Trip report Jan 3 to Jan 13


Transport You almost can’t get to SXM from Phoenix; it is about a day and a half trip. USAir red eye going to SXM -- left at midnight for Philly – then a late departure in the late AM for SXM. We were late getting to the SXM airport but :
1. Lesley Bruce from Kenny’s was there. One of the best car rentals (Quick and Easy)
2. Craig was there with the chairs and
3. Remax was there to show us to our Villa Lowenburg above Oyster Pond It was quick and easy at the airport and slow and miserable in the traffic of Simpson Bay.

Return trip was also long and sleepless –Left at 5:05 PM to PHL then to Charlotte for a short night at the Sheraton (really good hotel) then to Phoenix the next day at 8:00.

The luggage made it both ways with no problem. The car was a simple white Toyota that worked just great.

Lodging This time we stayed at the Villa Lowenburg (Studio) it was a one bed --two story. It had a good kitchen and everything you could need. It is located way above Oyster pond and looks down on Ms. B and Mr. Busby’s on Dawn Beach for a great view to the East. Access is way up a very steep road. It has a pool, but it was too windy to enjoy it. It does not have potable water for drinking .It had satellite TV that worked about half the time due to being unable to lock a signal.

Weather It was very windy this trip with an afternoon rain storm or two every day. The wind was 30 mph plus at night every night up the hill in the Villa. The day we were going to take the Tiko Tiko round the island sail it rained all day and washed out the trip. Several days we were driven from the beach by a cold rain storm in the afternoon. We took rain ponchos this time and it was good protection until the shower blew past. Add these to your Take List.

Food Great food everywhere --mostly lunch and dinner out –breakfast in house.
Captain Oliver’s—great setting on the water Food OK
L’Alabama Great Food --1 to 1 Euro with cash
Spiga -- Great Food Italian 1.2 to 1 Euro with cash
L’Auberge Gourmand-- Great Dinner A+ --1 to 1 Euro
Talk of the Town Lolo --Great Lobster 1 to 1 Euro Best Buy
Buccaneer Beach Bar Great steaks at about half the price of the French side, but miserable to drive to.
Poulette de Orleans good dinner on the porch
Baywatch -- The best for Lunches
Croissanterie -- good lunch in Marigot harbor
Kon Tiki very expensive hamburger lunch ( $50)
Kangaroo Court good lunch spot in Phillipsburg
Green House also good for lunch in Pburg

Shopping DK Gems another great visit -- they make you feel special – reasonable, too. Rima’s good spot for island wear ---reasonable (were those people with their baskets full buying for resale at the street market?)
Rams and Grand Marche best food stores –milk costs twice as much on French side of island.
Misc. thoughts Overall, it was another great trip to the island. The Beaches were great (especially Club O and Happy Bay), the food was superb. This time the weather was windy and rainy—‘Christmas Winds’. The exchange rate makes the French side almost prohibitively expensive for most things. The traffic in Simpson Bay makes access prohibitively difficult most evenings. On our ‘fly day’ we went to the Zoo and Sunset Beach Bar –both were very entertaining. Our Villa location in Oyster Pond is a little out of the way –next time we will try another location. A interesting observation --- the people are much more social and friendly at the clothing optional beaches than they are at the clothed beaches.