Posted By: pat
Sat. Dec. 5, 2020 - 12/06/2020 12:46 AM
The sun is shining through our windows - it makes you want to arise and greet the world and give thanks for your blessings, this trip being but one of so many.
Before you read any further, let me forewarn you, I’m feeling particularly long-winded today so I’m thinking this will be a lot of words used to probably say not too much of anything worth reading so feel free to skip today’s installment if you’re of a mind to and I promise, I won’t be offended.
Long ago I realized there are ‘planners’ and ‘wingers’ in this world, and I’ve always been a planner. This trip has shown me why. Usually I have lists of must-do, would like to-do, should-do and probably will never-do things but by prioritizing I usually manage to get through most of my lists. This trip? No lists and I’m having a hard time getting out of my own way and it’s okay. Really! We’ve been ‘winging it’ each day and still managing to have a great trip in every way. Just waking up here is the beginning of a great day and it keeps on getting better with every hour that passes.
So I don’t know where they’ve gone but Statia, St. Kitts and Nevis have completely faded out of sight this morning leaving the image of only Saba out there and it’s fading fast, too. Not a cruise ship to be seen but that beautiful yacht is still laying at anchor in our line of sight. I spoke too soon as I’m now seeing a cruise ship in the distance and a few sailboats, as well, but that makes sense since, if they’re doing trips, this would be about the time for them to prepare for their day. And the near islands have been fading in and out all day. Saba? She be back, too......
Funny skies and a funny morning. Did I mention that runaway party boat is still wedged into the cliffs at Beacon Hill? I wonder what the story is and while I know at least one attempt was made to move it, it’s still there. Hard to tell from here but it looks as though it may have been secured there for everyone’s safety but not totally sure about that. Can’t be the best view for the people in that area.
And now the bay is filled with sailboats. I can’t tell if they’re privately owned or part of the sailing school but thinking private since I think the sailing school stays mostly in the lagoon. They look so nice out there.
So we took a ride into P’berg - yes, we finally got off our butts and went somewhere other than our beach and our pool.
I have to say, with no disrespect intended to St.Maarten or her people, seeing the once vibrant town the way it is now was very sad to me. So many shops closed and the ones that are open are basically deadly quiet. If it weren’t for the Christmas season and the shoppers buying their gifts there would be virtually no shoppers at all and this on a Saturday in town when in the past we used to see mostly locals in town.
There were at least four cruise ships berthed there and the passengers were sorely missed by the townspeople. We spoke to a few shop keepers and they truly are happy to have guests returning but told us of reduced hours and reduced salaries and how they are trying to survive, many telling us the Covid situation has hurt them more than Irma did. At least with Irma they could create their plan for recovery but with Covid they have to hope and pray the vaccine comes on line fast. And works.
But more about P’Berg for those who choose to venture there for whatever your reasons. We wanted to visit our friends at Caribbean Gems whom we have done business with since they first opened their doors in 1983. They are operating on a somewhat more limited basis - open but with shorter hours and alternating the different stores to open but they are doing a great deal of digital sales and are still happy to accommodate their clientele, both faithful clients such as us and new ones as well. And basically, it’s the same with Zhaveri (sp?), who was closed and shuttered as we drove by.
After visiting with the CG folks we proceeded on to the French Touch on Old Street and had lunch there. The food, btw, is excellent and they’re open for breakfast and lunch most days. Jean Pierre is well and happy with the fact of his survival on Old Street and thankful for the support of other merchants as well as theIslanders shopping in town and the occasional tourist. He looks good and we caught up on the status of not only his kids but his grandkids, too. We got to compare notes on grand-parenting and he shared photos of his beautiful grand babies who had all recently been able to visit him on island. He also told us Antoine’s by the Sea is no more. We truly weren’t surprised as we didn’t feel the new owners were going to be able to carry on the 30 to 40 years of excellence Antoine’s was previously known for before it changed hands. So sad to see another place we loved become but a memory. But time marches on.....
We had hoped to take pictures of the cruise ships tied up but time just got away from us. Traffic was very light all the way in and out of town but there was still no ‘legal’ parking to be found on Front Street though this matter if legal or not doesn’t seem to deter too many islanders. And it was so much easier to get around town with the reduced traffic.
We had a nice day all things in consideration and I’m glad we went to see our long time friends and business acquaintances but I’m thinking it will most likely be our only trip into P’berg this trip. We also considered a trip into Marigot but thinking maybe not after all the traffic snafus we hit there the other day and I am really NOT much of a shopper. I can’t tell you how many things I’ve purchased here over the years that at the time I just had to have but gotten home with the same things and asked myself, ‘what was I thinking about when I bought this?’
So it feels like all we’ve done this trip is eat. Today we had breakfast in of coffee and. Lunch was penne with shrimp in a red sauce at The French Touch and come dinner neither one of us wanted a true meal so we grabbed a pizza at Fat Tony’s. So very good and guess what will be for lunch tomorrow. God knew what he was doing when he allowed for left-overs.
Bonne nuit, mes amis.
Before you read any further, let me forewarn you, I’m feeling particularly long-winded today so I’m thinking this will be a lot of words used to probably say not too much of anything worth reading so feel free to skip today’s installment if you’re of a mind to and I promise, I won’t be offended.
Long ago I realized there are ‘planners’ and ‘wingers’ in this world, and I’ve always been a planner. This trip has shown me why. Usually I have lists of must-do, would like to-do, should-do and probably will never-do things but by prioritizing I usually manage to get through most of my lists. This trip? No lists and I’m having a hard time getting out of my own way and it’s okay. Really! We’ve been ‘winging it’ each day and still managing to have a great trip in every way. Just waking up here is the beginning of a great day and it keeps on getting better with every hour that passes.
So I don’t know where they’ve gone but Statia, St. Kitts and Nevis have completely faded out of sight this morning leaving the image of only Saba out there and it’s fading fast, too. Not a cruise ship to be seen but that beautiful yacht is still laying at anchor in our line of sight. I spoke too soon as I’m now seeing a cruise ship in the distance and a few sailboats, as well, but that makes sense since, if they’re doing trips, this would be about the time for them to prepare for their day. And the near islands have been fading in and out all day. Saba? She be back, too......
Funny skies and a funny morning. Did I mention that runaway party boat is still wedged into the cliffs at Beacon Hill? I wonder what the story is and while I know at least one attempt was made to move it, it’s still there. Hard to tell from here but it looks as though it may have been secured there for everyone’s safety but not totally sure about that. Can’t be the best view for the people in that area.
And now the bay is filled with sailboats. I can’t tell if they’re privately owned or part of the sailing school but thinking private since I think the sailing school stays mostly in the lagoon. They look so nice out there.
So we took a ride into P’berg - yes, we finally got off our butts and went somewhere other than our beach and our pool.
I have to say, with no disrespect intended to St.Maarten or her people, seeing the once vibrant town the way it is now was very sad to me. So many shops closed and the ones that are open are basically deadly quiet. If it weren’t for the Christmas season and the shoppers buying their gifts there would be virtually no shoppers at all and this on a Saturday in town when in the past we used to see mostly locals in town.
There were at least four cruise ships berthed there and the passengers were sorely missed by the townspeople. We spoke to a few shop keepers and they truly are happy to have guests returning but told us of reduced hours and reduced salaries and how they are trying to survive, many telling us the Covid situation has hurt them more than Irma did. At least with Irma they could create their plan for recovery but with Covid they have to hope and pray the vaccine comes on line fast. And works.
But more about P’Berg for those who choose to venture there for whatever your reasons. We wanted to visit our friends at Caribbean Gems whom we have done business with since they first opened their doors in 1983. They are operating on a somewhat more limited basis - open but with shorter hours and alternating the different stores to open but they are doing a great deal of digital sales and are still happy to accommodate their clientele, both faithful clients such as us and new ones as well. And basically, it’s the same with Zhaveri (sp?), who was closed and shuttered as we drove by.
After visiting with the CG folks we proceeded on to the French Touch on Old Street and had lunch there. The food, btw, is excellent and they’re open for breakfast and lunch most days. Jean Pierre is well and happy with the fact of his survival on Old Street and thankful for the support of other merchants as well as theIslanders shopping in town and the occasional tourist. He looks good and we caught up on the status of not only his kids but his grandkids, too. We got to compare notes on grand-parenting and he shared photos of his beautiful grand babies who had all recently been able to visit him on island. He also told us Antoine’s by the Sea is no more. We truly weren’t surprised as we didn’t feel the new owners were going to be able to carry on the 30 to 40 years of excellence Antoine’s was previously known for before it changed hands. So sad to see another place we loved become but a memory. But time marches on.....
We had hoped to take pictures of the cruise ships tied up but time just got away from us. Traffic was very light all the way in and out of town but there was still no ‘legal’ parking to be found on Front Street though this matter if legal or not doesn’t seem to deter too many islanders. And it was so much easier to get around town with the reduced traffic.
We had a nice day all things in consideration and I’m glad we went to see our long time friends and business acquaintances but I’m thinking it will most likely be our only trip into P’berg this trip. We also considered a trip into Marigot but thinking maybe not after all the traffic snafus we hit there the other day and I am really NOT much of a shopper. I can’t tell you how many things I’ve purchased here over the years that at the time I just had to have but gotten home with the same things and asked myself, ‘what was I thinking about when I bought this?’
So it feels like all we’ve done this trip is eat. Today we had breakfast in of coffee and. Lunch was penne with shrimp in a red sauce at The French Touch and come dinner neither one of us wanted a true meal so we grabbed a pizza at Fat Tony’s. So very good and guess what will be for lunch tomorrow. God knew what he was doing when he allowed for left-overs.
Bonne nuit, mes amis.
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