2017 St. Martin March 29-April 12

We left STL on time at 6:20. We arrived Miami. It was our pilots last day on the job so we were greeted by firetrucks giving him a water salute. It was really pretty neat! We then flew to St. Martin. Upon arrival, we looked for Triple A car rental representative. We searched for about 30 minutes before deciding to take a cab to Club Orient. …the cost was $35. We checked in…. which is always so organized and pleasant. Then went to our room 154. I prefer the other side of the circle but there really is no bad location.

I emailed triple A about the car and they emailed back saying they would deliver it later…. which they did.
I unpacked and Steve went to the beach to tag our chairs. We had preordered some groceries from the boutique which were waiting for us in our room. I called my cat grey…and sure enough he is still around and seemed to remember us from the past 5 years. He came in and made himself at home. We then went to dinner at papagayo. We both had the wedge salad and crab martini. It was delicious as usual. The wait staff was pretty much the same as last year…and they always do a great job. David was the entertainment and he always does a great job as well. It had been a long tiring day….so we crashed.

On Thursday…we went to the boutique to get almond croissants which we ordered for the remainder of our trip. It is not necessary…but it does make it a bit easier to just go there at 8 am and pick them up. So, we had coffee and croissants for breakfast on the patio every day while watching the sugar birds. We went to the beach…. which was in decent shape but had a fair amount of seaweed. We then went to the grocery store. We drove to Marigot to the supermarche because Simply is closed and leader price leaves a lot to be desired. For lunch, we went to papagayo to share a cheeseburger and onion rings. For dinner, we had the chicken cordon bleu at papagayo. It was good…not great.

On Friday…after breakfast…we went to the beach and it was a bit larger which is a good thing. I was getting a cold so we went to the boutiques to buy some cold medicine. I bought some Dayquil. We had sandwiches on the patio for lunch and went to papagayo for dinner. We both had a wedge salad and the mussels. It was delicious. Dj Roland provided the music.

On Saturday…after breakfast we went to the beach…the winds had shifted and the beach was beautiful! No seaweed and lots of sand. Unfortunately, my cold was progressing. We had sandwiches on the patio for lunch. For dinner, at papagayo…I had salad and shrimp cocktail and Steve had salad and escargot. Dj Speid provided the music.

On Sunday…my cold was in full swing and now Steve also had a cold. After breakfast, we went to the beach which was practically GONE. Every day the beach took on a different life. We had sandwiches on the patio for lunch and had dinner at papagayo…We had a salad and shared the linguini bolognaise. The entertainment did not show up.

On Monday after breakfast…we drove back to Marigot to the supermarche and also went to the pharmacy. I was looking for Claritin D non-drowsy. I spoke to the pharmacist who recommended rhumagrip. I took one and my heart started racing and I was so very tired. So needless to say, I won’t be taking that anymore. This is the one thing that is a bit aggravating to me…. on the French side, most everything is in French…and one never really knows what they are getting. I bet I won’t forget the Claritin D next time. The beach was a little better today than yesterday. We went to Orange fever for lunch and split a cheeseburger and onion rings. Our neighbors were grilling ribs and the woman next to them on the other side came tearing out of her house screaming at them that the smoke was going in her house. They had the grill well away from her house…closer to us. Anyway…she even went and got security…who told our neighbors they could put their grill where they wanted to. She was French…they are Canadian. Is this the way the world has become? I certainly hope not. In our many trips here…this was a first for us. It is quite sad really. We went to papagayo for dinner and had a salad and French onion soup. DJ shine was the entertainment.

On Tuesday after breakfast on the patio…we went to the beach. The beach was in a little better shape today. We walked down the beach and saw a vender who had a beach bag I have been looking for. So, I bought it. $20 including a scrunchy and pareo…lol can’t beat that! We had lunch on the patio. We attended the wine and cheese party…and for the first-time Steve was not there. Instead we met the general manager Jean Michel a Very nice Frenchman. He explained to us that Steve is the director. We had spaghetti dinner at home.

Wednesday, we had breakfast and lunch on the patio. We went to papagayo for dinner. We had frog legs and an avocado wedge salad and grouper. All was good….

Thursday, we had breakfast and lunch on the patio. We went to LeTestivan for dinner. I had foie gras and steve had escargot…. then we had sea scallops. It was very good. This is a beautiful restaurant.

Friday…. I made bacon and eggs and toast for breakfast. We had sandwiches for lunch. We went to papagayo for dinner. I had a salad and crab martini. Steve had a salad and the red snapper. All was good.

Saturday…Today is our 45th anniversary. We had toast for breakfast then we had sandwiches for lunch. We went to Sunset beach café at grand case beach club for dinner. The sunset was beautiful regardless of the clouds. I had foie gras and Steve had coconut shrimp. Then we both had lobster thermidor. Grand case beach club has installed gates throughout the property which require a key to access so what used to be our favorite place to take sunset pictures has turned into a pain in the butt. The food has always been mediocre but the view spectacular. There is no longer any reason for us to go there I am saddened…but I understand their patrons should come first.

Sunday…toast on patio then a ferry ride to Anguilla. The cost of the ferry was $20 a piece both ways for a total of $80. we also had to pay a departure tax of $10 to SXM and another $16 tax to come back. We rented a car from D&D car rental for $55. We had lunch at Medeariman restaurant on Shoal bay. Steve had the Mahi Mahi sandwich and I had a cheeseburger. I had two glasses of chardonnay and he had 2 Caribs. Cost was $82. When we got back to SXM it was pouring down rain so we picked a good day to. We are glad we finally got to Anguilla and probably will not go back. We had dinner on the patio.

Monday, we had breakfast and dinner on the patio and lunch at papagayo…. they always have such wonderful cheeseburgers. Is it really the food? Or the scenery?

Tuesday, we had breakfast on the patio and lunch at papagayo. We had the club sandwich...It was yummy. We had dinner at Ti buchon. Momo was his usual entertaining self. We both had a crab and melon appetizer. Steve had rack of lamb and I had duck. We shared a puff pastry for dessert. It was a wonderful last dinner.

Wednesday, we had breakfast on the patio. We went for our last walk on the beach. The beach was the widest it had been for the past two weeks. It is always sad to leave…but I am overdone, overcooked and overstuffed. Time to go home to reality. We will of course return. We returned the car to triple AAA. Checked in at the airport…. grabbed a mahi mahi burger and a glass of wine…and waited for our flight.
We got our global entry last year to try to speed up the immigration process. When we got to Charlotte, the immigration line was packed. We walked straight to the kiosk and through the doors in 5 minutes. I would highly recommend getting this.

This trip was a wonderful vacation. The only hiccup was the miscommunication in picking up the rental car. I have to say…of all the places we have traveled…. Club Orient is the most organized of all. Check in is always perfect and so is check out. The office staff, boutique staff, wait staff, maids, gardeners, beach workers…. everyone…is always so kind and so helpful and so pleasant. It makes the vacation that much more wonderful. There are some things about club orient that are looking a little tired. The entrance for example…used to be so beautiful….and now it is half dead and overrun with weeds and grass. Much of the board fencing needs to be repaired or replaced. Some of the picnic tables on the patios are warped and rotten. None of these things would keep me from coming back…but it would only take a little time and money to put things back in tiptop shape…
We say this often….if there was no Club Orient….we would not go to SXM….that’s how important it Is to us.