SLA 060 Derek Walcott Square

Friday, March 8, two and a half days after arriving, we finally were organized enough to get out of the immediate area of the hotel, and see some of the country.  We hired our taxi driving buddy, Robby (who had brought us from the airport) to take us up to the capital city, Castries, about 7 twisting miles and 25 minutes to the north.  Our first stop was the downtown area, specifically Derek Walcott Square.  It used to be called the Place d’Armes when the island was under French control.  On January 23, 1893, it was rechristened Columbus Square in honor of the discoverer who never set foot on the island.  One hundred years later — to the date — it was renamed to honor Derek Walcott’s 1992 Nobel Prize for literature.  Mr. Walcott was a poet, painter and playwright who was born in St. Lucia on January 23, 1930.