OK OK IT IS DAMAGED IN BUT COMING BACK! So this year after 25 years of coming here we still feel the same about the people of St Martin... they smile and they really love the tourist that their economy is built on... So here is a rough draft of what we have done so far.

TRIP SUGGESTION: We the United Presidents card that gets us 2 checked bags a piece. What we do is fill one with specialty foods and one with cloths that we give to people locals on the island we know. They are so appreciative of this as well and would recommend that you leave them and the suit case.

United Newark to SXM good... Rented two cars as our party has expanded to 10 dropping back to 8 and then the stead six... 4 of us will be here for 2 weeks longest ever in one place. We rented an amazing house overlooking Orient Beach... Both airport checkout smooth and we got 2 cars via Expedia with Alamo... they were great... one banged up like I like it and one newer.. Dropped off stuff at our home for two weeks rested and then off for our first dinner. We generally like to eat local the first day... but we pack lots of stuff specialty food to the beach or snacks... We also share this with the locals who love this non island treats.

First day we chilled at Orient and was happy to see our friends from Le String are back we will be going there for lunch update to follow. Limited menu now but we stopped by to say hello. Walked the whole beach and settled down for the day at Bikini Beach. Light lunch salad was good service on the beach great. That night we at at Al Dente great I had the clams and pasta...so much for reduced carbs but worth it unique place. We will be back.

Friday off to the races we started out early and went to see our friend Rosie at Mullet bay. She lost her husband last year and we have known Rosie and her family we feel the loss as well. Ribs Chicken always amazing and you get to have the best beach and best ribs on the island. We also met our friends for down the Jersey shore there we knew they were coming but to run into again like we did 15 plus years ago. That night our 4 friends came to join us their first time. WE has the price fixe at Cote Plages. I samples before the dinner party arrived and had a champagne a rose red and white... I paid for it as a gift to my from and yes was good. I has the steak which was ok. The desert was very good along with the service. ROUND TABLE FOR 8 Love it...

The next day we hung at Orient and it was a great time just swimming and relating but we had our friends form down the Jersey shore meet us there and hung with us too. We made a nice lunch overlooking orient and then off to Ocean 82 . Again i enjoyed my filet mignon and it was a solid meal. Monday we at at Sol De Luna.. very good I would say my best meal so far as we had a great table for 10 and i thought the place is as nice as as ever.

TODAY IS MARDI GRADI so we have 2 people leaving so sad but we will be at Orient and then off to Spiga... Grand Case... PHOTO TO FOLLOW

Off to a great start, I see. Can't wait to see photos.

Sounds like a great beginning to the trip! Just curious, what 'specialty foods' do you take to SXM? We always bring home specialty stuff FROM SXM!!

Thanks for. letting us share your vacation.

Nice start for you. Was a little hard to read with all the typos but got through it.

Scubaman--you are complaining about typos?

Thanks for the report and love the enthusiasm. We, too like to get to know the locals and have learned so much from them over the years. Read your line "so much for reduced carbs" and I agree totally. Makes little sense to visit SXM and worry about carbs or calories. Can do that when you return to the states. When friends ask us "what is there to do on St. Martin?" (because we come here so often), my typical reply is "eat, relax on the beach, have a cold Corona, and eat some more."

What is that saying about the pot and the kettle?

I was expecting that from you.

Didn't want to disappoint you.

filet--Sorry that I got us off-track there. Please continue to post about your trip!

filet2u,

Sounds like a great trip so far - we also love Mullet and Rosie's ribs. Was totally unaware of her husband passing so thank you for sharing that. Thank you for sharing your trip - these reports are always appreciated.

Okay, I hope you don't take offense - but I want to go on record saying I'm NOT complaining about yours or anyone else's posts and grateful they're being made in the first place, but just want to say - it's so much easier to read when people break their longer posts into shorter paragraphs. To me, that's right up there with not using all CAPS. My old eyes and all that.....

Pat, thank you for mentioning that in your usual diplomatic way. The lack of punctuation actually caused me to stop reading this report.

Hi. I put some paragraphs into the report.

Thank you Carol.

No glasses sorry

Nice report. We were at Mullet yesterday and Chester took care of us with the chairs and umbrella. Rosie’s chicken good as always. Beach full of families having a great time!