which I hoped would be especially good for my scraped up leg my mom keeps her hot tub really hot, so the 104 degree water was manageable for me. And it did feel great. I didn't get a photo out of respect To the other people who were in the pool. Next time

I motored back to the hotel where I grabbed my light hearted mystery novel and headed to the pool for a dip and a Mount Nevis rum punch. I think it's the sprinkled nutmeg on top and that they are not too sweet which I really like about them. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

When I went up to the bar for another round, one of the wait staff asked me if I was having dinner tonight. I asked if she knew the Octagan. She did. I said I had the fish stew around 3:30 and I was stuffed. She immediately understood.

It was back to my room for an early night. What to tackle tomorrow??