This whole St Maarten/St Martin island experience has really "lost it's luster" since the mid-90's, back-to-back hurricanes (Luis and ?) that destroyed so much. Then of course Maria/Irma? pretty much "sealed the deal" wiping out Dreams, Cheri's, Mr Busby's etc...etc. Our last visit a year ago was pretty depressing....I think the hey-day of "the Friendly Island" is history. It's been what, three years and the airport is barely open. So sad...was a favorite destination for us for many years.....sigh
While I can see how you may come to that conclusion, there is still so much "island experience" to be had if you just look!!
Yvette's, Emilio's in an old estate, Marks Place, NoWhereSpecial....open air, island food dining on the lagoon..by a Wathey! Nothing more "islandy" than that. French Lo-Lo's, the restaurants around the square in Orient, Telegraphe', visiting Parotte Ville and having him give you a tour of his personal little museum of SXM salt-life artifacts. The ORIGINAL salt life! lol......Mary's Boon, eating with the glorious Simpson Bay at your feet, going to Pinel! Those are just the ones off of the top of my head, but that's enough for a week!!
I have a list still of so many places that I want to try and visit. Hopefully they will be there when I return. As has been said, that is the nature of life...change. And certainly in the restaurant business! Just look at the streets of our country....empty malls, abandonded strip malls, closed stores, closed restaurants. We have no room to talk.
