Bonjour de Saint Pierre,

I arrived on Armistice Day without realizing how meaningful that timing would be. The town was quiet, but it felt reflective rather than closed. Saint Pierre was once called the Little Paris of the Caribbean until Mount Pelée erupted in 1902 and nearly 30,000 lives were lost.

Walking through Fort Saint Pierre and the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in that stillness felt important. From the coastline, the rebuilt white cathedral rises against the mountain as a symbol of resilience.

By midday, doors opened, Creole food filled the air, and the warmth of the people reminded me that this town endured. I am grateful I experienced it in silence first.

Sending love from somewhere worth getting lost,