A Big Thanks To Many

My time as the St. Kitts Marriott Beach Blogger was truly a special experience. Sure, I got to see and do some extremely cool things, but it was the people I met that made it a remarkable trip.

First I would like to thank Lavern Stevens, the Public Relations Manager at the St. Kitts Marriott. Lavern was with us almost every step of the way. I tried to get her to climb the volcano with us, but she laughed and quickly declined. Lavern went out of her way to make sure all of our needs were taken care of, and that we had transportation to our island activities. She was a lot of fun to hang out with and I feel like I've definitely made a new friend. She even introduced me to the Deputy Prime Minester of St. Kitts. That's like meeting our our Vice President. Thank you so much Lavern.

One thing that caught me off gaurd was that the Marriott staff members kept recongizing me when I was walking around the property or waiting for a cab. They would come up and ask me if I was RumRyan or the RumShop guy, introduce themselves, thank me for writing about their island and ask if everything is going well. I would quickly thank them and tell them everything was great. Then I would walk into my room while housekeeping was cleaning and both ladies stopped and asked me if I was the Rum Ryan guy and if everything was okay. I was completely caught by surprised with this recongnition. Something this pirate isn't use to at all. Thank you to the St. Kitts Marriott family for making me feel so very special.

Smile Eddie!

Other people I would like to thank:

• Eddie our limo driver
• Oral a great Bell Man
• Craig another great Bell Man
• Sonia, one of our housekeepers
• Xavier from the Calypso Cafe
• Olivia and Tessa from the Bohemia pool bar
• O'neil our volcano guide
• Damien, Travis, Rusty, Ivan and Ian from our catamaran cruise with Leeward Island Charters
• Sarines, the Director of Sales and Marketing, thank you for taking us to dinner
• Our two massage therapists, I forgot your names, but you guys were great
• Liz and Nichole whom I met down on Frigate Bay
• Jun Jun and Papa Smurf from Sky Safaris, they were a fun group

I'm sure I forgot a few of you, and I apologize. The entire experience was magical and it was the people we met that made it so. Thank you so much to my new Kittitian friends.

Big thank you to all the Paradise By Marriott people who gave me this opportunity to be their first Beach Blogger. I can't wait to see the new Beach Bloggers and their adventures.

If you would like to see all my photos from the Beach Blogger Adventure you can find them on the RumShopRyan Facebook page.

This is RumShopRyan signing off as your Marriott Beach Blogger.
Cheers Castaways!
Ryan

The Last Day on St. Kitts as the Marriott Beach Blogger

As the minutes ticked away, our time at the St. Kitts Marriott was drawing to an end. The five days spent on this beautiful island flew by in a heart beat. It truly is going to be sad to see the island fade in the distance as our plane reaches skyward, but we have made memories and friendships that will last.

We woke up on our final day feeling refreshed but knew we had to start packing up. As I loaded up my bags I would stop and take a few minutes to stare out the window and burn the image of the beach and its crashing waves into my mind. It is a view that I don't soon want to forget.

10am arrived and it was time to make our way to the Emerald Mist Spa at the Marriott. We were scheduled to receive a couples massage so that our sore muscles can be rubbed and soothed into submission. I was really looking forward to this actually, my only concern was getting a male massage therapist. I know that may be closed minded and immature on my part, but call me crazy if I don't want to be rubbed all over by a guy.

We are showed to our locker rooms. Each filled with enchanting sounds and elegant smells. The locker room is filled with a steam room, two hot tubs, and a sitting room complete with fresh fruit. It was a very relaxing and soothing place, and you could almost feel the stress of the looming travel day evaporate from your skin.

The massages were wonderful, our therapists were top notch and very professional. My therapist was excellent, she was a small women with a great smile and I was amazed by how strong her hands were. She really did a number on my back, getting all the knots out, it was a lot of work and even a little painful, but I feel wonderful now.

After the massage we head back to our room to finish packing and to say our goodbyes to the resort and island. The day before at the pool we meet a charming couple named Stan and Rita. They are world travelers and were telling us tales about places like Alaska, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and all places in between. After awhile, Stan disappeared and showed up a few minutes later with a couple glasses and a bottle of Champagne. They were leaving in a couple hours and didn't want it to go to waste. It was such a nice gesture and I assured them it would not go to waste.

Before heading to the lobby to meet Lavern and taking that sobering ride to the airport, we headed to the Marriott's beach to crack open that champagne for one last toast. It was a special moment and the perfect way to cap off a sensational trip.

That was the end to my Marriott Resorts Beach Blogger trip. I have so many people to thank, and I'm going to write a follow up post giving those people specific credit for the jobs they did. The St. Kitts Marriott staff really blew me away, and you guys deserve your own special thank you story.

I have so many more stories I'd like to share, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to post them here, but you can definitely read more about the St. Kitts Beach Blogger fun on RumShopRyan.com.

Remember, just because my Beach Blogger adventure is over doesn't mean it's over for everyone. Marriott Resorts will be picking a new Beach Blogger soon and it very well could be you! Follow the Marriott Resorts Caribbean & Mexico and the RumShopRyan Facebook pages to stay informed about the future Beach Blogger contests.

Cheers Castaways!
RumShopRyan

The Farewell Dinner, Blackjack, A Cuban & Some Old Rum

It's sad to say but our time on St. Kitts is slowly coming to an end. Last night was the farewell dinner, spent with good company and delicious food. As you can tell by the title, our last night had a little bit of everything. Bitter sweet indeed.

After a relaxing day at the Marriott pool and a little afternoon beach bar hopping, it was time to get cleaned up and make our way to the La Cucina. La Cucina is a Italian restaurant located at the Marriott and specializes in dishes from Northern Italy. Erin and I had been looking forward to this meal ever since we arrived and by looking at the photo above you can see why.

We were joined by Sarines Oliva, the Director of Sales & Marketing for the St. Kitts Marriott. She graciously spent part of her Saturday night telling us the story of how she came to the St. Kitts Marriott family and how she absolutely adores the island and its people. After being here just 5 days, I can see why she loves this Caribbean gem.

After a great dinner, we said our good-byes to Sarines and headed to the Royal Beach Casino here on property for one more go around on the tables. Two nights ago Erin lost $40 in about 2 and half minutes. This night the tables would be turned and we would take down the house!  Okay, we didn't take down the house, but we did walk out with a couple hundred more in spending money. Woohoo!

We then made our way upstairs to the Keys Cigar & Rum Bar for a little late night relaxing. I fired up the Cohiba cigar that Erin bought me our first night (good girlfriend!), ordered a glass of old Mt. Gay rum neat and took in the scene. A great Cuban band consisting of an older man who was mastering the guitar and a larger younger gentleman who was pounding out sweet beats on the bongos. It was a great great way to end the night.

It is now the morning of our last day on island and we are packing our things. We have one more stop though. You guys did vote for us to spend some time at the Emerald Mist Spa here at the Marriott Resort. I'm not much of a spa guy, but you guys spoke and I will listen. Plus, a nice relaxing massage would be nice to soothe the still sore muscles from the volcano hike. More on the spa experience coming!

Cheers!
RumShopRyan

Day 4 Update

Have I told you guys how sore my legs are from the volcano hike? As a man, I usually wouldn't admit such pain, but that mountain kicked my butt.

Today was a great day. It was spent chillaxing at the St. Kitts Marriott pool and enjoying some cold beverages poolside. The Bohemia Bar knows how to treat its guests.

I spent the rest of the day roaming the southern end of St. Kitts. I hit up Shipwreck Beach Bar for a bit and then made my way down to Reggae Beach Bar on Cockelshell Beach and enjoyed what is said to be the nicest beach on the island.

I of course have a lot more to say, but I'm heading to a dinner with the Marriott Sales Director in about a half hour. I will be writing more about the sublime island experience we had today in later posts, but here are a few photos to wet your appetites.

Cheers Castaways!
RumShopRyan

Poolside in Paradise

Hi everyone!

Just a quick update on the hard life of this beach blogger. Right now I'm sitting poolside at the amazing St. Kitts Marriott. Don't hate me, I'm actually working. Computer on my lab, cold Carib brew in hand and watching all the other guest enjoy themselves. This actually is my first chance to chillax at the pool and take advantage of the swim up bar of the Bohemia Restaurant. I probably look like a complete computer nerd right now, working away and not swimming in the pool, but you know what, that's the tough life of Marriott Beach Blogger.

I have a secret to tell you though, I won't be the only Paradise Beach Blogger. That's right, Marriott Caribbean and Mexican Resorts plans on making the Beach Blogger experience a regular event! How exciting right! I will keep you guys updated on RumShopRyan.com and Paradise By Marriott will of course keep you guys informed on how you can apply to be the next Beach Blogger.

I have to run, my Carib is getting warm. Cheers everyone!

RumShopRyan

A Climb To Remember

Good morning Beach Blogger and Marriott Resort fans. I'm up early this morning to tell the story of the epic volcano climb on Mt. Liamuiga yesterday.

Erin and I were up early and out the door with our guide O'neil Mulraine. He runs the appropriately named O'neil's Rainforest Tours company. On our way up to the northern side of St. Kitts, which is where the trail head is located, O'neil points out interesting buildings and land marks. We found out that he also has another talent, reggae singer. A singing rainforest guide, I like it. We will find out that O'neil will showcase many more talents on the way up the volcano as the hike gets, shall we say, intense.

We arrive to the village of St. Pauls, which is where the trail begins its snake like path up the slopes of the volcano. The first half of the trail is a fairly easy hike through the lush forest. O'neil points out plants and animals and we even saw a few of the reclusive Vervet Monkeys. We are told that the monkeys out number humans on St. Kitts but they are shy and sometimes difficult to see.

The second half of the trail is a bit more extreme. You have to climb 2 large hills at intense angles. You're literally on your hands and feet scaling huge boulders and root systems. This is where O'neil really shows his stuff, not only is he in his mid 50's and can climb this thing in 50 minutes by himself, but he encourages and motivates as the climb gets difficult. Erin was having a rough go at it, but with O'neil's encouragement she fought through some really difficult sections and made it to the top of the volcano. I'm very proud of her.

O'neil takes me to the top of the ledge for the view across the crater. The thick clouds obstructed the view, but they did break a couple times so we could see down to the crater floor. It was a tremendous experience to be in the clouds but we couldn't stay long, the weather was turning...and turning fast.

Once O'neil and I climbed down from the rock edge to the section of the rim where Erin was waiting, a huge storm blew in. People usually hang out on the rim, eat and enjoy the time. We were pushed off the top by strong winds, torrential rain, lightning and thunder. Not ideal conditions for climbing down steep grades.

Our trail quickly turned into a rushing river below our feet which made the rocks and roots extremely slippery. Good times! O'neil did an amazing job helping us through the terrain and even taking Erin's hand and helping her through some of the more difficult sections. I can't say enough about the job he did getting us up and especially down the mountain.

It poured on us the entire way down the volcano, there wasn't a dry inch on us. But you know what, I loved every minute of it. It's a RAINFOREST folks, you're going to get wet. I think it added another element to the experience and made it that much more memorable. Would I do it again? In a second. Would Erin? Ummmm, I think she would spend her time at the Marriott Spa next time.

I want to give a big thanks to O'neil, the man of many hats. If you're looking to climb Mt. Liamuiga on St. Kitts I highly recommend his services. Not only is he a great guide, he's a historian, a teacher, a motivator, and a pretty good reggae singer.

To book O'neil for your climb email him at oneilmulraine@hotmail.com

Cheers Castaways!
RumShopRyan

Photos from the Mt. Liamuiga, the St. Kitts Volcano

Hi Marriott Beach Blogger Castaways!

I just had my heart ripped out, I had a beautiful, long post written up for you guys about today's volcano climb and then my computer decided to close the window the story was written in. There is no worse feeling as a writer. I would happy rewrite the post right now about the extreme hike and our tremendous guide O'neil, but I have to run to a dinner. I'm going to write the post up fo you guys because it was a great story and a great day. For right now, I'm going to a least share some of the photos of our day on the volcano with expert guide O'neil.

O'neil is the man!

A happy Erin. Her mood changed as the trail got extreme, but it was fun!

At the top! Looking into the crater of the volcano.

I promise I'll rewrite the story about this hiking experience. It's a story for the ages, trust me.

Cheers!
RumShopRyan

A Day of Research

Being the Marriott Resorts Beach Blogger is hard work. I know what you're thinking, and you probably want to beat me with a stick, but it's true. A full day of touring St. Kitts may sound like heaven on Earth, but I do it so I can come back here, sit down at my sticker covered computer and tell you guys all about it. All this fun and exploration is really just "research" and a lot of hard work. 

Ha! If you think this is hard work, then I have some swamp land in Florida I'd like to sell you. The island tour yesterday was out of this world and it kept getting better as the day progressed. It ended with a bonfire on the beach and a rum punch in hand. Perfectly perfect.

Here is a recap of the day. Zip lining, Brimestone Hill Fortress, Black sand beach, Black Rock, nap, sunset cruise on a unbelievable catamaran, dinner at Shiggidy Shack, stroll down Frigate Bay, and a brief stop at the Marriott Resort Casino.  Here are a bunch of photos for you guys. Again, this is all serious serious research.

Beautiful Black sand beach. We had to stop so I could grab a jar of sand. Have to take this back for the collection!

The Black Rock coastline. Giant rock formations created by the volcano. I took  video of the crashing waves that I'll upload later.

View atop Brimstone Hill Fortress.

Panoramic of Brimstone Hill

Panoramic of Brimstone Hill

The beautiful SV Spirit Catamaran from Leeward Island Charters. Much more on the cruise later.

Yes, I got to drive this beauty for a bit. Handled like a sports car!

Lava Jerk Chicken at the Shiggidy Shack.

Just a Castaway enjoying a local St. Kitts brew at the Shiggidy Shack.

That was a recap of our day full of island research. Our stop in the Marriott Casino lasted all of 3 minutes. Erin plopped down $40 on a blackjack table, and in 3 minutes it was gone! I love gambling.

Below is a video of the bonfire at the Shiggidy Shack. It was a great ending to a unbelievable day.  We are off to climb Mt. Liamuiga this morning. More research!

Cheers Castaways!
RumShopRyan

Zip Lining With Sky Safaris

A little zip lining fun with Sky Safaris of St. Kitts.

Below is a video I attempted to take going down the first and longest of the zip lines. Sky Safaris is a great adventure and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting St. Kitts.

I don't know about you but I could get use to this "Beach Blogger" gig.

We just got back from a island tour that included Brimstone Hill, a black sand beach, Black Rock and even some friendly natives. More on all those adventures coming up!

Cheers!

Food, Glorious Food

After a long day of traveling my stomach was speaking to me, and it wasn't being polite. Nibbling on Chex Mix somewhere over the Bahamas was all I had to eat all day, so when it came to eating dinner last night I was all business.

Lavern, Erin and myself met in the enormous open Marriott lobby, chatted for a bit and made our way to the Royal Grille Steakhouse. I had only one thing on my mind and that was to quiet the angry monster in my stomach.

Here are some photos from the amazing meal.

Dinner was excellent. The voices in my stomach stopped and lots of wine was enjoyed. Day one was fantastic and we are ready for day two!

Today we are zip lining through the rainforest and touring Brimstone Hill Fortress.

Have to run! Talk to all you Castaways later!

Cheers,
Ryan

Hello St. Kitts, Give Me Your Best!

My lovely photographer, who is chillaxing in the resort pool right now, and I have made it to the old Caribbean island of St. Kitts.

The flight was fine, except for the Fort Myers to Miami leg. Two kids behind me thought it would be cool to scream and kick my seat the entire time. I'm not sure if this happens to anyone else, but I'm a magnet for terrorist children. Maybe that's why God invented iPods and in flight cocktails.

Everything has been stellar so far. We were picked up in a SUV limo and met Lavern ( I hope I spelled that right), she is the PR director for the St. Kitts Marriott, and she will be hanging out with us on the beach blogger island adventure. 

She seems to be quite the party girl. She informed me of all the beach bars that we are going to hit, and with a name like RumShopRyan, I better live up to the bill. I assured her that I can handle my own and that she should be worried about keeping up with this legend (in his own mind).

Below is a video I tried to make on the beach in front of the Marriott. The wind is kicking up something fierce and I don't think you can hear me very well, but you'll get the idea and get to see some of the amazing scenery that this location has to offer.

We are now off to a nice dinner on property, and I think that will include some local beverages. I can only hope.

Cheers Castaways!
RumShopRyan

The Introduction & Preparation

This is my first official post for the Marriott Beach Blogger Adventure...exciting!  My name is Ryan, RumShopRyan, and I'm a Caribbean travel blogger. A couple months ago I was lucky enough to be voted the first Marriott Beach Blogger. I want to raise my glass to all those who voted for me and for the other finalists, any one of us would have made a great beach blogger.

If you're not a regular RumShopRyan.com reader, that's okay. Let me fill you in a little about my readers. They are proudly called "Castaways", and each one of them has the same love of the islands, the people, the water and the rum as I do. So if you hear me refer to the Castaways, I'm talking about my awesome readers and not something that got washed up on the beach. Well, maybe some of them did, but that's okay. During the next 5 days everyone reading this Beach Blogger adventure will be known as Castaways. One big happy salty souled gang!

I will be joined by my beautiful girl friend/photographer, Erin. I'm sure she will be doing most of the gambling at the casino and indulging at the spa. We might let her say a few words on here as well so that we can get a woman's perspective.

Preparation!

Anticipation is building and I can already tell that sleeping tonight is going to be a chore. Thoughts of lush green mountains, cold rum drinks pool side and spanking a golf ball around the course next to the sparkling Caribbean sea will fill my mind all night long.

Bags are mostly packed, itinerary is confirmed and alarm clock is set.  We have an early 7:40am flight out of Fort Myers tomorrow morning, a quick hop to Miami International Airport and then finally a straight shot to beautiful St. Kitts. I literally can't wait!

The 5 days in St. Kitts will be full of activities that you guys voted on. Climbing the volcano, rainforest ziplining, playing golf, and of course enjoying cold drinks pool side top the list. I will be posting photos, videos and updates several times a day right here on the Paradise By Marriott blog, so stay tune!

You guys will also be able to follow the fun and learn more about St. Kitts by watching for Facebook updates on the Marriott Resort Caribbean and Mexico page.  You can also keep updated on Twitter by following the hash tag (#BeachBlogger).  Thank you for joining the Marriott Beach Blogger adventure and I will do my very best to make you guys feel as if you are right there with me!

Cheers Castaways!
RumShopRyan

Ryan En Route

Check back for our Beach Blogger's first post from Paradise June 29!