You’ve seen the pictures (
http://groups.msn.com/sxmphotos2/sxmjan31feb172008.msnw and
http://groups.msn.com/sxmphotos2/sxmjan31feb172008continued.msnw ). Hope you can tell it was ANOTHER great trip.
Last February I berated
AA for changing their schedule out of St Louis that made us miss the Miami flight to SXM because AA “knows why I fly” and they were under the impression that I enjoyed spending four extra hours on their planes and visiting Miami and SanJuan airports before they finally got me to SXM. This year they changed the times back and we were able to fly to SXM from St Louis with only a 50 minute stop going down and just a hour and half on the return. Everything went smooth. Still hate going through customs in Miami because it’s such a long walk and so crowded, but it’s better than stops in San Juan and then Miami to get down and back. Tickets this year were $624. pp/rt.
Phone : Sharon Harris - [email]queenofsxm2000@yahoo.com.[/email] Good rate. No problems.
Car : Tropical/Tropicana- [email]reservations@tropical/tropicana.com[/email] This is about the eleventh time in twelve trips I used them. Mickey has always met us at the airport. No problems. Asked for a dinged and dented Getz with French plates. Got a Toyota Corolla, slightly dented, but with only 24K and French plates. Got the French plates to look less like a tourist. Driving overThe Hill I realized that my car, although it had French plates, it also had Jeff Berger decals on the front and back windshield. So much for trying to blend in. Cost was $200./week, $35./day plus taxes.
Accomodations were different this year. First night staying with Island friends at their home in the Rambaud area. This is becoming a wonderful tradition. We then moved to
Sea Palace seapalace@sintmaarten.net where we would spend the next week as a result of an II trade. We had a 1 bedroom unit on the fifth floor with a patio deck overlooking Great Bay and The Boardwalk. Great unit with two bathrooms. Clean, well kept. They have limited parking just about 2 buildings away for $5./per day. Free umbrella and chairs on Great Bay Beach which was very clean, sandy, and a lot of activity between the cruise ship people, Segway tours, Boardwalk walkers. We enjoyed being able to walk to so many places. There are so many little restaurants and bars along the Boardwalk and Front Street. Would take forever to sample them all. Only bad note was the elevator broke for one day. Wasn’t bad walking down five flights, but going up,……the knees are getting old.
Second week we moved to our home resort of [b]Oyster Bay Beach Resort[b] The resort is in great shape despite the construction.
http://groups.msn.com/sxmphotos2/sxmjan31feb172008.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=5522 Noise and disruption from construction was almost nil. Had hoped for a room overlooking Dawn beach, but my favorite was still occupied, so we were given a room overlooking The Marina from our deck AND the construction out the front.
The last night we stayed again at Turquoise Shell Inn
www.tshellinn.com. Tucked in behind the bank across from Tequilas restaurant, off Simpson Bay Rd, TS Inn is well kept, clean and just a few steps off Simpson Bay Beach. It’s also within walking distance of many restaurants and it’s on the airport side of the draw bridge. Makes it real easy to drive over and check your luggage. They also have a late check out time of noon and are very accommodating as far as checking in early and storing luggage until your room is ready.
Food:
Did good this year and tried several new places. Still missed going to a few I wanted to try. Guess I’ll have to go back AGAIN! Really had no bad meals, one less than great experience, but nothing that would say don’t visit the place.
Breakfast: Barefoot Terrace on the corner of The Boardwalk and Captain Hodge’s Pier. Ham/egg/cheese Johnny Cake(fried, of course, not baked), 2 eggs, sausage, fresh squeezed OJ, coffee, tea. No service charge. $16.95.
Oh La La Bakery –
http://groups.msn.com/sxmphotos2/sxmjan31feb172008msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=5477 A couple blocks to the top end of Front St before you would get to Sea Palace. Gerard is owner/chef, Rosie is waitress/counterperson. We were recommended to this place by Dany of Le Saint-Geran Art Gallery. Great croissants and pastries(aren’t they all). Also lunch, sandwiches and crepes.
La Baguette Bakery – Located off Front St about a block past Old Street going towards the cruise docks. Also wonderful croissants and pastries.
Harbor View Restaurant – On Broadwalk
http://groups.msn.com/sxmphotos2/sxmjan31feb172008.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=5496 - Cheese Omelet(4.50), huge Croissant(1.75), Coffee, Tea, fresh squeezed juice, $12. No Service charge + tip =$15.00.
Chesterfields – 2 Eggs/ sausage/bacon, hash browns, toast or muffin - $5.99/ coffee/diet coke +tip and service charge =$20.00.
Kangaroo Court –
http://groups.msn.com/sxmphotos2/sxmjan31feb172008.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=5521 French Special with a split 6” baguette, Croissant, and raisen roll for Betty, French Toast for Norm with coffee and tea – service charge and tip - $20.00. breakfast with Wayne and Louise – Priceless!
Baywatch – My favorite spot for breakfast even though the winds were very strong, it was cloudy, and sand was blowing into the kitchen and on served food, despite awnings and plastic being put up. Ran into Contessa, Lee Lee, Barry. 2 eggs, home fries, toast, coffee. Sorry, forgot the cost.
Big Fish – 2 eggs, bacon or sausage, their special split 7 grain baguette with fruit puree ($5.95 x 2), coffee/diet coke, no service charge, with tip - $20.00.
Mr Busby’s - Fried Johnny Cake with Ham and Cheese ($3.95). with coffee.
Bakery – next to Jake’s Laundry. Sorry I could find the name. 4 pastries taken back to room at Turquoise Shell Inn, $7.00.
Lunch
Baywatch – Philly Cheese Hero w’fries, beer and coke, tip - $25.00. Busy place, but then you’d expect that.
Caribbean Blend or Caribbean on the Boardwalk – No sign up yet. Depending on who you talk to, depends on what the name of this wonderful little place is. It’s located on The Boardwalk at the end of the lot connecting Front St with the Boardwalk The area is filled with the ladies and their tables selling mostly Rima stuff to the “ boat people”.
http://groups.msn.com/sxmphotos2/sxmjan31feb172008.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=5473 Suzette is the waitress/bartender. Patrick and Jose are the owners/chefs/brothers.
We ate there three times. First visit we had their cheese burger plate. Average premade burger, but came with grilled onions on top, fries, slaw $10./ with two sodas and tip - $28.
Second visit we enjoyed a split chicken breast that had been grilled, coated with a BBQ type sauce, along with grilled red and green peppers and onions, slaw, salad, peas and rice, and grilled plantine which was wonderful as the natural sugars in the fruit had started to crisp-up along the edges. $9.50/ with two cokes and tip - $16.
Mango Smoothies made with real fruit and a little rum - $6.
Our third visit sampled the Mahi Mahi. A large portion, again grilled with peppers and onions, rice/ salad/kidney beans, and two sodas - $16.00
We signed “friends” board which is located next to bar and can be seen from Boardwalk. Look for us and give this place a try if you’re downtown.
http://groups.msn.com/sxmphotos2/sxmjan31feb172008.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=5493 Oh La La – tried a Ham and Cheese on baguette ($4.) AND a Calypso crepe with Vanilla Rhum and melted Brown Sugar ($5.)., plus 2 sodas, tip, no service charge - $14.00.
http://groups.msn.com/sxmphotos2/sxmjan31feb172008.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=5476 Fusions – located next to Sea Palace.
http://groups.msn.com/sxmphotos2/sxmjan31feb172008.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=5499 Picked up Chicken w/bacon and an order of onion rings to eat in room. Sandwich was good, except bread couldn’t handle all the mayanoise and got kind of sloppy by the last bite or two. A lot of Onions rings, but could have used a little more salt and were a little greasy.
They feature Butterfish on the evening menu. A white fish caught off the S. American coast. Sounded good and dining room was very nice.
http://groups.msn.com/sxmphotos2/sxmjan31feb172008.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=5500 Mr Busby’s – Met up with Jeff and Bonnie while we waited for our room at OBBR to get ready. Haven’t been to Mr Busby’s for several years because of the owners or landlord’ s hostile attitude towards Ms B’s, claim that he owns the beach, the road, etc. Also the last visit was very “upsetting” to Betty and made her miss the Superbowl game.
Anyway, we tried their Fried Ham and Cheese sandwich. Very good with a nice portion of ham, cheese, fried golden brown. Came with thinner cut fries, which we enjoy. With 2 sodas, 1 guavacolada, service charge, tip - $18.00
Beau Beau’s – We enjoy lunch at Beau Beau’s alot. First they have a wonderful view of Dawn Beach and the water, second, sodas/tea are free for OBBR owners with a VIP card. OBBR residents can charge their meal to your room so you don’t have to carry cash or plastic to the beach.
We sampled many of their lunchtime sandwiches during the week.
Their hamburger, grilled fish sandwich which was wonderful. Their grilled chicken sandwich, the grilled chicken wrap, the BLT and their grilled Ham and Cheese sandwich. Prices range $7.95-9.95 and all come with a large order of fries, and a wonderful carrot slaw.
Toppers – Our last lunch on way to airport was the Roasted Pork on baguette with gravy. Came with fries.. Sorry, too depressed to remember the price.
Well like I always say – …”no report is too long when talking about SXM”. So Part 2 will follow shortly after I catch a breath.
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