"Fun in the Sun" April 11- May 2 2012 Trip Report

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"Fun in the Sun" April 11- May 2 2012 Trip Report #17589 05/14/2012 02:18 PM
Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 13,219 Likes: 5 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada islandgem OP Traveler
OP islandgem Traveler Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 13,219 Likes: 5 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada	"Fun in the Sun" April 11- May 2 2012 April 11 We departed on Flight #787 with Jet Blue, a very nice flight with great service. We arrived a few minutes early, no lines at immigration and we collected our luggage and were on our way in 10 minutes. Got the car, phone and SXM Privilege Card quickly and when we arrived at the condo Jeannie had already delivered the groceries and put everything away. Superb service from all the sponsors and very much appreciated! After checking in to Blue Marine we went out for the evening to BBB, always our first stop for drinks and dinner. There was live music so this added to the evening's enjoyment. Food and drinks there were as good as ever and just a relaxing place to spend a few hours after a day of travelling! Came back to the condo around 10:00 P.M. and unpacked and got settled in. Blue Marine is a very spacious two bedroom condo equipped with everything one would need for a great vacation. I know we will enjoy our time here! We retired at midnight and look forward to several days of "fun in the sun"! April 12 We started the day with fresh pastry, fruit and coffee. Following breakfast we spent the morning at the pool, swimming, sunbathing and reading some good St.Maarten books on our kindles. We enjoyed lunch on the balcony and then continued to read and relax there until 4:00 P.M. We had a few errands to run so we did that and then went to the Ocean Club Bar and Grill for Happy Hour. Two for one drinks and lots of friendly folks there! Later we met Bill and Elaine and spent a lovely evening at White Flag. We enjoyed Nathalie's Montreal smoked meat sandwiches served with fries and Cole slaw and some delicious mango rumba drinks. There is live music every Thursday night so keep that in mind when planning a visit. Monday nights will have live music too. The elevator there is not very reliable so you may have to walk several flights of stairs to get to the roof top where White Flag is located above Market Garden. We finished the night at the Hollywood Casino and I had a good paying machine and ended up leaving with more money than I went in with so this is always a good way to end the day! April 13 We started the day with a nice cooked breakfast by my personal chef.......juice, eggs, sausages, toast and coffee. Following breakfast, we went to Grand Marche to pick up a few items for entertaining tonight and upon our return decided to have a quick lunch before departing to the beach. Mullet was our choice today and it was the calmest we have ever experienced it! We spent the afternoon there just relaxing and enjoying watching the local children playing in the water. We had set up near the rocks at the end of the beach and it was a lovely spot to spend the day. The sand at Mullet is much coarser than the sugar like sand at Orient and it really sticks to the body. It is a pretty beach, but has never been my favorite because of the consistency of the sand and the usual roughness of the water we have previously experienced there. I guess not everyone is a sand critic as it is usually a busy beach and certainly one enjoyed by the island residents. Upon our return from the beach, we spent an hour at the pool at Blue Marine and watched the sunset before starting preparations for dinner. We were hosting a dinner party for some friends here at the condo tonight so we needed to get things ready before they arrived. We had a brief tour of the property when they arrived and then enjoyed drinks, dinner, more drinks and great conversation! We always have so much fun with our island friends and look forward to this every trip! After the clean-up we relaxed and read a bit before the day's conclusion. Another perfect day spent with good friends in our tropical paradise! April 14 We enjoyed a continental breakfast in the condo today and spent some time catching up with e-mails and a few other things before getting ready for a day at the beach. We decided on Simpson Bay Beach today and arrived at Karakter around 10:30 A.M. There was a large amount of seaweed on the beach and an employee was trying to rake it and bury it in the sand. It was an enormous task as it just continues to come ashore and pile up on the beach. The seaweed was extending all along the beach in both directions and really was a mess. Not many people in the water today! There was not much sun today and clouds were rapidly forming in the sky. About 1:00 P.M. showers were threatening so we decided to move up to the dining area and ordered a delicious lunch protected from the weather by a large canopy. We both had the curry chicken platter which came with a very nice salad and fresh fruit. It was truly delicious and was today's special at $14 each. We had two passion coladas, beer and water and the total bill was $46 without tip. Since the weather looked like showers continuing throughout the day, we decided to leave the beach and do a bit of island exploration. We went to Nettle Bay and checked out the two new beach bars recently opened there. Le Shore and Le Sand look like a nice addition to that area. The prices at Le Shore are much higher than their previous location. The lunch specials started at 29 Euros and the Sunday night lobster dinner special was advertised for 40 Euros. There is ample parking and it looks like more landscaping will be done in the future. We then went to Marigot and saw gendarmes everywhere in vans parked in several locations. They appeared to be on a mission! We returned to the condo at 4:00 P.M. and prepared for Happy Hour at the Buccaneer. We met up with Bill and Elaine and Carol joined us also. Todd and MJ were intending to join us but they were tired after having just arrived so they didn't make it tonight. We decided on a light dinner tonight since we had a large lunch at Karakter. The Pirate's Pizza was our choice and it was delicious! Pizza and drinks totaled $35 including tip. The music finished at 9:00 P.M. so we left and went to the Dunes Casino for a few hours. No big wins tonight but it was a lot of fun and that is what life is all about. We finished the day with drinks at the condo and thoughts of tomorrow's activities. April 15 The day began with some clouds, but soon the sun was shining and we decided to have breakfast and then joined Todd and MJ at Karakter on Simpson Bay. There was no seaweed coming in today and the water was relatively calm although there was a breeze blowing. We were very sheltered by the wind down on the beach and it really turned into a beautiful day. We had lunch there which is always delicious and the cold bucket of beer was a refreshing addition to lunch. After a few more hours on the beach, we left to prepare for the sunset cruise on the Celine with Captain Neil. The clouds rolled in so there was no spectacular sunset, but it was still most enjoyable with lots of rum punch and some friendly cruisers. Following the cruise, we went for drinks at Skipjacks with some fellow Canadians and then proceeded to Pineapple Pete's for dinner. Ronnie Santana was playing his tunes and all was well with the world! We ordered some pre-dinner drinks, an Elizabeth's Jungle which I just couldn't resist given the name, and a mango margarita, both of which were very good! Dinner consisted of an order of garlic shrimp and an order of coconut shrimp which were delicious. The bill with tip was $65 and the service was great as always. On the way home we stopped at the Dunes Casino and David collected some money which was a nice end to the day. April 16 We awoke to lovely sunshine and we knew we had the making of a fantastic beach day. After breakfast we packed our bags and went to spend the day at Cupecoy. We met Todd and MJ and spent a great day there with them. We were down at the Shore Point Beach and there was abundant sand and some amazing surf. It was so relaxing to just lay there and listen to the water breaking on the rocks and watch all the boating activity travelling by. Since we had a late breakfast, we did not eat lunch until 2:00 P.M. Dany delivered two orders of his delicious ribs to our chairs and we washed them down with cold Heinekens. A simple lunch which tasted like manna from heaven! We stayed on the beach until 4:30 P.M. and then we all went over to the Ocean Club Bar and Grill to enjoy Happy Hour with Ken and Jayne. We had several drinks and I had my signature drink there "Dirty Sex on the Beach". Ken has the secret recipe and it cannot be obtained anywhere else. We left the club around 7:00 P.M. and decided to have dinner at the Islandgem Cafe tonight as there was a special chicken and fried mushroom salad on the menu and it sounded like just what we needed after the food on the beach. Etna ice-cream and chocolate cookies were the perfect dessert. We spent a quiet evening catching up on a few things and finished the evening with cocktails on the balcony. April 17 We started the day with breakfast on the terrace and listened to the birds sing their morning songs. Our condo overlooks the pool and we actually have a nice lawn and flowers surrounding us which are so pretty. The winds had decreased quite a bit, but we decided since it was still windy on Orient and the beach had a lot of seaweed, we would make this a shopping day. It was sunny and hot, but the gentle breezes provided a nice cooling effect and made our day in Philipsburg very enjoyable. We stopped at the Get Wet Bar on the boardwalk for lunch. I had a perfectly prepared dish of poutine and David enjoyed a very good cheeseburger. The bill with two Heinekens came to $20 including tip. There were only two ships in today so the crowds were not bad at all. We enjoy taking a few breaks from shopping and watching the cruisers go about their day so having ships in port is never a concern for us. We finished our shopping on Front Street and proceeded to Rima to pick up a few beach items. We used our Privilege Card for the discount and received a free beach wrap as well so shopping there was a pleasant experience today. We arrived back at the condo just in time to enjoy a nice cocktail on the terrace and to view a beautiful sunset. We got ready and went out to Toppers for dinner tonight as "comfort food" seemed in order after a day of shopping. I had the famous beef brisket and David had the meat loaf dinner. Both were very good and service was good tonight as well. The Privilege Card supplied two free cocktails so the total bill was only $40 including tip. We stopped at the Dunes Casino to make our deposit and they graciously accepted it tonight with no persuasion. We arrived "home" around midnight and enjoyed a nightcap before slipping into dreamland. April 18 We decided to go to Marigot today and have breakfast at Sarafina's and visit the Marigot Market. Nothing really different to see after so many previous visits, but we always feel a need to visit each trip. The pastries at Sarafina's are the island's best and we always enjoy our time there amongst the sweetest breakfast goods around. It is one morning we throw calories to the wind and just sit and enjoy! The cappuccinos are excellent too! The market was not packed with people but all the usual vendors were there trying to make a living. I found two different dresses which were not the Rima variety and decided to purchase these as something different is often hard to find at a reasonable price. On our way back from Marigot we decided to stop at Porto Cupecoy and check out the development there which didn't show any progress since our November visit. We purchased some nice salads for lunch at the Grand Marche store there and some fresh fruit and a fresh baguette. We enjoyed our lunch in the condo and then spent some time at the pool. The Blue Mall located close to Porto Cupecoy looks relatively finished on the outside, but it still is a long way from opening the various stores there. It will be interesting to see what actually happens with this building in the months ahead! We picked Annie up at 3:00 P.M. and proceeded to Cafe on the Bay for the pre-arranged wine tasting hosted by Jeannie. All 12 people attended and it was a delightful afternoon activity. Thanks to Jeannie for organizing this event. The wine and food to accompany each selection were all very enjoyable. We had appetizers and more wine at Blue Marine with Annie and then delivered her home around 9:00 P.M. David and I decided to go to the Hollywood Casino tonight to test our luck which turned out to be not the best. We were home relaxing with a nightcap before midnight and drifted into dreamland around 1:30 A.M. April 19 We started the day with a full cooked breakfast and then got ready to spend the day at Cupecoy Beach. The sand was not as plentiful at the Shore Point Beach today, but we decided to stay there as it was very private with most people choosing to go to the other smaller beaches with more sand. The waves were high and the surf was breaking on the rocks, but the pools were still accessible and very much enjoyed for cooling off. There was no seaweed on the Dutch side beaches so we have been mainly enjoying them this week. Dany supplied two orders of his famous ribs for lunch and they were delicious! The side salad was so good too and had lots of fresh avocado in it which most other places don't have. We spent a quiet day together enjoying the ocean view and reading our kindles and just liming the time away! We left the beach around 5:00 P.M. and had some cocktails while watching the sunset from the condo terrace. We got ready to go out for the evening and our first stop was Happy Hour at White Flag where we met up with Todd and MJ, Bill and Elaine and Annie. We had a few drinks there and listened to the music supplied by Gianfranco and Pete. We left there and went to dinner at IZI. I really enjoy the food there and tonight was no exception. I had the garlic shrimp pasta in a vodka sauce and David had the chicken parmigiana. The total was $48 including a 15% service charge. Service was good and the restaurant was full so that speaks volumes. We stopped at the Dunes Casino on the way home and whiled away a couple of hours. We had fun and we broke even tonight! Nightcaps followed upon our return and we went to bed with visions of more beach time tomorrow! April 20 We managed to get things together earlier this morning and were headed off to Orient Beach by 8:00 A.M. The day was a perfect beach day and we are happy to report that there was no seaweed on the Club O Beach and no winds to cause the sand to blow..... So a beautiful day! There were only a few people arriving on the beach at this time so we chose our chairs and then walked down to Andy and Cheryl's for breakfast. We received our welcome from Cheryl and enjoyed Andy's great coffee. We each had the western omelet with extra cheese and toast. It is always a great way to start the day and we never feel the need for lunch when we have a big breakfast. We returned to our chairs after breakfast and settled in for the day. Lots of the regular April crew started to arrive and it was fun seeing everyone and catching up on the previous year's events. We visited with Wayne Hall and Marge, Ben and Katie, Bill and Laurel, Bill and Elaine, Phyllis and Jim and Don and Christine. The water was warm and calm and so refreshing so we spent a lot of time just relaxing and floating around with friends. I love the days we spend on this beach as everyone is friendly and it is always easy to interact with lots of different people. We left the beach at 5:00 P.M. and stopped at the Taste Factory on the way home to pick up a baguette for dinner tonight and some croissants for breakfast tomorrow. This was the first time I had been there and it really seemed like a nice little spot. After 5 they offer 8 pastries or croissants for only $6 and the baguettes are $1.50. A real bargain! We arrived home just in time to see the sunset from our balcony and have some pre-dinner drinks. Dinner tonight was at Islandgem Cafe and the special of the day was lemon butter shrimp with rice and vegetables. We had a nice bottle of pinot grigio to accompany the main course and tea and pastry for dessert. Sometimes it is just nice to have a "home cooked meal" after dining in restaurants for a few evenings. We spent the evening relaxing and just enjoying some time together. Some mango coladas brought the day to a pleasant close! April 21 We awoke to another day of sunshine so decided to have a continental breakfast in the condo and then we went to Simpson Bay Beach to spend a few hours at Karakter Beach Bar. We met Pat and John there and sat beside another couple from Ottawa.....such a small world! The beach was clean and calm and it was another relaxing day. We enjoyed some of their tropical drinks and decided to go under cover for lunch when a few sprinkles from a dark cloud came our way. It was over quickly and we enjoyed a very nice lunch. We both had the Mediterranean Karakter and beer to drink and then settled back into our beach chairs. We read our kindles while listening to the sound of the waves. I finished "The Captains Fund" and started "Second Chance" while David started a Will Smith book after finishing " The Embarrassment of Mangos". We were meeting some good friends who were arriving from Ottawa today so we headed to Sunset Beach Bar to take some pictures of their plane landing and then proceeded to go and meet them at the car rental office. This was their first trip to the island and we volunteered to be their guides for the evening. We stopped at Sharon's where they picked up their phone and then to Market Garden where they picked up a few essentials for the morning. Since they were staying at Divi Resort they followed us there and they checked in and put their luggage and supplies in the room. We decided to all go over to the Greenhouse for Happy Hour and some appetizers since we were close by and they were tired after travelling for several hours. Martin was our waiter and we really hit the jackpot tonight! He was one of the best waiters we have encountered in St. Maarten and we all had a really great time. We stayed there and had a few extra drinks before taking them back to their resort for the night. David and I returned home around 10:30 and started packing things up for our move to Pelican Key tomorrow. It was a wonderful day and mango coladas brought the day to a pleasant close. April 22 Today is "moving day" so we got up around 8:00 A.M. and had a nice breakfast of fresh fruit and croissants with coffee. Our bags were all packed so we leisurely moved them to the car and left the condo at 11:00 A.M. which was the check-out time. New residents were arriving from Europe so we were not permitted to extend our time past the designated time. We decided to do a little touring around and stopped at the Grand Marche in Cole Bay to pick up a few breakfast foods and beer. David stayed in the car with the luggage while I did the shopping and we were soon on our way again. Since we had everything in the car, we wanted a place for lunch where we could watch the car. Buccaneer Beach Bar is usually our chosen spot for this, but today we decided to check out Kookomanga which turned out to be the perfect choice. We were able to park our car close to the table and there was a nice breeze off the lagoon to enhance our dining experience. This was our first visit here but it will definitely not be our last. We spent some time chatting with Harry, the owner and decided to order two rib platters with fries and salad and two beers each. The ribs were extremely good and cooked fresh while we waited. A large chicken leg is also included with the rib platter. Complimentary rum punch was served at the end of the meal. The service was excellent and the total bill was only $36.50 including SC. We left an extra tip as we felt it was much deserved. Sunday is rib day there so we were fortunate to be able to take advantage of it. Many folks drop by in their boats to eat and a few brought their dinghies to the dock to enjoy the food and drink. Before we knew it, we had passed away three hours and it was time to check-in to Son Risa where we will be staying for the remainder of our vacation. We had stayed there previously in November so it felt like we were coming home again. We got everything unpacked and settled in and decided to relax and have some cocktails before dinner. We had some nice shrimp which I decided to cook in a garlic butter sauce and served with long grain rice and broccoli. A bottle of sauvignon blanc accompanied the meal and it really all tasted superb! We had intended to go to the Buccaneer for the fireball on the beach, but decided to stay in and just enjoy each other's company after a day of moving and shaking. Tomorrow should be a beach day and we expect to get together with our Canadian friends and enjoy another day in paradise. [img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--t-6DDjR1so/T7BuuzB1vGI/AAAAAAAAJHE/u9Z9blLZ_bo/s576/IMG_0266.JPG[/img] April 23 We started the day with a light breakfast in the condo and then got ready to spend the day on Simpson Bay Beach at Karakter. Jean and Cindy joined us and there was a nice breeze blowing to keep us comfortable. We enjoyed a nice lunch there consisting of 2 appetizers, 4 entrees, 2 desserts, a bottle of wine and a bucket of beer. Everything was delicious and the service was wonderful! We sipped a few tropical drinks throughout the afternoon and it was most enjoyable. We left the beach there at 3:30 P.M. and proceeded to show our guests a few of the other Dutch side beaches including Mullet and Cupecoy. We stopped at Dany's on Cupecoy and enjoyed 4 rum punches which were excellent and very thirst quenching. Jean and Cindy continued onwards to Divi in Philipsburg and David and I stopped at the Dream Pool Bar for Happy Hour at Todd's Meet and Greet. We had a few drinks and watched the sunset there and then returned to the condo to shower and get ready for the next destination which was White Flag. I won the $25 gift certificate for the name tag and had no problem using it for more drinks at White Flag. Thanks Todd and MJ for an enjoyable evening! It was nice meeting all those in attendance and spending a nice evening together. We had dinner there before going to the Hollywood Casino. I doubled my money tonight and David broke even so we happily cashed out and went back to the condo with heavier pockets and happy hearts! Time for bed and another adventure tomorrow! [img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NPjl8g725mM/T7BvY_OVKOI/AAAAAAAAJKM/aLaH-KzLjRw/s576/IMG_0320.JPG[/img] April 24 We awoke at 7:15 A.M. and got ready to meet Jean and Cindy for breakfast at Chesterfield's in Philipsburg. Lise and Marcel were arriving on the Disney Fantasy and they were also meeting us there. We had a wonderful breakfast with bacon, eggs and toast and several cups of coffee while waiting for the cruisers to arrive. The cost was very reasonable... only $15 per couple and worth every penny. We met Bob "Swaligacapt" who came over and introduced himself while we were having breakfast. It was very nice meeting him and having a chat. The location is lovely there and it is a great place for breakfast or any meal for that matter. We also saw Pat and John again and joked about them following us as we have seen them a few times in various places. Lise and Marcel joined us at about 9:00 A.M. and we proceeded to give them a guided tour around the island with Jean and Cindy following us in their car. We stopped to take pictures along the way at Cay Bay, Sunset Beach Bar to see KLM land, Marigot and Grand Case. Since it was lunch time when we got to Grand Case, everyone decided to have a Caribbean lunch at a LOLO and we chose Talk of the Town. The food was good as was the service and everyone enjoyed dining there. The johnny cakes were fresh and hot and we all enjoyed servings of those with the rib platters and several sides. Beer and ti punch accompanied the meals and we left feeling very satisfied. Our next stop was Orient Beach and we stopped near Kontiki Watersports and planted ourselves on the beach and spent a few hours in the water. It was a truly beautiful day with calm water and no wind or seaweed at all. We all had a great time together and enjoyed a bucket of beer while drying off and absorbing the last rays of the sun before returning our guests to the cruise ship. We arrived back in Philipsburg at 4:00 P.M. and dropped Lise and Marcel off at the cruise terminal. We returned to the condo and enjoyed some pool time before deciding on our dinner destination. Dinner tonight ended up being at the Yacht Club and following dinner we went to the Dunes Casino where I doubled my money, but David made a small contribution to the entertainment industry. [img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bDpCWmAqx0I/T7BwHmJQxEI/AAAAAAAAJN0/aYY4fXEPUwc/s576/IMG_0362.JPG[/img] April 25 A sunny day presented itself as we opened our eyes and David cooked breakfast and we prepared to spend another relaxing day at the beach. We arrived on Orient at Club O and got two chairs and an umbrella as usual and settled in to enjoy the day. The water was calm and warm and the beach was packed. We met Wayne and Marge, Pete and Ann, Ron and Carla and a few other TTOL'ers and had a wonderful morning. At lunch time we decided to walk down to Orange Fever and had a large farmer's pizza and a couple of beer. The pizza there is delicious with a very thin crust much like we order at home so we both enjoyed it very much. We spent the rest of the day playing in the water and sun bathing and it was soon time to head back to Simpson Bay. We were meeting Jeannie for dinner and drinks tonight so we didn't want to be late. We started off at the Buccaneer, but the music was so loud we couldn't talk so we moved over to the Greenhouse and had dinner there. It was great to catch up with Jeannie and learn about the many interesting things she is doing to make St. Maarten a better place. She is humble, honest and truly a sweet person with a large and welcoming heart. We are so honored to call her a friend! We definitely wish her the best in all her future endeavors! We finished dinner about 9:00 P.M. and we stopped at the Hollywood Casino to end the day. Only a small win tonight, but it was entertaining and fun. We made some cocktails in the condo upon our return and went off to bed shortly after midnight. [img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KhzMuTwDPvw/T7Bv_LpVDhI/AAAAAAAAJNM/e-vld-4_oHE/s576/IMG_0357.JPG[/img] April 26 Amazing day on the water! After breakfast today David and I met our friends, Jean and Cindy and Joann and Scott at Happy Hour Tours at their dock in Simpson Bay . We boarded Dave and Adrianna's 27 ft. catamaran, the DA Happy Hour and prepared for a day on the water. Wayne was our Captain today and Adrianna was our gracious hostess. The sky was true blue with only a very light breeze so the weather conditions were perfect! We had chosen the Beach Hopper Cruise and it was indeed very special. We set out for the French side and crossed under the bridge in Sandy Ground. We cruised to Marigot, Friar's Bay and stopped in Happy Bay for water activities and sun bathing. We saw Ben and Katie and had a nice chat with them. Drinks were served freely and much enjoyed along the way accompanied by some delicious snacks. We left Happy Bay after an hour or so and proceeded to view more beaches from the water. We crossed over to the Dutch side under that bridge and went past the Simpson Bay Beach at Karakter, Tahoma and onwards to Maho where we had the opportunity to view Air France flying overhead and landing. It was most enjoyable and a great picture taking opportunity! Rather than trying to get the perfect shot, I opted to enjoy the full experience and wave to the pilot flying so close overhead. I'm sure he appreciated this unique welcome to St. Maarten! Mullet Bay Beach and Cupecoy were our next visits and then to Baie Longue at La Samana. There was swimming and snorkeling there and I chose to do a bit of fishing. They brought a fishing rod along for my enjoyment and within minutes I had caught three very pretty good sized fish, took pictures and released them back into their home waters. It was now time for lunch and Adrianna had prepared some nice baguette sandwiches which were served with fresh fruit, beer and rum punch. After lunch, we turned back and as we were going past Maho Beach we were treated to another plane landing, this time a US Airways flight. The boat was rocking so it was not easy to get good pictures, but we all tried and managed to get a few. We made our way back to the dock in Simpson Bay at 3:00 P.M. and everyone agreed it was the best vacation day! We highly recommend a day on the water with Happy Hour Tours! [img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Fgu2ttKrF8g/T7Bwdjwc7hI/AAAAAAAAJPk/TlRA1iwafNU/s576/IMG_0389.JPG[/img] April 27 Up early this morning and stopped at La Sucriere for breakfast on the balcony there. The sun was shining brightly and a nice gentle breeze was delightful. Pastries and cappuccino were enjoyed and then we were off to spend the day on Orient Beach at Club O. The water was warm and clear but the wind was blowing a bit more today so there was a bit of seaweed floating around, but none coming in to the beach. We spent time with Wayne and Marge and Ron and Carla and went to Andy and Cheryl's for lunch. They had received lots of fresh fish so I enjoyed the Margarita Buffalo Shrimp and David had the Fish and Chips. Both were cooked to perfection and with two cocktails the bill totaled $53 including tip. Josephine and Paul (Paul7Z) came in while we were there so they joined us at our table. It was nice catching up with them and receiving pictures from our last SXM trip. After lunch we spent a couple more hours on the beach and then it was time to return to the condo and get ready to attend Ray's memorial on Simpson Bay Beach. We arrived there at 5:00 P.M. and there was a nice gathering on the beach at Azure. There were a few people who spoke and told some "Ray stories" and a tree was planted as a memorial to Ray and a very nice plaque was installed at the site. Ray is still bringing friends together in death as he did in life and we will always remember his friendly smile! Following the memorial, we all gathered at the Dream Pool Bar to rise a glass and give thanks for the wonderful friends and SXM memories. We then met our Ottawa friends, Jean and Cindy for dinner at Bajatzu. I had the salmon filet, David and Cindy enjoyed the steak and Jean had the Asian curry dish with escargot as an appetizer. We had a bottle of water and a bottle of wine and the total was $200.00 including tip. The service was good and all the meals were excellent as always. This was the final night of their vacation so a perfect ending to a great vacation for them. We all went to Casino Royal and made a small contribution to the island economy before saying our good-byes. Upon returning to the condo, we enjoyed a cocktail together and then drifted into dreamland. [img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PqfpmWqDm48/T7BzBrJwC1I/AAAAAAAAJb8/aj_0ioOxwas/s576/IMG_0576.JPG[/img] April 28 Today was another lovely sunny day so after breakfast we picked up Annie and headed to Tahoma on Simpson Bay beach. We arrived about 10:30 A.M. and got set up with three chairs and two umbrellas. We noticed the wind to be blowing stronger there, but decided to see how things developed. We were there only a few minutes and we ordered three bloody Marys which came with free micro abrasive treatments. We had to cover our drinks to prevent them from becoming full of sand and we retreated to the sofas on the deck to see if this might be a solution. We had intended to have lunch and spend the day there, but this was just not going to happen. It really was too windy so we decided to move on and try the French side where hopefully the wind was not as forceful. We went to Palm Beach on Orient and found the wind to be better there, but still fairly windy on the beach. We decided to have lunch there as the top dining deck was very well protected and the view was fantastic. Lunch consisted of an Asian noodle dish with garlic shrimp for David, Grouper filet for Annie and I chose the jumbo shrimp in curry coconut and mango sauce. We ordered wine and water to accompany the meal and everything was to our complete satisfaction. Two bottles of delicious rum were brought to the table to complete the meal and were very much appreciated. We left there at about 3:00 P.M. and toured a few beaches to test the winds. Cupecoy today seemed the most protected, but the waves were high. We returned to Simpson Bay and dropped Annie off. We stopped at the Taste Factory to pick up a baguette and some pastries and returned to the condo to enjoy the sunset from the balcony. It was a gorgeous sunset tonight and I got some good pictures. We enjoyed a cocktail before dinner and decided to have something light after our big lunch. A salad with ham and cheese, a fresh baguette and a nice bottle of red wine fulfilled the dinner obligation. We didn't feel like getting dressed to go out tonight so we spent a quiet evening "at home" which was different for us. Hopefully the wind will not be so intense tomorrow as we plan to spend the entire day at Orient Beach. Just three more full days until our departure so we must slow down the clock! [img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zrVq9HrkMDE/T7BzkxXw5fI/AAAAAAAAJeM/xf9JQiThrKA/s576/IMG_0599.JPG[/img] April 29 After breakfast in the condo, we set out to Orient Beach to spend the day and say our good-byes to Ben and Katie and Wayne and Marge who are all leaving tomorrow. It was very windy and Club O did not put up their umbrellas so we had to go down to Pedros for the umbrella shade. If all the others could put umbrellas up, it seemed strange that Club O couldn't, but C'est la vie! We spent a relaxing day on the beach and decided to have lunch at Ethnic as we had not been there yet. This was not to happen as there was not a chair to be had there. It seems to be a very popular spot! We then went next door to Chez Leandra and had a wonderful lunch. I had the lobster wrap with fries and David had the chicken curry wrap. They were both very tasty and full of meat and with two Carib, the cost was only $23. After lunch we returned to our positions and enjoyed more beach time. We were pleasantly surprised by the arrival of Mike and Shirley who had just arrived on the island earlier in the day. We spent some nice time chatting with them and then headed back to Simpson Bay through Marigot since Philipsburg was busy with Carnival traffic. We got ready for dinner and picked Sharon up at the Royal Palm since she was our guest for dinner tonight. Fusion was our restaurant of choice tonight and we were not disappointed by the quality of the food, but the service was somewhat slow as they were understaffed. The portions were huge and we would certainly return there again. Following dinner we went to the Dunes Casino where I was lucky and won $125 with using only $20 of my money. This casino has been the best for me this trip and David has had luck at the Dunes and Hollywood. We came home around 1:30 and were snuggled into bed by 2:00 A.M. Another very pleasant day in paradise! April 30 We began the day with sunny skies and breakfast on the balcony. We had decided to meet some friends on Orient Beach at Club O today so we set off after checking the web cam to determine if the umbrellas were up today. The wind velocity had decreased somewhat although the gusts were still 20 knots, but overall less wind on the beach. We settled into our chairs near the Perch and really had a lovely day. Sand gravity really got a strong hold on us today and we didn't move too far for lunch. The Perch was our lunch destination and we enjoyed the hot dog platter with fries and Cole slaw and some delicious ice tea. The food was very good as was the company We left the beach around 4:30 P.M. and stopped off at the Greenhouse in Simpson Bay for Happy Hour drinks and some appetizers which was all we needed after having a late lunch at the beach. Later in the evening Bill, Elaine, Annie, Dan and Kristin dropped in for a visit. This was our last visit with them before our departure so we hated to say our good-byes. After they left, we decided to do some packing and then we went out to the Casino for a few hours to make our contribution to the island economy. We had an enjoyable evening and I ended up breaking even, but David added a few dollars to the SXM fund. We returned and had a night cap to end another lovely day. [img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Q-XbB64IP50/T7B0Zliai_I/AAAAAAAAJi8/Zfo2-TVw4mM/s576/IMG_0647.JPG[/img] May 1 This was our last full day on the island and we had planned to spend the day quietly enjoying each other's company and trying to absorb all the surrounding beauty. We had a full cooked breakfast in the condo and then set out to spend the day at Cupecoy Beach. We settled in our beach chairs and enjoyed some morning drinks and soon it was time for lunch. We opened a nice bottle of red wine and had two plates of Dany's ribs which were extremely good. There was lots of sand at the beach by Shore Point and there was only a light breeze blowing to keep us from getting too hot. It was peaceful and quiet and oh so beautiful! A light shower came by about 3:30 P.M. so we decided to leave and go back to the condo for some pre-dinner cocktails. We enjoyed listening to some great steel pan music and just relaxing for a while. We finished packing and then it was time for dinner. We decided to have our last meal close to home tonight so we chose the Stone which is a favorite of ours. The service is always good there and the food cooked on a granite stone is truly amazing. I had the seafood special which consisted of salmon, tilapia and shrimp in a teriyaki sauce and served with garlic mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. David had the 10 oz. filet steak with the same sides. For dessert we shared a banana flame served with ice-cream and chocolate sauce. Pure heaven! We enjoyed a nice bottle of Australian wine and some after dinner drinks. The total with tip was $150. This was a lovely meal to bring a perfect day to a close. We stopped in to Splash Jewelers by the Hollywood Casino to see Steve and bought some nice gold earrings and a very pretty sand dollar pendant as a vacation memento. Since we were next door to the casino, the force pulled us in and we had a couple of hours of fun and I came out a winner! We returned "home" around 11:00 P.M. and got everything ready for our morning flight. We usually leave about 4:30 P.M., but our flight this time was leaving early so we had to be at the airport by 9:00 A.M. Sadly our tradition having lunch with Elaine had to be broken this time. We will definitely have to plan our flights better in November to accommodate this special event! We drifted into dreamland after midnight with some sadness leaving the island we love, but happiness in being reunited again with family and friends back home. We have been so blessed to have been able to enjoy so many wonderful vacations here and always leave knowing another trip is not too far away. [img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-wtLwEimSwHM/T7B0vWo0y-I/AAAAAAAAJkc/GABk-e_NMd8/s576/IMG_0662.JPG[/img] May 2 This was our day of departure so we got up early and got ready to leave the condo. We packed the car and stopped at Atlantico Bakery in Simpson Bay for a light breakfast and got some sandwiches made for the flight. We returned the car and were at the airport to check-in and go through security before the crowds arrived. Our flight was on time and was uneventful arriving in JFK in 3hrs and 40 minutes. Since this was our first trip with Jet Blue, we were not sure what to expect arriving in New York as we had heard there was a lot of walking involved between terminals etc.... When we arrived we didn't get a jet way so this apparently was good news. We came right off the plane and boarded a bus which took us into terminal 4 and no walking involved. People with short time connections were happy about this! We had 5 hours in JFK so we were not concerned about the time restriction, but it was nice to be delivered to the immigration and customs area so quickly. There were long lines for immigration, but since we were re-connecting to Syracuse we managed to get a shorter line and we were finished quickly and on our way to terminal 5 on the air train for our departing flight. While waiting for our flight, we had a very nice dinner at 5IVESTEAK in the JetBlue terminal and did some reading and people watching. We arrived in Syracuse at midnight and spent the night at the Airport Holiday Inn where we had left our car for the three weeks. [img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iXg-PgO35_g/T7B09f08-SI/AAAAAAAAJls/M__ovM6lH2s/s576/IMG_0678.JPG[/img] May 3- Road trip to Ottawa After a very good night's sleep, we enjoyed a nice breakfast in the hotel restaurant and had a leisurely morning before checking out. We decided to stop along the way and do some shopping in Watertown. I always enjoy a stop at the Cracker Barrel so after spending the afternoon shopping, we stopped for dinner there and I purchased some nice little gifts for friends for some upcoming occasions. We passed through Canadian customs about 6:00 P.M. and we were home safely in a couple of hours. It was a wonderful three weeks enjoying great weather and the company of good friends. We had lots of "fun in the sun" and look forward to our next trip in November when we will spend a month doing it all over again! Observations: 1. We noticed lots of gendarmes in our travels especially in Marigot and in the Orleans and Orient Beach areas. Cars were being stopped in various places along the way. People were not drinking so much on Orient beach and those dining in Grand Case were refraining from having wine with meals. Restaurants were noticing this change in behavior. Many people were also not travelling from the Dutch side to Grand case for the usual dinners, but instead were choosing to enjoy more meals at the good restaurants on the Dutch side. 2. There was no evidence of crime on the island and we found businesses to be recovering somewhat after a slow economy. 3. There was more wind than usual for April and of course the seaweed was something unusual for this time of year. 4. The temperatures had been very hot and dry so there were no pesky mosquitoes bothering us during our stay. The rain arrived after we left the island so the mosquitoes will be out in full force by now. 5. Traffic was never a problem and some of the roads had been repaired with ongoing road construction in some areas. 6. The island is still as beautiful as ever and the people are always friendly and welcoming!