Monday, Monday - can't trust that day........

Awoke at 5:45 to pitch black skies so I rolled over and decided to read in bed for a while and the next thing I knew, it was quarter to seven and the sun was pouring through our balcony slider. Darn! I missed the actual daybreak again!! I'm definitely slipping. But clearly, you could see it was going to be a spectacular St. Maarten day.

We more or less dilly-dallied around much of the morning doing the typical coffee and pastry out on the balcony because I had something to do at ten.........we finally set out for the Royal Palm to pay a phone bill and got to chinwag with Sharon Harris for a bit and catch up on 'stuff' before we landed back at El Zafiro. For all who were worried about them making a good name for themselves there, worry no more. We spent the day with them once again and virtually every available chair on their stretch of beach was occupied and most of the guests were doing lunch as well as drinks. Needless to say, we were no exception - DH had a burger that he thought was great and I had the shrimp Caesar Salad which I enjoyed as well. Good choices and a really nice day there.

We hung out on the beach till about 2:30ish at which point we headed back to the Towers, all the while trying to plan our evening. So many great places and so little time to enjoy them all, but remembering the excellent evening we spent there last April with the family we decided to return to a particular Simpson Bay restaurant. I called and was assured reservations weren't necessary. Hmmm!

So naps, showers and cocktails all behind us we headed out for an early dinner and then a little time at the casino maybe? We were so disappointed in our evening....... I even wanted to speak to the manager but This was vetoed by my DH.

I really don't know what the problem was but our service was so slow and then we saw sixteen dinners served to patrons who either ordered well after us and in two cases, even arrived after us. And no, we didn't order involved meals or appetizers which might have slowed the entrees down. Our server came over at one point and told us she was sorry it was taking so long but two of the waitstaff hadn't come in tonight (and this had what to do with our meals being so delayed?), but our meals would be out shortly. Finally, after another twenty minutes we were served and don't you know it - the meat was over cooked in one case and medium raw in the other.

Our disappointment in both our meals was obvious and in all fairness, our server did offer to redo the dinners but at that point it was almost 9pm so we said no thank you, and at least enjoyed the lobster tail portion of our surf and turf. I can't tell you how disappointed I was and I still believe we should have spoken to the manager but he wouldn't come anywhere near our table or us as we were leaving and my DH hates to complain about anything. And this is but one of the reasons I so strenuously object to the now customary habit of restaurants adding in the 15% service. Usually we will add a little more to bring it up to at least the twenty percent mark but this was definitely not one of those occasions, for sure, and had I had my way I would have seen the sc removed. We paid our bill and left and I doubt I'll be inclined to return or recommend it.

Oh well, we're generally pretty easy to please and I will openly admit. we're not food connoisseurs, but I can honestly say this is only the second dinner in all our many SXM trips that really ended up as a disappointment so I guess it is what it is! By the time we finally left it was getting late and I was getting cranky so we decided perhaps this wasn't a good night to waste more money making our regular contribution to the SXM casino industry.

So home and to bed and today's a new day.

Monday, Monday - sometimes it just turns out that way!