Back from a great trip. Seems it keeps getting better. This trip was longer than usual due to the unavailabilty of FF seats on a week end (just needed an exuse for more days). Rita is really relaxed about going to the SXM and wasn't a bit worried that I didn't make res's for our first 2 nights stay until the last week.<br>One of you guys posted the e-mail address for The Inn @ Cupacoy. We had stopped last Nov. to get some snacks for a party and really liked what they had. Figured that if the rooms were anything like the deli, you couldn't go wrong. So got connected on the net with Stephanie. Back and forth we set up the first 2 nights lodging sight unseen.<br>Very nice flight down on AA. Actually had our connecting flight a couple of gates apart, they obviously didn't know we were coming.<br>Got our Hertz rent-a-wreck (traded it for a new one on Sun) and away we went. Wife had no idea where we were staying. She thought we were headed for the Summit. She was kind of suspicious when I stopped at theMarket. Got inside and was greeted be a very sweet Stephanie holding her little daughter. When we got up to the court yard, Ritas jaw dropped when we got to the room it hit the floor. The place is beautiful. The rooms have king canopy beds, hugh semi open showers with rain forrest shower heads, georgous tile eveywhere. The front rooms look out over the water. Lodging comes with a continental breakfast ie all kinds of French pastry, fresh fruit, BIG glass of fresh squeezed OJ, cofffee, tea, capaccino. This is served to your room or patio. Now this is living. We were so pleased with it we booked our last night there. This was the first time we ever booked out of the Royal Islander early. We wanted get back to the Inn so we could spent most ov the day there. We stayed there right up to catching the plane back. Cannot say enough about Stephanie and her husband Richard, also Ann the Manager and Sophia. As someone mentioned before, Jeff (Citrus Chef) gives a cooking demo at 4pm on Sunday. Richard does the wine tasting. We didn't eat at Citrus but did have a killer macdamia/chocolate dessert and cougnac one late night. All in all .<br>Our stay at RI was again very good. Got a scare when we saw the Maho generator room go up in flames, but it didn't effect the RI. The RI has maintained the building and grounds in class A shape even after being blitzed by Lois and Lenny. <br>We had great beach time. First 2 days were iffy, so we zipped around the Island to see what had changed since Nov.- not much. Biggest change is behind the RI.<br>Got to Cupacoy, and guess what? It actually had sand. In fact it was the best it's been in years. So we parked there all week .<br>Dinners were at:<br>Boat House (our traditional first meal) Good as usual.<br>Bananas - Good<br>Sabastianos - Outstanding<br>Le Bar de la Mer - Outstanding. We went ther with Rollin and Norma. Women got lobster, whole red snapper, Rollin and I got the fresh water shrimp - they were atta this world. Funny side note - while we were waiting for our meal this little chicken came running down the table and did a scramble over our bread basket. Everyone was in stitches. When the waiter brought us new bread, he pointed down toward the KFC store and said the chicken had escaped from them. This brought more laughs. All in all great night.<br>Le Parroquet - Great duck and fish<br>PLP - good burgers and fish n chips. Did it 2X<br>Ric's Place - Good breakfasts<br>Mama Mia - Pizza was excellent, plus I got my anchovies on the side.<br>Room 3214 @ RI - Excellent, had the roasted chicken from The Market. The thing was big enough to have lunch on the left-overs.<br>Le Saint Germain - Best crepe's anywhere <br>Saratogas - John was off Island, but Helen (greatest hostess) took good care of us. They make the best fish on the Island. Just an outstanding place.<br>I actually overcome sand gravity one day. On Thursday there were no cruise ships in so zipped into P'burg and did the 12 Metre yatch race. This was the second time and it was even better than before. Got the same job, rear cranker. This time I knew what was going on, so could enjoy watching the boats between cranks. Great time, action for 2 1/2 hours.<br>There were 5 cruise ships in on Wednesday. This cancelled our Marigot market trip. Did it on Saturday instead. Rita got lots of spices from Serge. He told us he was leaving for San Diego Tuesday. He is going to open a spice shop there. He has trained some one to run the Marigot table. <br>In all it was a great trip. Got lots of sun, drank too much, ate too much, and laid around too much. Like I said, perfect vacation. <br>Ooops-almost forgot, It was a good gathering at the PLP on the 22th. We had to leave early but got to meet a bunch of nice people Bob & Charlene, Phyllis and her group, Contessa and court. Heard that Neil took a bunch over to Marigot in his yatch. Sounded like the party rolled on through the night.<br>Well gotta run. Only 182 days to go<br>Jack & Rita_S