Finally, our trip report! We have come down off of the cloud, and out of the heat, and now know that we want to go back . . .again and again!!<br><br>Our trip began with an uneventful flight out of Toronto with Air Transat. Security check in was little problem, and went smoothly. Full breakfast on board, with the obligatory pretzels and drinks a little later.<br><br>Marius was waiting for us as we picked up our luggage at SXM. Our Jeep Wrangler was exactly what we asked for, and with the top and sides taken off was just what the doctor ordered to experience the island to the fullest! And it wasn't white!!<br><br>We got basic directions from Marius to our hotel and off we went. We had read about the driving techniques on the island, but until you really experience it, you have no idea what it is like! Ted soon figured out to do "what the natives do" and you'll have no problems! Never again will we complain about NYC cabbies! I think it must be mandatory before becoming a NYC taxi driver, that you must drive on st. Martin!<br><br>We found our hotel, with only a few wrong turns. Please keep in mind that this was our first excursion to St. Martin, so we were novices to the ins and outs. <br><br>Hotel L'Esplanade is beautiful, and we would recommend it to anyone! We spent five nights here. The grounds are maintained to the peak of perfection, the staff is more than willing to help you in any way, and the accomodations are top shelf! We originally had requested a deluxe loft, but upon arrival had been upgraded to a deluxe oversized loft! Breathtaking and very large. Two private balconies with tremendous views of Grand Case. Hotel is within walking distance to Restaurant Row, so the Jeep stayed put at night!<br><br>We did a lot of exploring while staying at Hotel L'Esplanade, finding out that you can cover the entire island in very little time! Checked out as many of the beaches as possible, and decided that Cupocoy was by far our favorite! We spent some time at Friars, Orient and one other that escapes me (we found out later that it was primarily for the guests of the hotel located on the property! Hey, live and learn!) The two weeks that we spent on the island were very windy, and Orient on a windy day can be quite an experience! Cupocoy, whether the sand is in or out is relaxing, quiet and exactly what we wanted.<br><br>After our stay at L'Esplanade was over, we moved to a villa (La Perla) on Baie Rouge for the next nine days! We were blown out of the water by the beauty of this villa. It was everything we expected plus, much, much more! It is one of two villas on the island that offer only one bedroom, which is exactly what we wanted! Total privacy, which is what we got! Our own pool and private patio which looked right onto Baie Rouge. Very few people take the time to walk down to the far end of the beach, as the sand is so thick, so it was quiet and peaceful. Please take into consideration this was a trip that was celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary!<br><br>We attempted to pace ourselves with going out to dinner. We had a fully equiped kitchen in the villa, so I cooked dinner about everyother night. But on the evenings that we went out, we were treated to an intensity of gastronomical delights beyond belief! L'Alabama (2X), Sol E Luna, Caribes Bistro, Lee's, Le Pressoir and believe it or not Chili's!! We also tried Il Nettuno, but would never go back or recommend it. Dinner was just so-so, and the service made Burger King look like a four star restaurant! Also tried a couple little places for lunches, but did not do a lot of lunches, as we ate big breakfasts, and had trouble getting our buns off the beach chairs!<br><br>Had to do the obligatory shopping in both Marigot and Phillsburg. Had to support the economy, even if it was in another country! It's a money flow thing! Found some beautiful jewelry at a variety of stores in P'Burg . . . had to spread the wealth around! Still can't get over the way the merchants wine and dine you with booze. Hey, it worked, what more can we say!<br><br>Did spend Sunday morning, 3/3 on the Lambada watching the Heineken Regatta. Beautiful weather and breathtaking sailboats, made for a memorable day. Even more memorable was the triple lutz I took getting off the boat! And I can't even use the excuse that I had been drinking heavily, as one rum punch does not a drunk make! Chalk it up to sheer clutziness!!<br><br>Overall, we had a wonderful time experiencing the island for the first time! Met a bunch of great people from the TTOL board at a party at Peg Leg Pub . . . Jack & Sallie, Steve & Judy, Mr. SXM (Jack, you are quite a characater!!) Cole & wife (sorry, we forgot your name!), can't forget Neil, of course, and a slew of people that names escapel us! You guys really helped make our vacation what it was! We read so many things on this board, but until you actually arrive and can put things into visual prospectvie with help, you may miss out on a lot of things! We met a couple one evening at SSBB who had been coming to the island for 17 years! They gave us a little history lesson of how the island has evolved over the years and it was easy to see why people keep coming back year after year. We plan to be two of those people!!<br><br>Overall, our first and lasting impression of the island was fantastic! From the crazy drivers, to the goats and chickens, to the warm breezes, great wine, sand gravity, and wonderful variety of food. Saw no evidence of serious crimes, as police were very visible.<br><br>Leaving on 3/9 was the worst part of the trip. We did not want to leave this slice of heaven that we had found. It gave us pleasure, though to know that we will return, and the next experience in paradise will be even better![img]/images/icons2/love.gif[/img][img]/images/icons2/smile.gif[/img]<br><br>We also know that if it wasn't for the TTOL board, and the comments from people on it, we never would have landed on SXM. Thanks to the curators who make this board possible, and especially to Carl for easing my mind about traveling and all of the wonderful words of wisdom he passed on to us![img]/images/icons2/cheers.gif[/img][img]/images/icons2/cheers.gif[/img]<br><br>Sorry this report go so long, it's so great to re-live the memories with everyone!<br><br>~~~~Cheryl & Ted