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Park your ship and meet me at the end of the dock. It is official! We have crossed over the path of Antique and Barbuda, Commonweath Islands that are located where the Atlantic and Caribbena Sea meet. I was there last year visiting their Yacht Club, and surprisingly, it is a mecca for Yachts. There was no shortage of them on this beautiful day either. I will only show off part of the island to you today. It is such a diverse island to rush throught it. Sit down, relax and enjoy as I wander through the shopping district of St. John, the port city we parked at.
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This beautiful Caribbean island nation consists of two distinct islands, Antigua and Barbuda. These islands are home to colorful buildings, stunning beaches, and busy ports. But they’re also more prone to crime than other Caribbean islands. Drug dealing and corruption are significant problems in this country, and some areas can be dangerous for travelers.Petty crime levels are moderate, and visitors are encouraged to keep their valuables locked in a hotel safe. It’s also wise to avoid wearing jewelry and luxurious accessories, and you’ll likely want to minimize the amount of cash you keep on you.[source](https://travellersworldwide.com/safest-islands-in-the-caribbean/#The_17_Safest_Islands_in_the_Caribbean_in_2023)
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*Today is #MarketFriday initiated by @dswigle (Denise, that's me!!) Join me as we share our markets across the globe. I always look forward to seeing what you send me! It is amazing to see the different markets and cultures of our friends here on Hive.*
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*The town is busy, with cars driving haphazardly, making their place in the pack. It is easy to see why there is petty crime here with so many people wandering the streets, looking for a way to make money. I have to admit, I feel bad for many of the locals. There are no jobs, there is no money, and there isn't a way to make any. Look around, the jobs are few and many have made their way into the drug trade to live. Sadly.*
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There are markets on every corner of the streets and plenty of them in between. The prices are ridiculously cheap for most things and even then, most tourists will try to bargain them down. Not because they need it but, because they can. Call me stupid, but, I normally pay what they ask, sometimes even giving a little extra. The one or two dollars that I will save won't even buy me a cup of coffee. Unless you are doing it for sport, I feel like it might be helping them out.
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Some only have a few items, enough bought from a wholesaler... hopefully making enough to make ends meet. I feel like they are trying. There are tourists that almost take over the towns. I have to wonder if tourists are good for the economy or not. Do they add enough to the community to be an asset? Or do you think they spoil the town, leaving it in much worse shape than when they came.
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*He is a self-taught artist, replicating a steel drum and painting them in beautiful Caribbean colors and pictures. He was gracious enough to allow me to photograph him while he was painting and I love watching his skilled hands working rapidly. See that hat? He had enough hair to make that hat blow up into a hot air balloon!*
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I know!!! Interesting, yes?? I will still take a hard pass on that. I may forget about it and dress for it. I wasn't tempted by any means, but, I did wonder if there was a separate entire for Indian dinners and Chinese dinners? I would guess so, the two don't seem like a nice mix of flavors.
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It is much handier to have a bike here, especially when you are parking. No jockeying for parking space or for trying to find a piece of road to drive on Bikes fit everywhere. You can park them pretty much everywhere.
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*I forgot to mention anything about the dogs! Everywhere downtown, dogs are laying in the shade, under cars, and on the road if there is a shady spot. They are daytime sleepers, getting something small to take in the sun. They are always friendly and always on the lookout for a snack, just as things the dog is doing. The guy reached down and gave him a good scratch.* #### Definitely *not* what he was looking for.
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There was a scam going on downtown by some dog rescue group. They wanted you to pay for the dog to be fed for so many days, then donate money to them, for adoption. They would mail the dog to you when you got home. Yes? What, are you crazy? Nobody is doing to ship a dog that far? How insane do you think I am? Mail me the dog? Does that sound as ridiculous to you as it does to me? ![Gradient - Green.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/dswigle/246FZMwteQQMEgT4iDyeTv2vw9QqRZ9UhFG7im6TzvjxJG9Je1D8LFuYrZk8PwdbbPNBm.png) It was not a typical shopping day, but, I managed to go to the downtown open market and buy two baseball hats for $5.00 each. One Antigua t-shirt for one of my girls. That was $7.00 and two waters for $1.00 each. I met such wonderful people, rich in character and I am humbled by their generosity. The little girl was fascinated by my hair and kept touching it as I sat on a bench. She was with her dad and they were a cheerful little family group. He asked me if I could take their picture. So cute, yes?
![IMG_3130.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/dswigle/23zSC3wJcNaNGuudxKpzaHgNfGQAoAbAnKmSqoVy4Y6ew8tbgb32tpuXNZ7xnatXf2yus.JPG) ![Center Crest.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/dswigle/XI0UMGw3-Center20Crest.png) **Please leave the link to your post here so it can easily be found by others. It helps you and me to have them in one place. Where else can you take such a quick trip around the globe? Thank you so much for joining us!! ❤**
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###### Typical for the local architecture. Caribbean style and British feeling for the government buildings. Have you ever been to the little island that is located in the Caribbean? If you have, you are sure to remember its beautiful sandy beaches and the people themselves. And just like that, this post is done. I hope you had a good time and learned a little something new. As always, I want to thank you for taking the time to visit, and just remember, #MarketFriday loves you! Thank you for supporting the challenge! Have a fabulous day! Cheers!!
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*As always, there must be flowers to color my world. #alwaysaflower Do you go out of your way to make life easier for another? It doesn't have to cost money, it is rarely about the money, but, mostly about giving your time. I hope that everyone has a splendid day.*
![457351_10151205515403832_41036727_o - Copy.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/dswigle/23uQrSGNEkHgTjz1vEegkgp9ga4aFsMucqE3qw9wJtFZ6nqWxp7w86cBV3DqEJM7G5mdF.jpg) https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYgCswWus2jPtobBw4PaKueVxfSe6M2CY5oiWNTqqYi6F/image.png ***

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#### Fridays are all about the #MarketFriday Challenge! Looking to take part in it? Here is how:
#### Rules of the Road to Join #MarketFriday!
1. Go to the market, or anywhere that you pay money for a service. Take pictures! Be creative! 2. Tell us a little bit about the market or the event. What brought you there? What did you buy? How much did it cost? Was it expensive? Did it go up or down? I need something other than 50 pictures of the market. 3. Post the pictures. Of course, you should tell a little bit about the ones you post, it is too difficult to guess on some 4. Use the MarketFriday Community Platform to post (#hive-196308) This is not required but appreciated. **PLEASE Drop the link into the MarketFriday comment section so I can find it!!** 5. Following me and reblogging the post would be appreciated, but not a rule, more vision for more views on the #MarketFriday posts! 6. You must put #MarketFriday by @dswigle somewhere on your post. ##### *As always, please remember! #MarketFriday loves you!*
https://steemitimages.com/DQmavSadTM2yr4wH1JeJzP5fp4qJEc84SqMkNj5LK1LzmCS/1.png ### #TeamUSA is a growing community of quality-content people from the United States or those living here. Check us out on Discord! ![TEAMUSAhive_dswigle 2 Copy.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/dswigle/n3TbYWFr-TEAMUSA-hive_dswigle20220-20Copy.jpg) ![silverbloggers logo.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/dswigle/EonqpTGS3RraKLMoYZBUzVjtcJi1NmRRpkmCpU5wcvLhRiXjH9cqu8oGnFqXjdKv4BV.jpg) https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/752764981711339532/756435444488470548/image0.gif
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##### The End!