The "SXM: Remembering Mr. Blue Eyes" Story

Colored wooden shacks that sold memories to tourists.
Most have been totally destroyed.

It was an ordinary day.  Driving past the row of what were at one time wooden shacks that sold trinkets, t-shirts and hats, cheap jewelry, and a variety of other collectibles.  There is very little that remains.  Across from the shacks was a wooden building that was home to Bernadette and her many bottles of rum.  

Mr. Blue Eyes.  What ever happened to him?

She was also the savior of the strays that wandered one of the highest locations near Orient Village.  Every year Carol and I would stop with a few bags of cat food that we had purchased for her at the grocery store to give to her to help feed the strays.  She had names for all her furry friends.  Our favorite was a blue-eyed Siamese with the name of Mr. Blue Eyes.

The Paradise View Creperie.  One of our favorite places
to eat.  All that remains is the shell of the wonderful
restaurant.  What ever happened to the young family
that ran the restaurant?

Wondered what ever happened to him.  Directly behind her location was a favorite restaurant, Paradise View Creperie Restaurant, that served the most delicious crepes which I have written about on a few occasions.  The building still stands, but is in need of repairs and no longer is home to the young couple and their family who ran the restaurant.  Down the road from the restaurant and brightly painted wooden shacks stood the Butterfly Farm.  

The remains of Paradise View.

A fantastic place to visit yearly to see the variety of butterflies from all over the world that called the enclosure home.  Seeing the transfor- mation from larvae to beautiful butterfly never got tiring.  What happened to all those creatures?  About 100 yards down the same road was the stable where Carol would go most every vacation to ride horses.  

The remains of the horse stable that was destroyed.

A trip to nearby Gallion Beach and a ride in the surf were always a thrill for Carol who had a horse during her high school years in southern Lancaster County.  All that remains are some concrete enclosures that were at one time stalls in a dog shelter. The stable and riding club are gone with the wind, so to speak.  Did the horses survive the incredible storm?  Did they live in fear for their lives as the humans on the island did?  

Tito showing us one of the any beautiful butterflies at the Butterfly Farm.

And this is only one very small area on the 34 square mile island that was leveled by the 250 MPH winds from Hurricane Irma.  The island's 75,000 residents went through what no one should ever have to endure.  Violence and destruction followed for a few days until law and order could be restored.  

This is the location of the Butterfly Farm.

It has been a year now, and some places on the island look great, but there are many areas that will take years to rebuild or renew.  Being at an age where I am physically unable to lend a hand, I only hope that others will give help to those in need on the island.  We have found a place to stay for our vacation this year, but many others on the island aren't as lucky as we, and will have to endure more years of rebuilding and renewing.  During our vacation we did see progress and heard the constant sound of hammers and saws as many are busy trying to bring the island back to life so others will visit once again and bring the tourist dollar back to the island.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

A view of the creperie at Paradise View taken a few years ago.

How it appears today.