Small world stories

Everyone has their SXM 'small world' stories and this is ours..

We first started coming to SXM on cruise ships in 1988, Carnival Celebration, in fact. That first trip, we never left Front Street! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> After that, we mostly took a cab direct to Orient from the ship. In October, 1991, we took a cruise on the old, OLD Crown Princess, the dolphin nose one



I really loved that ship. Ships in those days were so much more graceful than what there is now. We usually booked cruises that went to SXM, but in this particular trip, the ship did NOT go to SXM.

Back then, there were assigned dinner seatings and actually over the years, we made some really nice friends at dinner (although I can't say I would want to do it now). Anyway, this trip, we happened to be seated with a doctor and his wife from Miami, Carlos and Irene. They were originally from Cuba and we got along famously with them. We enjoyed some lovely meals



Carlos and Irene are in the upper left of the picture, behind us.

I can scarcely recognize these YOUNG people myself!



We spent some really nice times at the roulette wheel, which is my favorite game, and was also Carlos' favorite game. Our number is 16, as that's our anniversary. Carlos' number was 4, which was Irene's birthday. Also, as it happens, it is right beside 16 on the 00 roulette wheel. So to this day, we always play #4 for Carlos, whenever we play roulette.

After that cruise, we exchanged Christmas cards with them for several years. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/thinks.gif" alt="" /> What are Christmas cards?? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> Does anyone send them out any more?

So, fast forward to February 1995. We took our first land based trip to SXM, and stayed at Green Cay Villas, with the able assistance of our friend, Jim Ruos, at Caribbean Islands Travel Service. We booked through Jim for years and years, when we stayed on the French side.

I'm sure that we visited other casinos during that trip, but one night we decided to head to the Grand Casino at Mullet Bay. As it turned out, it would be our first and LAST visit to the Grand Casino, due to the arrival of Luis in September of that year. As always, I headed straight for the roulette wheel and noticed someone playing roulette that looked familiar. I said to Eric "Isn't that Carlos?" He said he was pretty sure it was. I watched for a couple of minutes, to make sure it was really him, and watched as the wheel spun and the ball--wait for it--landed in number four !! And whoa, what happened, Carlos had NOT bet on it!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Shocked.gif" alt="" /> I walked up to him and said "What, you don't bet #4 for Irene's birthday any more??" Without turning around, he said, "Oh no, Irene will KEEELL me!" (..trying to get the accent right here and not succeeding!) Carlos then turned around and I could see for a second he recognized us, but couldn't come up with names. Then we said who were were and laughed a lot!!

So, what's YOUR SXM small world story??

I cannot think of any at this moment but wanted to thank you for the great photos and notes along with them. Made my Friday! (You and Eric look great and so happy). <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/thanks.gif" alt="" />

Here's our small world story. About 12 years ago could be a little longer we are driving home from Robert Moses beach in bumper to bumper traffic, two lanes heading to causeway when David notices an SUV with an SXM sticker on the back. For those of you who don't know Robert Moses beaches are on Long Island, NY.

As we drive by he beeps the horn and the man rolls down his window. David starts chatting with him as they are driving side by side. I don't recall what they discussed but they were talking about the island. Congestion opened up and we were on our way.

That same year in the Fall we run into the couple on Orient beach and continued to see them for many years after. I don't know if David recognized him or he recognized David? It has been more than several though since we've seen them.

Small world.

Thanks for the story, Louise! I'm sure other people have stories, as I remember reading some over the years..

Here is my SXM small world story:

My wife and I went out for a night on the town in Grand Case last February. It was on one of the Harmony nights. After dinner, we walked down the street checking out what the vendors had for sale.

While my wife was checking out some small trinket of small kind the guy working behind the table keeps on staring at me. Finally, after a minute or two he looks and me and says “You have a twin in Quebec”.

My first thought is that this is some kind of sales ploy. So, I just smile and try to ignore him. Then he says “His name is Gabriel Prevo”. OK, so now he has my attention as my name is Michael Prevo. Keep in mind that I have never meet this man before and he has no idea who I am. So, I pull out my driver’s license and show him my name.

We both had a good laugh at the small world. Apparently, this Gabriel Prevo was born and raised in Quebec and was also very good friend of this man. I posed for a picture or two with the sales guy so he could send it to his friend. After a few more laughs my wife and I continued down the street, with some new trinkets in tow of course.

First thing I did when I got back to our condo that night was text my Dad and ask him if he had visited Quebec about 45 years ago………

Two years ago I started up a conversation with a couple on Mullet Bay beach and within 10 minutes we found out that we were from the same town in Connecticut!! Then later that day, I walked down to the end of the beach near Cupecoy and noticed a young woman who had a tote with the UCONN university logo on it. I said "Go, Huskies" (the UCONN mascot) as I passed. She looked at me and ran up to me and gave me a huge hug- not only was she from Connecticut, I was her high school English teacher!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" />

Two stories one boat
Several years ago my husband and I were on the Passat sunset cruise with a friend who was visiting from Ca..
As one does chatting begins where are you from etc. .One of the couples was from our hometown in Ct. and the woman was the CCd teacher for our best friends granddaughter
The other couple started talking with my friend from Ca., they were from the town that she grew up in , in Ct and it turns out they were related e.g third cousins once removed and had attended the same family wedding several years before!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" />Small world yes!

Paradise Pic is a pretty remote spot in St. Martin but would you believe....

Many years ago, possibly as many as thirty, my girls each brought a friend with them to SXM and begged their Dad to take them all up to Paradise Pic. We drove up as far as we could drive and Dad and the kids went off to climb over the fence and head out to see the view. Having done this so many times in the past I decided to stay in the car and read while they were gone. And yes, this was far enough 'back in the day' when it was perfectly safe to do so.

Pretty soon another car pulled up next to ours and same story - the Dad and the kids went off to take in the view and the Mom stayed in the car with a book in hand and as people do, we started chatting. After a bit the question of where we came from came up.

"Connecticut? Really? Me, too. " And as the conversation continued we found we had a lot more in common........

Come to find out, the other family was from the town next to us and the wife was a teacher in our local high school and had had one of my girls in her class a few years before.

It really is a small, small world. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

About 10 or 11 years ago we are out to dinner at Marios in Sandy Ground. Grace Myself, her Sister and BIL During dinner a gentleman walks up and says hello to my BIL. They worked in the same department nearly side by side and never knew either were coming to SXM.

Love the small world stories! Keep 'em coming!

I guess this may qualify. A few years back I was trying to plan a trip to Cape Cod and Halifax. I came to TTOL looking for tips and ended up spending a week with a TTOL member I did not know on Cape Cod. We still keep in touch, and without TTOL this would have never happened.

Also interesting in the first post 1988 was mentioned as their first trip. Ours was 1987.

About a year ago I was at a restaurant in Pennsylvania and the guy at the next table was wearing a SXM t-shirt. I asked him about SXM, and he was also a poster on TTOL. That really was a small world thing.

Our first trip to SXM was on a cruise in 2011. Of course, we headed straight to Maho for the planes. KLM was coming at 1pm, my husband wanted me to take a pic of him reaching up for the plane. So I found a safe spot out of the shear (or so I thought) and when the plane went over, I got knocked over. I still managed to take a pic with my camera, but it wasn't of my husband, but of another man on the beach. The picture was so awesome, we had to approach the man and show it to him and offer to email it to him. So, we get chatting and he's an OPP (provincial police officer) and had worked in our area. Turns out my husband plays hockey with his best friend twice a week!

I actually have 2 small world stories from SXM! Many years ago (over 10 for sure) we were at the Monday Manager's party at OBBR and I won a prize. You know the drill, when you go up to receive it they ask your name and where you are from, etc. Well, I'm from Saskatchewan, Canada which is somewhat akin to being from Wyoming, population wise. Afterwards another guest comes up to me and says "you're from Edam, do you know any of the Thoms?"

Imagine her surprise when I tell her, "I AM a Thom!" It turns out that she grew up next door to my husband's cousin in another small SK town. We have remained in touch and often see each other in SXM. As it turns out, even though they live about 7 hours away from us, they have a cabin less than an hour away from us as well.

A different year at yet another Manager's party at OBBR, we arrived a bit late and most tables were taken so we asked to join a couple at a table that had space. We were all busy looking at each other and exchanging names and then realized that we knew each other! We had met up on on holiday in Barbados several years previous. But the best part was that the women knew each other casually through work which is why we had gone on that Barbados trip on their recommendation with plans to meet each other. The funny part is that it turns out it was the men that recognized each other first!

Too cool! It looks like you had dinner with James Bond!

A few years back my wife and I were staying at a villa high on the hill above the Westin. Made a visit to Club O one day. Carol was joking that wouldn't it be strange if we met someone we knew from our home town. Not long after we were in the water when someone yelled, "Mr. Woods." Seems it was one of my students I had a few years before in high school. My wife and I both waited for them to exit the water and walk down the beach before we got out. But, the next day we were in our small pool at our villa when Carol looked up the hill behind us. There were the same couple waving to us from their villa higher up the hill.