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Towns where you have been IRL
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Rusty Edge
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I really like San Juan because of the fortress and the Bacardi tour. I've been there twice.

The people didn't seem as happy and friendly as on smaller islands like St. Martin, but that might be a city people vs. small town people thing.
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davyjones
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd have to relook at the map to remember which cruise port is on the map...

I agree with the earlier ones. San Juan's fort was amazing. Maybe one day I'll do a cruise that stops at Cartagena.
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Salty Dog
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 10:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cartagena has the biggest, baddest fort! It was never conquered at all. It is amazing!
St. Kitts has a big fort but it was taken over in a siege. The English and French fought it out there. Fun place to visit though!

Curacao does not have much of a fort as I recall.

Key West has one but it was built in the 1840/1850 era, way after the pirate times.

St. Augustine has a good one! Go visit it!

I don't recall seeing one in Antigua.

There are several forts on Barbados. The English had an excellent signal system there. All the forts were in eye contact with another fort and they could send signals between them quickly.
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davyjones
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2015 11:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If I could retire early enough to still be a mobile, I would love to go to the island fort off key west, Fort Jefferson. Imagine a fort surrounded by ocean on all sides. If you take your stuff with you, you can camp overnight.
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Salty Dog
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2015 3:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is now part of a US National Park called Dry Tortugas. You can visit that fort and some of the other islands. That is where Spanish Treasure ships ran aground and they were salvaged by the people of Key West. Key West was one of the richest cities anywhere back then because of treasure salvage.
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Rusty Edge
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 6:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Salty Dog wrote:


St. Augustine has a good one! Go visit it!

I don't recall seeing one in Antigua.



Maybe I should get back to St. Augustine. I thought the Spanish fortifications were impressive, but I was in first grade at the time. I don't have full faith in those memories.

I've never been to Antigua. From what I've read it was the major British sea base in the western Caribbean, circa 1800. They used it for major repairs. There must have been something there once, if only to defend the harbor.

But stuff happens. Volcanoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes. Termites. Sometimes forts get blown up when the garrisons leave, so that nobody else can use it against them. Building materials can be repurposed. Buildings can be modernized until they are unrecognizable.


I gotta google it now.
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Rusty Edge
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 7:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://antiguahistory.net/Museum/Historical.htm

Well, it looks like they took a different approach. Rather than the massive impressive Spanish-style fortresses, they built a series of batteries sighted to protect the harbor and each other. They must have at least looked effective, because the island was never attacked.

One was repurposed as an insane asylum, another a restaurant, and some others mostly lie in ruin. They are still spectacular vantage points.

One still has it's original battery of ten 24 pounders!
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Salty Dog
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 11:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rusty Edge wrote:
http://antiguahistory.net/Museum/Historical.htm

Well, it looks like they took a different approach. Rather than the massive impressive Spanish-style fortresses, they built a series of batteries sighted to protect the harbor and each other. They must have at least looked effective, because the island was never attacked.

One was repurposed as an insane asylum, another a restaurant, and some others mostly lie in ruin. They are still spectacular vantage points.

One still has it's original battery of ten 24 pounders!


That is how Barbados is as well - lots of small outposts that are linked together by line of site. The English kept enough troops there to repel any invasion. Instead of static defense they relied on offensive muscle to deter any attacks.
Antigua is famous for Admiral Nelson building a Naval Dockyards there to service the English Fleet. It is in good shape and a major tourist site to visit. I highly recommend seeing it!
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Salty Dog
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 03, 2016 6:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just booked another cruise to the Caribbean and will pick up a new port in my "Visited all Sid Meier's Pirates Cities" quest. Our ship will stop in Nevis. I have already been to nearby St. Kitts and pretty much all the other cities in the West Indies except Trinidad. I will update my list after the cruise. Should be lots of fun!
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Rusty Edge
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 03, 2016 7:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Salty Dog wrote:
I just booked another cruise to the Caribbean and will pick up a new port in my "Visited all Sid Meier's Pirates Cities" quest. Our ship will stop in Nevis. I have already been to nearby St. Kitts and pretty much all the other cities in the West Indies except Trinidad. I will update my list after the cruise. Should be lots of fun!


I'm looking forward to hearing about it.
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Red Rabbit
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 1:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yea. Go for it, Salty. Can't wait to hear about it. Here we need an ice-breaker at this time of year. It just snowed almost a 20 Inches (half a Meter) at single day. More is coming and it's fine, nothing unusual. Thank God for SMP, so can escape to the Caribbean warmth with it.
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Roland
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Red Rabbit wrote:
Here we need an ice-breaker at this time of year. It just snowed almost a 20 Inches (half a Meter) at single day. More is coming and it's fine, nothing unusual. Thank God for SMP, so can escape to the Caribbean warmth with it.

In between sessions of SMP, you could play Jimmy Buffett or the Beach Boys to keep up the warm weather mood!
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Red Rabbit
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 1:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Smile

That is good alternative to this.
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Roland
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Laughing When I clicked on Red Rabbit's link, this tweet popped up:

75% of a Scandinavian park ranger's job is rescuing black metal bands that get lost in the woods shooting album covers.
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Red Rabbit
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 8:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's also this picture:

They're like: "The Sun is up! Quickly! Get outside! We have only 15 minutes to take the pictures!"
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