What a great trip! We spent three sunny, relaxing, and civilized weeks on the island. June is a great time to go: nearly all the restaurants are open, but because the island is less crowded, you don’t need reservations for anything, and it is easier to drive around.<br><br>Some basics:<br>US Airways non-stop from Philadelphia. Our flights there and back left and arrived within 30 minutes or so of their published times. (Nowadays I see this as being within “experimental error” and am reasonably content. In general, we’ve had pretty good luck with US Airways, and that non-stop is hard to beat.)<br><br>We reserved a car through Mr. SXM from Hertz (he advertises on this board —
http://www.sxmcars.com/). It turned out to be a good deal. We paid $162 per week. Picking it up was a snap. We got a Hyundai Excel with ca. 19,500 KM on it. Returning it was also fast and easy.<br><br>We stayed at Club Orient. Wonderful, as always. The journey over the dirt road leading from the resort, however, was as bone-rattling as ever. And the road it comes out to (Rue du Coconut Grove), though paved, is riddled with some of the deepest potholes in the Western hemisphere. (Suggestion: perhaps it would address the problem if, over the next year or so, each of us who comes to stay at Club O were to bring an extra suitcase filled with asphalt and dump it out into one of the potholes. It’s just an idea....)<br><br>Some comments:<br>It was great meeting some other TTOLers! We had our flag out each day. We attended a small gathering on June 2 at Papagayos organized by Steve and Barb. Towards the end of our stay we finally got to meet the legendary Carol and Eric Hill, and on June 19th we were at Bananas at a larger gathering that they hosted.<br><br>Like so many others on this board, we gluttonized. Our best experiences this time were at Rainbow (Grand Case), Alabama (Grand Case), Sol è Luna (Cul de Sac-Mount Vernon), Chanticleer (Marigot Marina), Tropicana (Marigot Marina), and La Vie en Rose (Marigot Harbor). We also had a couple of breakfasts at Zee Best in Marigot. (Peg highly recommends the apricot crepes.)<br><br>Rainbow has built a second floor deck. When you come, they invite you to have drinks up there before dinner. Do it! It has a great view of Grand Case. Apparently, that space can be rented out for parties, too. The meal was first rate (especially the duck!).<br><br>Sol è Luna was a real gem. We had a wonderful meal in what is one of the most romantic settings on the island. It is not too hard to find. Take the road in the French Cul de Sac that heads towards the Pinel ferry. Not too far down the road, you turn right onto Mount Vernon Road. The restaurant is on the left, just past Le Taitu (a creole restaurant that is not bad, by the way).<br><br>We can also add a plug for the Tiko Tiko, as so many others have done. The cruise to Tintemarre was great! And, yes, do the mud bath! It’s lots of fun. (Honest!)<br><br>And, finally, we were impressed, as we always are, by the friendliness of folks we meet on Orient Beach. This was our fifth stay at Club Orient, and, of course, we’ll be back!<br><br>[color:blue]
Lou and Peg</font color=blue><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Administrator on 7/6/01 01:26 PM.</EM></FONT></P>
