Just returned from another gorgeous week in paradise. Arrived at 8:30 p.m., Marius was there with our car and with a "Give me a call tomorrow and I'll come by your hotel to do the paper work" we were on our way to the Esmeralda. Traffic through Marigot was light and we were checked in and in our room by 9:30.

Esmeralda is presently installing glass enclosures around their pools, maybe about 4 feet high. Something to do with French law.

Our only complaint this time was that our room safe did not work all week. Although we travel to sxm mainly with cash, we weren't really too worried.

We spent most of our time at the beach but did a little shopping in Philipsburg and Marigot. Dinners in Grand Case were at Il Nettuno and Restaurant du Soleil where we were treated to a delicious scallop carpaccio. Grand Case has a new restaurant beside the pay parking lot across from Il Nettuno called Blue Martini (if I remember correctly). Beside the restaurant is a large garden area with tables and a bar and apparently live entertainment. We didn't have a chance to eat there (one week is just too short). The menu is French and the prices were "Grand Case".

Dinners in Orient village were at Cote Plage (good), Taichi (very nice spring rolls) and Planet Orient B (very good). My wife said how good Planet Orient really is I will know once I learn to actually eat cooked meals instead of steak tartares which they prepare table side.

We checked out the new Le Cadre in the square. It's a little bistro-type place with maybe 4 or 5 tables inside and I believe 4 bar stool type tables outside. We will have to try it out next time for something little. The menu consists of all kind of salads and beef and fish carpaccios.

Our return flight was scheduled for 10:30 p.m. We arrived at the airport for a very early check-in and planned to have a nice dinner afterwards. The car was returned and we walked over to Aqua.

What a huge disappointment! An indifferent waitress pointed us to our table and did come by 15 minutes later with the menus. A few minutes later she did return with our drinks and took our order. 2 French gentlemen sat at the table beside us, also received their menus and left a full hour later without having been able to place an order. We did receive our second drink order after about an hour and dined on a fairly average duck breast for me and a spinach salad for my wife. Won't be back. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumbsdown.gif" alt="" />

I will say in their defence that due to a delayed Air France flight the restaurant was packed and they all had vouchers for their meals.

Upon arrival in Toronto, we were greeted in the immigration hall by a few burly cops and a drug sniffing dog. Apparently a Mountie does indeed always get his man. The dog pointed at a late twenties to early thirties man and while a cop led the man away I heard him ask: "Sir, have you been smoking today?" Our second suitcase must have been in the baggage container with the dope as we and about ten other people stood around the conveyor for an additional 15 minutes before an anouncement was made that the last few pieces would be delivered momentarily. And they were

Looking forward to trip number twenty-something on April 1st.

Bernd


p.s. actually found the Ma Doudou store. The side street one has to turn into after the pharmacy is called rue Belvedere.