Live in Concert at Friendship
Basil Charles, the organiser of the Mustique Blues festival along with renowned singer Dana Gillespie, admitted that the venue was superb. This year's feature musicians included Zach Prather vocalist, guitar, Hans Theessink guitar, vocals, Alee Thelfa drums for Theessink, Diz Watson piano and of course Dana Gillespie vocalist.
In addition Lars Abrahamsen arranged for a visiting top Swedish band to perform. The crowd loved watching keyboard artist, Robert Wells, whose boogie woogie fingerspeed was phenomenal.
Visitors planning to be in Bequia towards the end of January, 2004, would do well to take in this yearly event. Further details on this website as they emerge!
The Brewer House at Moonhole
After a couple of residents and 20 odd years of erosion and sea-blasting the site was subsiding into a home for bats and birds. Concrete beams were crumbling, and chunks of cliff falling into the sea. The incessant blowhole has been exploding pent-up seawater every few minutes since anyone can remember, seemingly intent on undermining Tom's original handiwork.
But comes another crazy American, architect Charles Brewer and his wife Cornelia. This intrepid couple have chosen an extremely active retirement. Charles, now 77, is opening up new spaces, rebuilding beams and roofs, and using a generator, there being no electrical current at Moonhole, to power the jack-hammer to expand into and onto the cliff.
A sea-water swimming pool, a look-out area that can only be reached by swimming through the pool, and other charming follies show a lively imagination fired by the freedom of an undertaking that is literally on the edge.
Asked about his timetable for completion Charles quoted the Chinese proverb "when your home is finished you're dead!" adding that he hopes this will be a little way off. We are pleased to report that he and Cornelia are both thriving!
Wrap up on Disney film
Filming of Pirates of the Caribbean on the mainland of St. Vincent is almost on schedule with shooting to be wrapped up early March. Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush star in this period action movie which ostensibly takes place in Port Royal, Jamaica.
Set of Port Royal in St.Vincent
There will be an eager audience in St. Vincent for the final product which is due for release this fall. Many Vincentians and even a few residents of Bequia answered the call for extras and will be hoping their contribution does not end up on the cutting room floor.
The whole exercise has poured about $2 million into the economy of St. Vincent & the Grenadines and we wish the movie every success at the box office.
Copyright Pat Mitchell 2003