Trip report: Short Form<br><br>We just returned from three wonderful weeks on St. Martin. This is the short form of the trip report for TTOL. <br><br>As I have time to prepare it, the long form with full details will be on our own web site. I'll also try to post photos on SXMPhotos soon...just need to pick them out and reformat them for speed.<br><br>Highlights:<br><br>Traffic: The most congested I recall. It didn't help that Union Road (from the Phillipsburg turnoff at Simpson Bay toward Marigot) was closed periodically for utility work. Dutch roads seemed generally better but the road from Butterfly farm to Club Orient needs a new name "rue de bumpity bumpity bump"!<br><br>Weather: Wonderful<br><br>Montserrat: Minimal disruption for us because we were not leaving when the flights were cancelled. Some folks had to stay 3-4 days to get a flight out. Pelican comped the extra days. Other places (specifically Maho and CO) offered "distressed rates" at 10% off the normal price.<br><br>Restaurants:<br><br>Alamanda Hotel Restaurant: **<br>Baywatch: *****<br>de cafe la mar (Orient): * ok food. poor service.<br>Temptation: **** great food. inconsistent service.<br>Hot Tomatoes: ***<br>Mary's Boon: **** a really unique experience. Good food and service family style.<br>Jimbos: *** food average. service issues.<br>Papagayos (lunch): ****<br>Boathouse: *****<br>Gus at Baie Rouge(lunch): ***<br>Uncle Harry's: ***** nothing fancy but good food at good prices<br>Tutta Pasta: ****<br>Citrus: *** a real let down from last year. Good food not as good and marginal service.<br>Johnny B Under the Tree: *****<br>Ms B's: **<br>Pizza Pasta (Maho): **** simple, good food, good service, good value<br>Peg Leg Pub and Steakhouse: ***** <br>Kakao (lunch): ****<br>Le Cottage: *****<br>Palm Grill (Maho): ** <br>Rics Place: ***<br>Zee Best (Simpson Bay): ****<br><br>* Won't go there again<br>** OK but nothing to write home about. Would go again only for convenience.<br>*** OK...would go again but not a high priority<br>**** Will definitely return<br>***** Good for Multiple visits per trip - good food/good service<br><br>(More detailed info on our web site when it's ready)<br><br>And the best Ribs are at:<br><br>1. Baywatch: The tenderest, moistest, most fall off the bone ribs we found.<br>2. Johnny B Under the Tree (Inexpensive, meaty, good!)<br>3. Gus' Beach Bard at Baie Rouge (Inexpensive, Meaty, good)<br>4. Daleo's Beach Bar at Mullet Bay<br>5. Ms B's at Dawn Beach (less meat than any other, pre cooked, dry, too much BBQ sauce)<br><br>Internet Access (cyber cafe)<br><br>Starbucks/Millstone at Maho: High Speed $5.00 an hour (pay in advance and timed. weekly available)<br>Simpson Bay Business Center: High Speed $2.00 for the first 15 min then 32c per minute.<br>Pelican Business Center: High Speed $4.00 per 15 minutes (not very accurately timed...usually generous)<br>Telnet (Phillipsburg): High Speed $3.00 per 15 minutes paid in advance on access card<br><br>Car: Very unique (It had an antenna ball) white Toyota Corolla with 43000KM from Marius at St. Louis. Good service. No problems. Burned three tanks of gas for a total of $66.<br><br>Beaches:<br><br>Orient: Still our favorite<br>Mullet: Very calm, nice family beach. A little short of breeze the day we were there.<br>Cupacoy: Liked the beach. Water tough to getting in and out due to steep drop off and undertows.<br>Rouge: Very nice.<br>Pinel: Lots of shallow water for kids. Very hot with no breeze the day we were there.<br><br>Other discoveries:<br><br>Best variety of pastries: Pastry shop at US Import Export in Sandy Ground<br>Ice Cream: St. Martin Ice Cream C0. Orange/Chocolate Ice cream. By the pint at L'Orientique. Also at the Ice Cream parlor in the new shopping area at Orient Beach behind Alamanda.<br><br>There were nearly 100 people at the 4th of July party we organized at Baywatch. Andy and all the attendees had a great time and indicated he'll probably do it on his own next year.<br><br>