Diana Petterson Caribbean Islands, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

St. Vincent and the Grenadines: the capital of Kingstown & the Mesopotamia Valley

Me on a hillside in St. Vincent overlooking the Port of St. Vincent with our docked lone cruise ship, Oceania’s Insignia. (Dec. 14, 2024)

St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Country #88 on my Countdown to 100 U.N. countries by the time I turn 70 in 2026.

The rain, ‘liquid sunshine’ as it’s called on the islands, finally caught up with us in St. Vincent and the Grenadines during our morning “Best of St. Vincent” excursion. 

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a southern Caribbean nation comprised of a main island, St. Vincent, and a chain of 32 smaller islands, 7 of which are inhabited of the Grenadines. 

With just a day to explore these island countries, it helps that they are not tremendously huge with the main island of St. Vincent being only 18 miles long and 11 miles wide. It is also about 88% of the total area of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The majority of its people are descendants of African slaves brought by France and later Great Britain. The country remained a colony of the British Empire from 1783 until 1979, when it peacefully achieved independence. 

To the north of St. Vincent lies Saint Lucia (our next island country stop for tomorrow) to the east is Barbados and Grenada lies to the south (which we saw yesterday).

Time to take a quick spin around the island country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Our Oceania cruise ship docked at the Port of St. Vincent this morning as we made our way into Kingstown, the capital city to begin our morning excursion of the island. (Dec. 14, 2024)
Walking towards the cruise ship terminal entrance and exit at the Port of St. Vincent. (Dec. 14, 2024)
A mural at the at the Port of St. Vincent this morning as we made our way into Kingstown, the capital city to begin our morning excursion of the island. (Dec. 14, 2024)
On our tour van driving down Bay Street in Kingstown, the capital city of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. (Dec. 14, 2024)
On our tour van driving down Bay Street in Kingstown, the capital city of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. (Dec. 14, 2024)
On our tour van driving down Bay Street in Kingstown, the capital city of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. (Dec. 14, 2024)
On our tour van driving down Bay Street in Kingstown, the capital city of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. (Dec. 14, 2024)
On our tour van driving down Bay Street in Kingstown, the capital city of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. (Dec. 14, 2024)

 

The Cathedral Church of St. George, also called the Kingstown Anglican Church is located on Grenville Street in Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. was built in 1820 on the site of an earlier church that was destroyed by a hurricane in the late 1700s. (Dec. 14, 2024)
Inside the Cathedral Church of St. George, also called the Kingstown Anglican Church located on Grenville Street in the capital city of Kingstown, St. Vincent. (Dec. 14, 2024)
The wooden candalabria hanging in the aisle inside of the Cathedral Church of St. George, also called the Kingstown Anglican Church located on Grenville Street in the capital city of Kingstown, St. Vincent. (Dec. 14, 2024)
Inside the Cathedral Church of St. George, also called the Kingstown Anglican Church located on Grenville Street in the capital city of Kingstown, St. Vincent. (Dec. 14, 2024)
The altar has a mahogany pulpit inside the Cathedral Church of St. George, also called the Kingstown Anglican Church is located on Grenville Street in Kingstown, St. Vincent. (Dec. 14, 2024)
The stained glass gifted by Queen Victoria inside the Cathedral Church of St. George, also called the Kingstown Anglican Church is located on Grenville Street in Kingstown, St. Vincent. (Dec. 14, 2024)
A foot selfie standing close to the beautiful tiled quilt-looking blocks on the floor near the altar inside the Cathedral Church of St. George, also called the Kingstown Anglican Church is located on Grenville Street in Kingstown, St. Vincent. (Dec. 14, 2024)
The exterior front entrance of the Cathedral Church of St. George, also called the Kingstown Anglican Church is located on Grenville Street in Kingstown, St. Vincent. (Dec. 14, 2024)
The graveyard of the Cathedral Church of St. George, also called the Kingstown Anglican Church is located on Grenville Street in the capital city of Kingstown on the island country of St. Vincent with the St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral across the way. (Dec. 14, 2024)
The graveyard of the Cathedral Church of St. George, also called the Kingstown Anglican Church is located on Grenville Street in the capital city of Kingstown on the island country of St. Vincent with the St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral across the way. (Dec. 14, 2024)

 

The graveyard of the Cathedral Church of St. George, also called the Kingstown Anglican Church is located on Grenville Street in Kingstown, St. Vincent. (Dec. 14, 2024)
The 100-foot tall Madonna Tower of the St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral in Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Its history dates back to a first structure erected in stages from 1823, although the present building was completed in the 1930s. (Dec. 14, 2024)
Standing out among the light-colored, Georgian architecture of St. Vincent’s capital city, Kingstown, is the striking St. Mary’s Cathedral. The cathedral is built with dark volcanic rock, which is the primary reason for its dark color and a combination of architectural styles including Moorish, Romanesque, Byzantine, Venetian and Flemish. (Dec. 14, 2024)
On our ‘Best of St. Vincent’ excursion, we stopped at the St. Vincent Botanical Gardens. (Dec. 14, 2024)
It was still drizzling but it had poured down rain for about 15 minutes while we were at the St. Vincent Botanical Garden, which should be called a Botanical Tree Garden because it’s filled with a variety of trees from around the world. (Dec. 14, 2024)
Inside the St. Vincent Botanical Gardens, which should really be called the tree garden in the island country of St. Vincent & the Grenadines. (Dec. 14, 2024)
Inside the St. Vincent Botanical Gardens, which should really be called the tree garden in the island country of St. Vincent & the Grenadines. (Dec. 14, 2024)

The Indian rubber tree that makes bubble gum at the St. Vincent Botanical Gardens. (Dec. 14, 2024)
A large oak tree from Brazil at the St. Vincent Botanical Gardens. (Dec. 14, 2024)
Eucalyptus tree from Australia at the St. Vincent Botanical Gardens. (Dec. 14, 2024)
On our tour van driving through Kingstown, the capital city of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. (Dec. 14, 2024)
On our tour van driving through Kingstown, the capital city of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. (Dec. 14, 2024)
On our tour van driving through Kingstown, the capital city of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. (Dec. 14, 2024)
Continuing on, we ventured through the Mesopotamia Valley, is known as the “breadbasket” of the island. The fertile valley is where much of St. Vincent’s fruits, vegetables and spices are grown. (Dec. 14, 2024)
Continuing on, we ventured through the Mesopotamia Valley, is known as the “breadbasket” of the island. The fertile valley is where much of St. Vincent’s fruits, vegetables and spices are grown. (Dec. 14, 2024)
The Mesopotamia Valley, is known as the “breadbasket” of St. Vincent. (Dec. 14, 2024)
The Mesopotamia Valley, is known as the “breadbasket” of St. Vincent. (Dec. 14, 2024)
Me on a hillside in St. Vincent overlooking the Port of St. Vincent with our docked lone cruise ship, Oceania’s Insignia. (Dec. 14, 2024)
On a hillside in St. Vincent overlooking the Port of St. Vincent with our docked lone cruise ship, Oceania’s Insignia. (Dec. 14, 2024)