Ok. Here are some thoughts similar/different.

French side progress. We saw alot of progress. Mt Vernon has alot of professional work going on. There is an actual skycrane in the area working on something old/new visible from “the lobby” of Mt Vernon. The road to Mt Vernon is as smooth as ever. New roofs everywhere. Orient Village most up and running and again alot of construction/repair going on. The expensive metal fence around the vacant property on the road to Club O is fixed.
Grand Case places we frequent are all back open. I wouldnt guess they got whacked by a Hurrican at Bistrot, Ocean 82 or Talk of the town.

Whats not fixed we might visit. Club Orient, Paradise View, theChurch in Grand Case still needs a roof. Alot of what needs fixed looked like weathered unfixed before the hurricane.

Dutch side not fixed. Bunch of structures along rental car road, the airport, sunken boats, badabing bldg.

Id say french side is a little behind in the areas I see. Maybe worse on both sides places i dont see.


As or wanting to return. Ill take a free trip to SXM anyday. I like the place the moment the plane lands. Planes, airports, yachts, cruise ships,sailboats, resturants, beaches, au natural beaches, sailing, snorkeling, french people, dutch people, euros, dollars, natives who speak french and or dutch, cheap wine, cheap booze and wine, fancy restaurants you can wear shorts to, casinos, clubs, proximity to STB, more planes, more cruise ships,Marys Boon.

We were 18 months gap before to after hurricane. We commented then that was about right. We came 12 months this time. While much progress, we felt we were just here.

We might shake our destinations up abit. We went to Asia in July and had a great time seeing new stuff.

St Martin and Sint Maarten are by far and away the coolest island in the Carribean. St John and Jost Van Dyke are paradise but offer almost nothing ither than a view to SXM.

So if we are going fly tonthe Caribbean we will be back, but we might go other places outside the. Caribbean before we are dead and not be back as often. That said I have been looking at SXM airfrares for this summer. Maybe it is an addiction.

Sorry for the rambling rant.