<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/typing.gif" alt="" /> Tuesday we drove over to the SSBB at noon and met Mitchell and Kim from Minnesota and took them for a cooks tour of the island thru Marigot down to Grand Case to show them where the Airport was then on to Orient, finally over to Phillipsburg etc. We agreed to meet them at the Airport for 7:15 with Dan and Barbara from Maryland. You park there while the Street Festival is on (Tuesdays Jan & Feb)and get shuttled in.
We met Dan and Barbara at Peg Legs for a drink around 6:30 then headed out late and encountered some traffic jams as per Murphy's law. Good thing Kim & Mitch were patient, we were half an hour late. They had made reservations at the Repaire du Pirate where we arrived just a few mintues late.
Have to say Grand Case was great without cars that night, a live band was playing where they let us out of the shuttle and on our way to the Pirate we encountered "a hoard of drummers" marching down the street, it was a sight to see.
Now for the Restaurant, er Shipwreck, it is an experience just to go in and look at. It is constructed from the remains of an old ship. A large sail serves for most of the ceiling. Old nautical artifacts are strewn about. I felt like I was on the set of a Robinson Crusoe Movie. Marcel and Crew will provide you with some hats etc, to have your picture taken with. The place had an incredible unsual ambience. Marcel sat at a table with other folks attired as Pirates to add to the atmosphere. The Bathroom was also an experience for the girls......no one provided us with any detail.....and we ain't telling either...LOL, it must be experienced..
However, that was the upside, we walked in at 7:45, it was busy and we were directed to our table. At about 8:15 our waiter finally came over and took our drink order which was placed on the table at 8:45. In the meantime we watched other people some sat at almost the same time get served.
This reads incredible I know, but for those that know me and have read numerous other posts, you haven't read anything like this. Dinner arrived at 10:15 and was certainly not anything to rave about and at about 10:50 we all went searching for the waiter as the last shuttle back was at 11. So much for the Mort, never saw it and we had to make a mad dash back to not miss the shuttle. Disappointing as we never had an opportunity to spend an extra minute in Grand Case.
In fairness to Marcel, he did apologize thru an interpreter that he had had some difficulty that evening with his Kitchen staff and posed for some pictures with the girls. That's fair but waiting forever for drinks was no excuse and I have to add as we watched it happen, that the french speaking customers were attended to promptly.
Given the atmosphere, I'd still consider going back but not at a busy time.
.
