Agent Remembers Whitney's Antigua Trips

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Music

Thursday, 23 February 2012 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St John's - Whitney Houston visited Antigua & Barbuda at least a dozen times, and often touted Antigua as her favorite island, a release from the US tourism office has said.

Following the success of her first album, Houston, a single woman in her early twenties, jet set to Antigua’s St James’s Club for 10 days for some well needed R&R, a rare choice in the late ‘80s since the concept of “solo travel” and “unplugged vacations” had not yet been coined.

Delia Horton, a retired travel agent who booked vacations for the Houston family for many years said, “Whitney just wanted to relax and go somewhere where she could meditate and be inspired.

I recommended St James’s Club because it was laid back and had sophistication and class.

TiTi Thwaites, of TiTi Rent-a-Car in Antigua, became friends with Houston and was her "bodyguard" of sorts, taking her to see many local attractions.

At the time, Thwaites was also the manager of a local hotspot, Colombos, at Galleon Beach. In addition to hanging out at the restaurant, TT remembers Houston’s love for Pigeon Point Beach and Shirley Heights Look Out on Sundays.

He also recalled a sail that they took to Rendezvous Bay, and her love of the water and sense of adventure. "She liked the freedom, local vibe, and the fact that people were friendly and not pretentious," he said.

In her later years, when the going got tough, Houston checked in to Eric Clapton’s Crossroads, a drug rehab centre in Antigua for treatment.

Known for her melodic voice and powerful love songs, Houston always found respite and inspiration in Antigua & Barbuda.

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