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Cruise Guide > Caribbean > St Lucia > Castries | |
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Castries Time Zone GMT - 4. Currency Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$) = 100 cents. Language English and local French patois. Sightseeing St Lucia is a beautiful volcanic island with lush rainforests, undulating agricultural land and unspoiled beaches. Considerable French influence is still felt here. Castries, which is one of the most beautifully situated Caribbean cities, is a major port of call for cruise ships, which dock at Pointe Seraphine, Surrounded by hills, its large, safe harbour at the head of a wide bay is a constant hive of activity. The spacious Derek Walcott Square features the 19th-century Catholic Cathedral standing in the shade of a 400 year-old samaan tree. There is also a colourful, bustling market. Shopping Special purchases include unique batik and silkscreen designs made into shifts, sports shirts, table mats, locally made bowls, beads, straw hats, flour-sack shirts, sisal rugs, bags, sandals and woodwork. Pointe Seraphine features over 30 duty-free shops (open seven days a week), bars and restaurants placed around an open piazza. Eating Out Local dishes include langouste (local lobster) cooked in a variety of ways, lambi (conch) and other fresh seafood, breadfruit and other local fruit and vegetables. Pepper pot and fried plantain are two local specialities worth trying. In general the food is a combination of Creole with West Indian and French influences. Country St Lucia Region The Caribbean |