The Rule of Unintended Consequences

Call me old fashioned or nostalgic but this is how I choose to remember yhe Vigie Beach. A refuge from Castries for a quick lunch,.... a spot to peacefully reflect for an hour or so, before returning to the hustle. Sometimes I would sit in admiration of the casual visitor strolling by, or that local rebel...who took 'the less' beaten track in life....able to enjoy each day with no schedule.

However all of that has changed...again. Development has crept in and accousted this space, with the promise of better services, increased safety and more updated facilities for locals..and visitors. ....and that they did. In all fairness, the beach facility has done all of this.

However, with the explosion of traffic in the cruise visitor market (from about 90,000 in 1987 to over 800,000 in 2019) no facility could contain this population. Tourist it seems are everywhere...and the Vigie beach was the nearest and most attractive target in Castries.

The opportunity for making money became evident. The beach chair market became lucrative investments and in no time, Vigie Beach was carved into a managible pie..so all who wanted could benefit. Who could have thought that this beach could ever 'fill up'.

So..back to me and my nostalgic issues. Last week I was turned away from my parking spot at the beach. A young man claimed that this was his spot, where his clients are dropped off for his chair service. I would have to go elsewhere ..he said.

Maybe to marisule beach.