Finally, here is my trip report from our visit to SXM in late April. Sorry for the delay, but I had business-related travel and a big final project toward my MBA degree eating away at my time.<br><br>Believe it or not, this version is slightly abridged. The full version will appear in the July 15 edition of Caribbean Travel Roundup http://www.caribtravelnews.com.<br><br>April in Paris? No…John and I prefer April in the French West Indies. We made our eighth trip there this spring and turned it into a visit not just to one island but to three islands, each different from the others.<br><br>The vacation began with the usual American flights with the usual connection in San Juan. For the most part, the journey was uneventful and departures on time.<br><br>As we flew closer and closer to SXM, the clouds became thicker and grayer. Rather than making a direct approach to Juliana, we found ourselves in a holding pattern for some 20 minutes. At first, I believed this delay to be caused by the weather, but once we were on the ground, I realized we had likely been waiting for the Air France flight to land. Of course, that big 747 got priority over our little American Eagle turbo-prop!<br><br>We stepped off the plane into a nasty, chilly drizzle. Wait a minute, this is what I left Chicago to escape! “Don’t forget,” I kept telling myself, “a rainy day in SXM beats any kind of day in the office.” However, this set the tone for a wetter visit to the island than we had experienced in some time, and certainly the wettest for this normally dry time of the year. Up until our arrival, SXM had been experiencing a drought, so the moisture was much needed, but the island welcomed the rain a lot more than we did!<br><br>We hurried to immigration to find ourselves shoulder-to-shoulder with the 500 or so passengers who had just come off the 747. American had failed to pass out immigration forms on board and no one in SXM seemed to have any on hand. Finally, a supply of forms appeared and by the time we got ours filled out, the immigration lines had abated.<br><br>Though the lines had abated, the rain had not! We got to the Hertz office in the middle of a downpour. The car they gave us this time was unique compared to anything we’ve rented before: a Daihatsu Terios...sort of like a small minivan, but not quite. Because it was different than what he’s used to driving, John wanted to find a parking lot to familiarize himself with the handling, especially with it raining so hard. The closest lot I could think of was at the Caravanserai Hotel next to Sunset Beach Bar, so off we went. Of course, we had to stop for a drink at Sunset and there we ran into our friends Sari and Jeff (a.k.a. Whalema). We hadn’t explicitly planned to meet them there, but somehow I think it was just instinct!<br><br>Our first night on the island John and I stayed at the Pavilion Beach Hotel in Grand Case. What a little gem this place is! It’s very small, only 13 rooms, with the intimate feel of a bed and breakfast. The room itself is rather basic, but had an outdoor, covered kitchen measuring about 12x12 feet square, adjoined by a landscaped private patio with 2 cushioned lounge chairs. Beyond the patio are simply the sand and the sea. Continental breakfast is included and all for only about $100 a night, thanks to the current favorable exchange rate. If I was looking for a place to stay an extended period of time and write a novel or just be a bum, I think Pavilion Beach would be the place. This little inn is quiet and comfortable, and at the same time felt both secluded and convenient to everything in Grand Case.<br><br>The following day it was time to move into our home for the next week, a villa on Baie Rouge called La Mission, which we were sharing with the Whalemas and others. Wow, what a property! For our party of seven (three couples and one single) the home had 4 bedrooms with en suite bathrooms; a spacious living room/dining room; fully equipped kitchen and all the extras to make a beach vacation comfortable: TV and stereo, private pool that went from zero depth to 8 feet, a spacious deck with plenty of lounge chairs, gazebo, beautifully landscaped grounds, housekeeper, caretaker and gated security. And it was all directly on the beach, with the surf crashing just yards from the edge of the deck. So how do I get rich enough to buy my own house like this??? The “win the Lotto” strategy just isn’t working!<br><br>If there’s a downside to staying in a villa, it’s that if “sand gravity” is a strong force, “villa gravity” is even worse. A couple of days, we didn’t even leave the villa till dinnertime. In fact, we only made it over to Orient once the whole week and even then not till late in the day. It felt strange to spend nine days on SXM without spending a good portion of them at Orient!<br><br>That’s not to say we never got off our duffs at all. During the course of the week, we visited the zoo, where I handed over a couple of boxes of toner and supplies for their office copier. These supplies had been generously donated by Arlington Sales, one of the vendors with which my employer works. Hats off to Arlington for their support of the zoo!<br><br>We also visited Loterie Farms, having much curiosity about the place after seeing a segment about it on a Travel Channel show. The primary activity here is hiking mountain trails up Pic Paradis. The proprietor, BJ Welch, took one look at us and advised us to try the easier-level hike. Let me tell you, it was anything but easy! The brochure had said to “be prepared for mild exercise.” I guess I’m even more out-of-shape than I thought! Still, it was worth every drop of sweat because the view from the top of the trail was gorgeous and at the end, I really felt like I had accomplished something.<br><br>After our mountain-climbing adventure, we went to The Old House, located between Orient and Orleans. This is an old home that dates back to the Napoleanic era. The owner, a direct descendant of the original family, is there to share a little slice of history about the area and about the evolution of rum. Several artifacts are on display as well.<br><br>Another day, we boarded the ferry out of Marigot for a day trip to Anguilla. This was as much about exploring another beach on another island as it was about giving myself a sense of closure after reading the Blanchard’s book “A Trip to the Beach”. Art met reality as we were waiting to board the ferry. John struck up a conversation with one of the other passengers, who happened to be an Anguillan taxi driver and arranged for him to be our driver. Turns out the driver was none other than Nell, one of the characters in the Blanchard’s book!<br><br>Once on Anguilla, I was struck by how completely different it is from SXM. In some ways, it seems almost desolate…flat and wind-blown with a few houses, a few businesses, a few hotels. It’s a great day trip, but seems a little too peaceful and quiet for a city lover like me. As much of a pain in the neck Marigot’s traffic and Philipsburg’s crowds can be, I truly appreciate that there is so much activity available on SXM.<br><br>Our Anguillan destination was Shoal Bay – perhaps one of the most beautiful and powder-soft beaches in the world, with wonderful close-to-shore snorkeling in a clear, calm bay. A snack bar called Elodia’s takes care of all your needs for food and drink. Down the beach is the famous Uncle Ernie’s, but Elodia’s had everything we needed, including some of the best cole slaw I’ve ever had, anywhere. We made arrangements with Nell to pick us up four hours later…and before we knew it, there he was, beeping the horn to take us back to the ferry. Nell had taken care of getting our return tickets and clearing us through the exit process so all we had to do was board the boat. He was a good indication of the gracious nature of the Anguillan people.<br> <br>Another highlight of the week was the TTOL / AOL get-together at Sunset Beach Bar. It was a chance to reacquaint ourselves with some old friends and meet several new faces, travelers and locals alike. Afterwards, some of us went over to Jack’s (MrSXM) place at Pelican to cook ribs and chicken and watch some good ol’ American TV.<br><br>Dinners – as always – are very enjoyable on SXM, and this trip we managed some return visits to old favorites, as well as trying some new places:<br><br>Sabastiano’s – good, but expensive for pasta. Managed to snag a seaside table when one of the couples moved because they said it was too cold by the window. (I thought the light breeze felt awfully good!) Pumpkin soup was the hit of my meal and gets me hungry just thinking about it.<br><br>Talk of the Town – good, homemade food at low, low prices (so maybe that’s why it’s called a lo-lo).<br><br>Thai Garden – my meal wasn’t as flavorful as the Thai food I’m accustomed to at home, but most everyone else in the party seemed to enjoy theirs. Appetizers were good, but in general I would say this restaurant can’t compete with the depth and quality of stateside Thai restaurants.<br><br>Restaurant du Soleil – one of our perennial favorites: classic French dishes with the twist of Caribbean spicing; excellent as always. Staff is very friendly and would make this place shine even if the cuisine didn’t.<br><br>La Main en la Pate – good Parisian-style pizza; thumbs up for an inexpensive meal in the Marigot Marina.<br><br>Kakao – Vietnamese and French menu: lots of interesting and flavorful choices at reasonable prices. Nice setting right on Orient Beach.<br><br>Sol E Luna – My favorite restaurant on the island; rather expensive, but the atmosphere makes it entirely worth it. We left the table groaning from the quantity of food…it’s so good we had to eat every bite!<br><br>Our dinner at Sol E Luna really was our farewell dinner because the next day it was time to leave SXM. But for John and myself, it was simply time to move on to another island: after our week in the villa, we spent two nights in San Juan.<br><br>I had always wanted a closer look at this city than just the view from the plane and I wasn’t disappointed. San Juan surprised me, pleasantly, in how clean it is, how friendly the people are and in how much there is to see and do.<br><br>Our whirlwind visit to San Juan served to just whet my appetite for more. Someday, we would like to return and visit Ponce, El Yunque and more of the dynamic city of San Juan. Perhaps someday I’ll be able to live out my dream of spending leisurely months on end in the Caribbean. But for now, it’s back to work, for I must get started on paying for the next trip!<br><br><br><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Administrator on 6/11/01 01:36 PM.</EM></FONT></P>