The annual Carnival celebrations in St. Thomas and St. Croix Triathalon have strengthened .U.S. Virgin Islands fame as number one destination for travelers worldwide at a time when 2003 edition of USA Today ranked Carnival among top 10 in world. (Photo above: Arryl Donovan with Inferno Troup in his dragon costume )

A beaming Commissioner of Tourism Pamela C. Richards noted: "I've always known that pageantry of our Carnival celebrations was extraordinary. It's incredibly encouraging to have a highly-read national publication feel same way."

The article, "10 Great Places For Pre-Lenten Bacchannalia", outlined top 10 pre-and post-Lenten festivals in world. St. Thomas's Carnival was recognized for its African and European customs, including music, dancing and masquerades, and touted as one of largest Spring Carnival celebrations in Caribbean. Events for 2003 celebration got underway on April 6 and ended on May 4.

Fifty-five troupes in bright holiday wear, towering Mocko Jumbies, steel pan bands and double decker trucks rocking under pressure of tramping fans as well as twirling majorettes, thrilled thousands of revellers as they marched from Western Cemetery to Lionel Roberts Stadium.

The revellers took to streets in a display of gaiety and splendor, matched only by brightly colored attire of participants who jumped up and gyrated to melodious tunes and rhythms of several leading bands.

Onlookers dressed in multi-colored holiday attire and a rainbow of colors could not resist getting into act by jumping up, screeming, shouting and singing along to pulsating rhythms and tunes being belted out by various bands in Adult Parade.

Carnival Queen 2003 Janelle Sarauw captivated crowd with her charming smile and constant waving to onlookers. Montserrat's small troupe of masqueraders made their way down Main Street cracking whips against pavement, while Hugga Bunch, one of largest troupes with floats, included some 300 dangers. Cherri Boynes-Jackson led Hugga Bunch down Main Street in her Carmen Miranda Samba Queen costume for she won Queen of Band. The bright pink costume, about 12 feet tall and about nine feet across, was so massive that Jackson had to attach wheels to it so that two hour crawl along Main Street would go smoothly.

Members of Jus' Action troupe poured bottled water over themselves and squirted water over each other with water guns to keep cool under a blazing sun.

Other performers included traditional Indians, dressed in mutli-colored feathered headdresses, beating drums and intermittently echoing Native American war cries.

Despite late hour of my arrival, I was greeted with a smile at reception desk of Ohana Waikiki West hotel, and "island hospitality" extended to me during those first few moments continued through extent of my visit.

The Ohana and Outrigger Hotels and Resorts' brand new tagline: "Where fun is fundamental" was proven true as fun started as soon as I arrived and was welcomed at check-in with an Ohana Instant Win card. Each card is a winner, with prizes from beach balls to t-shirts to free dinners. I was happy with my Ohana Hotels beach ball, with its smiling yellow face. The Ohana Waikiki West lobby was airy and bright, decorated with overstuffed island-print furniture, and, like rest of hotel, was clean and comfortable. I was checked-in in a timely manner, and my luggage was brought to my room by a kind hotel employee who bestowed upon me a brief education about Waikiki Beach area, and suggested several local attractions that might be of interest to me during my visit.

My room, which was large and trade winds breezy and decorated with a simple island theme, featuring two bedrooms separated by a partition, but offering plenty of comfort. A kitchenette, a standard feature of many rooms at this hotel, was more than adequate for meals I hoped to prepare. A four-burner range, a small refrigerator, a microwave, and a full supply of pots, pans, and everything needed to set a modest table equipped kitchen area. The bathroom was large and featured separate rooms for showering and washing up. An especially lovely asset to room were two lanais, one with a lovely view of Koolalau mountains, other with a view of Waikiki Beach. Did you know that lanai is a Hawaiian word for "balcony?"