Rick's Note: As of Monday, May 16, I have not written this story yet.  Stay tuned!

The magnificently evocative white baroque towers of St. John's Cathedral dominate the skyline of St. John's, the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda. Built in 1845, the church is now in its third incarnation, as earthquakes in 1683 and in 1745 destroyed the previous structures. The towers are the first sight of Antigua for about half of the island's visitors each year, many of who arrive by boat. With its recently completed cruise ship dock and several hotels; St. John's is a lively hub for shopping and dining.

Antigua, the largest of the English-speaking Leeward Islands, is about 14 miles long and 11 miles wide, encompassing 108 square miles. Its highest point is Boggy Peak (1319 ft.), located in the southwestern corner of the island. Antigua is almost completely surrounded by well-preserved coral reefs, walls, and shipwrecks. The southern and eastern coasts are surrounded by shelf's, providing excellent conditions for spectacular shallow diving and snorkeling. There is little or no current in most places, and the water temperature averages about 80 F (25 C). Underwater visibility ranges from 50 to 140 feet, and tropical marine plants and animals are diverse and plentiful.

Snorkeling is possible at many of both islands' most beautiful beaches: one of Antigua's best-known offshore sites, Cades Reef, is now partly contained in a designated underwater park. Another popular destination is the wreck of the Andes, a three-misted merchant ship that sank in 1905 and now rests in less than thirty feet of water in (ironically enough) Deep Bay. Antigua's dive facilities are far superior to those available on smaller Barbuda, and so most of the sites that have been established as dive destinations are Antiguan. The southern and eastern coasts are considered to offer the most consistent diving; for more advanced divers, the ledge of Sunken Rock on the south coast is a popular site. Dive depths generally range from 25 to 80 feet and can reach 180 feet; distances from shore to site are in some cases no more than five minutes and at most 40 minutes away.

There are various tourist attractions in St John's. Some of the important sightseeing attractions of St John's are the following:

St John's Cathedral: It is the most dominating structure that you can see in St John's. This large cathedral with its white baroque towers got its present form in the year 1845 after it was twice destroyed in the years 1683 and 1745. On the southern side of the church, you would find iron gates flanked by pillars. On the pillars, you would get the engraved figures of St John the Divine and St John the Baptist. The Cathedral is dominated by twin towers at the west end and provides a distinct baroque flavor. They are 70 ft high and the cupolas that crown the towers are aluminum in color. At the time of erection, the edifice was criticized by ecclesiastical architects as being like "a pagan temple with two dumpy pepper pot towers", however in modern times the edifice has been cited as "the most imposing of all the Cathedrals of the West Indian Province".

Museum of Antigua and Barbuda: You would find this in the Court House that was constructed in 1747. At first, there was a city market housed here and it is oldest building still functioning in the city. In the museum, you would find artifacts from the times of the Arawak till the colonial rule. There are various archaeological remains here. Here you would also find models of sugar plantations, replica of a typical Arawak house and the cricket bat of Vivian Richards, the famous cricketer from Antigua.

Government House is another important tourist attraction of St John's. It is the official residence of the Governor General of Antigua. You would find it located on the eastern edge of St John's. You cannot but help appreciate the architecture of the building and the beautiful garden surrounding the building. However, it is not always open for public viewing and tours should be programmed only after fixing an appointment.

Fort James: A must visit site, which was built in the year 1706 to guard St John's harbor. It was one of the forts built by the British in the 18th century. It overlooks the town and you can see a powder magazine, several cannons and the remaining of the fort wall on your visit. From here you can also have a beautiful view of the surrounding harbor.

The other sites of St John's include the farmer's market, which is located on the southern edge of the city. The Antigua Rum Distillery, which is located at the citadel and the St John's Cricket Ground are also worth visiting.

The major places of shopping in the city of St John's are the Cruise Ship Dock, where several ships dock every week and you will get to shop some of the fresh items right from the ships. Heritage Quay is the place to be when visiting Antigua's capital city of St John's. The largest and modern of two Quays in St John's, Heritage Quay is a shopper's paradise, offering two floors of a wide array of duty and tax free merchandise, for travelers looking to cash in on amazing value and savings from retail prices of the Europe and USA. Electronics, local music, cigars, liquors, fine crystals & china, designer clothing & footwear, swimwear, sporting equipment, fragrances, skin care cosmetics, fine jewelry, high end watches and other souvenir items are just a sample of the goods available.

There is also a wide selection of sports bars & specialty restaurants around to grab a tropical drink after a day of shopping fun. Duty-Free shopping in Antigua and Barbuda is easy, unlike other Caribbean islands there are no restrictions on shoppers, just provide a proof of your status as a traveler e.g. Seapass and some form of personal identification and make your purchase - it's that simple. Heritage Quay also offers visitors a breathtaking view of St John's Harbor, which comes alive with local and steel pan music, when cruise ships are docked at the finger piers of the harbor. The complex also houses two hotels and a photo-centre.

The Heritage Quay Shopping Centre is branded for offering luxurious items at duty free prices. The Vendor's Mall houses items of local craftsmen.

The Redcliffe Quay apart from offering several shopping options also offers restaurants. Redcliffe Quay overlooks the harbor on one side, and is one of the oldest parts of St. John's. The restored Georgian buildings are painted in a myriad of bright and vibrant colors. There is a yacht marina there now, but this was the main trading place for slaves, rum, sugar and coffee between Antigua, Europe and Africa. The quayside has a variety of old dockside warehouses converted into shops selling gifts, pottery, paintings, and other locally made gifts, as well as clothes, shoes and accessories.

At the northeastern point of Antigua there is a remote wild area known as Indian Town Point. The area was legally constituted as a National Park in the 1950's. Within the park there is a remarkable example of seawater erosion. Geological, Devil's Bridge is a natural arch carved by the sea from soft and hard limestone ledges of the Antigua formation, a geological division of the flat northeastern part of Antigua. A bridge was created when a soft part of the limestone eroded away by action of Atlantic breakers over countless centuries.

Sammy Smith, a 104 year- old Antiguan patriot had the answer. Here is a quote from his memoirs "To shoot Hard Labor". "On the east coast of the island is the famous Devil's Bridge. Devil's Bridge was called so because a lot of slaves from the neighboring estates use to go there and throw themselves overboard. That was an area of mass suicide, so people use to say the Devil had to be there. The waters around Devil's Bridge are always rough and anyone who has fallen over the bridge has never come out alive".

If you're seeking a pretty stretch of sand in a secluded setting, head to Half Moon Bay.  Half Moon Bay is on Antigua's southeastern coast. It stretches for almost a mile and is known as one of the island's most beautiful beaches. The area is a national park and is located along the Atlantic Ocean where seas can be rough. Fortunately, a large reef calms the waters and protects the shore. Although Antigua has beaches that are more secluded than Half Moon Bay the mix of natural beauty, personality and atmosphere available at this location might be just what the doctor ordered. The beaches found throughout Antigua are often quiet beaches, however, Half Moon Bay offers something unique. If you decide to check out this beach, you will enjoy escaping the buzz of city life.