Forums39
Topics38,568
Posts311,462
Members26,550
|
Most Online2,218 Jan 21st, 2020
|
|
13 registered members (tmsxmsails, beachy, Alltech63, Jerry_R, Fitzhughlaw, George1234, Todd_Melinda_K, Midsouth, TravelHat, 4 invisible),
863
guests, and 74
spiders. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Reflections SXM 2016
#96122
04/28/2016 10:52 PM
04/28/2016 10:52 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,645 Brookfield, CT.
pat
OP
Traveler
|
OP
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,645
Brookfield, CT.
|
So! It's done and we have another great trip all wrapped up and stored away in our book of happy memories, and what great memories they are. We enjoyed spending some serious one on one time with our soon to graduate granddaughter, and then some more time shared with one of our adult daughters and another granddaughter. Special moments, all and reflecting back on another wonderful trip makes me realize once again just how very well blessed I am.
We had a great flight down on AA and once again, another typical JB experience coming home. I won't go into a lot of details, but IMHO, they could mess up a one car funeral, but since AA doesn't offer a non-stop HOME in our timeframe, I guess we need to just suck it up and deal with JB. But they will be hearing from me soon! Not that they much care.......
We had great rooms at the Towers made even better by the resort staff and coupled with Jeannie's pre-stocking of groceries, and a very positive car rental experience with Best Deal, even if not the normal airport service we typically are accustomed to. Our dining experiences were all excellent and we explored a few new places this trip and said our good-byes to some old friends we've known for thirty years.
We didn't shop - I tried but just didn't see anything that excited me. In the end I think we declared $300.00 on our customs form but only because I thought they might put us through the ringers if we declared no purchases over a three week trip.
I think the highlights of our SXM time, beyond having family spend time with us, would probably be our day of sailing to Anguilla and our day at Anse Marcel along with the beach time, cocktail hours and dinners we were able to share with long-time island friends. You guys are all the best and we enjoyed every moment of our time with each of you.
And surprisingly, as much as I love Mullet Beach, our new go-to beach for this trip became ElZafiro on Simpson Bay Beach, and nicknamed EZ Beach by us since so many people pronounce it differently.......we had breakfast there several times and lunch and drinks, too. We met Nicole whom I believe is one of the owners, along with her beautiful little eight month old daughter, Bella. What a cutie pie she is......
The weather was drop dead perfect our first week and all things in consideration the second week and a half weren't too bad either. The traffic seemed lighter this year in the timeframes we were on the roads and we missed the Sargasso seaweed and the Sahara sands that prevailed over our entire trip last April. We saw Saba - briefly and occasionally - but we did at least see her and know she's still out there somewhere even though she spent most of our trip shrouded in clouds and heavy skies.
The golf course was a mess when we arrived and not much better when we left and still the players came. The SXM Open was played the first weekend we were there and there seemed to be a good number of participants. You might ask, "Why?" and I can only say, "I haven't got a clue!"
Some things in SXM don't seem to change at all and if they do, they just seem to get worse. The suicycles prevail everywhere roaring up on you and passing with death defying accuracy, often scaring the daylight out of the unsuspecting driver. The section of road through Maho Village was freshly paved right after we arrived. Two days later they ripped up huge sections of the brand new pavement to install speedbump/crosswalk combos. I guess there was some logic to this approach, but again I ask, "why?" And the garbage!! OMG!! It was everywhere along the beach at Mullet and some of it was actually in the new trash cans provided by St. Maarten Pride, that were all sitting unemptied and over-flowing. If I understand the situation as it was explained to me, new government contracts were awarded for garbage collection but the companies that got the contracts don't have garbage trucks. Really? Can that honestly be right? And then there's the dump!! OMG! The dump. It was on fire last April and this year was an instant replay. For those who haven't experienced it firsthand, it's absolutely disgusting. I'll never understand why fixing this isn't the A number one priority for those in office and God bless the people of the island who have to continually cope with this health issue, not to mention the stench of it all.
But the bottom line for me is St. Maarten-St. Martin won my heart many, many years ago, and with all her warts and wrinkles - we've all developed a few over the years, haven't we? - I love her still. And as one trip ends, I eagerly await the time I can start planning for the next one to begin. There are some things that never change. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
|
|
|
Re: Reflections SXM 2016
[Re: pat]
#96124
04/29/2016 05:23 AM
04/29/2016 05:23 AM
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,515 Ohio
ruralcarrier
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,515
Ohio
|
Thanks for your efforts and updates. Very enjoyable.
Sorry about your JB problems on the return. Never flown them but sooner or later, every airline will disappoint.
The garbage has been an ongoing problem for a month or so.
J.D.
|
|
|
Re: Reflections SXM 2016
[Re: pat]
#96126
04/29/2016 08:00 AM
04/29/2016 08:00 AM
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,683 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,683
Central Florida!
|
Thanks for taking us all along! It helps to make all of our waits seem a little shorter!
Carol Hill
|
|
|
Re: Reflections SXM 2016
[Re: pat]
#96127
04/29/2016 08:21 AM
04/29/2016 08:21 AM
|
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 7,132 St Louis, MO
SXMNorm
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 7,132
St Louis, MO
|
Thanks Pat. Enjoyed your trip.
Next SXM visit -November 2023. Also January 2024.
|
|
|
Re: Reflections SXM 2016
[Re: pat]
#96138
04/30/2016 09:12 AM
04/30/2016 09:12 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,645 Brookfield, CT.
pat
OP
Traveler
|
OP
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,645
Brookfield, CT.
|
Thank you all for your very positive comments and feedback and thanks for coming along with us on this trip. Same time next year, if the good Lord's willing....... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />
And for those of you who have come this far with us, I hope you take the time to read my recent post in the People Talk section.
Last edited by pat; 04/30/2016 09:37 AM.
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
|
|
|
Re: Reflections SXM 2016
[Re: panman]
#96140
05/01/2016 07:03 PM
05/01/2016 07:03 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,645 Brookfield, CT.
pat
OP
Traveler
|
OP
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,645
Brookfield, CT.
|
Panman,
We were never involved with Caravanserai in any of it's different states, or under any of its different names and owners beyond remembering what a classy place it once was back in the 70's when it was often represented as the little sister resort of the original Mullet Bay Resort.
We did wander by there a couple of times while we were on the island but only to head into the Dunes but it really looked sad - few cars near the residence buildings and few interior lights to be seen either, though this may have been due to the time of evening we were there. It didn't appear they were doing a landslide business. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
|
|
|
Re: Reflections SXM 2016
[Re: panman]
#96142
05/02/2016 12:36 PM
05/02/2016 12:36 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,645 Brookfield, CT.
pat
OP
Traveler
|
OP
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,645
Brookfield, CT.
|
No problem, Panman. I wish I could offer some real info but we really only parked in the lot to visit the casino. Didn't see or talk to anyone about Alegria at all but for sure, we didn't see much activity there. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
|
|
|
Re: Reflections SXM 2016
[Re: panman]
#96143
05/02/2016 02:13 PM
05/02/2016 02:13 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,142 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
islandgem
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,142
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
|
We were at the Dream Pool Bar to visit Marty and the whole resort is a ghost town! Nobody really staying there and seemingly nothing being done throughout the resort. Reception was still open and a security guard at the door but not much else. I really feel bad for Marty who had a good business going there and now nothing at all. Maybe some day things will change there but I don't see anything happening in the near future.
|
|
|
|