4/24 and 25 - more of the same.....

First of all, if anyone is still following my posts, I congratulate you for your perseverance since you must be bored to tears by now. We haven’t done anything exciting or done any near island excursions, nor have we hob-nobbed with any of the stars who sometimes frequent this island. Our trip this year has been all about kicking back and relaxing and just letting the vacation happen without plans or agendas. And so far it’s worked for us. But remember, we’ve been coming to SXM for over 45 years and we’ve seen it all and done most of it, and chances are pretty good if we haven’t experienced something specific to SXM by now it’s because we’ve chosen not to for whatever the reason.

Wednesday 4/24

So yesterday, we breakfasted in on pastries and toast, and decided this would be a Friars Bay Beach day. Good call. We got a rather late start - I really do seem to need a personal tour director to get me moving this week and of course, we found ourselves in the heaviest traffic we’ve seen this entire trip from about Sandy Ground to the traffic circle heading outside Marigot going towards LaSavane. The big debate was which entrance to Friars Beach should we take but in the end it was a non-issue since we missed the first left hand turn-off that takes you past Gutside Restaurant and ended up taking that nasty rutted potholed goat path that brings you right into the Friars Bay Beach Cafe parking area. In honesty, the road is horrendous but if you creep you’ll be fine.

The beach had a bit of an incline but it wasn’t too bad and there was a slight step down about ten feet into the water. And yes, those sharp rocks abound but they seem far more bothersome to old folks like me than they did to the young kids playing in the water. But I was wise this year and brought water shoes for just this specific beach. And while I’m thinking of kids playing in the water, does anybody out there know what makes the game Marco Polo so appealing to them?

We had an incredible lunch - John enjoyed a lobster salad plate which consisted of greens and garnishes with huge chunks of Caribbean lobster and several dressings for it; and I had - what else - their beef carpaccio plate. It was incredible - more beef than I’ve eaten in ages and garnished with scallions, capers, diced tomatoes and Parmesan cheese served with yummy frites and a small side salad. And after all that, these little piggies even had dessert - John had their floating island dessert and I had a Nutella crepe. As one who doesn’t think of herself in any way, shape or form as a foodie, this place could easily turn me into one. I think with drinks, of which there were a few, lunch was not inexpensive but OMG! It was so very worth it. And since the chances are looking less and less that we’ll make it to Anse Marcel as our days rapidly dwindle, this was a great alternative. But who knows, we may get there yet.

But while I’m thinking about Friars Bay Beach Cafe, they do have respectable bathrooms (definitely NOT in the same class as Anse Marcel, but clean and working.......) and they are charging now for chairs and umbrellas. With lunch they were $10.00 for two chairs, an umbrella and a small drink table. Without lunch? No clue!

Dinner time found us meeting island friends for a dinner at La Rosa, Too. It was a lovely evening, so much so we were able to dine al fresco and weren’t bothered one iota by flying pesky bugs. There was a gentle breeze blowing - just enough to keep us all comfy. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves so I thank you, Jeannie Gunthanen and Sharon Harris, for the very pleasant evening. I know we ate something and I know it was very good but for the life of me, I can’t remember what it was. So much for my newly acquired foodie status......

Thursday 4/24

Today was a home day - breakfast here and most of the day at the pool. DH did the cabana boy thing once more so we lunched on the pool deck again.

And here was my big thrill of the day - I’ve wanted to try this place our last three or four trips and never quite got there - now don’t laugh - dinner at The Spaghetti House SXM in Jordan Village, and oh my goodness, it was delicious! Basic, but definitely very good. DH had a linguine w/steamed clams and I had a pasta with a carbonara sauce w/bacon and fresh mushrooms. The wine choices were red or white and dinner was served with garlic bread, and all for the princely sum of roughly $40.00 plus gratuity. It’s one of the very few island meals we’ve ever had for less than fifty dollars, and it was delicious.

And now to lalaland.

Enjoying your reports - I do not find them boring - we arrive in 9 days, so your reports are helping those days pass a little quicker. Keep reporting!!

Still reading your reports and not bored yet Pat. A 10 foot drop into the water at Friars Bay seems rather steep to me. It would be over my head! I guess you will be moving to BSV soon so look forward to reports from there. Don 't forget to get up early for pictures of the sunrise as we will be missing Wild Bill's pictures as he will be going home.

I believe she said there was a small step down about 10 feet into the water. A 10 foot drop off would be challenging for anybody. Just wondering if there is are still problems driving around the French side due to the strikes or are those over now. I haven’t been to Friars in a while. Will give it a try again this trip instead of driving all the way up to Orient.

Not bored and still reading. Kudos to you for traversing that back road to Friar's. I have found it takes real determination to make it to the end, but it's worth it.

My experience has been that Friar's always had a charge for chairs/umbrella, or maybe it was just the umbrella, but $10 sounds higher than in the past. Still, that's less than other places, and the chairs are comfy with the cushions.

Looks as though I may have to "do" Anse Marcel in your place come June.

Enjoying your reports Pat! Nice to hear about Friar's, one of my favorite beaches and places to eat! And what IS it with marco polo? My neighbor's kids do that for HOURS in the summer here...screaming...I hate marco polo😬😯

And you gotta love those personal cabana boys!!😁

Keep enjoying and thx for sharing

Sounds like another great couple of days and appreciate your reports. Thanks.

Glad you're having such a great trip Pat. Not bored at all, it seems very similar to the trip we had a few weeks ago.

How can we ever be bored with your posts. Don't you know we live vicariously through them?

It was late when I wrote last night but who knows what i might have said. And thanks to all who have taken the time to read along......

What I meant, Elizabeth, and Motown got it right, was about ten feet into the water, there is a slight drop off. A ten foot drop off in the water would be over both our heads even if we stood on each other’s shoulders.

And btw, Tim, didn’t we meet you at El Zafiro right after they opened. I think it may have been you who suggested how good the burgers were........ do you (or did you once upon a time) stay or own at Point Pirouette?

Mike, there is definitely an advantage to being a really long-time visitor. It’s been a lovely trip with absolutely no pressure to do things.

Shelby, trust me - I do love my cabana boy. We met when we were literally just kids and we were great friends, even way back then. So lucky! And with regard to MP, if I ever found that bugger I’d drown him on sight! They will play that game for hours. Makes no sense to me but it does keep them occupied.

Friars had the hard plastic chairs and didn’t charge for them in the past, Linda, or such was always our experience there over many years, but if you wanted the thick mattresses it was something.like $4.00 per person. They have all new and more comfortable chairs now so I think that’s why they instituted the charge, but I could be wrong on that. The ‘King of the beach’ was telling us he’s been working there with them for over 23 years and you know how he hustles. I think that buckboard road is a nightmare - we drove it at a creeping pace but its nice to arrive right in their back yard. I think he started working there shortly before we found the place.

We didn’t bring a camera since we rarely think to use one but I really should think about photos now and then. We move to BSV tomorrow and I think we may share a day in common with Wild Bill and Pat but you might want to save his photos since I’m just not into taking pictures and his are so very beautiful. But it seems like this trip i’m also NOT into waking up before daybreak.

TTFN

Thanks for the report! I don't know if we will get to FBBC this time or not, although we will be staying very close to there. We have a short trip this time, so it will be hard to decide where to go. Your meal does sound lovely though!

I do wish you would remember to take the camera along though! Hey, when you're at BSV, the camera will be right there though, so send me some pictures from 'home'!!

Nice to hear you have no plans and no agenda. The best way. Sun, beach, pool, good friends, meeting new friends, great food, good health with no running to toilet problems plus safe and on time travels there and back...we don't ask for much"-)) Who could want for more.....keep at it and I know the feeling, takes so much longer to do things these days..........................

Nice report. Refresh my memory. Is Friers Bay Beach Cafe the first or second one on the left as you enter from that pot filled road?

The road dead ends at the parking lot for FBBC.

Thanks. That's what I thought but wasn't sure.

Yes Pat it was probably me because I do stay out at Pointe Pirouette. I don’t remember about the burger recommendation but then again I’ve probably had way too many mohitos at the Driftwood since then.

Mom - you can take pictures with Dads phone, your phone or the island phone I gave you. If you use the island phone. Text them to your phone and then save and post!!!!

Thanks for sharing!

Pat, don 't you love it when our kids have to teach us how to use all of this modern technology stuff?? LOL I am totally illiterate when is comes to anything other than the internet! Keep on writing, look forward to them and never boring.

Pat, I wrote a message to you to try Spaghetti House--so glad you liked it!

Enjoy!!!! Just getting around to reading some of the TTOL posts.