I guess I should make a trip report, but this will not be like what I may have done in the past, as we've become pretty much creatures of habit.

We arrived on the afternoon of November 21, after a couple of testing authorization snafus.

We stay in the same unit at La Vista Beach for our entire three weeks; we're not into moving around. We're comfortable there, and the view is to die for.

Our day usually started with coffee around 6 AM, my second cup might have included a splash of Baileys. I might also have had a bloody Mary around 8 each morning. I don't eat breakfast, so I needed some sustenance to get me to the next phase of the day....

We spent pretty much every day at a different beach..some with friends we see every year, and some just for the two of us. Our beach choices are La Playa on Orient, Grand Case Beach Club, LTC in Grand Case, Friars Bay Beach Club, and Dany's Beach at Cupecoy. Thanksgiving at Dreams had become a tradition with our group, so we've moved that to La Playa since Irma. Also, the sushi chef from Dreams is now at La Playa, and we enjoyed some delicious sushi more than once. Dany's (Cupecoy Beach Bar) fresh grilled lobster is amazing, and I was so excited that we finally got to have that this trip. It's only available on Sunday, and you have to order in advance, but so worth it! We brought along some champagne and wine to make it even more of a celebration, and it was probably one of the best meals we had this trip. We did go to Karakter and Mary's Boon this year, but were sadly unimpressed with both this time.

We spent one wonderful day with friends at their villa, and another with friends at their penthouse at Royal Islander. Those days always remind me that the people we have met on this island are why we return each year. To be honest, were it not for them, we would not have been there this year.

Restaurants for dinner are the usuals for us: The Palms (Greg and Joelle are good friends, and the food is delicious as well. Jo makes the best margarita I've ever had, and I had a few of those this trip), Avantika for delicious Thai food, Lal's for excellent Indian and great conversation. A new stop for us this trip was Ma Ti, and we went there twice. Be sure to order something that includes pasta, as it's homemade. We also tried Astra, which has just opened where Snoopy's was. This is an excellent spot, with great food, service, and ambiance. Sale and Pepe is also an excellent choice, the food and the ambiance are both great. We tend to eat our main meal midday on the beach, so evening restaurants aren't as important to us. It's nice to find a spot where we feel comfortable ordering a cocktail and a couple of appetizers. and most places we went were open to that.

We went into Philipsburg one morning, and were shocked and dismayed at how completely dead the boardwalk was. Absolutely nothing was open when we were there. We visited Jeff at DK Gems to make a small purchase, and we were the only patrons in the store for an hour at least. Sad, to say the least.

We spent a day or two at the pools at La Vista; one at our pool at the beach resort, and another at the upper infinity pool. With the lack of crowds this year, both were quite enjoyable. We also spent a day with friends at their penthouse at RI, which now includes a "hot" tub on the deck. Lots of fun watching the planes land from probably the best vantage point on the island.

All in all, we had a great trip, but I have to say that the island is struggling. Having just started to recover from Irma, Covid has dealt them a vicious blow. I surely hope things improve soon. Looking forward to next year!