SXM Trip Report 8/18-9/01<br><br>Just back from two terrific weeks in Sint Maarten. <br><br>1. Travel<br>We had no trouble with our American Airlines non-stop flight from JFK ($649 adults, $501 children). Security was, of course, much tighter than last year, but not disruptive. On the return flight, we checked in at 8 a.m. for a 1:30 flight – had our checked baggage hand-searched, then locked, paid our departure tax – and were back at the resort by 8:40 for a last swim, check-out, and breakfast at Ric's. <br><br>2. Glorious Days<br>The weather was perfect (just one windy/rainy day due to T.S. Dolly, which eventually turned out to sea). Most days, we enjoyed the beach and pool at the Flamingo Beach Resort, ducking under a palapa for shade and paperback reading in between swims.<br> One day, we made our annual trip to the wonderful Butterfly Farm, then spent the day at Galion Beach – which is great for kids (shallow, no surf) – where we had tasty food at Chez Pat (and used our internet coupon for a discount on chairs & umbrella).<br> We took the kids on the semi-submersible submarine, which is based in Grand Case ($30 adults/$20 kids) and enjoyed a dry look at undersea life (fish, turtles, and a sting ray).<br> The 12-meter America's Cup regatta was, once again, a great sail. We were on Canada II, and we lost to Stars & Stripes by about one-second. I highly recommend this outing ($70/pp; no discount for children of any age).<br> The market at Marigot (Weds./Sats), provided us with our staple of spices, t-shirts and other knick-knacks, followed by a yummy lunch at Layla's.<br> We did not visit any other beaches. The one day we were thinking of a visit to Orient, it was rainy and windy, and although the kids like the "pounding Atlantic surf," as it says in one island brochure, we prefer the calmer Carib at the resort.<br> Mary's Boon served a terrific Sunday brunch, and the kids enjoyed the beach afterwards.<br><br>3. Tasty Nights<br>The restaurant scene was pretty much the same as last year – many eateries are closed for the season (we should have hit Rainbow earlier in our vacation; when we finally tried to go, it had closed). The new Citrus was on vacation while we were, too. Saint Severin was closed most of the time we were there, but had just re-opened late last week, and by then, our dining plans were set. We passed on Hot Tomatoes and its upstairs Japanese joint, Hanabi. And, we ran out of nights before we could return to Le Piccolo or Bistro Nu.<br> Of course, that leaves plenty. Mario's Bistro, Le Cottage and Le Pressoir all dazzled as they have in years past. I would like to recommend a "new" place – if I understood their French, the current team running Plongeoir has been there just a few months. Plongeoir is in Marigot, past the new West Indies mall, and near the deep water pier. Wonderful French food with an Asian influence. Small and informal, but delicious. No credit cards, and I believe they are closed on Sundays but are planning a 7-day schedule.<br> We had two great meals at Tutta Pasta, and, in the same area, we dined at Le Bec Fin, Boathouse, and Indiana Beach.<br> For Italian, we ate at both Sebastiano (Gand Case) and Don Camillo (Marigot).<br> One note about prices: Many places on the French side quote Dollars ($) and Euros (€) equally, although it appears the dollar is actually about 10-percent or so stronger. At Don Camillo, the bill was printed electronically, and converted our €200 meal into a $175 meal. Later, at Bar de la Mer, I asked that the credit card receipt be run in Euros. So, if you are paying by credit card and the dollars is strong, you may want to consider doing this, especially for a big bill. If you pay a lot in cash, or by traveler's check, you will either overpay a bit on the French side, or you can consider trading for some Euros.<br><br>4. Car Rental<br>Based on the notes on TTOL, we tried Unity Car Rental this time. Michael gave us a good price on an older Corolla. We got a flat tire at Galion Beach. We had to borrow a pair of scissors from Chez Pat to cut off the attached hub-cap, but otherwise changed the tire with no problem. Unity came right out to the resort when we returned and put a fresh tire on. Michael also offers liability insurance at $5/day ($350 deductible; coverage to $90K Dutch side, unlimited French side). Our credit card covered collision. I had also contacted Best Deal, which said it did not offer liability coverage, because our U.S. insurance would cover anything, since it goes with us wherever we go. Wrong. I called our insurance company, and was told that our liability coverage does NOT include out-of-country rentals. If this is a concern of yours, check with your agent or insurer before you travel.<br><br>5. Shopping<br>We didn't do a whole lot – just poked around in Philipsburg a bit; we had some good dealings with the Royal Caribbean jewelry store satellite location at Flamingo. They also have a shop in P-burg. If you're at Flamingo, tell Dinesh that his intern "Jake" sent you.<br><br>6. The Island<br>Everyone has different impressions about whether SXM appears clean or dirty, rich or poor. To us, the island looked in good shape, with a moderate amount of construction going on. In reading the paper and talking with locals, it is clear that the economy there is weak, but they have been seeing more cruise ships lately, because of ships being diverted from the Med to the Carib post 9/11 and because of ships skipping St. Croix because of crime (at least that's what local merchants said). The Food Center in Cole Bay is very close to re-opening as a Ram's, and the paper says that the Bush Road Food Center building is being sold to another supermarket. We did shop at both Lido in Cole Bay (Daily Extra is renovating next door) and at Match in Marigot.<br> Then, there's the tricky issue of crime. I say tricky, because it can be hard to separate fact from rumor and to put anecdotes in context. For example, one merchant in Philipsburg told us that she had been robbed at knife-point in Marigot. I don't think she was trying to scare us off of Marigot, but imagine that this story gets told and repeated countless times by people who talk to her, and one incident seems like a crime wave. She offered this, however, only after a vacationing couple said that they had been robbed in Marigot, and that a knife had been involved. Someone staying at our resort witnessed a purse-snatching in P-burg. As it was told to us: The woman whose purse was snatched was the victim of a bogus "tour guide," and all of the locals who witnessed the incident just laughed. The Dutch side has also increased police foot patrols.<br> So, none of that is very pretty, but I think the standard advice applies: Be alert, don't wear flashy jewelry, and don't carry a lot of cash. I generally carry just one credit card and enough cash/travelers checks for one meal. We never have had a problem. <br> One other note; you may have seen the headlines in the U.S. The Daily Herald recapped a Hartford Courant newspaper report of an Abusive Priest Found in Caribbean Hideaway. Or something similar. Seems that a member of the clergy from Connecticut, who was accused of sexual abuse, had dropped out of sight about ten years ago, only to be found now living on SXM.<br><br>