Wednesday 10/7 - Bedtimes are for Hosers

We knew we had to be up early. We knew it was supposed to be an early night. But when logic presented itself, did we oblige? The answer is a strong a resolute NO.

Let me back up. We went to Wikked at the Yacht Harbor thing to eat dinner with some of our new co-workers. Mojo Chicken Tacos with the local hot sauce = heaven. Those who have seen me eat Mighty Taco in Buffalo, NY know that a little face sweat it a common occurrence when hot sauce hits my lips. Let me tell you - this was a whole new world.

So after we ate our more responsible (read: intelligent) friends decided they were heading back home because we were all due to be ready to leave at 7am for a boat trip. Kiersten, DC and I looked at each other and kinda gave them the communal "nah, we got it", making our way to Fat Turtle.

Imagine a turtle. Now imagine it standing upright, with dreadlocks. That is what the owner of Fat Turtle looks like. He was the best to us, and eventually he led the pack of vagabonds and random sailors to the new hookah bar on island called the Hubbly Bubbly.

I think now is the best time to explain a certain happenstance that occurs on St. Thomas. I like to call it the Barbie Principle. Basically what happens is this:

1. We walk into a bar.
2. Everyone looks at the blond that came in with us.

3. We get free everything.

So - as we walk into the Hubbly Bubbly, the Barbie Principle is in full effect. Kiersten is immediately swooped up by an 80 year old (that she allegedly made out with?) and the owner of this fine establishment. We found a table, and were not spared any amenity. Free hookah, free beer, free food - it was clear that any place we took Kiersten, we would be treated like royalty. And they spared no priviledge for her either. She dropped her beer - completely her fault mind you - and with a lightning quick "habala gabala" from the mouth of the owner she had one girl sweeping up the glass and another serving her another beer. They even let her into the DJ booth (you had to go through the kitchen and up a set of stairs) so she could so elequently scream through the mic "YO TIM AND DC.... BITCHES BE CRAAAAZZY!!!"

So it gets to the end of the night and we need to go home. After all, its 4:30am and we need to be up at 7am, going home is the responsible move, right? Small problem, though - all the taxis have gone to bed too. You could call the next move a bad decision - but we had no reason to believe so at the time. The owner of Hubbly Bubbly offered us a ride home and we accepted.

Granted the man drives a Mercedes AG something and its probably the nicest car on island. Granted its "one touch everything" as he kept pointing out. Still - when he stopped in front of Club 75 (which I believe is some sort of ghetto discotheque) and left us three white kids in an unlocked car in arguably the most dangerous part of St. Thomas so he could get some herb, we felt a little unsafe. Its all good though, when he got back he told us that everybody knew whose car it was and that nobody would dream of disrespecting it. Oh yeah and then he showed us his gun.

Who buys herbs at 5am anyway? And from a strip club? I think it was oregano, maybe he was getting up early to make a sauce.