Quick SXM Trip Report
May 19 - 23, 2008
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good

We spent two weeks sailing the BVI’s / USVI’s and SVI’s from May 6 through May 18 and had a wonderful time. Being this close to SXM, we hopped a Winair flight from Tortola over to SXM on May 19. FYI, made our Winair reservations on the Winair Internet website a couple of months ago. No problems save for the fact that Winair changed our flight times but at least sent us an e-mail notifying us of the change. We were really surprised when the Winair flight arrived in Tortola and NO ONE got off the arriving flight from SXM. There were only six people (including us) booked on the flight from Tortola over to SXM. I was surprised that Winair didn’t cancel that flight, being that there were so few paying passengers but they didn’t, so hats off to them for that. Had a smooth flight and arrived at PJA right on time per the revised schedule. Watching the landing approach directly through the pilots windshield was exciting (since the DH aircraft has no door separating the cockpit from the passenger compartment). We hustled onto the bus and into the terminal just before a big Air France flight landed and regurgitated it’s 200 plus passengers. Customs went smoothly and we were out the door in record time. Marius from St Louis Rental Car was there to meet us and, after exchanging greetings and renewing our friendships, we were into our little rental car (which was in excellent shape and just the right size for us) and off to L’Hoste at Orient Beach. As usual, we drove through Marigot and there was no traffic to speak of - just breezed through Marigot and Grand Case and arrived at L’Hoste where Kelly was there to greet us with her ever-present smile and warm welcome. We got checked into our room, which, as always, was perfect - clean, cool, with a king bed and a nice balcony view. L’Hoste has cleared away some of the foliage around the buildings and it’s a much more “open” feeling now. We could just catch a small view of the ocean from our 2nd floor balcony which we’ve never been able to see before. We got unpacked, grabbed a quick shower, ran down to LaPlaya for our complimentary arrival drinks and then waited for Matt and Joyce (indi) to pick us up to go to the TTOL party over at Oyster Pond that SXMNorm had put together for that afternoon.

It was good to see Matt and Joyce again after about three years of missing them on SXM. Arrived at the Dinghy Dock and finally got to meet SXMnorm and his lovely wife Betty after many years. Also there were Ken & Debbie, Dan and Christy, Mike and Linda and Konrad, Steve and their wives whose names slip my memory along with a few others - I’d estimate maybe 20 people in all - a nice little crowd. It was a very nice little informal TTOL party and everybody seemed to enjoy themselves. I’m sure that Norm will post some pictures on his report.

For the next three days, we just “chilled” down at Club O - the weather was PERFECT! Lunch each day was at Baywatch with Andy, Cheryl, Andrian, Ross, Jonathan and others. The food was excellent as usual with Andy preparing his famous Lasagna onWednesday.

Bumped into some “old friends”, Dave & Delores again for the third time and got to meet, for the first time, “Moderator Bob” from California.

Nothing special to report on our dining experiences, in fact, didn’t even go to Grand Case for dinner. The exchange rate is awful, as everybody knows - checked out a couple of the restaurants in Orient Village but we balked at the pricing. Suffice it to say that we ate pizza at Safari a couple of nights. See where Safari is giving 1 for 1 for breakfast and lunch but NOT for dinner. Did see where Spicy (one of our favorites in Grand Case) was giving 1.25 to 1 for cash but we didn’t go. I would be remiss if I did not again mention LaFregate at Oyster Pond where we DID dine, on our last night there. Martienne, the hostess and owner is such a delightful person and welcomed us again to her establishment with open arms on that Thursday night. The food was outstanding! Joan had the veal scallopini which was tender and perfectly cooked along with a side of pasta. I opted for the grilled duck breast which arrived in a beautiful presentation accompanied with scalloped potatoes, a wonderful puff pastry filled with mushrooms, broccoli, a slice of only what I can describe as squash pie and another small side of veggies - all of which were wonderful. The duck was tender and prepared perfectly. Joan and I shared a split of a very nice Bordeaux which was excellent also. All for the exorbitant sum of $49 euros - a GREAT bargain. My dish rivaled ANY of the dishes I’ve enjoyed over the years at ANY of the Grand Case restaurants at perhaps half the price. For those of you who haven’t tried La Fregate in Oyster Pond, both Joan and I highly recommend it - you won’t be disappointed, I’ll assure you.

We flew out of SXM on Friday, back to Tortola on Winair which was right on time. Cleared customs in Tortola and then caught our return flight to San Juan where we opted to spend the night and catch an early flight the next morning back home through Miami.

Ever try to find the Best Wester Hotel entrance after you’ve cleared customs in the San Juan airport? For us, this first time was a challenge, to say the least. While wondering around, we didn’t see ONE airport employee who didn’t have a cell phone glued to their ear chatting with their buddies, all too busy to answer our question. Finally we found the entrance and got checked in smoothly. Our room was clean, cool, comfortable and the bathroom was spotless. Don’t know where these bad reports about the San Juan airport hotel come from but, for our two cents, our room was just FINE - no complaints. Yes, the room was $198 / night and yes there are some cheaper ones available a few miles from the airport but then you’ve got a taxi ride to and from any hotel NOT in the airport complex. And, with a 6:30 AM flight departure the next morning, we were able to get in a few more minutes of sleep before rolling out for our trip back home. The next morning was challenging to say the least. We were up at 4 AM in time to shower, grab a cup of coffee and get down to the AA counter and get checked in without being rushed (we thought). OK, get to the AA counter (just a few people there) and use the kiosk to do “self check in” - no problem. The agent then called for our two bags and we go up the counter and give him our bags, but he then tells us that our bags have NOT been “agriculturally” checked and he can’t check them until we have them “agriculturally” checked by the USDA. Well, as he tells us, this entails leaving the terminal and going OUTSIDE where it appears that the good people of San Juan have awakened and the line to get “agriculturally” checked stretches halfway to Tortola. OK, in line for another 20 minutes and finally get our bags “approved”. Then back into the terminal where half of San Juan is now at the AA counter trying to get checked in. We finally get our bags checked and head for the assigned concourse and gate # 5 per the ticket agent. When we get to the proper concourse, someone approaches us and tells us that the security checkpoint for that concourse is closed and we’ll have to use the checkpoint for the concourse for gates 7 through 20 something. OK, jump in the line approaching the other security checkpoint and glance at the BIG digital clock on the wall in front of us and it says 6:12 AM - 18 minutes before our flight leaves - PANIC CITY!!! Guess I screwed up and didn’t reset my watch from Tortola to San Juan. I really thought that San Juan didn’t observe daylight savings time (same as the rest of the islands - which I found out they don’t of course as I had always thought) but the “official clock” says 6:12 AM. Now the line has slowed to a crawl. Most of the people obviously have never flown before and are having to go through the metal detector numerous times before they are cleared to move on. FINALLY we get through the checkpoint. Now how in the heck do we get from that concourse back to our concourse for gate 5? Joni finds someone without a cell phone stuck in their ear and they point out the direction. RUN - RUN FAST!!! Down the concourse toward gate 5. Arrive at gate 5 - no one is there and the aircraft is still sitting on the tarmac with the loading gate still attached but no one is at the desk. A kind soul from the adjacent gate waiting area comes over and tells us that the Miami flight has been changed from gate 5 to gate 16. Turn around - RUN FAST AGAIN, back over the same territory that we just broke the 4 minute mile mark, back to the OTHER concourse - we could both use some oxygen right now. RUN FASTER. We finally get to gate 16 and where are still people sitting around and the video screen still says “departing at 6:30 AM - it is now 6:45 AM by the “official clock” back at the security checkpoint. We get some strange looks from everyone sitting there as we stand there gasping for breath. A kindly AA flight attendant sitting there asks us “why we have been running” to catch a flight that doesn’t leave for another 45 minutes :>). I ask her the correct time and she tells us it’s 5:45 AM, just what our watches indicate. OK, end of San Juan story here, but be forewarned about the “agricultural checkpoint” outside of the airport and their damn “official clock” which is a full hour fast.

The Bad and The Ugly

While walking from L’hoste to O.B. for our usual morning walk on Friday morning, May 23, we spotted two of our friends, whom we had met at L’hoste and had hung out with over the last three days, coming back from the beach. They were visibly upset. They had been mugged and robbed at The Pirate, next to Baywatch while taking refuge during their morning walk from a rainstorm. Seems some guy came up to them while they were standing at The Pirate and hit both of them and stole their camera, room key and some other items before running off. And it was DAYLIGHT!! And other people were walking on the beach at the same time. Of course they made a police report but you all know how much good that is going to do. Hey folks, when the SXM crime gets to the point where we now can’t enjoy our early morning walks on O.B. for fear of getting mugged, it’s getting really SCARY!! Please, someone explain to me why the Gendarmes can find the time and effort to set up regular DUI checkpoints to hassle the tourists but can’t (or won’t) try to do something to curb the ever increasing violent crime wave that SXM is now experiencing. So be warned about your early morning walks on O.B. from now on.

Second, some of our good friends, who had sailed over from the BVI’s to SXM, had their sailboat dinghy and motor stolen from them at the Grand Case beach dock on the previous Tuesday. Again, a police report was filed but don’t hold your breath on this one either. You should hear the description of the trials and tribulations our friends had to go through to finally get a police report filed - it’s almost comical (if it wouldn’t be so awful).

Here are just two more incidents to add to the ever increasing crime statistics on SXM. And, since we personally KNOW both of these parties, it really hits close to home.

Hate to end this report on such a bad note but I felt that everyone should be aware of these incidents.

Please don’t get the impression that we had a BAD trip - we didn’t. We had fun and enjoyed ourselves but we’re really having to reevaluate our plans about continuing future trips to St Martin given the crime wave the island is now experiencing. And make no mistake about it, it IS a crime WAVE.

Take care all and enjoy your future trips,

Jerry & Joan <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" />