We are staying at La Playa and went to Philipburg yesterday to pick up a gift for my granddaughter, so we went through the barricades twice.

Some data:

- The barricaders were universally young, probably in their twenties.
- They were not well organized.
- The first barricade we ran into near Club Orient they were perfectly happy to let you through if you paid them. I paid them $5
- one well dressed young man on a motorbike offered to take us on a path to avoid the other blockades on the way to Philibsburg, which he did and I gave him another $10
- On the way back from Philibsburg I managed to avoid the French Quarter barricades with the help of my GPS
- We got through the barricades near club Orient again for $5
- Again the barricaders were all younger, but this time mostly on motorbikes and all seemed to be drinking beer

I talked to Zellman at Chez Leandra today and he got stuck in it yesterday with his young son. He talked to them about what they were protesting about and the ones he talked to had no answer other than “you should know”

So, not at all like other barricades I’ve seen.

Twenty somethings on motor bikes, drinking beer and taking money to let you through is not the norm.

In any case we are all set and can just rest on Orient for the rest of our trip

Ted