Jade Mountain Resort, St. Lucia – it is day #12 of our romantic 25th wedding anniversary tour of the Caribbean, and day #4 of our stay at the Jade Mountain Resort.

St. Lucia’s famous Pitons present us with a completely different interpretation of their grandeur each day, and their reflection in Jade Mountain’s many infinity pools adds a most beautiful echo to their beauty.

Today was a day of intermittent clouds, haze, and showers.  Therefore, we opted to do what lovers are greatly tempted to do at Jade Mountain … spend a great deal of the day in your sanctuary enjoying each other’s company.

One of the reasons, among a great many, that Jade Mountain has earned its AAA Five-Diamond award in record time is the attention lavished upon you by having your own major-domo (butler) at your beck and call.

I suppose an inferior resort might claim to have butler service, but these three (left to right – Teddy, Alain, and Okeda) were trained by the British Guild of Butlers.

As the sunset approached, we scurried down to the beach bar at Anse Chastanet (Jade Mountain’s sister resort) to enjoy a local rum punch and this spectacular view.

For dinner, we simply walked across the beach bar to the resort’s Apsara at Trou au Diable Restaurant.

Evidently, when slavery was abolished here in 1858, hundreds of thousands of indentured workers came here from India.  Subsequently, St. Lucian cuisine is influenced by this influx of East Indians, and Apsara is a culinary fusion of St. Lucia and India.

We enjoyed Murge Ki Khurchan (Shredded Chicken Tikka Stir-Fried with Coriander Seeds, Onion and Bell Peppers served with a Baby Garlic Naan), and Ajwaini Bhed (Ajwain Crushed Lamb Cutlet with Spiced Chick Peas and Garlic Pickle) as our appetizer.

For our entrees we explored Jugal Bandhi (A mixed platter of Fire Roasted Lamb Chop, Cumin-Mustard King Prawn, Cajun Tandoori Chicken with Lime Rice) and Haryali Batakh (Tamarind Roasted Duck Breast, Cumin Crushed Breadfruit and Curried Soya, Coriander).

We took great pleasure in this experience, and the gastronomical exploration of this East Indian influenced cuisine was greatly enjoyed. YUM!

Another pleasure of a stay at Jade Mountain is that the female staff at Anse Chastanet are costumed in St. Lucia’s National Dress, the Madras.

The Madras is a three piece outfit consisting of a white blouse known in French creole as (Chemise decoltee) made of cotton or poplin and trimmed with borderie anglaise and red ribbon, an outer skirt that is made of Madras material (made in Madras, India) and can be long or short. This outer skirt is worn over a long white cotton slip which is trimmed at the bottom with rows of insertion lace through which red ribbon is weaved, and a head piece called the Tête en l’air made of Madras material and tied in peaks at the top. (via the United Nations Website)

The number of peaks in the Tête en l’air (head piece) have the following connotations:

• one peak – single
• two peaks – engaged
• three peaks – happily married
• four peaks – married but looking?  We saw none of these at Jade Mountain.

Jade Mountain is quite famous for creating intimate hideaways for its guests.  After our wonderful dinner at Apsara, we were invited to come take a quick photograph of Marsha Hornberger and Michael Magro who were enjoying an intimate dinner at Kai Mer (Creole for House of the Sea) tucked away in the cliffs overlooking the ocean.

It is our understanding that Jade Mountain is quite willing to create a romantic dining experience for you nearly anywhere on their property.  While we were having our dinner, we noticed another couple enjoying a dining tent set up right on the beach surrounded by tiki torches and candlelight.

Well, that was our beautiful day at Jade Mountain.  It is now time to head back to our sanctuary, hop in our private endless pool, and watch the stunning display of the milky way in the dark, dark St. Lucian skies.

Good night!