By Jaya and Riti
Today, we visited one of the most important cities on the island Saint-Pierre, once the affluent and flourishing capital of Martinique that was destroyed by the eruption of the still active volcano, Mount Pelée, in 1912. We had another early start, with our bus departing at 6:30 a.m., packed breakfasts in tow. We spent the roughly two-hour drive there (featuring an earthquake drill on the highway) preparing ourselves for an arduous morning hike up the volcano, before hiking up the mountain, having lunch at a local restaurant, and going on a guided walking tour through the city and the 1902 memorial museum to learn about its history.
We met our first guide of the day, Virgil, when we arrived at Mount Pelée, and began our hike! The trail featured many steep stairs and even sections where we had to scramble, making it a challenging, but rewarding, journey. We advanced up the mountain taking frequent breaks to catch our breaths and take in the mesmerizing views of the entire island, the Atlantic Ocean to the left of it, and the Caribbean Sea to the right. After this first section of our trip, some of us split off and headed back down the mountain for some time spent reflecting, bonding through organic conversations, and relaxing in the incredible weather.
The rest of the group continued up the volcano, learning about native flora and fauna like bromelia flowers (a bright pink cousin to the pineapple) and the prehistoric “Christmas bush,” as well as about the history, agriculture, and geography of the area from our tour guide Virgil. It was a truly immersive experience as we stood atop old manmade volcano caps, watched our surroundings periodically disappear behind clouds, and tasted plants like wild raspberries. We enjoyed refreshments (juice and trail mix) at the top of the first peak, L’Aileron, before beginning our tiring, but enthusiastic, descent. On our way down we spotted the incredibly rare blue-headed hummingbird, found only on one other island, and only on two mountains in Martinique!
Having each enjoyed our own experiences of completing a challenge, connecting with nature, practicing silent reflection, connecting with those around us, and more, our two groups were ready to rejoin and continue to the second half of our day. After a short but restful bus ride, we arrived at a local restaurant where we renewed our energy with fresh fruit juices and a warm meal.
With our water bottles refilled, we met up with our tour guide, Isabelle, for the afternoon. She immersed us in the stories of the citizens of Saint-Pierre during the disaster in 1912; some that stuck with us included those who tried to swim away into the ocean that was already boiling and that of the imprisoned “drunkard” who may have been the only survivor of the sudden influx of heavy, 300°C gas due to his prison cell.
Along with this, we learned about the rich history of Saint-Pierre as a center of culture and commerce prior to the eruption. We were shocked by ruins of the theater, a symbol of a successful and prosperous city, and stories like that of the Bostonian ice merchant who made a fortune off of ice he transported from the USA.
At the end of our tour we visited a memorial museum called Mémorial de la Catastrophe de 1902 – Musée Frank A. Perret, an information-packed, three exhibit museum with a wide variety of artifacts, displays, and testimonies. The museum displayed the history of Martinique’s colonization, first colonized by the French in 1635, and depicted life before the eruption. We were truly able to understand the scale and weight of the disaster when we took in the sight of the walls covered in the names of those who had passed.
Overall, our day was packed with powerful and highly memorable lessons, whether that be history lessons, nature lessons, or lessons we learned about ourselves and each other.