Reflections SXM 2016

So! It's done and we have another great trip all wrapped up and stored away in our book of happy memories, and what great memories they are. We enjoyed spending some serious one on one time with our soon to graduate granddaughter, and then some more time shared with one of our adult daughters and another granddaughter. Special moments, all and reflecting back on another wonderful trip makes me realize once again just how very well blessed I am.

We had a great flight down on AA and once again, another typical JB experience coming home. I won't go into a lot of details, but IMHO, they could mess up a one car funeral, but since AA doesn't offer a non-stop HOME in our timeframe, I guess we need to just suck it up and deal with JB. But they will be hearing from me soon! Not that they much care.......

We had great rooms at the Towers made even better by the resort staff and coupled with Jeannie's pre-stocking of groceries, and a very positive car rental experience with Best Deal, even if not the normal airport service we typically are accustomed to. Our dining experiences were all excellent and we explored a few new places this trip and said our good-byes to some old friends we've known for thirty years.

We didn't shop - I tried but just didn't see anything that excited me. In the end I think we declared $300.00 on our customs form but only because I thought they might put us through the ringers if we declared no purchases over a three week trip.

I think the highlights of our SXM time, beyond having family spend time with us, would probably be our day of sailing to Anguilla and our day at Anse Marcel along with the beach time, cocktail hours and dinners we were able to share with long-time island friends. You guys are all the best and we enjoyed every moment of our time with each of you.

And surprisingly, as much as I love Mullet Beach, our new go-to beach for this trip became ElZafiro on Simpson Bay Beach, and nicknamed EZ Beach by us since so many people pronounce it differently.......we had breakfast there several times and lunch and drinks, too. We met Nicole whom I believe is one of the owners, along with her beautiful little eight month old daughter, Bella. What a cutie pie she is......

The weather was drop dead perfect our first week and all things in consideration the second week and a half weren't too bad either. The traffic seemed lighter this year in the timeframes we were on the roads and we missed the Sargasso seaweed and the Sahara sands that prevailed over our entire trip last April. We saw Saba - briefly and occasionally - but we did at least see her and know she's still out there somewhere even though she spent most of our trip shrouded in clouds and heavy skies.

The golf course was a mess when we arrived and not much better when we left and still the players came. The SXM Open was played the first weekend we were there and there seemed to be a good number of participants. You might ask, "Why?" and I can only say, "I haven't got a clue!"

Some things in SXM don't seem to change at all and if they do, they just seem to get worse. The suicycles prevail everywhere roaring up on you and passing with death defying accuracy, often scaring the daylight out of the unsuspecting driver. The section of road through Maho Village was freshly paved right after we arrived. Two days later they ripped up huge sections of the brand new pavement to install speedbump/crosswalk combos. I guess there was some logic to this approach, but again I ask, "why?" And the garbage!! OMG!! It was everywhere along the beach at Mullet and some of it was actually in the new trash cans provided by St. Maarten Pride, that were all sitting unemptied and over-flowing. If I understand the situation as it was explained to me, new government contracts were awarded for garbage collection but the companies that got the contracts don't have garbage trucks. Really? Can that honestly be right? And then there's the dump!! OMG! The dump. It was on fire last April and this year was an instant replay. For those who haven't experienced it firsthand, it's absolutely disgusting. I'll never understand why fixing this isn't the A number one priority for those in office and God bless the people of the island who have to continually cope with this health issue, not to mention the stench of it all.

But the bottom line for me is St. Maarten-St. Martin won my heart many, many years ago, and with all her warts and wrinkles - we've all developed a few over the years, haven't we? - I love her still. And as one trip ends, I eagerly await the time I can start planning for the next one to begin. There are some things that never change. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

I have enjoyed all of your reports and at times felt like I was there. You are quite the writer and have a great sense of humor. Thank you for your daily reports. I know that you are experiencing sand gravity now but just knowing you can go again to our beloved island keeps one anticipating the next trip. We go in October each year for two weeks so we're now on the downhill slide.

Thanks for your efforts and updates. Very enjoyable.

Sorry about your JB problems on the return. Never flown them but sooner or later, every airline will disappoint.

The garbage has been an ongoing problem for a month or so.

I'll echo the sentiments of many others--thank you for the trip reports/daily updates. I thoroughly enjoy reading them and it's almost like being on vacation with you. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for taking us all along! It helps to make all of our waits seem a little shorter!

Thanks Pat. Enjoyed your trip.

Pat, thank you for your daily reports. Like everyone else, I appreciate them, and they help to bridge the time until our next visit. And speaking of that next visit, although we usually only manage to see each other once or twice during our November/December visit, know that I'll miss that this year and in the future.

thanks again for your reports. There are lots of people living in shacks beside the dump-there is one politician who is trying to get them out but that probably won't happen anytime soon.

Thanks pat. It was fun being on vacation "with" you.

Pat...enjoyed all of your reports & adventures.....I only pass thru SXM now & maybe trip over for a day....Anse Marcel used to be our favorite beach.....thanks kate <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/canada.gif" alt="" />

Pat - thanks again for taking us along on your vacation. I am a "super-fan" of your writing and am still waiting for your first book. LOL

We too had a few "speed bumps" and wrinkles" this past April on St. Maarten but like you and DH...it's our favorite island warts and all and we love it.

Looking forward to enjoying a cocktail (or two) one day!

Pat, I enjoyed your reports, as always! Thanks for the effort you put in to them - informative and objective all around.

Thanks so much for all your reports. You write very well and it's a pleasure to read them. I especially enjoyed reading them even though we were "on island" for some of the same time you were!
Thanks again.

Thank you for all your daily reports; your "reflections" summary was also very enjoyable to read. It's nice to know there's another Anse Marcel fan even though you don't get to it frequently. Your reports help all of us with our waits.

Everyone else has said it all so thank you.

I love your reports too!! We do have to fly on JetBlue, so I am very interested in knowing what happened that didn't go right It might help us to do something different. Thanks so much for the reports.

Thank you all for your very positive comments and feedback and thanks for coming along with us on this trip. Same time next year, if the good Lord's willing....... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

And for those of you who have come this far with us, I hope you take the time to read my recent post in the People Talk section.

Pat....You were once an owner at Caravanserai, correct? Did you get over to Alegria? Hear it's a "ghost town".

Panman,

We were never involved with Caravanserai in any of it's different states, or under any of its different names and owners beyond remembering what a classy place it once was back in the 70's when it was often represented as the little sister resort of the original Mullet Bay Resort.

We did wander by there a couple of times while we were on the island but only to head into the Dunes but it really looked sad - few cars near the residence buildings and few interior lights to be seen either, though this may have been due to the time of evening we were there. It didn't appear they were doing a landslide business. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Pat,
Sorry. I thought you had ownership at Caravanserai/Alegria.
It's (Alegria) a sad state of affairs. Enjoy your chronicling your SXM trips. Take care!

No problem, Panman. I wish I could offer some real info but we really only parked in the lot to visit the casino. Didn't see or talk to anyone about Alegria at all but for sure, we didn't see much activity there. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

We were at the Dream Pool Bar to visit Marty and the whole resort is a ghost town! Nobody really staying there and seemingly nothing being done throughout the resort. Reception was still open and a security guard at the door but not much else. I really feel bad for Marty who had a good business going there and now nothing at all. Maybe some day things will change there but I don't see anything happening in the near future.