e spent the quiet early weeks of December in the U.S. Virgin Islands. As we've noted in each edition of R&R, these three islands are dramatically different from one another, with St. John being the crown jewel - the real virgin, if you will. But we started our trip in overrun St. Thomas, where up to ten cruise ships per day maneuver into the harbor during high season (that's this time of year, folks). The result is loads of daytrippers, slow-moving traffic, and a shopping district cluttered with hawkers crying, "you've still got time to stop by and save 70 percent on (fill in the blank) before heading back to the ship." Quiet tropical hideaway? Not by our definition. But still, the island does have great buys on jewelry, electronics, crystal and other products. We accompanied a camera expert from New York City into one shop where he spotted a high-end digital camera priced about 25 percent less than the very best price at home (after factoring in sales tax)!

On St. Thomas we tried a couple new activities we've yet to spot anywhere else in the region. The first was Sea Trekkin', offered at Coral World, a pricey aquarium geared toward cruise-shippers and located at Coki Point. The activity involves donning massive white helmets that make you look like a spaceman - these 70-pound contraptions sit on your shoulders while you go for a 15-minute, 150-foot-long undersea walk, at a depth of about 18 feet. Air is pumped into the helmet from the surface so that you breathe normally (as opposed to through a snorkel) - your hair stays dry, and we even spotted one young woman stumbling about with her glasses on!

We love almost anything new and bizarre, but we weren't sold on Sea Trekkin' for several reasons. First, the helmets are cumbersome and restrictive - you can't look down at your feet without bending over; and walking is clumsy in the ocean current - your head has to stay upright or the helmet starts to fill with water. Second, we were frustrated by the sightseeing. You make the trek with a guide who oversees a line of five or so trekkers, each of whom is required to hold on to a chain that rings the well-marked "trail." All of this impedes the experience of viewing sea-life - we saw more of the back of the pretty blonde in the purple bikini in front of us. Finally, the price: $50 for a 15-minute tour, plus the requisite $18 admission to Coral World. We were tempted to try this to see how it compared to SNUBA (another hybrid product available on several islands that bridges diving and snorkeling) but we found Sea Trekkin' to be less appealing, less like diving or snorkeling, and with seemingly more potential for mishaps (some of which could be quite serious). Besides, you don't really see much more Sea Trekkin' than you do from Coral World's undersea observation room which, as we noted, you've already paid to access anyway. Sea Trekkin' is available throughout the day; reservations are not required, but for more info: 340-775-1555 or 888-695-2073.

That night we continued onto another strange, first-time adventure: night snorkeling. Homer Calloway at Chris Sawyer Dive offers this unusual experience, typically working out of Hull Bay. On the night we chose for this tour the sea was a bit rough, so we headed over to Secret Harbour, which is a more protected cove when swells come in from the north. Like Sea Trekkin', this was also a trippy, sci-fi like excursion: In addition to a wet suit, each snorkeler is equipped with a submersible flashlight, and a lime green glow stick is attached to snorkels so that Homer can keep track of where everyone is in the dark. We kept thinking about how this spectacle looked from shore - a gaggle of alien blobs hovering in the black sea, topped with green-glowing antennae and rigged with landing lights that surveyed the sea floor. Typically, Homer says his groups will see more than we did (the sea was pretty churned up, creating limited visibility), but we did observe a few creatures that normally stay hidden during the day, like sea slugs and octopus. Homer also brings up the more intriguing specimens for top-side viewing, like a puffer fish that posed in his palm for a moment before lurching back into the water. The night snorkel is recommended for people who have some snorkeling experience, not because it's difficult but because its appeal is more refined. The price is a reasonable $35, including all equipment. To reserve a trip, call the dive shop at 340-775-1510.

Being U.S. territory, these islands are also the politically correct ones for Americans to vacation on. Arizona Senator John McCain was on St. Thomas in December - he had a minor mishap on a charter boat and was treated for a cut on his ear at a local hospital. President and Hillary Clinton spent two winter sojourns in the USVI (1997-98), relaxing at a three bedroom villa at the edge of Magens Bay named Sand Dollar. This spot obviously met with approval since they came back for seconds, and was that Vice President Gore and family we saw getting some much need R&R just before Christmas as this same spot? Winter rates run about $5,000 per week - rent it yourself: 340-777-6090.

St. Thomas has a few new accommodations to recommend. Top of the list is Crystal Palace, a bed and breakfast located in Charlotte Amalie's historic district, next door to the wonderful synagogue (2nd oldest in the Western Hemisphere). Crystal Palace occupies a classic colonial mansion and has five rooms - two of which have private bathrooms, one has air conditioning. The communal living area is beautifully appointed in original and reproduction antiques, and a terrace faces the town and harbor. An honor bar is available, and more than a dozen restaurants are within a ten-minute walk. Rooms are CHEAP, and include continental breakfast daily. Reservations: 340-777-2277. There are just four rooms at the hilltop Green Iguana Hotel, a small complex overlooking Charlotte Amalie. All four are nicely furnished, but different in size - two have balconies, all have a kitchenette. Guests! have access to the pool, restaurant and bar at Blackbeard's Castle next door, and it's just a five-minute walk down the steep hill into town. Doubles are
NOT SO CHEAP. Reservations: 340-776-7654.

Note that one of our USVI favorites, L'Hotel Boynes, listed in the current edition of R&R, has been acquired and will no longer be a B&B. Also worth noting is that the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas has started a major expansion that will almost double the size of the property by 2002. We'll have more on the sister Virgin Islands in the February newsletter.

n December 8, a group of more than 1,000 Cubans commemorated the 20th anniversary of the death of John Lennon, with the government's debut of a bronze statue of the singer-songwriter in Havana's Vedado district. Popular folk singer Silvio Rodriguez lead the crowd in a rendition of "Imagine" and other songs, and none other than Fidel Castro unveiled the statue. We now pay tribute to irony: Many of the attendees were artists and one-time hippies who were not allowed to own Beatles albums as recently as the early 1980s. The music of Lennon was smuggled into the country through Russia and Bulgaria - an illicit, underground treasure in Castro's Cuba. Still, following the ceremony, the attendees descended on the American diplomatic residence, where Cuba's contemporary rock bands paid tribute to the Beatles. The more things change, the more they stay the same?

ne of our favorite destinations is Bonaire, and there are a couple new programs worth noting - both build on this island's superiority as a great place to learn how to dive (the diving is both easy and spectacular). The first is a Sea Lab Adventure for kids, which avails a range of activities focusing on different components of the island's marine life, leading children from the classroom to the ocean. This program is available through Bon Bini Divers (an outfit we personally recommend), and they also offer SASY (Supplied Air Snorkeling for Youths) units for kids age 5 and up. For more info, call Bon Bini at 011-599-717-5425, or check their Web site: www.bonbinidivers.com. Also now available is the Bonaire Dive Bus, a 28-foot flamingo-pink bus that is positioned at a different dive site daily (on Bonaire, shore diving reigns supreme). The bus provides a variety of services: It is staffed with qualified dive instructors who will provide briefings and site orientations (each has Medic First Aid training). The Dive Bus also has a snack bar, camera rental facility, free lockers for storage, and even a happy hour from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. For more info, call Photo Tours Divers at 011-599-717-3460. On the down side, we note with some alarm that Bonaire has doubled its departure tax to $20, effective January 1. 20001.

ee you in February - or perhaps you'll be celebrating Carnival in Trinidad?