A Slice of Heaven

In the three-tiered world of ancient times, hell was down, heaven was up, and earth was in the middle.   I suspect nearly all of us were introduced to these notions in our childhoods.  You descend into hell; you ascend into heaven.  They are places, one you want to avoid and the other you hope is the reward for a life well lived.

Despite the fact that my theological studies altered these ideas away from some “place” and toward some “experience” (hell is a life without God; heaven is life in tune with God), I sometimes fall back onto those original ideas.  Heaven is up!  It’s a place from which you can look down and see the world, its people, the ones you know from a different perspective. 

Living in a world of water surrounded mostly by volcanic based islands, you are surrounded by hills, lush green, and some rather majestic.  Yesterday, with the help of a taxi ride, I ascended to a slice of heaven.  It all started because we ran out of propane gas for our cooking grill.  In most places around the islands, refilling a tank is a two-day chore.  You drop off your empty tank, it is picked up and delivered to one central place where the tanks are filled and returned the next day.  Not true in Virgin Gorda.  The propane refill will take place anytime you can bring your tank to the service center.  You have to add the cost of a taxi ride.   Our schedule right now is pretty tight and when the staff at one resort said the cost of a taxi ride would only be $16 each way, we said OK.  Took the propane tank ashore, got a ride from Norvel, who’s lived his entire life at this end of Virgin Gorda.  He drove me the eight miles to Spanish Town at the other end of the island, up and over and down again, through a national park.  We talked.  Norvel said the highest point on the island is 1,300 feet above sea level.  I could believe it, given the fantastic views.  An hour later, we returned on the same route and Norvel took a side trip to show me a beautiful viewpoint, along with a new restaurant (he gets a small commission apparently).  While the taxi fare was more than I originally thought it would be, the ride and Norvel’s comments and the views were worth it.  Besides, the propane tank refill was $10 less than what we normally pay.  So far, so good.

GOOGLE EARTH PIC

Gorda Sound...Heaven's hill (Hog Heaven) is on the left; Mosquito Island top right; Prickly Pear Island top left
Deep Bay far right

By the end of the afternoon, Marney and I decided to treat ourselves to dinner at Hog Heaven, the name of the restaurant up in the hills.  It’s a barbecue place, very reasonably priced.  The food was tasty (it’s own slice of heaven) and the views were just as thrilling as earlier in the day.   Since most of you won’t have a chance in the near future to visit heaven for a look down, here’s a few pics.

Enjoy…

We certainly did!!

Fair Winds and Calm Seas

Gorda Sound, looking east with Leverick Bay nearest

Looking northeast into the Atlantic; Mosquito Island on left with reef (light line) extending out;  known as Drake's Anchorage, where the old privateer hid waiting for those loaded Spanish Galleons; Prickly Pear Island on right

Prickly Pear Island near right; Necker Island (owned by Sir Richard Branson) at center;  where the Obamas visited in late January (island is almost completely surrounded by reef - more accessible by helicopter than by boat!)

Bay at Biras Creek resort (other side is the Caribbean)... Deep Bay is to left

Saba Rock, restaurant located in cut between Prickly Pear Island and Virgin Gorda (out of view to right is the Bitter End Yacht Club & Hotel)

Leverick Bay...Azure Wind is first boat on mooring just off dock

View of "heaven" from down below  (taken from a rolling boat deck)