After two beautiful days at sea aboard the Constellation, Celebrity Cruises, we arrived in St. Thomas early this morning.

Christopher Columbus first sighted the Virgin Islands on his second voyage to the New World in 1493. He named the many islands in honor of St. Ursula and her 11,000 virgins.

Ursula was the daughter of the king in what now is Englad. The king offered Ursula in marriage to fulfill the demands of a conquering barbarian. She finally agreed, on the condition that she could live amoung 11,000 virgins before marrying the pagen. For three years she trained the women toCh fight hoping to overthrow the barbarian. Unfortunately, he discovered the plot and was so angered that he and the Huns killed all 11,001 virgins in a single day 1155 years before Columbus arrived at St. Thomas.

Today, St. Thomas is the commercial trade capital of the Caribbean, still offering plenty of "booty" in the many duty-free stores in Charlotte Amalie.