4/22 - 4/29 First Trip - report with photos (LONG)

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4/22 - 4/29 First Trip - report with photos (LONG) #4894 04/30/2006 11:09 PM
Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 59 Maine J Jukinjim OP Traveler
OP Jukinjim Traveler J Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 59 Maine	Long Trip Report, First Trip Ever to SXM Sat 22APR06 to 29APR06 Couple of months ago I figured out the date when I could get away from work and by sheer fact that SXM could be a direct flight from Boston, my wife doesn�t fly well, we somehow ended up picking SXM, and after choosing, booking, and paying for Great Bay Beach Resort, with an all inclusive, (thru GWV vacations), well after that I stumbled across this forum. Sat 22APR, got up a 2:30 am to get to the airport for a 6:15 flight, Boarding the plane was delayed, no idea why, but the gate agents showed up finally and set off an alarm, very loud, lery high pitched. After about 15 minutes a TSA arrived and shut it off. We all applauded him. People giving applaude to a TSA agent? I bet that doesn�t happen much. Good flight, paid the $100 upcharge for premium checkin / premium seats, was pretty much tickled pink to find they were actual first class seats. In my youth I�ve flown many places, but have never flown first class, Normally an average flight roundtrip is $500, what I�ve always seen is firstclass is double or triple, so it�s never made sense. I just loved the bargain of $100 premium for firstclass. Listening to Jimmy Buffet etc on my MP3 player, having just read an magazine article about Pirates and sunken treasure hunters, I was staring out the window and daydreaming about pirates, treasure, warm ocean breezes�. Enjoyed that flight. ( A view of SXM Grand Case side) Land in SXM and there was Mr. Bruce from Kenney�s holding a sign with my name. We walk out to the car, load the bags, after about 3 minutes of paperwork, Mr. Bruce gave me excellent directions to our hotel. Out of the airport, down the road, BAM bridge goes up, like 5 cars in front of us, but it was brief only about 8 minute delay. Quick stop into the Royal Palm to meet Doris (Sharon�s assistant) to pick up my cell phone. Nice and Easy. Great Bay Beach Hotel and Casino, As far as the renovations go, they did a great job. Hotel lobby was clean and nice, as were the hallways and all the public areas. The second ( the new one) elevator wasnt working the first day, but they had it up and running the next day, it's 3 times the capacity of the old one, and has panaromic view of the pool and beach through the windows. My room on the 7th had a nice view, and extremely little musty smell. I heard one person got moved from the first floor ( the basement ), because of the musty smells. All inclusive at Great Bay... Had lunch and dinner at the buffet the first day, sucked. Pardon my French, but... gotta be honest. Ate breakfast at GreatBay the first 5 mornings... passable. How bad can you screw up breakfast. Ate two dinners at the fancy a la carte Great Bay restaurants... La Cuchina and Molasses... Both Good. Solid descent meals. Not much more you could ask for being all inclusive. Ate dinner twice more at the buffet, but never went back for lunch. Both of these times it was strictly because of convience. Thursday Italian night...was weak. Friday was Prime Rib and that was delicious. In general their salads were plentiful and varied, but the dressings were warm and seemed to be borderline spoiled. Rolls were almost stale, rice was good only sometimes. Some of the meats... Chicken with bones, randomly hacked into small chunks, and then almost stewed.... Actually some of it might have tasted good, but it looked so unappealing... More on other food later.... Here's another shot of Great Bay Beach Hotel... A shot of the Infinity pool at Sunrise.... And a shot of Philipsburg from Great Bay Hotel Enjoyed everything about Great Bay ( cept the food as previously noted) that's me on the right Me enjoying a Caribe and a cuban in the infinity pool They are still working on the other wing of the Hotel, refubishing it for Timeshares [img]http://www.omani-guild.com/images/rl/sxm/royalislander.jpg[/img] From my hotel I could see what I was calling The Mystery Roads... [img]http://www.omani-guild.com/images/rl/sxm/road.jpg[/img] It made no sense how they connected so I had to drive up there out of curiousity. I recall it being called the Terraces, and they seem to be ready to sell house lots, but nothing but roads and some plumbing has been done up there. The first road comes to a T, the second road being the right fork of the T, the left of the T goes up and then curves around to become the third (highest road), Both the second and the third dead end. Nice and Steep and Curvy Like so many other roads... Speaking of which I had a blast driving some of the roads there.... [img]http://www.omani-guild.com/images/rl/sxm/road1.jpg[/img] View of town, and Great Bay on the left, from the Mystery Roads, with Salt Pond on the right. [img]http://www.omani-guild.com/images/rl/sxm/road4.jpg[/img] The dump seems to be in the middle of the Great Salt Pond and was on fire. [img]http://www.omani-guild.com/images/rl/sxm/fire1.jpg[/img] Fire Trucks were out there dealing with it, so it wasnt intentional... [img]http://www.omani-guild.com/images/rl/sxm/fire2.jpg[/img] Always nice to have the views of the cruise ships... from Fort Amsterdam [img]http://www.omani-guild.com/images/rl/sxm/cruise1.jpg[/img] From my room at Great Bay at sunrise ( Little Divi and Fort Amsterdam in pic) [img]http://www.omani-guild.com/images/rl/sxm/cruise2.jpg[/img] From my room at Great Bay at Sunset ( Little Divi and Fort Amsterdam in pic) [img]http://www.omani-guild.com/images/rl/sxm/cruise3.jpg[/img] Not really a cruise ship, but washed up by fort Amsterdam... [img]http://www.omani-guild.com/images/rl/sxm/cruise5.jpg[/img]