TravelTalkOnline Forums Trip Reports (Read Only) SXM Trip Reports and Photos "Fun in the Sun" Nov 5-Dec.5 2013 Part 2

Part 2

Nov.13- We were blessed with sunny skies once again, so after enjoying breakfast in the condo, we set off to spend the day at Club O on Orient Beach. We went by way of Marigot today since the King and Queen’s visit was scheduled to disrupt traffic in Philipsburg. There was also a considerable amount of traffic in Marigot also due to construction, but it was moving, so once we got to Galisbay, we sailed right along.

We set up camp beside Maureen and Larry and met several November regulars throughout the day. The water was calm, warm, and there was a slight breeze which made the day very comfortable.

We weren’t hungry enough for a proper lunch so we enjoyed some drinks and snacks throughout the afternoon. We left the beach close to 5:00 P.M. and decided to go home via Philipsburg and stop at Mark’s Place for dinner. We of course ordered the tender baby back ribs with different sides and they were delicious! Two Presidente accompanied the meal and we were pleasantly filled to capacity.

Following dinner, we made our way back to the condo to get ready for a night on the town.



Nov.14 – The King and Queen are still in town so after breakfast today we went to Orient again via Marigot. Because of the continuing construction in Marigot, the traffic was worse than usual, so it took us an hour to arrive at Orient Beach.

We spent the day enjoying the warm sunshine and pleasant ocean breeze! The beach wasn’t too crowded and the water was warm and calm- just a perfect day!

We travelled home via Philipsburg with no traffic problems and stopped in Simpson Bay for some snacks and pastries. David cooked some great steak on the barbeque and with salad, potatoes and onion rings, we enjoyed a delicious dinner “at home”. We had a relaxing evening after dinner and at 10:30P.M., we headed out to the Dunes Casino. I played my favorite money machine there and I came away a winner tonight! It was the perfect ending to a wonderful day!



Nov.15- We decided to “hang out” at home today and enjoy the pool and the surroundings here. David cooked us a lovely breakfast and we had ham and cheese croissant sandwiches for lunch.

We had invited Bill, Elaine and Annie for dinner tonight. They arrived around 4:30 P.M. and we all enjoyed drinks and appetizers on the balcony and watched the sunset. Dinner was served at 6:30 P.M followed by dessert and drinks. It was such an enjoyable evening with good friends!

After our company left, we enjoyed some time on the balcony and enjoyed the full moon as it cast a sparkling beam on the ocean. Such a peaceful ending to the day!





Nov.16- We opened our eyes this morning to blue skies and sunshine so we deemed this another perfect beach day. After breakfast, we left for Orient Beach and met up with some friends there for a wonderful relaxing day. It was a bit hotter than usual as there was not much breeze at all, so we spent lots of time in the water to cool off. We snacked on the beach and of course enjoyed some refreshing drinks and before we knew it the day had passed quickly. We returned home via Marigot and there was no traffic today so we were home in 30 minutes.

We cooked dinner at home tonight and afterwards went out to meet Bill, Elaine and Annie at Buccaneer and to listen to the music. BBB was packed tonight and as usual the music was very good. We left around 9:00 P.M. as we had to stop at Splash Jewellers before they closed to pick up a ring that was being repaired. Since we were next door, we stopped into the Hollywood Casino to set a few machines in motion. Somehow the stars weren’t aligned tonight and I ended up losing $10! It must have been because of the full moon! A mango cocktail ended the day and we look forward to more fun tomorrow!


Nov.17- Not a cloud in the sky this morning so really a picture perfect day! After enjoying a leisurely breakfast in the condo, we relaxed on the balcony for a while and then I did a load of laundry. It is so convenient to have the washer and dryer right in the unit here! After the laundry was done, we spent a few hours sunbathing and enjoying the pool and then got ready to join Annie and the Millers at Layla’s. There was a gentle breeze there and we spent a couple of hours just relaxing and enjoying some great Planters Punch with good friends.

We left Layla’s about 5:00 P.M. and went to Chesterfield’s where we were meeting Maureen and Larry for dinner. We had a wonderful meal there consisting of delicious coconut shrimp for Maureen and I, and Conch chowder for David and Larry. Following the appetizers, Maureen and I ordered the seafood sampler consisting of Mahi, scallops, shrimp and calamari and David and Larry ordered the Madagascar scallops. Wine and beer completed the meal. The servings were large and well-presented and unfortunately there was just no room for dessert. We had a nice table by the water and the restaurant was very busy, but the service was very attentive.

We stopped briefly at the Dunes casino to make a donation to the St. Martin economy and then enjoyed cocktails on the balcony before retiring for the day.





Nov.18- We awakened to another amazing beach day so we set off to Orient Beach after breakfast. We found a spot beside Maureen and Larry and had a lovely day there. We saw several other TTOL members also basking in the sunshine. We enjoyed a picnic lunch on the beach and left around 4:30 P.M. We love the late afternoon on the beach as it is always very peaceful as the sun is disappearing behind the hills and everyone is leaving for the day.

On our way home in the Orleans area we have frequently noticed the gendarmes stopping cars at that time of day. Today the car in front of us was stopped and pulled to the side by three policemen. We have also seen them in the Marigot area and at the roundabout in Hope Estates. On Saturday there were a few policemen in the Orient area as well. Unfortunately they don’t seem to be in those areas at night.

We stopped at Market Garden to pick up a few essentials and then proceeded home. Tonight we enjoyed a pasta dinner at Islandgem Café in Maho. A nice bottle of red wine and some garlic cheese bread topped off the meal with chocolate cookies for dessert.

We spent an evening at home tonight and watched “The Voice” and did some reading. We later enjoyed some tropical drinks and toasted another lovely day in paradise!



Nov.19- We had planned to take Annie out for the day today and our chosen destination was DREAMS. We picked her up around 11:00 A.M. and got a nice spot on the beach with a cabana and lounge chairs and an umbrella. The furniture there is so comfortable; it is really easy to settle in for the day! We had reserved a table for 1:00 P.M. so we relaxed on the beach until it was time for lunch.

We each chose a different item from the menu today. I chose the half chicken with fingerling potatoes and several vegetables, some stuffed and some wrapped in bacon. David chose an interesting sausage dish with mashed potatoes and vegetables and Annie chose the red snapper with mashed potatoes and vegetables. We had a nice bottle of wine and we all enjoyed the best dessert on the menu, the NO NAME DESSERT! It is absolutely irresistible and so very good! I usually don’t have dessert, but this one is to die for!

After a leisurely two hour lunch, we returned to our chairs on the beach and limed away the day until 5:00 P.M. We returned Annie to the Caravanserai and we all went to Happy Hour at The Dream Pool Bar. It was so easy just to keep dreaming along!

Marty makes the best mango coladas and I just had to have one. The others chose their drinks of choice and we watched a beautiful sunset over the ocean there.

Since we were so full from the big lunch today, we chose to snack on some fruit and crackers and cheese later in the evening.

This is the end of our second week and it seems like we have only arrived. The weather has been fantastic, the days relaxing and the evenings so much fun!





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