OK, where to begin? Well, I'll start as usual, with some vital statistics:
Airline: USAIR, Indy/Charlotte/SXM Great flights, no issues.
Lodging: Royal Islander, as always, perfect in every way.
Number of times to island: 16, since 1989
Car rental: Thankfully this is already taken care of for us when we arrive by our large group of RI owners/friends who negotiate REALLY good deals for us. I have no idea who the company is, but we had a Platina, which could barely fit 4 people, much less the 5 in our condo. I like the Corolla alot better, but no problems with the car at all. We parked in the new lot under La Terrasse and never had to show are parking pass.
Partners in Crime: Me, my friend Leslie (her 6th trip with us) and newbie Susan. Also, my mother and her friend who get there before we do and are still there. Her friend has a place at Atrium week 9 so we stayed there for the first 2 nights. Edited to add: She314 and her sister. Our parents began hanging around together many years ago, and us 'kids' also meet down at RI every year too.
Now for the good stuff:
Restaurants: My friends and I prefer to not spend tons of money on food, so we eat breakfast in the condo, lunch at a beach shack or the great Tortuga at our pool-they will even bring it to your beach chair for you. For dinner, we went to the following:
Peg Leg Pub <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />
2 of us had the filet mignon, excellent. 2 had grilled snapper, also excellent and 1 had the mango chicken, another excellent meal.
Lee's <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />
Went twice....they were out of lobster on our first visit so we 'settled ' for snapper.....then returned a few days later for our hand-picked lobsters......there was very little conversation over dinner, due to being completely engrossed in our meals. Great!
Pizza Galley: <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />
Went here twice too.....of course the fact it is right there at our favorite place the Lady C, it was one-stop shopping as far as we were concerned. The pizza is great, crispy thinner crust, but not too thin, and yummy toppings, served with a giant roasted garlic bulb in the center for you to pick cloves out of. Our favorite was the vegetarian pizza.
Paris Bistro: <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> Another perennial favorite, though we never saw our favorite host (owner) Bernard...did catch him cruising the Maho strip on his Harley one evening, but 3 nights we tried to say hello at the restaurant, he wasn't there. Our meals were great as usual. My mom tried Bernard's new place just down the sidewalk in Maho, called Le Charme.....just loved her meal!
Bamboo Bernie's: <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />We go for sushi, and were not disappointed. The setting is nice, service OK, and sushi is very good.
Buccaneer Beach Bar/Sunset Beach Bar <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> I put these together, because we had cheeseburgers at both and both were just incredible...can't make a call on which are better.....
Boathouse <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> another long-time favorite....great service and food. Still love their conch fritters. I had the seafood kabob....tasted great, but little skimpy on the portions.
Jimbo's <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> My mom ate here about 3 times, and loved it...I never made it...maybe next time.
Antoine <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> Had lunch here one day. Whenever I am in P'burg during the day, I have lunch here. Great place, great setting, and great salad Nicoise (with anchovies, thank you very much!)
Beaches: Mullet <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Umbrella.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Umbrella.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Umbrella.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Umbrella.gif" alt="" /> Probably my all-time favorite. Gorgeous, great for swimming. Lunch at Daleo's.
Orient <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Umbrella.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Umbrella.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Umbrella.gif" alt="" /> A little windy when we went, but still a great beach. I am getting a little tired, though, being herded like cattle to the appropriate 'section' so as to leave plenty of room for the cruise people.....maybe it was just at Kakao, where we usually camp, but it really bugs me that I can't sit wherever I want if I'm paying for it. Lunch at the Kakao beach bar...very good.
Pinel <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Umbrella.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Umbrella.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Umbrella.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Umbrella.gif" alt="" /> Great snorkelling this time! Some guy was feeding the fish when we got out there.......we were surrounded by zillions of them....really cool.....Susan had an underwater camera and got some great shots. This beach is so pretty, but we made the mistake of eating at the restaurant there.....$20 bucks for a burger, fries and a coke!!!! Yikes! It was delicious though!
Maho <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Umbrella.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Umbrella.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Umbrella.gif" alt="" />Not the 'best' beach on the island, but I love the big waves (one day rivalled Hawaii, I swear-huge waves) and I can roll to it from my poolside chair.
Party, party, party: Well, what can I say, this trip proved as action-packed as the rest of them. We love regatta time and are lucky to get to be there during it. The traffic was a nightmare, but worth it. We went to the regatta parties on Friday and Sunday night. We had met up with Wendell, JD, Kevin, etc. early in our trip so we had plenty of people to hang out with. And I would like to say right off that reports of me declawing the Cat in the Hat have been greatly exaggerated. While I certainly let her know in a very quick, precise manner that her presence was not welcome and she could sell her 'wares' somewhere else, I will make it perfectly clear that NO animals were harmed during the filming of the Heineken Regatta video which were participating in. They are supposed to email us to let us know how to get a copy of it, so that will be pretty cool if it happens. Of course, we could have ended up on the cutting room floor.
I will say that having the parties on Kimsha is great. We were staying at Atrium the first nights, so we could just roll right out the door, although my mom never slept due to the noise, but it was only for one night. Heineken sure can throw a party. The atmoshpere was great, with tourists, sailors, locals and everyone having a great time.....there were young and old alike, and yes lots of Heineken, but the atmosphere was fun and festive. We met a group of (very cute) Dutch sailors who were great fun, and gave us their team t-shirts as souvenirs. One of the coolest things was the giant movie screen perched above the restroom building at Buccaneer. It played back AMAZING video of the races, with some exceptional camera work....people were mesmerized watching this.....really made you feel you were right there in the thick of the racing.
The Lady C: Of course, many of you know this is our favorite hang....could it be because of yummy Colin, the bartender? I'm not sayin'! But we do love the laid-back, casual atmosphere, and of course the eye candy that goes with it! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Blush.gif" alt="" /> But seriously, great bar service is a must for us, and the Lady C always delivers. They remember your name, what you drink, and are genuinely nice people. We have met the greatest people there over the last few years, and were thrilled to death when our friends we met last year happened to be in port unexpectedly for a few days.....we were so excited to see them again and it made our trip complete.
Sunday nights at SSBB are also a great time.......live music, burgers, a fun crowd and the sunset...what more could you want?
Miscellaneous Observations: 1. the island was green, green, green.......we actually had a a day or two of almost all rain, which rarely happens. It was also cooler than normal. I am normally always too hot, but I shivered to death one night and had to change clothes after dinner. I actually wore long pants and a cardigan on about 3 nights...have never done that before.
2. After staying at Pelican, La Vista, PDP, and now the Atrium, I am still convinced that Royal Islander, our home resort, is the best place to be, for us anyway.
3. The new market at La Terrasse is GREAT! We were there regularly picking up stuff, and prices weren't bad at all, and they have a cooler filled with Etna (YUM!) right in the front of the store!
4. Our favorite little lady who sells the homemade coonut ice cream on the side of the road next to the cemetary in Marogit was there. We had missed here the last few years, but hit her twice this year.....our favorite afternoon treat when coming from a hot day at the beach.
5. Leslie and I bought these great chokers made of chrome and colored marble-like stones at a booth in the Marigot market area. $10 bucks and they are really diffrerent. hand made by a French lady......if you are in the market area look for her under the tree by the permanent building.
6. DK GEMS!!!! Deepti did not disappoint once again this year. Though I can never afford to buy anything, I can at least bring her customers! By the time I arrived, my mom had already added matching diamond earrings to the bracelet and ring she bought last year, and her friend added a gorgeous Alexandrite surrounded by diamonds to he collection. Leslie bought herself a gorgeous 'mini-me' ring (which was named by Deepti, because it is a miniature of the one she wears) and a beautiful tanzanite ring for her mother-what a nice daughter! My friend Susan got fabulous diamond earrings and a right-hand ring with 9 diamonds in a very contemporary setting.....that ring sparkled more than any I've seen in a long time! The girls were so excited with their purchases they about cried.....
7. TTOL party: We had about 35 people show up, and the host (me) had forgotten the name tags.....Never did get around to meeting everyone, but it seemed all had a good time. I won't even try to name everyone.
And finally, I just want to say that one of the best things about our trips is the friends we hang with and the new ones we meet. There is something very comforting about walking out to the pool and everyone says hello and welcomes you back, and walking into a bar and you are greeted with hugs and your favorite drink is already in front of you, and going to a restaurant and the servers remember you and say hello and buy you a drink, and all the great new people you meet.....you know, people ask you alal the time, why do you keep going back to the same place year after year? Sheila answered someone this week by saying, "Because we know how to do it here. We know where everything is, we know what to avoid, and the people here are the best". Amen. Thanks to JD, Wendell, Andrea and Kevin for making our trip more, ummmmm..........COLORFUL......this year!!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />
We also ran into Havana/Debbie a couple nights too.
Colin, if you're reading this, thanks again for your great hospitality...you and your crew are the BEST, and we love you! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Love.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Love.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Kiss.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Kiss.gif" alt="" />
See you all next year! BTW, I will post pics if in fact any of them turned out. I seemed to regularly take pictures of the inside of my purse, so I am not sure how many actual pictures I really have.......
