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Caribbean Travel RoundupNewsletter - Paul Graveline, Editor |
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As we left Mexico's state of Puebla and drove into the state of Veracruz, Manuel Martinez, our scholarly guide, kept us alert with his unconventional narration of the history and attributes of the state we had just entered - one of the richest areas in the country. "Whatever you want to see and do, you'll find it in Veracruz. All important events in the country have some connection with this state. It produces almost everything! It's the centre of the universe! It's the capital of the world! He continued, "And I'm not prejudiced! I was born and live here." I could almost hear him chuckle as we drove onward through green-covered mountains. Manuel, standing up in front of us, continued with his jokes and historical anecdotes: "Look at me! Even though I have the white man's features, I'm an Indian." He went on grinning, "My great, great, great, but I don't know how many great grandmothers, married an Italian pirate. Imagine how beautiful she must have been. A pirate who could have any woman in the Americas chose her. I'm proud of my great-grandmother." His voice seemed to become louder as he went on, "I'm, above all, proud of my Indian ancestry. My forefathers, for thousands of years, produced civilization after civilization - in their times, the best in the world." Apparently angry, a man in our group shouted., "Explain to me human sacrifice!" Manuel's eyes blazed, "Human sacrifice was a Spanish invention in order to dehumanize our people. Tell me! How could we have sacrificed humans when the flying dancers (once an Indian religious dance, but now a part of Mexican folklore) before chopping down a mahogany tree would dance all night around its trunk asking forgiveness for its cutting? It was a lie put out by the Conquistadors in order to enslave our people." Manuel's words aroused deep questions in my mind. There is no doubt that history is always written by the victors. Today, many archaeologists are questioning the conventional story of Mexico's Indian civilizations written by the conquering Spaniards. Manuel continued on, praising the America's Indian civilizations until we entered Xalapa, also spelled Jalapa - a city of 400,000 and the capital of the state of Veracruz. One of Mexico's colonial gems, it is located on a 1,200 m (4,000 ft) high plateau and is known as the 'City of Flowers'. Both provincial and cosmopolitan, Xalapa is remarkably attractive, clean, cool, civilized and life is easy- going. The city offers unspoiled gardens and parks, as well as a lively artistic and entertainment ambiance. Above all, it is famous as a university town, renowned for its University of the State of Veracruz and its Mueso de Anthopología (Anthropology Museum) - one of the most beautiful museums in the country, rivaling Mexico City's great Museum of Anthropology. An extraordinary museum and a must to see, it houses more than 25,000 pieces relating to the three main Indian cultures in Veracruz the: Olmeca, Totonaca and Huaxteca. Manuel, truly a guide extraordinaire who had just finished writing a book on the Indian civilizations in Mexico, took us through the exhibits, beginning with the Olmeca. Here amid the relics of his ancestors he was in his glory. "The Olmeca, nicknamed 'the people who have knowledge' were the mother of all cultures. 3128 years before Christ they knew of the magnet and invented the concept of 'zero' and 'three astronomical calendars' with numbers in bars and points, many years before any of the Old World's civilizations." Exuding an aura of pride, Manuel went on, "Their calendars never needed corrections and their sculptures, like the gigantic heads you see around you, were very advanced. All later Indian civilizations adopted the Olmeca culture. I'm very proud of what they contributed to humankind." We went on to examine the famous statues with smiling faces, fine musical instruments, exquisite jade and ceramic pieces, metal chisels of all kinds and obsidian figures - all remains from the state's three Indian cultures. The museum was quite amazing, beautifully laid-out and informative - exceeding all our expectations. Back on the road making our way to the city of Veracruz, capital of the state, Manuel was again on the microphone. Noting a series of Volkswagens passing by, he commented, "You know what we call Volkswagens in Mexico? Bellybuttons!" "Why!" Someone shouted. I could clearly Manuel snicker, "Everyone has one." A few minutes later, as we passed a graveyard of wrecked autos, Manuel continued, "Of course, you must all know what we call this place." "No, we don't!", one of the women in our group muttered as Manuel explained, "A girl's school parking lot!" Manuel's stories and jokes were never-ending until we reached the ruins of Zempoala. Walking through the ruins seemed to give him new energy and he was again relating his version of the Indian civilizations, "As I said before, the Totonacans who built this city received the knowledge of astronomy from the Olmecas. All these structures that you see around you relate to the stars, moon and sun. We honoured the natural world - the sky and the earth. The sun was our father and the earth our mother." He went on, "We did not have gods, but only lords and ladies, elected by the people as the best of the best. Perhaps, one day when Indian archaeologists excavate some of Mexico's 25,000 archaeological sites, 3,000 in the state of Veracruz alone, the world will know our true history." Was Manuel falsifying history? I felt that his stories, which had raised questions in my mind, deserved further investigation. Leaving Zempoala behind, we were soon Veracruz - the most festive of Mexican cities with a hedonistic tropical port atmosphere and one of Mexico's virtually undiscovered vacation spots. In this clean and well-organized resort city, rapidly drawing more and more tourists, we relaxed. Amid its seemingly always festive atmosphere, the destroyed Indian civilizations and Conquistadors blend together, making the city attractive to visitors. For me, it was an ideal place in which to bid Manuel adios. Here, where the majority of his compatriots have forgotten their Indian past, he still remembers his ancestors with pride. IF YOU GO Tips: 1) Eco-tourism is becoming very important in the sate of Veracruz. Its rain forests are the same as those of Costa Rica and they are criss-crossed by rivers. Tour companies offer camping, fishing, jungle hikes, and both canoeing and rafting and other river sports. 2) Small cars, fully insured with unlimited mileage, rent for about $70. per day. Beware! It is not easy to drive in Mexico - it seems that all drivers continually drive in and out of their lanes. 3) The official Mexican currency is the peso currently trading at 9 to 10 pesos to a US dollar. 4) Tip baggage handlers and bellboys $1.00 per suitcase; maids $1.00 per day and 50 cents tip for washroom attendants are usual. 5) The state of Veracruz's tourist facilities are excellent, the city is safe and the climate in the winter months is very agreeable. 6) The Veracruz cuisine has inherited the pre-Hispanic Indian, Arab influenced Spanish, French and African foods, then given them a regional touch. Above all, its kitchen is noted for its tasty seafoods. For Further Information, Contact: In Canada contact the Mexican Government Tourism Office - 2 Bloor St. West, Suite 1801, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3E2. Tel: 416/925-0704. Fax: 416/925-6061; in the U.S.A. - 405 Park Ave., Suite 142, New York, NY 10022. Tel: 212/755-7261; or Toll-Free Assistance, from US/Canada 1-800-44 Mexico.
Trip Report St Barts Feb 3-10, 2001 My wife and I left from Boston on an early Charter flight to SXM (left 6.15am) arrived sxm at 11.15 on time. The airport at sxm has improved with larger departure halls, A/C, and now snack/food service. It still takes a while to get through immigration, security, and airport tax window. The immigration ladies still have not smiled. We connected on WinAir for the short hop to St. Barts. Were picked up by hotel rep and whisked off to Hotel Le Toiny in time for lunch while our unit was being set up with flowers, champagne, and goodies. Hotel Le Toiny is a group of 12 very private individual units with large living space, kitchennette, large bedroom with 4 poster bed. Large Bath with shower, tub, and bidet. All the living areas have glass sliders opening onto your private patio with loungers next to your private plunge pool. We always bring a double float for the pool for some decadent lounging in the pool. Breakfast is served each morning by the pool. You fill out a menu the night before. We spent our days alternating between the 2 drop dead beaches Gouverneur and Saline (both C/O). Lunched at various restaurants nearby. Afternoons lazing by our pool and reading. Nighttime activity was dinner. Restaurants on St. Barts are all outstanding. Our favorites in descending order were Le Gaiac at Hotel Le Toiny, La Gloriette on Grand Cul de Sac, Francoise Plantation in Colombier, La Mandalla and Au Port in Gustavia, Mayas in Public, and Gomier near Saline. The island is in great shape having recovered form the recent hurricanes. The road out of Gustavia is under construction. The beaches have been renewed (by man) with now sand at Shell beach and St. Jean Bay. Gouverneur and Saline remain gorgeous as ever. The week went all too quickly and we returned home with ontime air service. The immigration ladies in SXM still haven't smiled. We totally relaxed and read lots of books and were well tanned at the end of the week. Comment: We charter to SXM and have had good luck. They always go, sometimes a little late but you get there. The alternative from Boston requires a connection and since to get to ST. Barts you need to connect in sxm by 4pm (St. Barts has a small strip with no runway lights), an additional US air connection makes it iffy.
St. Croix - February, 2001 We stayed at the Sunterra Carambola Beach Reasort from February 5 - 11, 2001. We thoroughly enjoyed staying there. The view driving into the resort is breathtaking as you enter from above the resort. You look down at the ocean, the beach, and the red roofs of the cottages. The resort and surrounding grounds are beautifully landscaped with plenty of blooming flowers - a pleasant sight since we left Pennsylvania in a snowstorm! The resort is located at the end of a road, miles away from the nearest towns. It truly felt like paradise! The resort has a beautiful, but small beach area. You can only swim in a small portion of the water due to coral and sea urchins. We found there was plenty of room on the beach. They do supply lounge chairs on the beach. The pool was large with comfortable cushions on the lounge chairs. We booked a garden view room but still had a view of the ocean in the distance. We turned the a.c. off as soon as we got into the room and never turned it back on. The screened in porch was wonderful and gave us a constant breeze in the room. The only problem we had was with tiny ants - you could not let any food or drinks sit out as they soon become full of ants. The staff was very prompt in cleaning the room each morning. On Monday evenings, they offer a barbecue buffet. The food was wonderful - especially the grilled mahi-mahi. We received complimentary tickets for the continental breakfast each morning. I'm glad we did as you would be charged $7.50 for it otherwise. It consisted of orange juice, coffee, tea, and one basket that had muffins, bread, pastries, etc. - not a wide selection. Two morning my husband ordered from the breakfast menu - he paid $7.50 for two eggs, toast, hash browns, and sausage. We decided to eat the at resort each evening as we were a little leary of traveling after dark. Although, by the end of the week we were familiar enough with the roads and driving on the left that it would have been ok. One night we ate in the Mahogany Room - a lovely more formal dining room with higher priced but larger portions of food. The other nights we at in the Saman Room. The Saman menu offers smaller portions of food. I do wish the menus would have offered more choices. Everything was very good - the waitresses are pleasant although the service is slow and laid-back. We didn't mind - we weren't on a schedule and we enjoyed the ambiance. Friday Night they offer their famous Pirate's Buffet - a must if you stay at the Carambola or even if you don't. What a spread of food! It did rain briefly on the buffet as they had it set-up outside. This buffet draws a lot of locals so a reservation is a must. You can get lunch at the deli/grill although again, there is a limited choice. We ate lunch elsewhere on the island most days. We rented a car for the week - It is fairly easy to drive on St. Croix although driving on the left was a bit of a challenge for awhile. Some roads aren't well marked as you would come to an intersection and see a sign that said "JCT" with no road number under it. Also, a big tip if you are going to the Carambola - the maps say Rt. 69 North takes you to the resort - the road is actually marked "669". You turn north at the fairgrounds. Three days we ate lunch at the Carambola Golf Resort. They have an open-air terrace (which was very windy at times). The food is wonderful and the prices were reasonable. The view is fantastic - you overlook the beautiful golf course. I wish they had a restaurant that served dinner but they do not. They did offer a small brunch menu on Sunday only. We received complimentary tickets for a snorkeling trip to Buck Island with our vacation package. I wasn't too sure about this, but my husband really wanted to go. The day was windy and the water was a bit choppy. Needless to say, it didn't take me too long before I because nauseous. I never did get to snorkle. You snorkel for one hour and then can spend one hour on the beach at Buck Island. This is such a beautiful island that it was worth getting sick just to see it. The water is the most beautiful, clear aqua color that I have ever seen! The boat sets anchor off shore and you must swim to the beach - the mate on the boat will help you if you're not a good swimmer. We took our Ford Taurus on the "Scenic Drive". (Most people rent jeeps for this road!) We didn't have any problems on the part we drove on although we were told other areas of this road are only accessible by jeep. I don't know how you would pass another car going in the opposite direction as most of the road is only wide enough for one vehicle. The highlight of the road was when we rounded a curve and saw a bull standing along the road. We also enjoyed seeing mongoose crossing the roads all over the island. The northern part of the island where the Carambola is located is beautiful, with lovely green grass. The southern part was quite the opposite - it was flat and dry looking in most areas. We did visit the only casino on the island - I was a bit disappointed as it was the smallest casino I have ever seen. There is no sign outside telling you the building was the casino - we only guessed it was as it was located across the road from the motel. I don't think I'd like staying there but it is a new motel and there seemed to be a nice beach area. Frankly, after touring the island, I don't think I'd want to stay anywhere else but the Carambola. In Christensted, the hotels are fairly close to each other. We enjoyed being more isolated. We did go into the shops in Christensted and Fredericksted. Fredericksted looks more like a ghost town with only a few shops - there was more activity there on Sunday when a cruise ship was docked there. We enjoyed Christensted more, although parking can be a problem. Here's a hint - you can park for free in a small lot adjacent to Ft. Christensted but be warned: You must be out of there by 4:30 or your car will be towed! We did shop at K-Mart for our refreshments and snacks - there are two on the island - one of which was much larger and nicer than the other! You will see what I mean! Sodas at the resort will cost you $2.00 so stock your small refrigerator with drinks from K-Mart! We did visit the Botanical Gardens at a cost of $6.00 each. Trust me, the grounds of the Carambola are much prettier than the gardens. Although the "sausage tree" was worth seeing!! Overall, we had a wonderful time at the Carambola - we feel it is the only place to stay on the island. Some people don't rent a car - we felt it was worth the added expense (and it was expensive compared to the mainland). I did hear you can rent a car for a day or two - someone was arranging that through the front desk of the hotel. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to St. Croix and are looking forward to planning a mid-winter vacation to a different island next year.
January 2001 This was our first trip to St. John January 9th to the 23rd, 2001. We have visited other Caribbean islands of Anguilla, Grenada and Carriacou, but we had stayed away from St. John because the accommodations were always too expensive. Now that the Internet has so many websites to locate your own places to stay, I studied for months and finally found our own house for $200 per night on the Coral Bay side of the island. The island is only about 9 miles long so Coral Bay was noted for it's quiet atmosphere and we like the more quiet areas away from that resort feel. We rented our house through Windspree.com and they had several at our price range. We looked at a couple other houses they had for rent once we were there and found some new ones we would like to try next time that are even more quiet, like (Tree House and Notre Ciel were much more quiet than our house called Island Breeze.) We flew into St. Thomas airport and took a taxi to the Red Hook Ferry dock which is about 45 minutes drive depending on traffic. We drove through the biggest city on that island, Charlotte Amaelle, where all the huge cruise ships dock. We decided right away we never want to go on a cruise if this is the type of port they stop in. Big city, tons of tourists and traffic, shopping all over, not our style at all. Riding in the taxi we went through the OLD part of the island and it is really falling apart from all the hurricanes they have had over the years, plus those old buildings were built centuries ago, so they are bound to look out of repair. Our taxi stopped off at several resorts on St. Thomas which didn't look too bad, but the general look of the island was scrubby, deserty with roads that were narrow and steep with crazy drivers on every corner honking to let each other know to look out!! We were happy to finally get on the ferry to St. John. We sat on the lower deck of the ferry and towards the outside of the row of seats and the ferry goes so fast that water sprayed in our faces the whole way to St. John. On the way home we were smarter and sat upstairs with a better view and did not get wet. We arrived at St. John and a Rep from Windspree met us at the ferry dock and took us to her car which was parked right near the dock. She drove us around the loop to St. John Car Rental where we picked up our Suzuki Vitara, 4 door for a whopping $390 per week. But, the car was in good repair and the 4 wheel drive was needed later when we found one of those remote snorkeling spots. We would recommend St. John Car Rental above all the others because they are only 2 blocks from the ferry dock and it makes it easy when returning with your suitcases. That way you can just drop your suitcases off at the ferry dock and have one partner wait there with them while you drive around the circle to return the car and walk back. We then headed out of Cruz Bay, the only city on the island, took the North Shore road which goes past all the sandy beaches and over the hilly, tropical terrain to Coral Bay. Our house was just off of the road down into Coral Bay, had it's own driveway that wasn't steep. That is one thing about renting a place on this island. Ask if it is a steep or paved driveway or road going to the house. This place is steeper and hillier than any I have ever seen. Our house was called Island Breeze, cute 2 bedroom, very nicely decorated and so comfortable. The road down below was a bit noisy at times though, even though this road was a ways down the hill you could hear the cars honking and skidding at times because the corners there are so sharp. At times it was quiet though except for the dumptrucks and large water delivery trucks which always honk at every curve so the other motorists will watch out since the corners are not wide enough to have 2 way traffic with a larger vehicle. Aside from the noise though, this house was perfect for one or 2 couples. It had a great view of Coral Bay and was an idea location to all the snorkeling places. We went to at least 6 different snorkeling beaches over the 2 weeks and I will describe each one: Our favorite: Salt Pond Bay, to get there go down into Coral Bay and turn right at the only intersection at the bottom of the hill. Go about 3 1/2 miles around Coral Bay through the cactus terrain, dry side of the island, and on your left you will see a parking area that says Salt Pond. You walk down a path that is downhill about 10 minutes, note, there are 2 paths and you take the one in the middle of the cult a sac. When you get down to the bay, it is best to take the 2nd of 3rd picnic table you come to if you want a very sandy entry into the ocean. For those of us who have tender feet that is an important thing to be aware of. But, if you don't get there early enough, those tables are taken so you can actually enter the water at any spot and the coral is only in for a few feet then it is sandy throughout. Both sides of the bay have good snorkeling, but we mostly did the left side, then we swam out to some small rocks in the middle, about a 10 minute swim max, and around those rocks the sea fans and coral towers and fish were the best. Some days though, the water will be breaking over those rocks, so I would not recommend going out to the rocks for a novice. Note, there is a bigger island offshore, and that is not where we mean by the rocks, look for smaller rocks in the middle closer to shore. The current is very strong if you tried to go out to the big island offshore. Then, after viewing the middle rock area, we made a loop over to the right shore and on the way over there we saw turtles, huge ones, some with big fish stuck on their backs. Then, you can head back along the right side for nice fish viewing all the way back to shore. The coral isn't as nice along the sides as it is in the middle though. We snorkeled this bay 5 different days and saw turtles and sting rays every time. You could go out just to look for them and find them in just a few minutes. They were usually in the deeper water out near the sailboats anchored off shore. Note: When the north shore beaches are rough and churned up, you can still get a good snorkel at Salt Pond. It is the calmer and warmer side of the island, but you will notice it too can get stirred up on a stormy day, but still is snorkelable. One day it was stormy and we snorkeled through tons of jelly fish at Salt Pond. We didn't feel any stings from them but it freaked me out to be in such a swarm of them. We found out that the sting is usually immediate, so we were lucky, or maybe they weren't the type to actually bother you. They looked like square boxes with holes and no long stingers or anything. We say a few jelly fishes later in the week here too but never had a problem from them. Next favorite: You need a 4 wheel drive to get to Lamshur Bay, the road is unpaved, steep and huge ruts, but it is worth the drive of about 4 miles past Salt Pond Bay. It takes about 1/2 hour on the rough road to get there and once you are on this road you will find out why not many people go here. (The best snorkel place is the 2nd bay you come to, the first bay is on your left on the dirt road, then you will clearly recognize the 2nd bay that is also directly to the left on the main dirt road. Such a beautiful beach with barely anyone there. A couple picnic tables under some trees. Soft, white sand and totally sandy entrance into the ocean. The first day we went here, the ocean was so calm and the rocks just offshore were an easy place to swim to for a short snorkel. Totally calm and the hugest puffer fish I have ever seen lives out near the biggest rock. You can also snorkel the whole right side of the bay. Then, the second day we went to Lamshur, the sea was rough and the waves were breaking heavily on it's shores so we didn't even go out to snorkel. So, the best day to try Lamshur is when you are sure that North Shore waters are also calm. We found that when the waters were rough on North Shore then the only place that was still good was Salt Pond Bay. We ran into a different type of jelly fishes at Lumshur one day, they had long, 12 inch tendrils and were mainly just offshore and you had to swim through them to get out to the snorkel rocks. I did not like that, but again none of them stung us. We asked at the snorkel shop in Cruz Bay and they didn't have much knowledge of which ones to look out for. Trunk Bay: A national park, full of cruise ship tourists daily, but worth an early morning snorkel. The beach is beautiful, and the big cay just offshore has tons of fish and further out on the left side of the cay there are huge sea fans and lots of them. The Park service will give you a free map that shows all the island reefs so ask for that when you go in. It will come in handy as you explore all the snorkeling spots on the island. They charge $4 per person to enter the park and have showers and bathrooms too. It is a very easy place to snorkel for a beginner and you can rent snorkel and mask right there if you don't have your own. Bring your own anti fog gel though because there was none there to buy. We found that a few drops of hand dishwashing detergent rubbed inside and all around your mask did the very best for anti fogging. Just be sure you rinse it out really well or your eyes will sting alot, Gee, I wonder how I found that out!?! Best place for your Quiet spot on this beach is over to the right side of the life guards. This beach is only open from 7:30 am to 4:30 PM., government jobs, you know. Jumbie Beach: This you will see a sign for right next to Trunk Bay. You have to park up the road a couple blocks and walk back to Jumbie and down the steps to it. It is usually uncrowded and if you can find a parking place you will enjoy the quiet, private swimming and snorkeling. The snorkeling is best on the left side of the beach. You can even snorkel here when it is rough, but the one calm day we were here it was so gorgeous with lots of fish, the coral isn't very pretty here though unless the sun is shining. Too many people have probably broken off all the bigger things, so the fish are the main attraction here. Waterlemon Cay: This is on your map by Annaberg Ruins. You park there in the parking lot and walk about 45 minutes to the end. Near the end is one beautiful, sandy beach with lots of sailboats offshore. You can hang out there and then walk around farther to the corally shore to enter the water where you are closer to the Cay just offshore. Swim out to the left side of the Cay and as you go further out you will see some of the biggest coral and fans ever. Not tons of fish this day though, but some very large ones and very big starfish all over the place. We never went back here because of the long walk and Salt Pond was so much nicer, easier to get to and more fish too. Francis Bay: This beach had the most bugs, no-see-ums, mid day was usually fine, but afternoon later and evening you wouldn't want to sit on this beach. As well as all the beaches in the evening, you will be eaten alive. I hate repellent so we just avoided the beaches totally at night and I rarely got bitten. Francis has good snorkeling at right side of the beach, wild donkeys will steel your stuff though if you leave it on the beach. They are wise to look for your snacks and share them with you. The sand on this beach is not nearly as nice as most others on the island, but for quiet swimming it is perfect. Sandy entrance into the water across the whole beach. We didn't eat out much as we had such a nice kitchen in our house. We had taken the advise from this website and took a little swinger ice chest full of frozen beef, chicken, and shrimp and we had dinners at home. The grocery store, Star Market, in Cruz Bay, has everything you want and the prices are only about double as they are at home, so we went there every couple days just to see the town, then get right back to Coral Bay and away from the city life. There is a very nice bakery above the Star Fish Market, take the elevator up to the 3rd floor. They have daily wheat bread, pastries, muffins and everything was very good from there. This island even has real milk, unlike others who only have the boxed type on the shelf. One place we liked for lunch was Miss Lucy's over past Coral Bay. You sit right outside on the bay and lunches were great there. Skinny Legs had a good hamburger in Coral Bay, but it was dumpy and not a place we went back to. There is a new sports bar in Coral Bay that is right on the water, forgot the name of it, might be Jakes. They had pretty good chicken wings and milkshakes. The Fish Trap in Coral Bay had delicious food and that was the only dinner we ate out. The islanders were all very friendly to us during our stay. We especially liked the lady at the Food Saver Market in Coral Bay. She let me borrow books from her to read and I gave her my finished ones. She claimed that many islanders got into reading during the last hurricane when the power was out for a very long time. Skinny Legs has a whole book shelf you can use for free. If you must have email, there is Connections at Coral Bay, they also have stamps and mail service there. In Cruz Bay, you should visit a local artist at Coconut Studios. She has a gallery there, look for her, she has a weekly tea party. We bought some of her prints and love the scenes form the island that she paints. Her name is Elaine Estern. She also has a website: www.coconutcoaststudios.com We plan to return next year. The tropical, forested island was just what we like. We drove on almost every road on the island and have a good feel for where we want to stay next time.
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