Presidential Suite!!!

showers, warm, temps 80

Oh, my Gooood. By some bit of great good fortune we were upgraded to the presidential suite. I'm not kidding. We arrived yesterday afternoon - a little rainy in Montreal but nothing to worry about (go tell my previous self) - landed in St. Lucia and were picked up by a fellow named Kim...our private chauffeur with a private car - to take us the hour and a half across the island to the Sandals Grande St. Lucian. I was quite glad I'd swallowed my Gravol-type anti-motion sickness pill. Up and down, sharp turns - mountainous roads...but stunning! We drove through the rain forest and could see mountains and valleys covered in mist and vegetation...everything was huge. Felt like we were in the Land of the Giants.

We sure weren't in Kansas anymore! Or Quebec.

It was sunny and warm and humid - but very pleasant.

Someone met us at the front of the Sandals, asked our name and said, Oh yes, you're in our very best room.' Which I thought was both promising and hyperbole. We'd arranged, as you know, for a Butler Level room...the Prime Minister's One bedroom suite.

But a moment later they showed up to the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential suite!!!

Dear Lord in heaven - take me now.

I don't think I've ever seen Michael so thrilled and amazed - and that includes seeing him at the alter as my mother and I walked down the aisle at our wedding.

Let me describe this suite. You walk into a vestibule (zooming almost unnotived past a powder room the size of our entire bathroom at home) - and facing us is a bank of three huge double drench doors leading onto a verandah looking onto the Caribbean Sea. Sail boats, palm trees, mountains beyond.

And in the foreground, our room. A living room area with back to back huge sofas, One set facing a massive flat screen TV - then behind it a dining room, a kitchen... then upstairs two big bedrooms, each with ensuite. The master bedroom is immense...with a sitting area and biggest flat screen TV I've ever seen - and behind that a four-poster king bed, also with a flat screen. A dressing room. A huge (this is a theme, by the way) bathroom with jacuzzi tub, walk in shower, two sinks, marble counters, separate toilet. And an outside shower...on the terrace...looking onto the other side of the resort...out to the Atlantic.

Both bedrooms have sliding glass doors onto a (yes) massive balcony with chaisse lounges and tables and chairs.

We knew for sure we were in Paradise!!

had dinner at the beach barbeque last night - on the beach. Eating mahi mahi and listening to a steel band. This morning we had breakfast on the verhandah off the living room, looking on the caribbean. It was, and is, very warm, but not uncomfortable. Sunny at first, then cloudy and showers off and on for the day. But we don't care. No one seems to care. Very relaxed and happy atmosphere.

Not at all sure we'll leave the resort, frankly. Quite surprised we left the suite.

Between cloud bursts we swam in the ocean and laid on beach chairs, reading. And feeling very, very grateful and blessed. And blissed.

Will blog again in a few days. Be well - and welcome to St. Lucia!