Traveled AA through SUJ to SXM arriving 6:30 pm ish. Stopped at Sharon's for a phone, and on to the Bel Air. Even at 7:00 the traffic was horrible through Simpson bay. I can't imagine what it will be like when the high season officially arrives and all of the car rental places have their units on the roads.
The wind was as bad as I ever remember. I'm sure some of the folks at Orient got some of their permanent makeup sandblasted away!
Baked on the beach at Little Bay. Ran to Grand Marche for provisions on Sunday (they close at like 2 or 3). More sun. Dinner with my friend Brad at Skipjacks, always very good. Stopped over at the BBB to see Gabe, a friend for many years. The place was bought by some folks from "up north"; no credit cards, but the Heineken was the same as always.
Next day got a call from friends that an ice storm back home put 600k plus out of power, and as my home had power, it would be occupied in my absence
. I, meanwhile, baked in the sun, drank 14 Heineken, and had a fine dinner at Toppers.
More beach, another call to inform that my 35ft. Bradford pear tree was now in three pieces, and in the street and against the side of the house. I responded by drinking 16 Heineken, and baking in the sun. Dinner at the Greenhouse. Lobster, good but pricey.
The phone had run out of minutes, but I still had Heineken, so I drank and baked in the sun. Oh, and smoked my regular ration of multiple Monticristo #2 torpedos (while sunning each day). Dinner at a new place by the airport, JD's (or maybe JP's ?) Steakhouse. It was very well appointed, and open only a few weeks. An nice couple (who stated they lived on the island) were also dining that night. I had the Kobe beef (a LARGE cut) made perfectly to order. The server/manager (French) was very good (in a French sort of way), and I was very satisfied. I hope some other folks will give them a try. I myself having had some small experience with successful restaurants understand that it will be tough for them to make a go of it.
Guess what was next. Dutch coffee, sun and cigars. Had dinner with my good friend Al Phillips (a local business owner) at Chesterfields. Their coconut shrimp are wonderful!
My flight out left at 07:00 (ugh). No traffic! Discovered that AA had rearranged my flights so that I now had an 8 hour layover in SJU, followed by a 2hr. in Chicago, before getting home at midnight (was originally to be home at 5:00 cst). I don't check luggage, so I was the first through customs/immigration and on the the AA service desk. The nice ladies there put me on standby for a flight to DFW , but told me it was way too full, and there was no way I was going to get on.
Took my standby boarding pass to the gate to let the agent know that I was there, and noticed that I was standing behind a uniformed Southwest airline pilot. Thinking this was a bit odd (as I don't think that SWA quite flies that far south) I started up a conversation. Turned out that he was going home from a short visit to family, and that home was my home too! Informing him of my sad tale, he said "Hang, on" and asked for the pilot of the DFW bound plane. After about 30 minutes of going over paperwork, weight sheets etc., the AA pilot was nice enough to half-weight some of the children on the flight, thereby getting me on! So, instead of sitting for hours, I actually got home a bit earlier than expected.
So, today I cut and stacked a 35ft tree, and had neither sun nor Heineken.
General observations: Traffic will be bad forever. More and more resorts are being built, and the days of traveling from beach to beach are numbered. The Barbaron is an atrocity. The boardwalk is nice. I saw more police on the Dutch side than I have ever seen before. Wear your seat belt all of the time. One night they had the traffic going up Cay hill detoured into the little Star of David shack, and were towing off offenders, so be aware.
If I think of anything else, I'll post.
/john
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