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Caribbean Travel RoundupNewsletter - Paul Graveline, Editor |
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(Ed. Note: the second part of this feature will appear in next month's CTR)
Trip 9/97 Mid-morning we sailed from Rodney Bay into the St. Lucia Channel for La Baie de Fort-de-France, Martinique's main harbor thirty-five miles to the north. The Channel is sometimes turbulent but today conditions were beatific, perhaps the crew's spiritual reward for tolerating the skipper's eccentricities. We enjoyed a cloudless blue canopy as the boat cut through benign sea swells and piled up white water on either side of the bow, "sailing with a bone in her teeth" is the expression. Every sailors' darling was with us today - - tropical NE tradewinds abeam for a perfect reach. We'd had some great performances when wind, sea, skies and boat were choreographed this way but today was the best for this final channel sail of the trip. It wasn't long after lunch as we were closing rapidly on Rocher du Diamant that some porpoises hailed us to watch their matinee aerobics show. They're shameless exhibitionists but the admission price was right so we reefed to watch them, though without disclosing our true intent to simply prolong a trip nobody wanted to end. Even under greatly reduced sail we anchored several hours before vespers at Anse Mitan across the harbor from the capital. Vespers? Certainly. When vacationers arrive intact after a Windwards' sea channel sail it warrants setting aside reflective time for an astonished thanksgiving. Overall, we spent 33 days in the Windwards on this trip. I write about the 11 days, spread over two separate visits, that we spent on the waters and land of Martinique. The sail from St. Lucia had been our return to Martinique. Arrival had been nearly a month earlier when first crew and I had flown in from Philadelphia. Our charter contract required that we be on the island a day early to insure availability for a morning departure briefing. Some charterers complain about this, arguing it inflates the price by front-end loading a dubiously needed overnight lodging. Not us. We reasoned as seafarers not budgeteers: what more fitting prelude to hardships at sea is there than an indulgence at some nice hotel? Les Amandiers Hotel located in the west coast seaside district of Ste Luce was our pick based on our company's recommendation. We had done our homework lessons. Our party was prepared to recite that Martinique is a French "overseas department", more recently a "region", and we knew this carried with it the considerable benefits of a statehood-type affiliation with France. But dry politics did not prepare us for Martinique's unique luster among the jewels of the Caribbean. Just looking about there can be no mistaking that something - - presumably lineage - - has made it a well groomed, prosperous, and civilized looking place with a body builder's infrastructure unique in the Lesser Antilles. For the prospective vacationer, this state of affairs might reasonably be seen either as good or bad news. On the plus side, the island has a full range of well-funded public institutions and services, museums, libraries, a U.S. style road system , and a school system accounting for a high literacy rate. There are substantial residential and commercial buildings everywhere and it has the largest deep water port in the Caribbean. But on the other side, development has brought some urban negatives like rush hour traffic jams and glimmers of big city smog caused by a few smokestacks and over 150,000 motor vehicles servicing 400,000 inhabitants. Aren't some of these factors contraindicative of idyllic vacations? In my opinion, the opinion of an 11 day wonder, the answer is this - - development here complements the vacation experience not detracts from it. Urbanization and the byproducts of heavy development grip only Fort de France and its immediate environs, it's sort of like a trade zone. Even there, conditions are much like other major Caribbean seaports though magnified by Fort de France being the largest city in the Lesser Antilles. Elsewhere, development is low impact and much of the tourism is concentrated around smaller towns to the south having at worst a little touch of suburbia but for most part more of a rural quality. Yearn for the old Caribbean? That's here in places far distant from the hub. Besides, don't forget the chic that's part of the fabric here - - the cachet of always having the latest from Paris - - is dependent upon this trade zone. Like everywhere else in the Caribbean it would be a distortion to idealize the island's history into a happy face of colonial beneficence - - slavery was as ugly here as anywhere else. Presumably, the scars are just as deep and the recovery just as painful, palliated perhaps by the racial majority here appearing considerably more prosperous than on many other islands. This island seems to be more successful than most places in the Caribbean, and for that matter in the world, in blending African and former colonial ways. The political structure is probably the key but there's also something else. Here, local zestiness cavorts with the high style of Franco- culture to produce a uniquely sensual and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Examples abound in the lifestyle but the most tonal is the music originating here - - the sexy but sophisticated beguine and its successor the Zouk. The road system glides the visitor to picturesque inland and coastal villages, neatly cultivated farmland and awesome, hikeable mountains in the north. Towns dot the leeward and windward sides as both coasts are fully accessible by car, a luxury not present in many of the Antilles. I mention in particular the farms of Martinique because I enjoyed seeing them so much. I'm not speaking of the mega banana and pineapple plantations nor even the remaining rum producing sugarcane plantations located in the plains and to the north. I refer to the smaller farms mid- island and to the south . Their vitality contrasts with the sadly undercapitalized agricultural efforts prevalent elsewhere in the islands. France subsidizes and pampers this place - big time. Several sources called to our attention that the French are rotten hosts, rude and unfriendly to Americans, "snoots" they are called. Speaking of Martiniquais in particular, an island hiking guidebook walks right up to the plate: "This is a culture where rudeness is considered an art form". Based on little more than a week, I am reluctant to buck such fervent and universally held viewpoints, though I wonder when and how long the commentators were here. I guess our own experience must have been attributable to our being here during off season for snootiness. Whatever the reason, we saw no such thing. Based on the forecasts, we had expected to be assaulted with Gallic insults and snubs particularly condescension at our inability to converse in the divine tongue. Instead, we found no "snoots" for nastiness, only "toots" for tourism. We were treated just as one would expect in a country where tourism is the leading local industry - - very well indeed. The people we ran across, hotel staff, waiters, cabbies, customs officials, shop employees and just people on the street were universally friendly and helpful. We experienced no episode corroborative of these negative opinions. Our own positive experiences certainly weren't due to our mastery of French culture nor language. One of the crew retained some college proficiency but the rest of us muddled through with phrasebooks, gestures, and memories of Maurice Chevalier movies. Perhaps, though, I ought mention that our first crew included two very attractive teenage nieces of our first mate - - this engendered a distinctly pro- American attitude among the young Frenchmen we encountered. Maybe this reputation helps explain why travel czars shelter Americans by making it slightly inconvenient for them to get there. There's daily widebody non-stops from France but there's no mass market non-stop service from the U.S. American Airlines flights are routed through San Juan or Barbados requiring the hassle of transfer to smaller interisland planes - - though, of course, it's hardly a disabling inconvenience. It is true that many cruise ships call at Fort de France. But those fond of this peculiar form of sea travel are unshackled for just a few hours exercise in the shopping compounds before being rounded up for return to their ships. French bureaucracy is notorious for organization and classification. Hotel oversight by the Martinique Board of Tourism is no exception. Lodgings are placed into four groups: "Grande Hotelleries" [about 20 major resort hotels each with over 60 rooms]; "Les Relais Creoles" [about 100 small/medium hotels]; "Gites Ruraux" [country guesthouses spread throughout the island]; and "Villas" [furnished villas/apartments mostly in the vacation areas south of Trois Ilets]. For hotels there's a star rating system, using criteria of which I stand uninformed. For all I know, the standards are arbitrary and haphazardly applied but for the otherwise unknowledgeable traveler at least the ratings are a start. Under the star system Hotel Le Bakoua is usually rated first, called either a five star or its variant "four star - luxury". We stayed there two nights and my generally affirmative personal observations about that place will be in next month's article. There's one other four star - luxury hotel, Bateliere (which we did not visit) and two ordinary four starrers, Meridien is one and the other is Brigadoon - - whoops, I mean Habitation Lagrange where we likewise stayed but I'm getting ahead of myself. There are some 30 more bearing three star ratings, one of which I review in this article, and still more carrying one and two stars. Personally, I wouldn't rate Meridien with four stars. To my way of thinking it's more like a high rise convention hotel than a Caribbean vacationer's spot, but my objection may challenge the criteria rather than the validity of the rating. Regardless of ratings, overall it seems there are fewer luxury places than one might expect on an island of this size and prosperity but this might have something to do with the French vacation ethic. Lodging prices aren't exorbitant here. But vacationers looking to lowball should be aware that at the mid to low pricing range lodgings will be sort of European relaxed and casual - - that's the vacation ethic I'm speaking about. That style warrants some probing with a knowledgeable travel agent to make sure this is what you want. We arrived mid-afternoon via American Eagle at Lamentin International Airport near Fort de France. It might sound like common sense but in the summer it's sometimes forgotten: come dressed for the tropics. When the airplane door opens you will be welcomed by a blast of tropical air and maybe even a drenching afternoon shower before you're off the tarmac. The versatile traveler arrives with phrasebook unholstered. Have it bookmarked to the travel glossary so you're ready to improvise if there's some snafu. In our case, the freebie shuttle van never showed up for us and some similarly situated Italian and Chilean charter sailors. Polyglot we were, but the wrong tongues. But we worked it out when we got another driver to figure out what was up and he grabbed the job by getting radio ok from our charter company. We had gotten a few francs before leaving Philadelphia but there's no need to come with a fistful. Banks exchange money and there were also money exchanges in the towns and at the airport [dollars for francs but not francs for dollars]. I had read that post offices also provide this service but the one in St Pierre did not. The larger hotels accommodate their guests for small amounts, though the rate is less favorable. Credit cards are widely accepted, providing an easy way to avoid the exchange hassle. A credit card transaction, incidentally, is normally written up in francs (the shopper must know the approximate exchange rate to avoid a fleecing). The exact exchange rate is determined not as of transaction date but on the date the transaction is posted (usually a few days later). This phenomenon worked to our consistent advantage as the dollar grew progressively stronger against the franc while we were there. The drive from the airport to the Ste. Luce district took about 30 minutes . We drove from the plains-like area of Lamentin along a divided highway towards hilly though arable land to the south. There was promise of mountains, rainforests and cool nights over our shoulders to the north. We arrived at Les Amandiers under clearing skies though this was just a temporary setback to the day's rainy destiny. The spacious reception area was semi-pavilion - - no walls on two sides and open to the outdoors - - set amidst flowers and ornamental plantings. Flowers are everywhere here - - huge, colorful ones that are shipped north to tropical flower outlets from the place considered by the Carib Indians to be the "island of flowers". The rain resumed and then slackened again causing a tree toad chorus to rise in gleeful serenade, our official welcome to the tropics. Our host poured a second round of free rum punches prompting an exchange of furtive and piratical looks among my rough crew. Our situation was now good but potentially desperate - - free rum was ours but only in the reception area. Quick plots were hatched to linger there pretextually under sanctuary from bar bills. The thirstiest elements considered insisting on polka dot sheets, a surefire killer to the rooms being ready. But the rooms had been ready for hours and the management was already suspicious of our low tones. We then began a filibuster of effusive praise directed at their remarkably melodic toads. Management made only token pretense at not fully understanding us when they countered that the frogs weren't as noisy near our rooms. Parched and with no hope of a close encounter with a rum punch of the third kind, the crew sulked off - the more dehydrated shouting oaths over their shoulders. Travelers who evaluate a resort by whether the rooms are ready on arrival and its welcoming rum punch policies should like this place - - but only if two are enough. Les Amandiers is a full service, three star, grande hotellerie comprising 120 low rise air conditioned rooms with pool, restaurant-bar, water sports and other conventional resort amenities. When not clowning to glom free drinks, our party was fully satisfied and recommend it to others. Service was satisfactory throughout our stay and the rooms clean, spacious and functional. I would rate the rooms Holiday/Ramada Inn equivalent, plus ours had a nice little porch to sit outside with a garden view. The public areas, especially the handsomely planted and well maintained grounds, were several notches above, definitely resort quality and that includes the pool, outdoor bar area. The hotel is separated from the white sand beach by thick foliage, it's about a 50 yd walk, where there are on-beach services and water sports with a great view of Diamond Rock to the north. As charter company customers we got a summer rack rate discount, paying $100 per room double occupancy with breakfast included. There were maybe 25-30 rooms occupied at this off-season time. There was another American charterboat party here but otherwise I believe we were the only English speaking guests. Just about everyone else seemed to be French other than our fellow sailors. Front desk staff were bi- lingual but not most other employees. We had arrived in late afternoon so we spent the few hours before nightfall dodging the raindrops at the pool and poolside bar. La Yole, the hotel restaurant, was fun. Dinner turned out to be typical of island cuisine - - French/creole style, a cuisine which is said to reflect the "tang of the soil: exotic, varied and colorful". I found the food to be reasonably priced and a real treat. Among my favorites were the varied appetizers prepared with exotic herbs and spices and the similarly prepared seafood main courses with local vegetables such as yams and plantains. But in my view, creole is not up to traditional French. The tastes were not as delicate, the sauces not so sublime, the desserts not as lustful. There are however "gastronomic" - - haute cuisine - - French/creole restaurants, two of which we tried. I admit an inability to distinguish between gastronomic French and gastronomic French/creole . Maybe there's no real difference. Haute cuisine, I suppose, is a method not a menu. By the way, a service charge is added to bar/restaurant bills - - 15%. Further "tips" would be on top of that charge. After dinner we remained for drinks and live music at Le Baril de Rhum, the house bar. The hotel is a family place and we couldn't help but watch the intergenerational ways of the French tourists. Parents danced and interacted with their young kids, having a great time the way you'd expect at a wedding reception rather than hotel bar. There's a charm about watching families able to have fun together, a delight some experience only vicariously. Breakfast the next morning was a buffet with the works. Of course it was Sunday morning but hereabouts the custom is to have a grand breakfast buffet every day of the week. Before checkout, I took a morning exercise walk around this seaside neighborhood, a pleasant non-commercialized section with a mixture of private homes and unpretentious small hotels/guesthouses. We were vanned through the coastal district of Riviere Pilote to the marina at Le Marin where the boat awaited us. Le Marin is Martinique's charter yacht center and has all the necessary boating support services but otherwise it is pretty much just a country town. Part of the crew spent the morning being briefed by charter company representatives about the boat, navigation/weather/sea conditions and like sailing details, while the remaining crew stowed luggage and provisions and did last minute shopping. Some details might be of interest to those who've never experienced a bareboat vacation. Bareboating is to be distinguished from its first cousin, crewed charter boating. Bareboating is much like renting a car; the charter company supplies the boat, you drive it. But for crewed chartering the company also drives the boat - in other words, you get a paid skipper and crew who prepare your meals and tuck you in. You are a passenger with the perquisites and limitations that term implies. Each has its virtues and drawbacks. Bareboating is the favorite of charterers with pretensions of sea captaincies, after all they get to drive. People who crew on bareboats, generally friends of the charterer, have various skill levels and motivations. But a common denominator is their benighted unawareness of the contrast between a crewman's burdens on a bareboat and a passenger' s easy going aboard a crewed charter, a contrast that the would-be sea captain has no intention of ever disclosing. The term "bareboat" is misleading. "Bare" doesn't mean stripped down. It means the charter company rents out the boat "bare" of the aforementioned company crew to sail it. The company is not responsible for navigation, that's the charterer's job - - a point significant in maritime law to defining the respective rights and liabilities of the parties. Before entrusting its +/- $150, 000 - $300,000 asset, the company naturally requires that the proposed charterer demonstrate sailing proficiency and insurability. The company may also require proof that at least one crewperson is qualified to get the boat to port in an emergency. But bareboating is not done on what one would normally think of as a bare boat, it's fully equipped. Bareboating involves more, of course, than just gassing up the boat and turning over the keys. There's a pretty long list of equipment needed including all gear standard for this kind of auxiliary sailboat (one equipped with an inboard diesel engine), especially safety equipment such as a ship-to-shore radio and a liferaft [charter boats are not always equipped with the latter; but in the French West Indies maritime law so requires]. There's also a dinghy with outboard motor for getting ashore and snorkeling trips. Also provided are linens, pillows, towels and most of the things you would expect to find in a hotel room (at night that's just what the boat is) including items needed for the small toilet/shower room. For a fee the company will arrange for the initial boat provisioning - food, drink, condiments, paper goods and the like. Our 35' yacht's galley came equipped with refrigerator, stove, hot/cold water and other comforts of home including a tape deck/CD player and a cellular telephone, convenient for incoming/outgoing international calls but costing several dollars per minute. We took on provisions for a week of breakfasts and lunches, but fewer dinners since the custom is to eat ashore now and again. In our case it's more often ashore than not. We motored out Cul-de-sac Marin past the Club Med les Boucaniers, a resort that's been a landmark here for several decades, located on Pte du Marin peninsula amid shallow and reef strewn waters good for snorkeling but a boating hazard. The resort was reviewed in the July, l995 CTR issue. We sailed almost westerly for three hours with the wind and seas behind us causing the boat to roll uncomfortably as we approached Diamant Beach/ Point, where there is rough Caribbean surf due to a long easterly fetch, and the starkly sheer Rocher du Diamant or Diamond Rock, about a mile offshore. Several miles to the north we reached our first destination for overnight anchoring, the harbor of the fishing village at Grand Anse D'Arlet. The town looked pretty sleepy on a Sunday afternoon though it's supposed to be a popular weekend spot with locals who patronize the several bars and restaurants along the waterfront. It was pretty hot and we were in a mood for a swim so we hopped into the dinghy and motored to a cove 3/4 mile away midway to the sister village of Petite Anse D'Arlet. We snorkeled there over fair fish and coral in reasonably clear water. Martinique's leeward coast is only so-so for snorkeling, though there's some good areas. In a lot of places, deep water goes right up to sheer coastal cliffs and sediment runs off making the water cloudy, but the water in this cove was clear and shallow with coral. There was no real beach so we just tied the dinghy to some awash rocks and went over the side. We later had dinner aboard, a ratatouille prepared by the crew that was a cruisers' haute cuisine. Some nights we would go ashore after dinner to sample the local nightlife; other nights we would stay in the cockpit talking and listening to music into the evening. Tonight we remained on board. The summer sun sets early here, about 6:45 p.m., and like most boaters our crew was in the bunk before 10:00 p.m. Next day we dinghied into town for a de rigueur morning ritual among sailors in these parts - a little walk around the town to find a boulangerie, a French bakery. Our mission: bread and pastries. Past acquaintanceships with baguettes, beignets, and croissants are feeble initiations to their splendor shortly after dawn and fresh from the baker's oven in a French West Indies seaside town. Which is not to say we were destined for such splendor this morning. We couldn't find a bakery. A grocery store had to substitute, turning out to not be a bad substitute at all. It was certainly picturesque and, more important, had a promising looking bakery section. Our spirits were buoyed when the clerk indicated that his goods were fresh that morning. The indication in question was his gesture towards the window which we took to mean the baker was just across the street, but he could have meant across the island. It wasn't until we were in the dinghy that the nightmarish prospect crossed my mind that there may have been a frozen food locker in that direction. But back on the boat the bread and pastries proved up to their legendary reputations. Later in the morning we saw a sight from 2000 years ago. 75 yards from our anchored boat fishermen seined from skiffs. Three of the skiffs were unpowered and rowed by their crews. The sole occupant of the fourth (which had an outboard) signaled his colleagues onto station by blowing into a conch shell. He shut down his outboard and from thereon all the maneuvering was done by oar in silence save the eerie sound of the conch signals and the throwing of the nets onto the water. This seemed so unreal I fully expected it was a tourist tableau and shortly a guy would come around looking for tips. But it was very much for real, they pulled in a nice catch. By the way, guys don't come around looking for tips in Martinique or, for that matter, come around selling stuff you don't want. We didn't see a single boat boy/vendor in any of the anchorages or beaches, a welcome relief from their ubiquity in points proximate. I did see a very agreeable form of beach vending women's bathing suits but I'm getting ahead of my story. Mid-morning we made our way 15 miles north to St. Pierre, the second city of Martinique. A century ago Mt Pelee erupted near there with the loss of 30,000 souls and destruction of the entire city, then the commercial and cultural capital of the island. Today, St. Pierre's grim past sustains its economic present. There's volcano related attractions including the informative museum, Le Musee Vulcanologique [where the guides offer tours both in French and English] and preserved ruins throughout the town. There is also a submarine that takes visitors to see underwater remains and picturesque reefs although it was not operating in the off-season. We were disappointed with the city, perhaps due to the dampening of our spirits by rain all afternoon or maybe due to Le Petit Train being broken down, the motorized choo-choo that takes tourists around town to see the sights. Perhaps we grew weary of the varied faces of an incinerated past. Our first night in the anchorage we believed we were being beckoned to a lively disco by a large, flashing green neon sign. It was cross shaped and seemed to gaudily deliver a universal message, "come and have fun". We went, we didn't. The green cross is the symbol, common throughout France we later learned, of an all-night chemist's shop where you can not only get medications but advice on minor ailments. Our only ailment was in not finding any good bars that night or the next. They really should have discos in those places, terrible waste of neon. Next day we did see a few upscale shops that sold high end European women's fashions, and the open market was fun, but neither dispelled the town's dowdiness. Mt. Pelee, still considered active, looms majestically but dolorously over the city, a flawed beauty incapable of atoning for a homicidal rampage of this magnitude. Accounts of surviving eyewitnesses from nearby towns capture the horror of what happened. For a few moments one whole side of this 4000' mountain became incarnate as it split open exposing the demons of the netherworld. Flames, lava and an open furnace of poisonous gases and burning ash spewed out, descending on the city and killing by natural means all those thousands almost within seconds. Thoughts of this terrible business were in our minds as looked northwards to Montserrat 175 miles away. Its volcano was then erupting but there was nothing in sky. During our July, 1995 Leeward Islands trip to Montserrat some of the crew visited - - as many tourists then did - - its "dormant" volcano. First eruptions started not more than 5 days after our departure. Whew! When the weather cleared we returned south along the coast making the first of two stops in La Baie de Fort-de-France. Those visits and our land tour of the interior and Atlantic coast will be covered in next month's Part Two of this article. We eventually cleared customs and were off to our circle tour of the lower Caribbean. During the next 22 days we sailed from St Lucia to Grenada and back to Martinique. Those 22 days have been covered in articles appearing in past issues of CTR: January, l998 (Mustique), and February, l998 (Island Hopping In The Southern Caribbean, Grenada to St. Lucia).
Trip 2/98 My husband and I spent 10 days in St. Martin in late February 1998 (our first return since the hurricane). While there, we enjoyed a lovely new little hotel and took a gastronomic tour of Grand Case and surrounding area. Here's a summary: Le Petit Hotel - a delightful 9-unit hotel (8 studios and 1 one- bedroom apt) on the Marigot side of Grand Case - right on the beach. The proprietors are an extremely pleasant and helpful young American couple, and the facilities are very nice and well maintained. Within walking distance of stores, restaurants, etc., but a car is handy. Guests can use the beautiful pool (with swim up bar) at sister hotel L'Esplanade. Restaurants - we were not there to economize, but to sample the best that the area has to offer, considering food, presentation, atmosphere, wine list, etc. Most of our dinners cost $125 to $175, including three courses, a nice bottle of wine, tax and tip. Some of the best restaurants are normally booked way ahead, so we had the hotel make a few reservations for us in advance to avoid disappointment. Here's how we rated our experiences (on a scale of 1 to 4 stars - with 1 being Don't Bother and 4 being Exceptional): L'Auberge Gourmande (Grand Case): Very well prepared classic French cuisine and professional service. Cozy atmosphere. We've been here before, and it's consistently good. (3 stars) Sebastiano (Grand Case): Really excellent Italian kitchen with a wide variety of delectable dishes. Nice seaside location. However, the restaurant has started booking large groups and we happened to arrive at one of these times. The food was wonderful and they have a nice wine list (including many good Italian vintages), but the service suffered tremendously as the overworked staff tried to accommodate the group experience. This also made the atmosphere noisy and somewhat frenzied. If you go here, check first that there are no groups scheduled for the same time. The quality food warrants a retry. (2-1/2 stars - downgraded due to service) L'Hibiscus (Grand Case): Small, romantic garden-like restaurant on the airport side of Grand Case. Innovative French/Island dishes featuring interesting combinations and exotic ingredients. Unusual and attractive presentation, attentive service, but somewhat limited wine list. (3-1/2 stars) Bistrot Cairibes (Grand Case): Streetfront bistrot in the heart of town - look for the tank with the live lobsters! Atmosphere is nothing special, but we thoroughly enjoyed extremely well-prepared Caribbean lobster (their specialty - not dry or tough like some). All food was very tasty and attractive and service was pleasant and professional. (3 stars) Charolais (downtown Marigot): This is a true no-nonsense French steak house for those nights when you want something "ordinary" but good. They specialize in grilled Angus beef (a variety of cuts with optional sauces), tasty salads, baked potato, etc. served in an air conditioned Western atmosphere. Reliable and not too costly. (3 stars) Le Pressoir (Grand Case): Charming Creole house near the Community Center. Food is very well prepared French/Creole with attractive presentation and attentive, friendly service. A delightful dining experience. (3-1/2 stars) Mario's Bistrot (near the bridge at Sandy Ground): An exceptional restaurant that is always busy - book way ahead. Very pleasant waterside location. Unusually large menu and more comprehensive wine list than other places we visited. Delicious French/Island dishes, presented in innovative and attractive ways. Very friendly, extremely attentive and helpful servers (they can explain their menu, the meal progresses smoothly, and your wine/water is always filled!) Don't order too many courses, as portions are large and sometimes rich - but absolutely yummy. (4 stars) Le Tastevin (Grand Case): Very pretty seaside restaurant in prime location at center of town. French/island cuisine that is tasty, but not exceptional. Service adequate but a little rushed, routine and impersonal. Somewhat more expensive than others on the list, and the premium is not really warranted. (2-1/2 stars) Il Nettuno (Grand Case): Attractive beach front Italian restaurant in town center. Friendly service with very outgoing, genial owner/host (he sings opera when the spirit moves him!). Good food with large, varied menu highlighting seafood dishes. We may have gotten special treatment because we were from Washington DC, the owner's former home. (3 stars) Kon Tiki Beach Bar (right on Orient Beach): The definitive feet-in- the-sand beach bar/restaurant with shaded tables attractively scattered midst the palms and sea grapes, live combos, bikini fashion shows (but tasteful), efficient and friendly young servers, and large portions of really good food. We absolutely loved it, and made repeat visits. (4 stars)
Trip 1/98 My husband and I just returned from a very relaxing week on Providenciales ( Provo ). We stayed at Turquoise Reef. On the plus side, I found the staff at Turquoise Reef to be very friendly and courteous. The location was good (near Ports of Call shopping center) and I thought the food was good (we bought their meal plan, so we ate their fantastic breakfast buffet every morning (a $12 value), had one great meal at their upscale restaurant Portofino, and three other good dinners). They were very generous in providing the two hundred or so folks in our charter with a hospitality suite (two rooms for showering and changing) since our check out time was noon and our flight wasn't until 9 pm. On the minus side, we were without hot water two evenings which meant that after getting sunburned and waterlogged (and chilled) we were forced to take tepid showers and there was no hairdryer in the room. There was also no safe in the room so we had to use their safe deposit box at the front desk. This wasn't a problem until the last day when there was the time gap between check out and departure. One had to plead with the front desk to keep the safe deposit box after checking out to avoid having to leave one's passport and valuables on the beach while snorkeling. They have a few little problems to iron out. (It took the front desk one full hour to find my Mastercard imprint when I went to settle the bill at check out.) In spite of all this, the overall value for the price was very good. Caicos itself presents many advantages to US travelers. The beaches are pristine. The snorkeling (especially at White House Beach's snorkeling trail) is great. Electricity is 110 volt -- no converter is necessary. They use the US dollar. You can drink the water. You can bring your dog! Crime is almost non-existent (the natives, or "belongers" really are decent people). Activities: Provo is a sleepy island, good for those seeking water sports and sun during the day, and R&R at night. The casino is VERY sleepy. When the slot machines get full or malfunction, they just shut 'em down for a day or two until the guy with the key can show up to make them active again. We spent a full day with Captain Bill on his "Ocean Outback" getaway. He took us to a pirate cave, to two different reefs for snorkeling and then he grilled chicken and his famous "tube steaks" (hot dogs) on the beach and poured us endless rum punches. He is an informed, interesting "can do" kind of guy. My husband I both think that our day with Ocean Outback was one of the highlights of the trip. Our other highlight was our day aboard a 52 foot trimaran "Tropic Sol." The charming captain, Christoph took us on a three hour sail to French Cay for shelling and to the nearby reef for great snorkeling. His beautiful wife, Agnes, put on a magnificent buffet lunch with the most delicious deviled eggs, salads and conch chowder. One afternoon we rode bikes out to the Conch Farm and took the tour which was interesting. Overall, I'd give this trip a grade of 95 (out of 100). My husband and I both agree that we would like to return to Turks and Caicos in a few years.
I would like to reply to Evan Ferguson's article on Vieques. The Blue Horizon is one of the finest places I have ever stayed. Please consider that the price of a meal does not allow one to wander around any inn at will. Further, what do you mean by "arrogant and flaming American homosexual"? Watch it, your bigotry is showing. Every day that I was at the inn Billy Knight was extremely pleasant to everyone who came to the inn and, you know what? He looks just like anyone else. I don't think your scathing review of the Inn is going to deter anyone from staying there or eating there. One has to make reservations at least a year in advance to get into the Inn and, the dining room is one of the most popular on the island. Back to p.c. school for you.
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Selected features appear on Prodigy.
Contact:
Paul GravelineOFFICIAL WORLD WIDE WEB SITE: http://www.gobeach.com/ctr/
E-mail via CTREDITOR@aol.com or CTREDITOR@compuserve.com : On Prodigy -
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