THE ARRIVAL:

Flew AA without a hitch UNTIL we were departing from SJU to SXM. Seems that there was too much luggage weight for the small plane so decisions had to be made.....do they fly the plane with half luggage and half passengars.....no passengars and all luggage ( duh?) or ALL passengars and NO luggage? Well, after 1 1/2 hours in a hot plane without a/c ( and some people had to get off because they were feeling faint )they opted for curtain #3 and we were told to return @ 10 pm for the luggage. ( rotten & smelly food, comes to mind).
We left the airport and went on to meet Sharon Harris for our phone. We met her at the bar at Royal Palm...nice work, if you can get it. BE FOREWARNED: The phone rental and phone cards are to be paid in CASH! She takes a cc imprint for deposit. Don't remember reading the 'cash' part, though, but when anticipating a trip to SXM all things aren't clear!
We arrived @ California to meet up with some friends for dinner!! My food was just OK...had to send my very watery ( yuck) onion soup back and tried another soup, pureed something, I think it was peas, with a puree of sundried tomatoes, still yuck, but the presentation got an A, had the goat cheese salad which was fine....my husband loved his Fettucine Bolognese. Then on to meet Bruno for the villa. ADORABLE!! More about this later.....and hesitantly so......
Hubby returned @ 10pm for the luggage.....yup, you guessed it.....not ALL arrived!! We had to return the next morning @ 10 am for our luggage

FOLLOW UP:
Stopped by SMYC to see Neil and have breakfast, which was wonderful BTW <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />....and he sat with us for a long time. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> We caught up on a few things and then watched several million $$$$$ sail by. A beautiful sight......oh...the boats were nice, too!!
Off to the airport for the luggage and met up with a few people from the night before. Our luggage was there.....some others not too happy. Yet another reason not to pack perishables! Ahhhhhh....now off to Orient!! Our friends were waiting and the beach was great!!! Our vacation is about to begin!! Some things never change.....and that's a very good thing!

THE BEACH:
Windy and cooler than we've experienced in a long time....with a few morning showers but improving daily! We're usually there in Jan. and the weather has always been hot, hot, hot....not so this time. We hardly ever went into the water.....until days Nine thru Fifteen.... AWESOME!! HOT, HOT, HOT...Not a cloud in the sky!! Turquoise water, lots of fish.......and lots of <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> Cruisers doing their 'thing'......harrassing by a certain couple from Boston who wouldn't pay the toll to pass by our group!! ( David & Rose...sound familiar? )<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> Life is good! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />

THE VILLA:
We rented th adorable Villa Djaba from Bruno who owns
Le Cottage. It is quite nice and located next to Bruno's present house overlooking Orient Bay. 3 bedrooms and large livingroom....dining table on the deck with awesome views of Orient. Very simply but nicely decorated with a Morrocan flair. A small but functional kitchen with all the amenities( a full size refrigerator ) also, with views of Orient. I will be back!!


THE FRIENDS:
Each evening a fabulous get-together with our friends, which is always wonderful!! One night, one of our friends, Carolle, gave a dinner pahty Carolle, then the next our friends Harris(sirrah) & Arlene gave a dinner pahty at their villa @ Green Cay which was fantastic! Arlene cooked up a storm....it was wonderful!! We met the manager of Green Cay, Yanick & his lovely wife, Iza and we became instant friends. They are awesome and REAL people <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Cool.gif" alt="" />!! Next evening, dinner was at Chez Contessa.....@ Villa Djaba (more on that, later) . Oh, what a night!! A fabulous view of Orient.....balmy breezes.....scents of bouganvilla.....good friends......fine wine and food!! Life is Great!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> Ahhhh...yes, we're back!

THE TTOL PAHTY @ BIKINI BEACH:
AWESOME!! Many thanks to Elisa Cohen who arranged to have 2 for 1 drinks and supplied some terrific appetizers. Thanks...thanks...thanks!! The pahty was very well attended with approx. 40+ people. Made some new friends....and I hesitate to mention names because there were so many and I don't want to leave anyone out......but you all know who you are! And Many, Many Thanks for taking the time to make this PAHTY a success!! Hi, Sean!!

THE PAHTY @ PEGLEG:

Karen & Mark (karenbugsmark) hosted a wonderful pahty @ PLB for yet, more 'TTOL family' members. They also, supplied some appetizers, which was quite generous, of them. Again, some 'old' faces as well as new. Thanks again, Karen & Mark for hosting this pahty!!

THE BRIDAL PAHTY:
Each day had a new excitement with daily arrivals of wedding guests, as well as the bride & groom.
On Wed., Feb. 23rd we had a bachlorette pahty on the Celine!! A wonderful idea for a celebration. We also, hired a driver for the night, which is also, a good idea. After the sailing we 'cruised' Maho....finally, splitting up and each find our own nervana. Four of us chose to just get some food into our stomachs and went to the new restaurant in back of Cheri's, which was highly recommended. After my experience w/the onion soup @ California, I was really in the mood for some good onion soup so 2 or us ordered it..... another disappointment. It was strongly flavored w/herb provence & bay leaf...not to my liking. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/thumbsdown.gif" alt="" /> Had more goat cheese salad ( how can you ruin a salad?).
Totally, we had 2 onion soups, 4 salads and 2 bottles of water for the humming price of $ 94.00 w/o tip!! (In my book....that's a tad pricy. )
The girls had a blast @ Cheri's.....singing and dancing and some guys tried to pick them up ( the average girl age being 26 yrs.) The guys were the average age of 60 yrs.!! It was really funny! Watching was half the fun!! Ah....youth!! And the expression, " there's no fool like an old fool" comes to mind!! hehehe
On the return, Winston our driver, picked up another couple, Fran & Larry and brought them back to their hotel, and we chatted with them briefly and a new friendship was about to begin.
More about that later.
Each day on the beach brought more surprises. The wedding gang ( well, at least the younger ones) were arriving for their FIRSTIES on Orient!! It's amazing how quickly this new generation adapts. Even the brides mom and dad first time on OB!! And the entire time they 'hung' out with the ' old folks' and we all loved it! We shared food and stories abound....
and truly enjoyed the time spent with them. It surely is a story waiting to be told to the next generation.

THE WEDDING.......ah.....the WEDDING:
THE CEREMONY.......
The gathering for the ceremony was in front of Baywatch with a reception to follow at Orient Bay Hotel around the pool.
The group gathered by the bridal arch ( more about that, later).....the steel band playing ( an awesome group of youngsters ) the groom with his 4 attendants, awaiting the arrival of the bride. As did, several curiosity-seekers on the beach, respecting the bridal area. Then the bride arrived in a white limo with 4 attendants. A more beautiful and beaming bride, I've never seen....I got goose bumps. She was dressed in a strapless white gown with a small amount of crystal beading on the side with a short train. She wore her long hair back in chignon with flowers surrounding her short veil. Her skin beautifully tanned the color of cappuccino.
She was gorgeous!
The attendants had lovely strapless short chiffon dresses in a light cranberry shade looking like the color of the bouganvilla. Oh, such beautiful young people!! The Minister was fantastic. His message very poignant and beautifully spoken. He asked a surprise question to first the groom, David, about why he chose Charlene as his wife. At first, David was a bit speechless, having been put on the spot, then he went into a dissertation that had everyone in tears!!
It came from the very bottom of the core of his heart!
I just get weepy thinking about it. It was fantastic. Then the bride's turn, and she didn't have to think at all.....she expounded on how when she first met David she thought he was such a gentleman and a sweet person.....and the more she got to know him she realized that he was the kindest human being she had ever met and feel deeply in love with him. More tears!! It's a good thing the 'floor' was made of sand because the tears were flowing down to the sand. All this with the steel band playing softly in the background!! It was the most beautiful wedding I've ever attended.
Following the ceremony, Andy & Cheryl served a wonderful champagne with fantastic hors d'ourvres. Couldn't have been more perfect. Andy even put on a new shirt for the occasion!! ( thank you, Andy!):-D It was beautifully done! Andy & Cheryl did a great job, in spite of lack of direction by the 'wedding planner'! ( see post).

THE RECEPTION:
The reception was catered by St.Louis Catering....Marius' aunt, uncle & Mom, as well as his Dad, Rocky, tending bar. The buffet was of local cuisine, as chosen by the bride & groom, of grilled chicken, shrimp, rice & beans ,salads, potatoes etc.....can't remember what else, but it sure was good. Music by FLASH, ( how could that be bad?) he sure knows how to keep a pahty going!! Lots of dancing......and a memorable evening was shared, by ALL! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/dance.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/dance.gif" alt="" />

DINING:
Bistrot Caraibes - 4*...everything was awesome!
Tap Five Pizza - 4* (hesitate to mention how great the pizza is....don't want it to get too busy! Selfish <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Devil.gif" alt="" />! Also, the Taglitelle Fra'Diavolo was awesome! Rasheed and MuMu,the owner were wonderful! Service deserves 4*)
Peg Leg Pub - 4* Sean really makes the dining experience extra wonderful! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />
La Chapelle - 2 * ( service deserves 3* )
California - 2*
Au Grain d'Sel 2 1/2 * ( not up to past experiences...pizza was so-so)
Le St.Germain - 3 * ( the men were unhappy with the chairs not being comfortable, which detracted from their dining experience, met Patricks new
bride...oooo lala!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Kiss.gif" alt="" />)
ZeeBest Breakfast - 3* ( croissant 4*....service 2*...crepes 2*....eggs 3*. Not
worth the trip from the French side....too many other great breakfast places. )

DISAPPOINTMENTS:
.....The Wedding Planner, <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/thumbsdown.gif" alt="" /> Corrine Zimmerman.....(see posting as a warning for potential brides, under separate posting). Fortunately, neither the bride or groom allowed her unprofessionalism deter from their special day!! Kudos to Dave & Charlene!!

.....Sharon Harris was pleasant and efficient, but our phone didn't work on the French side except from the beach....NO service at all @ our villa...and there were times when we didn't get service at all, even on the beach. It was inconvenient having to drive to the beach at night to use the phone. Also, the only people who could reach my # were those from the Dutch side......and for all others it rang busy. I did inform Sharon Harris of this problem and she called me back to check the phone service and did reach me. She said I must have been giving people the incorrect phone # ( which I wasn't) but they continually got a busy signal. No point in having a phone if it doesn't work for me.

OBSERVATIONS:
......noticed that the traffic was horrendous...both in Simpson Bay and in Marigot.
......the island was quite lush.
......there were more ' cantaloupes' walking on Orient than I've ever seen before. Apparently some plastic surgeons are making a fortune! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />
......and lots of 'uncles' taking their 'nieces'on vacation. How sweet!

THE REMAINDER OF THE TIME.... was spent sharing days at the beach with friends, making new friends, sharing stories and laughter over dinners and regalling the events of the past couple of weeks. All in all.... A FANTASTIC VACATION!

A very <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" /> Contessa