Forums39
Topics38,594
Posts311,775
Members26,557
|
Most Online2,218 Jan 21st, 2020
|
|
18 registered members (fabila, tmsxmsails, JerseyPal, MikeBiondo, marybeth, BillDauterive, SteveH, CaribbeanCanadians, ericlut, skipdastraw, GeorgeC1, 7 invisible),
908
guests, and 83
spiders. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Small world stories
#134920
07/07/2017 11:34 AM
07/07/2017 11:34 AM
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,724 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
OP
Traveler
|
OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,724
Central Florida!
|
Everyone has their SXM 'small world' stories and this is ours.. We first started coming to SXM on cruise ships in 1988, Carnival Celebration, in fact. That first trip, we never left Front Street! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> After that, we mostly took a cab direct to Orient from the ship. In October, 1991, we took a cruise on the old, OLD Crown Princess, the dolphin nose one I really loved that ship. Ships in those days were so much more graceful than what there is now. We usually booked cruises that went to SXM, but in this particular trip, the ship did NOT go to SXM. Back then, there were assigned dinner seatings and actually over the years, we made some really nice friends at dinner (although I can't say I would want to do it now). Anyway, this trip, we happened to be seated with a doctor and his wife from Miami, Carlos and Irene. They were originally from Cuba and we got along famously with them. We enjoyed some lovely meals Carlos and Irene are in the upper left of the picture, behind us. I can scarcely recognize these YOUNG people myself! We spent some really nice times at the roulette wheel, which is my favorite game, and was also Carlos' favorite game. Our number is 16, as that's our anniversary. Carlos' number was 4, which was Irene's birthday. Also, as it happens, it is right beside 16 on the 00 roulette wheel. So to this day, we always play #4 for Carlos, whenever we play roulette. After that cruise, we exchanged Christmas cards with them for several years. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/thinks.gif" alt="" /> What are Christmas cards?? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> Does anyone send them out any more? So, fast forward to February 1995. We took our first land based trip to SXM, and stayed at Green Cay Villas, with the able assistance of our friend, Jim Ruos, at Caribbean Islands Travel Service. We booked through Jim for years and years, when we stayed on the French side. I'm sure that we visited other casinos during that trip, but one night we decided to head to the Grand Casino at Mullet Bay. As it turned out, it would be our first and LAST visit to the Grand Casino, due to the arrival of Luis in September of that year. As always, I headed straight for the roulette wheel and noticed someone playing roulette that looked familiar. I said to Eric "Isn't that Carlos?" He said he was pretty sure it was. I watched for a couple of minutes, to make sure it was really him, and watched as the wheel spun and the ball--wait for it--landed in number four !! And whoa, what happened, Carlos had NOT bet on it!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Shocked.gif" alt="" /> I walked up to him and said "What, you don't bet #4 for Irene's birthday any more??" Without turning around, he said, "Oh no, Irene will KEEELL me!" (..trying to get the accent right here and not succeeding!) Carlos then turned around and I could see for a second he recognized us, but couldn't come up with names. Then we said who were were and laughed a lot!! So, what's YOUR SXM small world story??
|
|
|
Re: Small world stories
[Re: fabila]
#134923
07/07/2017 02:35 PM
07/07/2017 02:35 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,724 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
OP
Traveler
|
OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,724
Central Florida!
|
Thanks for the story, Louise! I'm sure other people have stories, as I remember reading some over the years..
Carol Hill
|
|
|
Re: Small world stories
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#134927
07/07/2017 04:52 PM
07/07/2017 04:52 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,646 Brookfield, CT.
pat
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,646
Brookfield, CT.
|
Paradise Pic is a pretty remote spot in St. Martin but would you believe....
Many years ago, possibly as many as thirty, my girls each brought a friend with them to SXM and begged their Dad to take them all up to Paradise Pic. We drove up as far as we could drive and Dad and the kids went off to climb over the fence and head out to see the view. Having done this so many times in the past I decided to stay in the car and read while they were gone. And yes, this was far enough 'back in the day' when it was perfectly safe to do so.
Pretty soon another car pulled up next to ours and same story - the Dad and the kids went off to take in the view and the Mom stayed in the car with a book in hand and as people do, we started chatting. After a bit the question of where we came from came up.
"Connecticut? Really? Me, too. " And as the conversation continued we found we had a lot more in common........
Come to find out, the other family was from the town next to us and the wife was a teacher in our local high school and had had one of my girls in her class a few years before.
It really is a small, small world. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
|
|
|
Re: Small world stories
[Re: pat]
#134928
07/07/2017 05:58 PM
07/07/2017 05:58 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,562 Long Island, NY
RICKnGRACE_LI_NY
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,562
Long Island, NY
|
About 10 or 11 years ago we are out to dinner at Marios in Sandy Ground. Grace Myself, her Sister and BIL During dinner a gentleman walks up and says hello to my BIL. They worked in the same department nearly side by side and never knew either were coming to SXM.
Rick and Grace
|
|
|
Re: Small world stories
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#134932
07/08/2017 12:50 AM
07/08/2017 12:50 AM
|
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 288 Edam, Saskatchewan - Canada
PrairieGirl
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 288
Edam, Saskatchewan - Canada
|
I actually have 2 small world stories from SXM! Many years ago (over 10 for sure) we were at the Monday Manager's party at OBBR and I won a prize. You know the drill, when you go up to receive it they ask your name and where you are from, etc. Well, I'm from Saskatchewan, Canada which is somewhat akin to being from Wyoming, population wise. Afterwards another guest comes up to me and says "you're from Edam, do you know any of the Thoms?"
Imagine her surprise when I tell her, "I AM a Thom!" It turns out that she grew up next door to my husband's cousin in another small SK town. We have remained in touch and often see each other in SXM. As it turns out, even though they live about 7 hours away from us, they have a cabin less than an hour away from us as well.
A different year at yet another Manager's party at OBBR, we arrived a bit late and most tables were taken so we asked to join a couple at a table that had space. We were all busy looking at each other and exchanging names and then realized that we knew each other! We had met up on on holiday in Barbados several years previous. But the best part was that the women knew each other casually through work which is why we had gone on that Barbados trip on their recommendation with plans to meet each other. The funny part is that it turns out it was the men that recognized each other first!
LeAnn url=https://www.tickerfactory.com] [/url]
|
|
|
|