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Some Times on Orient
#136190
07/19/2017 07:55 PM
07/19/2017 07:55 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 516
Rbailey
OP
Traveler
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OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 516
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Since some people seemed interested in my recollections of our first trip to St. Martin, maybe something on the changes over the years might also be of interest. Orient Beach is one such area. We first saw Orient Beach in June 1979, when we found the path over the peninsula from Le Galion beach. We were there in 1978 but did not think to try to find Orient then, but this is a picture of Le Galion in 1978. Le Galion hotel was the base for those wishing to be close to Orient in those days. Club O was started about that time; I do not remember if there was anything built when we went over, but the beach was deserted – we saw 2 other people. We went to Orient on all of our subsequent visits, which were most but not every year. Regrettably, I did not take a lot of pictures, but here are some from various times. But up to the mid-80’s one could walk the entire beach any time of the day nude or clothed. The walk form end to end a couple of times was something we did frequently. You could find conch shells along it, but also dump trucks would come along to load sand. Each year there seemed to be a few more people and shacks selling T-shirts and souvenirs sprang up at the entrance. But even as late as 1989 nudity was accepted along the entire beach. After that, of course, development and the burgeoning cruise passenger market took over. 81: 83: 86: 88: 89: [img]https://t.imgbox.com/oxCLmdrb.jpg[/img][img]https://t.imgbox.com/DWZ6vPJ0.jpg[/img]93: [img]https://t.imgbox.com/RmloFmvG.jpg[/img]94: [img]https://t.imgbox.com/iW3MsGoI.jpg[/img][img]https://t.imgbox.com/FpREYPB8.jpg[/img][img]https://t.imgbox.com/b4IMMMyi.jpg[/img]97: [img]https://t.imgbox.com/M6YJsVR6.jpg[/img][img]https://t.imgbox.com/gPbCaboh.jpg[/img][img]https://t.imgbox.com/YQdEQJxS.jpg[/img][img]https://t.imgbox.com/wUtaoVnT.jpg[/img]01: [img]https://t.imgbox.com/y27jIj5o.jpg[/img]02: [img]https://t.imgbox.com/y27jIj5o.jpg[/img]04: [img]https://t.imgbox.com/LliFN0Co.jpg[/img][img]https://t.imgbox.com/H7S6xrB9.jpg[/img]05: [img]https://t.imgbox.com/ZHjLJHAz.jpg[/img][img]https://t.imgbox.com/sH3FCm5c.jpg[/img]
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Re: Some Times on Orient
[Re: Rbailey]
#136191
07/19/2017 08:20 PM
07/19/2017 08:20 PM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,654 Brookfield, CT.
pat
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,654
Brookfield, CT.
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Our earliest remembrances of Orient are clearly depicted in a few of your photos. It was such a beautiful stretch of beach. I forget what gimmies the French offered for development there but the development of the late 80's pretty much ruined what we knew as Orient. I guess if we didn't have those 'back in the day' recollections we'd probably love it as much as so many today do, but I'm glad we have those memories.
Thank you so much for sharing your photos. Like you, we took so few......<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."
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Re: Some Times on Orient
[Re: Rbailey]
#136199
07/20/2017 11:06 AM
07/20/2017 11:06 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,010 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,010
Central Florida!
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Thanks so much for the pictures! My computer has been having some 'issues', but finally got all of the pictures to display. It's amazing to see the 'creep' of the development up the hillside and along the beach over the years. It looks like several of the pictures were taken from around Green Cay Villas??
Carol Hill
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Re: Some Times on Orient
[Re: mprevo]
#136201
07/20/2017 07:07 PM
07/20/2017 07:07 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,010 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,010
Central Florida!
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Absolutely NO one was cleaning the seaweed at that time, so the amount of seaweed on the beach was very small.
Carol Hill
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Re: Some Times on Orient
[Re: Rbailey]
#136203
07/21/2017 09:53 AM
07/21/2017 09:53 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,010 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,010
Central Florida!
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Green Cay was definitely there by 95, as we stayed there in February 95. Not sure when it was built.
Carol Hill
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Re: Some Times on Orient
[Re: Rbailey]
#136204
07/22/2017 03:37 AM
07/22/2017 03:37 AM
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,032 Westchester /NYC
Colour1
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,032
Westchester /NYC
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Thanks for posting these lovely photo's! It's interesting to see the progression over the years. Even in our times coming to St. Martin things have really changed! Are we still newbies after 16 years sometimes twice a year coming to the island??? LOL! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />
Sand Gravity, got to love it!
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Re: Some Times on Orient
[Re: Colour1]
#136205
07/25/2017 07:04 AM
07/25/2017 07:04 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 608 PA
ChuckG
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 608
PA
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Great pics, thanks! How about all that beach in front of Papagayo? Really hows how much it has changed.
Chuck and Joni
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