Hello All,

We have not been to Orient Beach and Village since just before Irma. Has anything changed? Will be be there in a few weeks (by ship).

Cheers!

P.S. How is the rest of the island doing? Thanks!

If you are talking about JUST on Orient, the biggest change of course is that Club Orient is not there, as a working resort, anyway. The nude beach is still there, and Cedric still rents chairs and umbrellas there. The Perch is still there for lunch, but no Papagayo. The resort remains in ruins. Otherwise, on Orient itself, basically all the damage has been repaired. Some restaurants on the beach are in different places than they were pre-Irma and several of the restaurants in the Village are different than they were before Irma, but there are still tons of restaurants in the area. I don't really do shopping any more on the beach, but I think there is far less shopping available on the beach now. Also, the overlook over Orient which had lots of little shops and the restaurant, was destroyed and has not been rebuilt.

Luis was never my thing, but he has a new shop set up next to Orange Fever. He is back in business with custom-made suits and pareos.

Leona--thanks. In June this year, he was walking the beach selling pareos.