From My Sketchbook:
While walking in the park near the Customs House, I had the pleasure of finding this view, along with a conveniently shaded bench nearby where I could comfortably sit and sketch.
It was Monday, a market day in Frederiksted. Venders had their canopy tents set-up with their wears all laid out for viewing. These tents line the sidewalks and roadways, and fill the park – displaying items of clothing, art, jewelry, handcrafts, decorative ornaments, antique collectables, books and magazines, food, cold drinks and snacks, ice cream, toys, cosmetics, beach accessories, sunglasses, Caribbean music and video cds and dvds, and anything else that enterprising vendors can think of that might be marketable. The tourists began arriving off the pier shortly before 9:00 AM, business is typically brisk through the morning and early afternoon, slowing down by 3:00 PM, and vendors close their tents and pack their wears by 5:30. Throughout the day, it is a festive occasion with street entertainers providing live music while working for businesses or tips, vendors are wearing colorful outfits, and some of the local residents wear more traditional/historical island or period costumes.
Tourism is an important part of the local economy for the businesses and communities of St. Croix, and is essential for providing a substantial percentage of income for many island families. For this reason, the residents and businesses look forward the arrival of cruse ships, which dock at the pier about twice a week and each has over 3500 passenger guests. On this day a cruse ship had arrived as scheduled, in the very early morning hours, and following breakfast on-board the passengers were taking the opportunity to leave the ship and go visit the shops and venders tables for souvenirs, have lunch and drinks at the downtown cafes and restaurants, see tourist attractions and places of historical interest in town, visit the sunny beaches, and tour scenic parts of the island – all this before nightfall, when the ship would have to depart for the next port of call on its journey.