We have been in Martinique for over a week now, and have been anchored in Marin, in the south, for the majority of that time. Our momentum is seems has stopped. But it will pick up again after Easter.
This French island has been a little kinder to me, or perhaps I have become a little braver attempting to converse with others to purchase items or ask about places. We have 4 places to dinghy to here, which makes for more outings and trips than sometimes one would care for. There is a new marina centre, that I like the best. Clean, cement paths and nicer shops. plus the launderette is there. There is the industrial/marine centre that Joel seems to frequent, the older marina area and finally a dock mostly dedicated to servicing a supermarket.
Today i took the girls to the larger, cement filled marina to play on their scooters. Don't know why we hadn't thought of it before. Perfect spot for it. Being Good Friday I thought the dinghy dock would be all clear and we'd have the place to ourselves. how wrong I was. We barely managed to squeeze into the last spot of the dock, with some careful maneuvering, and then heard the bar upstairs pumping out music and saw people wandering around with fresh bread. Yes, the shops are open. So after gearing up and having quick scoot with their 'big girl' handlebars now in place, the girls and I braved scooting over to the shop to get a fresh, warm baguette for lunch. On the way back Isabelle stopped and gave up the scooter, announcing -'I want to go to the shop'. Yes the clothing store! So in we all went, helmets, knee pads, me with two baguettes and two scooters and two kids! A quick flick through the rack a couple of steps in the door and Isabelle hears the music and is grooving right there on the spot. The shop assistant laughs and smiles -then Isabelle starts taking off her gear, getting too sweaty she announces. Right, time to get out now!
Back to the dinghy we trudge - and as I type the girls have just woken from a close to 3 hour nap. Ok who's up for scooters again tomorrow?