TravelTalkOnline Forums Trip Reports (Read Only) SXM Trip Reports and Photos "Fun in the Sun" Nov 5- Dec. 5 2013

Sorry for the delay in posting the final installment of our trip report. Life got very busy upon our return home.


Part 4

Nov.26- We got up early this morning and had cereal, juice, toast and tea for breakfast and then got everything ready for our move. We left the condo at 10:30 A.M. and were in our condo at the Royal Palm by 11:00 A.M. Our room was ready as requested and the transition was very smooth with no waiting time which was very nice.


We had a light lunch in the condo and then unpacked and got settled in to our new home for the next 10 days. Today was party day at the Pasanggrahan Hotel in Philipsburg, so we left here about 3:30 P.M. and joined the group who had gathered at the bar there on the boardwalk. Dan and Pam were the hosts and Janet, the friendly bar tender there kept the drinks flowing for an enjoyable afternoon. It was fun seeing everyone and watching the cruise ships leave port at the end of the day and seeing the sunset from a different location.



The party was over round 7:00 P.M. and we walked down the boardwalk to the 12 Metre Yacht Club and had dinner there at the restaurant. We both ordered the fish and chips and beer to drink and the food there was very good. We saw a couple of other TTOL members there and chatted with them. This was our first meal there and we were very happy with the food and service. We will definitely be back.

Following dinner, we made our way back to Simpson Bay and stopped in to the Hollywood Casino for a few hours of entertainment. No wins tonight, but it really took us a long time to lose, so good value for our money!

It is now 1:00 A.M. and this big bed really is looking inviting. Perhaps it is time to catch a few winks and see where the wind takes us tomorrow.


Nov. 27- Well the wind brought some rain today and it was cloudy most of the day with a few sunny intervals. It was definitely not a beach day so we had a leisurely breakfast and then spent some time on the balcony enjoying the activity at the pool which is three floors below us and front and center. Our condo is well positioned within the resort and wonderful for sightseeing and taking in the views of the surrounding area. This is our first stay at the Royal Palm and we are pleased with the unit. It has been updated recently and they are still doing some work on the outside of the resort. The staff is friendly and there are some activities for those who are interested in being entertained. The Wi-Fi is acceptable but slower than we are accustomed to in other locations. However, it is in every room and is free, so no complaints here.



The morning passed quickly and after lunch we decided to go to Le Grand Marche to get some groceries for the remainder of our stay. Of course beer and wine were on the list and some fresh ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner at Elaine and Bill’s tomorrow. After our shopping was completed we went to the Carousal for delicious gelato. We love the area there and of course the actual carousal is beautiful. It was being enjoyed today by several adults who were reliving their childhood and having a wonderful time!



We enjoyed some cocktails on the balcony while we watched the sunset.
We had spoiled our appetite with gelato so we waited until 8:00 P.M. before going out to dinner. Tonight we planned to go to IZI as we always enjoy the food and the ambience there. Some of our friends don’t like the décor there, but we rather enjoy the clean chic décor and the food has always been excellent in our many visits. We were seated by the waterfall window at the front corner of the restaurant and had a great view of the entire room. We started with bruschetta which was delicious and I ordered the Alfredo with chicken in a super creamy sauce and David chose the spaghetti bolognaise with meat balls. Delicious Italian bread and wine accompanied the meal. Unfortunately we were too full for dessert as they really do have some wonderful dessert treats on the menu. We spent some time talking to a nice couple from New Jersey (Tom and Pam) who were seated at the next table and had a very enjoyable evening.

Following dinner, we spent a few hours at the casino and lady luck touched me tonight. I came away a winner which is always exciting and a nice way to bring a perfect day to a close.


Nov.28- The day dawned with cloudy skies and threatening showers. We went over to the St. Maarten Yacht Club for breakfast and as always had a very good meal there.
I had the ham and egg sandwich with fried potatoes and David had the two egg breakfast with sausage and toast. They always serve the bottomless coffee which is great. We spent a few minutes talking to Brian and catching up with him and watched the crew and passengers go out on the Passat which leaves from the dock there. While we were having breakfast there was a heavy shower which lasted only a few minutes and then the sun returned.

Following breakfast we went to Endless Summer. I was looking for some beachwear like I had bought there last year, but their shipment had not yet arrived so we left and went to the Aqua Mania store to get a few other items on our list. We found everything there that we needed, and then returned to the condo for a light lunch. After lunch, we relaxed on the balcony until it was time to get ready to go to Bill and Elaine’s home for Thanksgiving dinner.

We are so appreciative of their invitation each year to celebrate Thanksgiving with them and some close friends and neighbors. Upon arrival, drinks and appetizers were served. We then enjoyed salad to start the meal and then a wonderful turkey dinner was served with all the trimmings. Dessert was homemade apple pie and key lime pie which tasted superb! We always have so much fun with the same group each year and we really look forward to spending this special time together.





We returned home around 10:00 P.M. and listened to music on the balcony. We each had a cocktail and then drifted into dreamland around midnight.

Nov.29- The sun was shining brightly this morning so after breakfast we left to spend the day at Karakter Beach Bar on Simpson Bay Beach. There was lots of parking when we arrived, but there already were several people on the beach. We secured our chairs and settled in with a melon colada which was the drink of the day. A few ladies came by selling their wares and they always stop to chat and are always friendly and polite even when you decline their offer.



While we were relaxing in our chairs, a nice Canadian couple (Michelle and Terry) from Parry Sound stopped by to introduce themselves as they recognized me from TTOL. They said they don’t post much but they always read the posts and enjoy the site very much. It was nice chatting with them!

We ordered some lunch and a bucket of Amstel bright and enjoyed it right in our beach chairs today. It is such a relaxing spot to just watch the world go by!


About mid- afternoon some dark clouds began to form and we had a couple of light showers. We decided to leave the beach around 4:00 P.M. and relax on the balcony for a while before deciding on our dinner location tonight.

Bajatzu was the restaurant of choice tonight and we arrived there about 8:00 P.M. Our waitress was a gal from Holland who we recognized as having worked at Karakter last year. It was nice seeing her and especially nice to have her serve us tonight. We have always enjoyed the food there and I must say it is still as good as always! David had the filet mignon with baked potato and I chose the Atlantic salmon with garlic mashed potatoes. We had salad and satay chicken in peanut sauce for starters. We had wine, water and coffee to accompany the meal. The service was fantastic and the food was delicious and cooked to perfection.

Following dinner, we crossed the street and made a deposit at Casino Royale since we hadn’t been there yet this trip. They were appreciative of our contribution and we will await a receipt in the mail!

We left when the clock struck midnight and we were snug in our beds by 2:00 A.M. The end to another lovely day!


Nov.30- We awoke to cloudy skies today so we had a leisurely breakfast in the condo and then spent some time on the balcony enjoying the activities at the pool and getting some rays when the sun came from behind the clouds.
It was soon lunch time and we enjoyed some spaghetti bolognaise and some fruit and cookies for dessert. After lunch we got ready and went to Philipsburg to do some shopping and visit the market for a few souvenirs for the grandchildren.




We got home around 5:00 P.M. and got dressed to go out for happy hour and dinner at the Greenhouse. We always enjoy an evening there as the staff is so friendly and the food is always consistently good. Felix welcomed us and we each enjoyed three strawberry coladas and we shared an order of chicken wings, potato skins and nachos with chicken. Everything was delicious! We enjoyed the music from Buccaneer during dinner so afterwards we walked over to hear more from Ronnie and Amin. However, there was a shower during our time at the Greenhouse, and they had to pack up earlier than usual because their equipment had got wet. We searched around for some of the Saturday regulars there, but found none, so we left and went to the Hollywood Casino for a couple of hours. We were not winning tonight so we decided to leave and check out the new Rhythm and Booze Club that has recently opened where the Dolphin Casino was previously located. Ronnie and Amin play there every Saturday night from 9:30 till midnight so we were lucky to catch them there again tonight. This is a very nice spot to spend a few hours. The service was good and the atmosphere was chic and very upbeat. The décor is modern and the whole place has an interesting vibe. We met Cheryl and several people we knew there and had a lovely evening listening to the music and enjoying some very good drinks.


I asked the server when was closing time and she said” whenever everyone leaves”. I laughed and said, “You don’t know me as you could still be here in the morning!” We did decide to leave before 1:00 A.M. so we could get ready for another day of fun. November has come to an end and with that comes the end of Hurricane season for another year. This island has been blessed again with no big storms and hopefully no worries for another year!


Dec.1- The day dawned with abundant sunshine and clear skies so definitely a beach day! We had a breakfast of croissants fruit and coffee in our condo and then headed out to Club O to spend the day. It was an absolutely perfect day on the beach and not crowded at all. The water was calm and warm with only a gentle breeze for comfort.
We enjoyed some snacks on the beach and of course some refreshments and just spent the day in the water and relaxing in our chairs. Just a picture perfect day but sadly no pictures allowed!

We got back to the Royal Palm around 5:00 P.M. just before bridge opening so no traffic to speak of today. We enjoyed drinks on the balcony and got some pictures of the sunset. We must now make the biggest decision of the day- Where to go for dinner?



Since we decided on fish for dinner tonight, Skipjacks was the logical choice so that was easy! It is always nice there sitting overlooking the water with a nice breeze drifting through the restaurant. For our fish selection I chose the pan fried grouper with salad and wedge potatoes and David chose the cod au gratin. Both meals were delicious and nicely plated. While we were waiting for our meal we each enjoyed a rum cocktail.






Following dinner, we intended to go to the Red Piano to check out the December talent there, but there was not a parking space to be found so we just decided to go to the casino and get valet parking as usual. I won some money tonight so I guess we made a wise decision! After the casino, we tried to get a parking spot at Red Piano, but still none to be found, so we came back to the condo and enjoyed a drink together before bedtime.



Dec.2- It was another glorious day with bright sunshine so after breakfast we decided to spend the day again at the Club O Beach. It is definitely my favorite beach for swimming and enjoying calm water and there is always a nice sandy and level bottom with no drop off getting into the water. We settled in to our usual spot and had a most relaxing time. We noticed a few families enjoying the beach together which was nice to see. We lazed and grazed for most of the afternoon and felt sad upon leaving since this will probably be our last visit there this trip.

On our way home, we stopped at Cost U Less and then made our way back to the Royal Palm just in time for the sunset. We enjoyed some drinks and h’orderves and decided to have dinner at Panlaan tonight.

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Dining there on the deck overlooking the lagoon is picturesque and comfortable. Just as we were being seated we saw Brad and Lora (Wofan) at the next table and had a nice chat with them. It is always nice to see others we know when out n’ about!

Since we had already had appetizers at home, we opted to just have a main course with water and two cocktails. I chose the jumbo prawns with crystal noodles in a ginger sauce and David chose the cashew chicken with vegetables and rice. Both entrées were well presented and extremely tasty. The servings were very generous and we had no room for dessert. This was a lovely dining experience and we will definitely be back on our next trip.

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After dinner, we visited the Dunes Casino and I won a few dollars at one of my favorite machines. We were home before midnight and watched Jay Leno before going to bed. Sometimes it is good to stay grounded even on vacation!


Dec.3- We got up and had breakfast and intended to go to Karakter for the day, but as we sat on the balcony overlooking the beach and the pool, two chairs called our name and we decided to stay on Kim Sha Beach at Royal Palm for the day. It was fun basking in the warm sunshine and meeting a few people who were also vacationing at the resort. After the beach, we dipped in the pool for a while and about 2:00 P.M. we went in to the condo for a late lunch. After lunch, we read for a while and it was soon time to get ready for the party at the Palms hosted by Georgia.


We arrived at the party and luckily found a parking spot across the street. Georgia and David arrived about the same time and others started piling in a few minutes later. It was nice to see so many regulars and also interesting to meet a few others we had not had the privilege of meeting previously. Greg, the owner offered half price drinks and some appetizers were distributed compliments of Georgia. It was a very nice evening so Thanks Georgia for your effort in organizing this event.
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We stayed until the party was over and then went to Pineapple Pete’s for dinner. I was craving garlic shrimp and theirs is delicious so I ordered that. David had the chicken and ribs combo and both meals were superb. Of course we had to have the dark rum Crème Brule for dessert and some wine with the meal. There was music there last night and we sat and enjoyed our drinks and listened to the band for a while.

We decided to try to find a parking spot again at Red Piano and we were successful tonight! The entertainer tonight was Alan Shepherd from Barbados and he provided some good music. There was a nice crowd there tonight and not too crowded, so smoke was not a problem as is often the case there.

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We returned to the condo and decided to drift into dreamland before midnight, which is a rare thing for us. Tomorrow is our last full day before departure.


Dec.4- Upon awakening, we noticed some dark clouds in the sky so we decided to go into Philipsburg and have breakfast at Chesterfields and do some last minute shopping. While there, we met up with Georgia and David who were meeting some friends arriving on one of the cruise ships in port today.

Breakfast there is always great and the view is magnificent. We ordered breakfast and watched the boats leave for the day with divers and those enjoying day trips. After breakfast, we went to find a parking spot in the lot close to the police station and wander down to the shops on Front Street. The sun came out while we were shopping and it turned into another beautiful day. We stopped for a shopping break at the Holland House and enjoyed some great guava berry coladas and watched the activity on the boardwalk for an hour or so. We decided to do some Christmas shopping and before we knew it we realized it was 2:30 P.M. Since we had previously decided to go to Dreams this afternoon, we felt it was now too late so we changed our plans.

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On the way home from Philipsburg, we decided to visit the new beach bar in Cay Bay called KOKOMO. The road down to the beach is very winding and not completely finished, but we found it with no problem. The area is still being developed and will be very nice when finished, but there is still a lot of work to be done. The actual beach bar is completed and is open for business and is very nice. The beach chairs are nicely padded with umbrellas to match. The beach has lots of sand which has been brought in and also a big pile of sand there still to be spread around. There is a parking lot just above the beach and it looks like there will be more spaces available later. We didn’t stay long as the sky was darkening and showers were threatening, but I feel it does have the potential to be an inviting spot upon completion of the area. We wish Bernard the best in this new venture. As of now, I still prefer Dreams or Palm Beach for the upscale beach experience.
We arrived home and started packing for our departure tomorrow.

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Dec.5- Time to bid the island farewell and after 30 days in paradise we are actually looking forward to going home to celebrate Christmas with family and friends. We have had a wonderful time with our SXM friends and each day was special. We do have to leave in order to return and so we bid this special place a fond adieu!

We were awakened to raindrops on the balcony and not a ray of sunshine to be found, so we decided this was our signal that our “fun in the sun” was officially over! Our bags were packed by the door and we ventured out to the St. Maarten Yacht Club to have our final breakfast with Bill and Elaine. Our last meal on the island with them has been a tradition for many years and we so enjoy their company.

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We all had different breakfast items which were most enjoyable and as the bridge opened we watched the boats go through in the rain for their unknown destinations. We hung out there until about 10:00 A.M. and then returned to the Royal Palm where we had been granted a late check-out.

After we checked out, we decided to take advantage of the hospitality suite there since the weather was not too favorable. Luckily the rain stopped around lunch time so by the time we left the resort at 2:00 P.M. everything was dry again and it just remained cloudy for the rest of the day.
We stopped at Zee Best for some delicious sandwiches for the flight and then filled the car with gas and returned it to Empress. We were dropped off at the airport very quickly and were once again very happy with our rental experience with them.

Check-in went smoothly and we were through security quickly. Our flight boarded a few minutes early and we were soon on our way. We arrived home just after midnight and were greeted by rain once again. Just no getting away from it today!

We were snug in our bed by 2:00 A.M. and as always it felt good to be home safely once again!

This is the picture we will have itched in our minds until our next island visit.

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We would like to thank all our island friends for helping to make our vacation so enjoyable. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and richest blessings for 2014.