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Caribbean Travel Roundup
Paul Graveline, Editor
Edition 57
September 1, 1995
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My wife and I are veteran Caribbean travelers but up until this vacation always to all inclusives like Club Meds or the luxurious all inclusive SuperClub Grand Lido in Negril, Jamaica (where we were for the sixth time this past April). We had decided to take a second Caribbean sojourn in honor of our 25th wedding anniversary this summer and it came down to either another GL visit or a trip to SXM.
What follows are some thoughts and experiences of a SXM rookie who spent a week in late June and early July on SXM----nothing new or exciting perhaps to SXM veterans but a view of the "Friendly Island" by a first timer.
WHERE WE STAYED:
After much research on accommodations we decided that a villa complex called Green Cay Village on the French side was the place for us. We got Villa 18 which was one of those recommended to us by a previous visitor to Green Cay Village. We had a beautiful view of Orient Bay, a private pool and luxurious accommodations. We visited other places on Orient Bay during the week and while most were very nice we think for the money and accommodations received that Green Cay Village is the best and a real find. The staff there was most helpful and friendly.
WHAT WE USUALLY DID:
This will be really boring to many folks since we are beach people who like to hit the sand early and stay as long as possible. We went every morning at about 9 a.m. to the Club Orient parking lot to leave our car (less than a five minute drive from our villa---in fact we could see the road to Club Orient from our deck). We would rent one of the already erected umbrellas and lounge set-ups for $15 and enjoy the beach. At noon we would go to Papagayos (Club Orient's restaurant) for lunch---in fact we were so punctual about this that by mid week Papagayos' staff began bringing our beverage order to us before we were seated. The staff at Papagayos was really very nice. After lunch we would usually take a walk and about 3 in the afternoon we would go back to our villa for a fresh water dip in the pool and begin contemplating where to have dinner---at first not a easy task since lavish dining is not a particular interest of mind and my wife is very picky about the way restaurants look (as does it look clean!). We loved every boring day at the beach in front of Club Orient.
Just one complaint about Orient Beach-----we hated the several days when the cruise ships were in port. We have never experienced on other islands the number of people who are dumped on this beach by tour operators just so they can walk up and down the beach. There is a holding area for vehicles that on cruise days must contain at least 20-25 small vans and large buses. The cruisers get off the busses and are given an hour to walk up and down the beach. The Club Orient staff make sure that they are watched and no unauthorized pictures are taken but elsewhere on the beach some of these folks act in such a way to give the term ugly Americans real meaning!
ADVENTURES IN DRIVING:
One of the nice things about all inclusives is that everything is there for you (critics contend that is what is wrong about all inclusives). On SXM you have to drive to do virtually anything. We rented a compact car with a/c and automatic (again following the advice of the many SXM experts) and we are glad we got both features. I live near San Francisco and am use to driving in hilly environments-----but with the level of traffic some days on SXM it was very nice to have both a/c and the automatic transmission.
We got a white Hyundai Accent delivered to our villa at 5 p.m. our first day (we arrived at the villa at 3:30 p.m. That first night I was too tired after flying all night from SFO to do much driving so we decided to try to find Papagayos at Club Orient----that was fun in the dark but as it turned out a good introduction to SXM driving conditions.
By mid week it became apparent to me that I had seen the kind of driving practices by most SXM'ers before-----a certain devil-may-care attitude combined with a partial disregard of applicable traffic laws---- in other words I just had to drive like my two teen age sons and I would fit right in!<G> So I did.
I was worried prior to going to SXM about getting lost. No problem, mon! There really is only one main road around the island so sooner or later you get back to where you started. By mid week I knew my way around the island and we got to every destination we wished to get to with a minimum of trouble.
My white Hyundai Accent did pose a continuing problem. On our second day on SXM (Tuesday) we went in the early evening to the Match supermarket near Marigot and parked the car in the lot. That seemed easy enough. When we came out, there must have been at least 10 other white Hyundai Accents parked in and around ours. It took me several minutes to locate our car as we tried our keys in several other Accents before they worked! From that point on we began to notice the many, many white Accents---- whomever has the Hyundai dealership on SXM is making a bundle as those cars are by far the most numerous----and almost always white.
One other comment about driving in SXM-----there is a three way blinking yellow light at Cole Bay on the way to the airport or the Maho/Mullet Bay area (if you turn right coming from Phillipsburg) that is a real adventure. Why they don't make that a regular signal is beyond me. Later in the week this problem was compounded by a huge ditch that was being dug to install utility lines, effectively making it a one lane road and really fouling up traffic. Eventually they arranged a detour around the area but even so it took us almost an hour on Sunday evening to move from Maho Bay to the Cole Bay signal.
WHAT WE ATE:
Gourmet eaters we are not. I was worried prior to going to SXM that every meal would be $100-$150 for two. We had been reassured by previous SXM visitors that it was possible to eat at a more moderate price level. And as it turned out it was.
I have already indicated that we ate the first night at nearby Papagayos--- reasonably good food at a reasonable price---and in any case I was so tired that all I was interested in was fuel. The next night we went to Grand Case---just ten minutes from our villa. We walked around as I was determined to find the Surf Club South which had been recommended to me as being my type of place. It found us before we found it. There was a big guy on the side walk, complete with beard, pony tail and a tank top who practically ordered us to come into this open-air place. All he needed was a Harley and the picture would have been complete. He was big, I was hungry and despite my wife's misgivings about the look of the place we decided not to offend the big guy. Surf Club South had found us. The big guy told us to welcome back the French waiter who apparently had been sick. We did as we were told and had a wonderful time. We sat on the open deck while 60s rock and roll resonated. I had a great steak sandwich (remember I told you food is not a big thing with me) and I forget what my wife had. The big guy turned out to be a big softy who was proud to be from New Jersey. I don't know how that place found Grand Case but it was enjoyable.
On Wednesday we discovered the Maho Beach resort shopping area and Cheri's where we were to eat dinner on 3 nights. Again, I know I may be disappointing the gourmets but we enjoyed Cheri's. We also ate at Don Carlos and it was disappointing------not very clean and the food was so-so (serves me right ordering jerk chicken on SXM but in Negril they really know how to fix jerk chicken). On Saturday night we decided we would try Drew's Deli in Cul de Sac (only ten minutes away as well) which had been recommended . Alas, it is closed on Saturdays! We were going to try Mark's Place nearby despite mixed reviews but it looked crowded. We headed back to Orient Bay and decided to try a place that is on the hill right above Green Cay Village where there is a collection of small gift shops. There is also a small restaurant and bar there that has been open under its present owners for 8 months. It is called the "Cloud Room" and it has a terrific view. It specializes in German food and sea food and we had a great dinner for less than $50 (including dessert but no alcohol for we tee-totalers). If we had discovered it earlier in our stay we might have gone back for a second try.
SPECIAL THINGS WE DID:
We were not completely locked on the beach at Club Orient. On Wednesday we took a water taxi to Green Cay island to do some exploring. We had this small island almost to ourselves and once we found our way up to the top of the rocky cliffs we had the top and other side of the island completely to ourselves not counting the wild goats. We beachcombed and just generally explored. The water taxi from Club Orient was where it supposed to be at the appointed time. On the way back we picked up two teen age Dutch girls who were floundering in the water midway between Orient Beach and Green Cay-----they were very attracted to the Club Orient staffer on the taxi who it turned out was Afrikaans.
On Saturday, we and three other couples and an 8 year old son of one of the couples took the Club Orient catamaran cruise to Tintamarre where we spent the day. Tintamarre is a much larger deserted island than Green Cay, complete with an old landing strip and the carcass of a crashed plane. At 1 p.m. the two Club Orient staffers blew a conch shell to beckon us to lunch on the catamaran. We ate steaks and swordfish, the bubbly flowed for those who wished it, and we ate off real dishes and used real silver wear. Elegant and somewhat incongruous under the circumstances but great fun. Highly recommended.
"GALLIS EST DIVISA IN PARTES TRES"
SXM reminded me of this phase (the only one I remember from Caesar's Gallic Wars in my second year of Latin in high school). It is amazing to me how such a small island can have two very distinct cultures living so close to each other without a great deal of assimilation apparent. This was a special feature of SXM that we thoroughly enjoyed. From my limited SXM experience I would contend that there are really three parts of SXM.
The first part is the French part with Marigot being the best example. We really enjoyed the time (and money!) we spent in Marigot. It was a pleasure to walk through the streets, visiting the shops and little cafes and bars. The people were friendly (not always the case on our many visits to Guadeloupe) and you really felt you were in a part of France. We went to Marigot several times either after or before our trips to Match and always wanted to come back for more.
The second part of SXM is Philipsburg and you can have it! The traffic in Philipsburg was atrocious (I never did find a parking space) and the number of people in a small area was overwhelming. We tried twice to go there in the late afternoon for some shopping and then dinner and gave up both times. Even if I had found a parking places I probably would have been unhappy with the crowds and the general atmosphere. Ugh!
The third part of SXM is the Maho Beach/Mullet Bay resort area-----real Miami Glitz and I am totally ashamed to admit it but my wife and I really enjoyed it. We enjoyed the shopping, the casinos, and if we had had more time we would tried restaurants other than Cheri's. Twice we almost walked up the hill to the Paradise Cafe and then changed our minds. I do find it curious planning to have the main road though the island routed right through the shopping area but what the heck! Purists will say that this is not the real SXM but I certainly prefer it to the zoo that is Philipsburg. We still love Grand Lido and its luxurious all inclusive style. We now have a new love as well---as we are at GL we will be repeat SXM'ers as well. I will say it once again---we had a great time.
This is an idiosyncratic guide to the island of Saint Martin, and is based only on my personal experience of the place. I left Philadelphia on an American Airlines flight to San Juan on a Monday in mid June, at 8:30 AM and arrived in Saint Martin at 2:30 P.M.. It was hot, bright, and just what I wanted.
Customs was no hassle as they only inspected my passport. I picked up my luggage and headed for the car rental booths, were I was immediately accosted by at least six people telling me I could get a better deal from them than through any of the name brand agencies. The normal sort of price for a basic car, off season, seems to be around $25/day + petrol. If you rent with your VISA Gold or Amex, pass up the CDW or LDW as these are covered by the card. Be aware that almost all of the rental cars on the island are white Hyundai's, Daihatsu's or something similar. This makes for an interesting time in the parking lot if you are the least bit tipsy.
It is also possible to rent Harley-Davidson motorcycles from the dealership on the road to Marigot, but the roads are narrow and bumpy (esp. on the Dutch side), the longest straightaway is just over a mile and a half, and the island is only 35 square miles. They also charge around $90 per day. Bring CASH for petrol, as NO ONE takes credit cards. I discovered this after 2 days and had to use an cash rather than rely on my VISA.
For the masochistic, one can rent Trek Mountain bikes from the agency on the road from the airport to Phillipsburg. If you bike, St. Martin will give you lots of opportunity to improve your hill climbing skills. In fact St. Martin would be an ideal place for a one day grand prix style bicycle race.
Philipsburg is not a pretty town: 3 main streets, a one way system that will make you nuts, no parking, and full of cruise ship day trippers. That being said there are a few places that are worthwhile. If you like Indonesian food visit The Wajang Doll. The food is traditional riijstafel (rice table) and at 19 dishes, it would appear to be a vast amount of food. But it is, as the owner describes it, "little bites" of chicken, fish, pork, beef, and vegetables, all very fresh and served beautifully in different sauces. I added an appetizer, but with the amount served it was almost too much. Exceptional value at $25 for the 19 dishes, with a good wine list and some interesting choices on the cordial cart.
It's also worth trying the Passengrahan House. Go for lunch, watch the harbor, and listen to the waves wash up on the beach not 50 feet from your table. The dining room is open to the elements, tree shaded, and cool. Just the place to get away from the crowd on Front Street.
At the end of Front Street, behind the AB Bank at Bobby's Pier is The Green House. Twofer Tuesday happy hour lasts from 5:30 till closing, they have live bands, and the place is packed. The food is bar food, and not the greatest. One night they were offering $1 tacos: reheated refried beans, mysterious meat, iceberg lettuce and bottled salsa. The drinks are generous and cheap. Everyday during happy hour if you order one drink they pour 2. Eat before you go or enjoy happy hour, go dine someplace else (I tried the Indian restaurant just around the corner), and come back for the occasional live bands, wet T-shirt contests and the view of the harbor. Next to the Green House is a bar that plays reggae all night, has a pool table and is filled with locals.
Chesterfields further along the road to Pointe Blanche is not bad and almost every table gives you a view of the harbor. It seems to be popular with the sailing and powerboat crowd, both local and visitors, and a lively enough spot. One of the island's sailing clubs has been meeting there on Thursdays but now have a new club house. The food is moderately priced and fairly standard.
I also tried the Turtle Bar near the airport, but must have hit it on an off night as it was dead, full of mosquitoes and a not particularly good steel band was playing. The place was highly recommended to me however.
Another night spot on the Dutch side is Cheri's, in the Maho Bay Casino complex. I didn't eat there but only went for the dancing. There is a live band every night, playing a good mixture of Afro-Carib and top 40. There is no cover charge as the place is a large square bar, surrounded by tables and open to the rest of the complex. Be aware that it is cash only, no cards of any sort. The place is filled with Americans, both north and south, and I encountered some locals as well. This was a great place for people watching and is where I met a Canadian emigre who gave me the best description of St. Martin: 'This is a great island. You can take off all your clothes, drink, drive and nobody gives a damn.'
There is another club that I tried at Maho, La Luna. This is only open on Friday and Saturday nights (off season) and doesn't begin to show any signs of life until after midnight. The music is excessively loud, the crowd young and the drinks only slightly
overpriced. Not my first pick as a night spot, but watching some of the more energetic dancers is fun. The owners walk around looking worried.
If you want really good food, go to the French side of the island. In fact, the French side is the nicest bit entirely. Probably my best memory of the entire 8 days was from my last evening: I was sitting at the outdoor bar at La Calanque in Marigot, the sea glass calm, the sun enormous and dipping toward the horizon, boats set in the harbour like toys, drinking pastis. I watched the sun submerge and the day end. I felt like I was in France, but nicer. La Calanque, by the way, has an interesting custom for happy hour: Order a rum and coke, and you get a glass of ice, a can of coke, and the bottle of rum. Order just about anything and you get the set up, and the bottle of liquor. A nice touch, not expensive, and civilized. La Calanque is one of the pricier restaurants in Marigot, but the food is well presented and worth the money.
La Bar de la Mere is close by La Calanque, and they have a good menu. They specialize in barbecued seafood in the evening. If you are hungry or a glutton, order an appetizer, a salad, and a main course. The salads are huge, typically French and excellent.
I managed to fill up on the fried calamari appetizer and a salad with warm lentils and bacon. The South African Chardonnay at $17.50/bottle was an unexpected surprise: Crisp, fruity, not over oaked and mellow. The wine list is limited but not over the top.
Attached to Bar de la Mere is The Zoo Bar, which does not start up until well after 10 P.M.. They have live bands and a good dj. The crowd in Marigot is definitely more European than in P'burg. And a good deal trendier, though I did meet some locals, who work hard, and play hard.
Further down the harbor front are several restaurants including Le Marlin. My meal there was simple, but well cooked, bistro-style 'bifteck et pommes frites'. The house Merlot was acceptable and the waiter bought me an after dinner drink. It was something that the owner had marinated with passion fruit and though tasty , could probably well be lethal in the long run. I found that if I sat and chatted to the bartenders and waiters, they eventually offered me a drink on the house. I'm not sure if this was because I was alone, or whether the off season had something to do with it.
Another good place I found in Marigot was Lavoir Bateau. It is an open air restaurant, serving from 9:00 AM to 7:00 P.M. in the off season. It is run by an attractive Parisian woman, whose name I did not catch, assisted by a lady from Dominica, Gail. They made me feel at home and remembered me when I went back 2 days later. Try the seafood soup for lunch. And watch the passing parade at the library and park across the street.
I was directed to try Heavens Disco near Marigot, as a good late night club. Admission was US$ 5 and beers were US$ 3. The music was loud, mostly Carib-Afro-pop & reggae, the crowd was a mixture of locals and French tourists, and almost everybody was willing to dance. The music is too loud to hold a conversation but that wasn't why I went. To find Heaven drive out of Marigot toward Sandy Ground and just before you get to the bridge, turn right. Park and look for the sign. The club entrance is on the right.
If you don't mind an interesting drive up some really terrible hills you can check out Le Privilege near L'Habitation at Anse Marcel. Follow the road past the French airport and turn left towards Mont Vernon. Continue on this road and at the next intersection bear left. You will go up what appears to be an impossible hill until you reach a guard house. They will let you pass. Continue on this road and look for signs that say Le Privilege. The view from the mountain is worth the drive. And the club is well decorated with a resort clientele. Good mix of music, but don't arrive before 11:30 P.M. as the place is dead until then.
The clothing optional beaches are basically on the French side of the island. There is, of course, the famous Orient Bay Beach Club, but that tends to be a bit too commercial and crowded with people trying to get a look at the nudists. The beach itself is great; calm, warm and shallow. Most of the nudity concentrates down at one end, though some of the die hard naturists do walk the entire length. I only tried 2 beaches, Cupecoy and Orient, and ended up on Cupecoy. The western end has private feel and is clothing optional.
Coming from the airport take the main road through Maho(watch out for the speed bumps!) and drive past Mullet Bay. The road makes a very sharp turn to the right, on that turn is a dilapidated guard house, a sign and a guy who will watch your car for $2/day. The footpath to the beach is at the end of the wall that runs along one side of the carport/dirt track road. There is another guy who rents beach chairs and umbrellas and sells beer. The surf is moderate to heavy here and there is an undertow.
If you want a massage at Cupecoy, try and find Cynthia. She charges $25/ half hour and $45/hour and is usually to the right just past the beach entrance. If you need to buy a pare or sarong look out for Rhone, who hangs out at Cupecoy. They cost $15 for rayon ones that are better than the ones you can buy in the shops anywhere on the island. And she'll give you a lesson on how to wear the things.
There are no silly rules about alcohol on the beach. So bring a cooler full of your favorite beverages, lots of water and enjoy the scenery. It's also a good idea to pack a picnic lunch if you're going to stay the day. I was able to purchase excellent croissants, baguettes and rolls at bakeries all over the island. This was a surprise, as most places I've been to in the Caribbean have awful floppy tasteless bread.
There is one other beach that is an absolute must and that is the one at the end of the runway at Juliana Airport, Maho Bay. Rumor on the island is that last year the Air France pilots had bets going on who could get the closest to the top of the fence that surrounds the airport without hitting it. All I know is that every plane I watched land came awfully close to the fence. It is possible to lie on the beach and watch the planes come in. You can see far more of the undersides of airplanes than you would want to unless you are a mechanic.
Because of the intensity of the sun, you should definitely pack heavy duty sunscreen. I didn't wait to get to the beach to apply it, but lathered it on after I got out of the shower first thing in the morning. This is of course a good idea if one is going
to a clothing optional beach and is a bit shy about applying protection to those parts that are not usually reached by the sun.
The native mosquitoes are vicious and invisible, so buy some of the local insect repellent called 'mosquito milk'. It is available at the pharmacies and health food shops and really does work.
Don't forget that the US$10 departure tax is payable in cash before they will let you onto the plane. If you have any NAF or FFr left over this is a good time to get rid of them. I found out the hard way that Dutch currency is not accepted ANYWHERE on the island. A friend had sold me a substantial amount of coin and notes on the assurance that anyone on St. Martin would take it. NOT! Everyone will take French francs though some of the merchants on the Dutch side don't like to and will give the worst discount rate they think they can get away with.
I stayed at the Rama Hotel at Pointe Blanche. If you're not too concerned with amenities or a great view, try the Rama. I paid US$ 35/night + 15% service. I got a reasonably comfortable bed, an air conditioner, unlimited hot water, fresh towels every day and cable TV. Not Motel 6 but clean and friendly.
I had a great time in St. Martin and am considering going back again. Having been once and finding out some things I know that my next trip will be even more enjoyable. I hope that my comments are useful to anyone planning to go there in the next six months.
We arrived in St. Maarten at 7:30 and checked into the Sapphire Beach Club. We had a studio unit with a full kitchen. The bathroom was beautiful as was the whirlpool on the balcony. The housekeeping was substandard as was the lighting in the unit. All week long we struggled to read anything after the sun went down. The kitchen lacked any counter space that made even sandwich preparation a juggling act. The seating in the living room was very uncomfortable. There were two TV's and VCR's, but no Radio, Tape or CD. The staff at the Sapphire Beach Club was friendly and efficient. Trying to get a taxi to come to the resort was difficult to say the least. If you had the front desk call for one, they required a $10.00 deposit, and invariably at least a 45 minute wait was to be expected.
The beach the Sapphire Beach Club sits upon, Cupecoy, is beautiful and relatively deserted. Most Americans seemed to stay in the middle of the beach with the clothing optional gangs gathering on either in. Our overall assessment, is that we will return to Cupecoy Beach, but will never stay at the Sapphire Beach Club again. We are very unsure why this timeshare resort has an RCI Gold Crown rating. It certainly does not match up to other RCI Gold Crowns we have stayed at or the one where we own.
After dumping our bags, we met our friends from Texas and Colorado (they stayed at Mullet Bay) and all enjoyed dinner at the Paradise Cafe. Dinner for six, Seafood Fettucini, Shrimp K-Bob, Stuffed Shrimp Shells, Fish Fajitas, Chicken Sandwich, Fish Sandwich, three drinks, and tip was $101.25. Food was good. Service was very slow. After dinner, we all stopped by Cheri's for a few hours.
(6/19/95) Monday we went into Marigot to Le Croissanterie for Croissants. They were as good as we had heard. Then we went to the grocery store to get the necessary drinks, chocolate, cheese, and assorted snacks for the week. Monday afternoon was spent on Cupecoy Beach. Monday night, five of us met for dinner at the Turtle Pier Restaurant, by the airport. Fortunately for Ron and me, Scott Jackson took pity on us while we were waiting for a taxi at Sapphire Beach. He and his lovely wife, Millie, from South Orange, NJ offered us a ride to the Turtle Pier. If it had not been for their hospitality of offering a ride to strangers, we might have missed dinner with our friends.
Dinner at the Turtle Pier was good. A steel pan band played in the background. Dinner was price fixed at $25 per person, with a choice of Caesar Salad or Seafood Platter appetizers, Grilled Lobster, Grouper, Snapper, Mahi Mahi, or London Broil with veggies for Entree, and Chocolate Mousse (wonderful), Coconut Pie (with a pumpkin pie spice), Banana Chocolate Pie (with the same pumpkin pie spice taste), and a glass of wine. Seven additional drinks cost $28.00. Allison our waitress was delightful. Dinner was good, but not great.
(6/20/95) Tuesday our group ventured off to Anguilla. We took the water taxi from Marigot, $10.00 per person plus a $2.00 departure tax. From the port in Anguilla, we took a taxi to Shoal Bay ($27.00 for six, each way). We spent the day enjoying the beautiful white sand of Shoal Bay. The snorkeling is only so-so, not great, but available. Lunch was at Uncle Ernie's right on Shoal Bay. $1.00 Heinekens. $6.00 for chicken or ribs, coleslaw, and French fries.
Arriving back in SXM, we changed and headed for Yvette's. The food and service were excellent as always. Two Conch Yvette, 1 Conch Salad, 3 Garlic Shrimp plates, 2 Broiled Swordfish plates, 1 Fried Red Snapper, rice, plantain, Johnny cakes, and three bottles of water was $113.00 with the tip. Everyone was disappointed that Yvette was out of her famous coconut pie. She always makes everything fresh, and as she is closed on Wednesdays, the coconut pie was all gone. We made a special trip back Thursday to buy a whole coconut pie so that we would not miss this special treat on this year's trip. We all were saddened to hear that Yvette is losing her eyesight. Fortunately, she has an excellent staff and the food has not gone down in quality. Taxi service for six round-trip from Mullet Bay, $72.00.
(6/21/95) Wednesday our friends headed for St. Barts while Ron and I rented a car. By this point we had given up on taxi service. Since Ron is tall and does not fit in little cars, we rented a station wagon ... $67.00 for the day. We went into Marigot for breakfast at Le Croissantarie. Afterwards we strolled around the harbor. Next we drove up to Grand Case, then found Mark's Place and Drew's Deli, and stopped for a few hours at Orient Beach.
We had been to Orient Beach before but only for a brief stop. After reading everyone's comments we decided to give it more of a try this trip. Sorry guys ... we were still unimpressed. The water was rough and dirty, the beach covered with sea weed, the commercialization way out of hand. In our opinion, this beach is way, way over rated, but I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
After a couple of hours we left and drove by Oyster Pond, back through Grand Case, and back to Cupecoy where we remained until the sun went down. Dinner was chicken salad on croissants and cheese in the room. Then it was off to Cheri's for some late night entertainment.
(6/22/95) Thursday we spent most of the day on Cupecoy playing in the surf and soaking up the sun. Thursday evening we ate at La Residence in Marigot. This place was all that we heard it would be. The restaurant sits atop a roof of the hotel. The atmosphere was wonderful and the service reminiscent of the way things used to be many years on Old Mexico. Water and wine glasses always kept full, ash trays kept empty, truly attentive service! Price fix dinner for two, salad, lobster, chocolate souffle, and wine, $120 with a tip. Please note, a tip was not required as it is always figured in on the French side, but the service was so outstanding that we included an extra 20% tip.
(6/23/95) Friday Ron and I booked an outstanding day sail on the Red Stripe. The Red Stripe is a 52' performance sailing sloop owned by Ian and Ingrid Martin from South Africa. Ian docks the Red Stripe over in the marina near the Pelican. When he is not sailing, he can usually be found at Felix's Restaurant by the marina. Ian is a Certified Yacht Master, a Sailing Instructor, and holds many sailing records. He has raced around the world. He built this boat for racing, with consideration for chartering. The trip was $70.00 a person and worth every penny. The Red Stripe takes no more than nine passengers and is a truly wonderful sailing experience. It is not a luxury sailing vessel but it can really fly. As we sailed past Phillipsburg, into the wind, we were doing eight knots.
We circled the island and stopped for snorkeling at Tintammare. This is the best snorkeling that we have found around St. Maarten. While it does not come close to what we have enjoyed in the USVI and BVI's, it is good. Excellent elk horn coral and an ample amount of fish.
After about an hour and a half in the water, Ian had a lovely barbeque lunch ready. He prepared chicken and ribs on a grill on the back of the boat. The meal was served with a green salad and a pasta salad. After lunch, since no one wanted to swim again, we pulled up the anchor.
Ian asked whether we wanted to cruise or sail. When our group indicated that we wanted to sail, he hoisted the spinnaker and we flew around the island. The day was delightful. It is the first time that we have ever managed to book a sail boat on SXM that sailed, not motored. In the past, most of the boats put up a sail, but never turned off the motor! We will definitely sail with Ian on our next trip back to SXM.
Friday night we met our friends for dinner at the marina in Marigot. We ate with our friends at Le Chanteelais, a little restaurant located on the water. The price fixe meal was $19.00. Everyone's appetizers were wonderful, but dinner was a big disappointment, and dessert was no better. After dinner we all headed back to Cheri's.
(6/24/95) Saturday our Colorado traveling companions headed home. The four remaining Texans spent the day on Cupecoy Beach. For our last night we decided to head to Le Bec Fin in Phillipsburg. This is truly one of our favorite spots. We had a wonderful, gourmet meal. Escargot, Potato Soup, and two Seafood Samplers for appetizers, Red Snapper, two Tenderloins in Puff Pastry, a Seafood Platter in a lobster bisque sauce, a Chocolate Souffle (to die for ... $12.00 and worth every penny and then some), a Chocolate Ice Cream pastry, and four glasses of champagne, with tip $170.00. This restaurant sits on the second floor and overlooks the water. The service is outstanding and the food is fabulous. Le Bec Fin is always essential when we are in SXM.
(6/25/95) Sunday morning it was time to pack ... someday I will learn to bring an empty suitcase ... and head to the airport. Our LIAT flight to St. Thomas left exactly on time and we easily made our connection to American Eagle in St. Thomas. Because we were flying American Eagle, we did not clear customs until we arrived in San Juan. In San Juan, we were scheduled to connect with an American flight into DFW. We were one of four lucky passengers to get bumped from the flight. Next year's airfare is almost paid for! Twenty-five minutes after our American flight was scheduled to leave, American had placed us on a Delta flight home.
Back to reality. A continually ringing phone, a desk with a stack of mail two feet high, kids and car pools, miles of dirty laundry, and lots of wonderful memories. By Tuesday morning, the calender was already out with tentative dates for next year being selected and penciled in. Only 300+ days and counting!
Roy and I returned from almost 2 weeks on St. Martin, where we had a great time, as usual.
We originally had booked Grand Case Beach Club, but wound up only staying there for 2 nights. We were supposed to have an ocean front room, but it turned out that our one-bedroom suite was off to the right of the restaurant area, and a big tree and garden area was in front of the balcony, which almost completely blocked our view. That, combined with a window air conditioner blowing hot air (which we didn't need more of) onto the very small balcony, led us to check out early.
We then spent the next 5 days at L'Esplanade, a very beautiful new hotel right above GCBC. The suites were all gorgeous, lots of imported tile, fabulous bathroom, high tech kitchen, etc. The only downside was lackadaisical housekeeping. One day, the maid only made the bed, it seemed. Nothing else had been cleaned in the room. The front desk help was very apologetic, and they did a little better job the next day, but not great.
We are people who like to check out different places, so for the last 5 nights we stayed at Royal Palm (formerly part of Pelican resort). This was the best place yet!! They really dropped their rates. We paid $99/night (plus tax) and booked 11 nights for next February, when the rate is only $120/night for a large 2 bedroom, 2 full bath unit, right on the water. We had a 3rd floor suite, which had breathtaking water views from inside the unit, plus 3 TVs, 3 telephones, nice balcony and very modern full kitchen.. We really loved it there, plus the location was good for us--easy access to the Dutch and French sides and right near the airport for our return early flight.
We didn't do much of anything except watching the sand grow at various places throughout the island, and then having a nice dinner, followed by a trip to the casinos.
We had mostly wonderful meals on our recent trip, and here are the highlights:
Antoines in P-burg--Great first night dinner. Excellent lobster bisque, Roy had the duck and I had shrimp in Pernod sauce. Beautiful setting, right on the water, although very warm. The weather was unbelievably hot--it never cooled off, even at night, so we had to look for places with a breeze--this wasn't one of them.
Fish Pot in Grand Case--EXCELLENT--best meal of vacation. In our opinion, most wonderful ambiance, service and food. We shared escargot in puff pastry, which they split into 2 large portions. Roy had a sliced lamb dish in caramelized garlic sauce and I had 3 large lobster tails in a vanilla sauce (we had one of them for lunch the next day on French bread). We shared the special warm choc. souffl for dessert. At $116, it was the most expensive meal, but well worth it!
L'Alabama and Bistro Caribee--both in Grand Case--good, but not great, meals--in the $60 to $70 range.
Saratoga--We were disappointed with this place for the first time in years. Mussels in wine app. was very good. Dinners were a little on the heavy side, not great.
La Residence, in Marigot- We were about the only people in the place. Lovely setting and service. Food good, but not as good as last winter. $28 price fixed still in effect. We had escargot in blue cheese sauce, lobster thermador for me and rack of lamb for Roy. We both had the choc souffls. A good time was had by all--fun people!!
Rainbow in Grand Case--also EXCELLENT--Great fish soup. Roy had the veal chop (only the "small" one was available in the summer ($29), but it was big enough). I had salmon medallions covered with a sweet potato souffl, with pesto risotto. All dinners come with about 8 different wonderful veggies. We split the best dessert of the year, warm banana tart with choc. caramel and praline sauce. The whole meal was $80.00. They lowered their prices in the summer, we believe. We were served by Sondra, Fleur's sister, who was charming. We found out afterwards that Mario, their long-time chef had left to open his own restaurant (more about that later), but the quality of the food didn't suffer at all. We had a great table for 2 on the balcony overlooking the water--very strong breeze, but we didn't care, it cooled things off quite a bit. Sondra said she'd move us if it became too windy, but it felt great after sweltering in most restaurants.
Mario's Bistro in Sandy Ground--Went with our friends from home. This is the new place owned by Mario, former chef of Rainbow and his wife, Martine, former hostess at Saratoga. This place is a winner and a definite repeat visit next Feb. Beautiful decorating and art work, located on right at Marigot bridge, first restaurant next to Le Paiotte (sp?). Most of Rainbow's old menu items are here, since Mario created them. I had a great Caesar salad and the salmon with onion crust, asparagus risotto and tomato coulis--fabulous. Roy had the asparagus soup and bouillabaisse. We shared choc mousse cake for dessert. Had several bottles of water. $55.00-- a bargain. This place was extremely hot and uncomfortable, but should feel better in the winter. This was one of the busiest places we went to, a reservation was a must, so the word must be out already about Mario's new place. To continue on with my restaurant extravaganza:
La Vie en Rose in Marigot--one of old favorites. Can be very expensive, but the portions are very generous. Roy and I shared an escargot app. Then we shared the lobster and pasta dinner with a mixed salad. More than enough for 2 and delicious. Also, very hot here--you must eat outside or die inside.
Mark's Place--We had a very good lunch here at the beginning of the vacation. We had a good time together, but I felt the food was just average. How this place gets such raves is beyond me. We shared my acras (shrimp fritters) for starters. Roy had cream of celery soup. We both had lobster thermidor, I asked for rice, but Roy's came with oily green mush that they called potatoes. We shared choc. mousse cake for dessert. Lots of bottled water. At least this place had some air circulation, so we were pretty comfortable.
L'Astrolabe at Esmeralda--We had lunch at CoCo Beach and met a couple from Phila. The husband, Ken, is a chef at the Fountain restaurant at the Phila. Four Seasons, one of the best restaurants in the country. They highly recommended L'Astrolabe, saying they ate there 3 times in one week. We figured he knew food, so went there with our friends the last night. It was excellent. Beautiful setting with very gourmet food, although the portions are quite small. We shared escargot and I had a salmon with a leek and asparagus puree and Roy had rack of lamb. We shared a choc. mousse cake dessert. Everyone loved the dinner and was a nice way to end our trip.
We went to "Zee Best" in Marigot for breakfast three times and had some good croissants and omelets.
This time we went to La Croissanterie on the marina and really liked it. Great croissants, especially the choc ones, and a wonderful American breakfast, which we shared a few times. I really feel like I'm in SXM when I sit at a table on the marina and take in the beautiful view of the water with the mountains in the background, while munching on a crisp, chocolate croissant.
We had some nice lunches at Kon Tiki on Orient Beach, Mark's Place (much better for lunch than dinner), La Veranda at L'Hab's beach and twice at CoCo Beach on Orient, where they have the best fish soup, mussels and fries. We had a memorable lunch at La Samanna. We were the only ones in the restaurant. We had a table overlooking beautiful Baye Longe and exquisite food and service. I had jumbo shrimp with asparagus risotto and Roy had a baguette with arugula, mozzarella and tomato with fries. Surprisingly, the bill was only $35.00.
The first week we spent mainly at Grand Case beach, since we were staying right there. It was a very nice beach, very clean, clear water. Very strong wind gusts blew the sand around a lot, so we spent some time covering our faces, but we enjoyed it there.
Also went to L'Hab's beach--excellent. Quiet, clean, easy access to water--no sea weed or rocks, plus two restaurants right there for lunch. Went to Mullet Bay beach for about 5 minutes--couldn't stand it. I know many people on this board are big fans of this beach, but we never liked it. It didn't seem clean, the only shade was under the trees, where little bugs swarm around you, plus it's not easy getting in and out of the water. There's a steep drop off. Lots of jet ski activity. We left in 5 min and they gave us our $10 back for the chair rentals when we complained to the manager.
Best beach of trip was Dawn Beach. We hadn't gone there in a few years, but our friends highly recommended it, so we went the last day. Too bad we waited so long. Just a lovely beach, perfect water, constant breeze, soft, wonderful sand. Had lunch at their beach bbq, which is just O.K. (split a chicken sand. and salad bar--$8.95).
We usually just spent a few hours in the late afternoon at the Royal Palm pool, which was very pleasant, with lots of shade.
As far as shopping, I got 2 handbags, Desmo and Fendi, a gold bracelet from Splash in the Pelican lobby and a contemporary gemstone ring from Artistic jewelers on Front St. in P-burg. No big purchases--nothing at Touch of Gold this time, though we went in and said "Hi" to Heeru. All in all, a great vacation (even though we made our contribution to various casinos). Booked Royal Palm for 11 nights in Feb--can't wait to return.
Car Rental
Roy Rogers Received the ever so popular white Toyota! Prompt, courteous service. $145 per week. Accommodations, Nettle Bay Beach Club
Great location on the bay outside Marigot. Spacious 2BDRM, 2 Bath beachfront villa. Living room, Kitchenette, patio, private sun deck and more. We enjoyed the casual atmosphere the convenience of access(car, pool & beach steps away) and especially the SPACE. Space is a must for a family with teen aged kids! Tennis, snack bar and restaurants on-site. We couldn't have asked for a better arrangement.
I would add that the property is not perfect and would not be suited to everyone. Property maintenance is a tad lacking and some of the interior appointments were say "well used". We utilized a coupon in the Entertainment Book published in major US cities. This reduced our cost to $130 per night.
Lynettes. We enjoyed the ambiance. King Beau Beau drafted Dad into his show. Mom and kids had big laughs at Dads expense. Cost $110(no added charge for Dads entertainment) Cheri's. Good food, pleasant service and casual atmosphere attest to Cheri's popularity. Cost $66.
Sambuca. Casual Italian restaurant near the airport. Food was good, portions were generous. An excellent value. Cost $51. Some Things we did...
Butterfly Farm. Good intentions by a personable Englishman but not enough Butterflies to earn my $9.95 per person. Day Trip to Saba. It's certainly a unique destination not to be missed. We flew via Winair. Only a 12 minute flight but a lot of airport time, expense and hassle. A better choice would be Saba by way of boat. Wilford gave us a complete island taxi/tour for $40 including airport pickup, dropoff for lunch and airport return. Some things we did (continued)... Snorkle Trip to Crole Rock. Popular spot off Grand Case Bay. With coupon cost was $25 per person including equipment and snacks. Beach at Mullet Bay. We enjoyed this beach so much, we went back a second time. Watersports, snackbar and easy access. Not over crowded when we were there but, I imagine that it would be wall to wall people during high season. Guavaberry we were told is an SXM original liqueur. Upon sampling the product we agreed that guavaberry is sold in the US under the trade name Vic's 44. Many mainstream restaurants will not accept credit cards or will offer substantial discounts for cash. Be prepared. Make sure you find a copy of Discover Magazine. It is in many of the hotel rooms. It's full of interesting articles about the history and culture of SXM. Some Observations and Recommendations(continued).....
Take along a portable radio. Good info on PJD2(1300am), popular music on 94.7fm(The Rhythm of St. Maarten) and some good French music on 88.9. Also, I enjoyed my morning coffee listening to RFI and BBC broadcasts on short wave bands.
Unfriendly wishes to the rude immigration official who would not allow us to borrow a pencil or assist us in any way to secure a writing instrument so that we could fill out the entry forms upon our re-arrival from Saba. We were given no form and no advance warning by Winair and were caught pen-less. I plan to donate pencils to the government of SXM as a service to fellow travellers (grin). I further am going to request that this public servant sharpen them!
My wife and I and another couple just returned from seven nights at Divi and want to share our experiences, so that all interested, can be informed.
The resort is composed of a time share condo area and a beach front two story room complex situated just minutes from the shopping attractions and restaurants of Philipsburg. The best part of the resort I felt, was the 9 AM to 9 PM well-stocked grocery store in the center court yard of the resort, which had my favorite beer at better than US prices, Marlboro Lights at $.80 a pack and Oreo cookies and milk for a before bed, on the terrace, nightly snack. The accommodations were clean and neat and the staff helpful and friendly.
The beach was magnificent (yards away from our room) and snorkeling amid a plane wreck and ship wreck was exciting and challenging. Don't swim at sunset unless you want a jelly fish sting as I found out. (The bartenders at the Canon Ball Bar there helped me heal my sting with crushed Lime and Lemon and Bushwhackers). There are three bars and one Elegant restaurant in Divi and The Canon Ball Bar on the beach is the best, as that is where "Gismo," an alcoholic parrot lives. He and I hit it off well, as I hate the cherries that come in Bushwhackers and he loved them, to a point where he would fall off his roost after about seven or eight.
St. Maarten has loads of shopping and over 600 restaurants and my friend and I were mercilessly drug into every shop in town by the wives. After one half day of follow the leader, he and I parked at a street beer vendor, sat in the shade, smoked Cuban cigars, watched the beautiful French girls and let the wives shop till they dropped.
We saw several cruise ships enter Great Bay (next to Little Bay) and the sight of them at night in Philipsburg harbor from the resort was nothing short of spectacular.
Speaking of the spectacular, there are two spectacular events all should see on St. Maarten. The first is watching the Air France 747 land at Princess Julianna International airport and seeing the nude bathers at Maho and Orient Beaches. Any of you who have even the slightest interest in flying, jet aircraft, massive power, or love ear piercing noise have got to witness the landing and take off of the KLM or Air France 747 flights. The West end of the runway is past the terminal and parking is available at Maho beach - you can watch the topless bathers while waiting for the plane to land. Call Air France or KLM in the morning and ask arrival times for the giant birds and be at the end of the run way 45-30 minutes before arrival time.
The other spectacular event is watching the aggregate nude bathers at Maho and Orient Beach. The nudity is not the attraction. It is watching people trying to sneak a good look at a nude. When I got to Orient Beach I thought about 1,000 or so people there were either drunk or high on something. After studying things over, while sipping a Soca beer, it dawned on me that these people were tripping over their own feet, beach chairs, umbrella shafts, kids, coolers, water wings and everything else on the shore line - trying to get an unobserved peek at some young beautiful, nude bathers of both sexes laying on beach chairs and towels on the shore! And yes, women were busy maneuvering their hand held mirrors to fix their wind blown hair also.
Our July trip was hot but the sea breeze kept things bearable on the beach and the room was super air conditioned to a point you could store beef in it - just the way I liked it. At night we opened the balcony sliding doors and fell asleep to the pounding waves.
Prices were reasonable except for some French restaurants we visited on the French side. Car rental was convenient, economical (25.00/day) and driving was a breeze as they drive on the same side as us and not nearly as bad. The goats are more of a road hazard than the drivers on the island. Room lock boxes and refrigerators are available for your room at check in.
In conclusion, we all enjoyed our stay at Divi Little Bay Resort, loved the
island people and are planning our return (with binoculars this time).
We spent 9 (not enough) nights on St. Martin . Next time hope to up it.
We stayed at the Atrium. (studio unit), 6th floor lagoon view, and WHAT a VIEW!!! Shimmering clear water, and boats, yachts galore on both sides. We really enjoyed morning coffee and afternoon cocktails on our deck.
When we arrived (1:00 ), we went to Budget for the proverbial white car, and we were off. No hassles, staff was very obliging. Left our bags at hotel, hit Don Carlos and Turtle Pier for happy hour and also went to the Food Center for some essentials(rum, mix, etc.) Prices here we found to be equivalent to Rams liquor and super market.
That night had dinner at Le Bar de la Mer on the Marigot harbor. Bill and I split a lobster and Caesar salad. With drinks came to $45.00. The lobster wall grilled over an open fire and was both superb and large An ample meal for the both of us.
Le Bar de la Mer has some great pool tables upstairs Bill played a couple of games with a Frenchman and I got to translate with my simple French. But I think both enjoyed it. I know I did.
Much of our week we spent lazing away the hours at Orient Beach. It is absolutely the finest beach we have ever found. Both of us love the calm, clear waters ...floating on a raft...viewing the magnificent mountains behind the beach. Pedros for lunch is an added plus. Great ribs and cheeseburgers for a very reasonable price. Our last 30 minutes on the beach (last day) we spent walking by the water, waving to absolutely everything we could, bidding a forlorn but hopeful "Adieu" til the next time.
Other events: We toured many hotels, villas, etc. I have some friends who wish to come here and we "scoped them out." Coral Shore Villas were a favorite of ours...We may rent here in the future. Also, we like the Beachside Villas, Royal Palm, and truly the Atrium. The staff was so friendly. Breakfast at Felixes there is one of the best buys on the island. $3.75 for eggs, bacon , ham, or sausage, potatoes and coffee is a winner. Combine this with a lovely view of Simpson Bay and this must be heaven. L'Hoste is a great place, and many others by Orient, but we found it a tad to far to drive at night if one wanted to go to the casinos.
We went shopping at Touch of Gold one day. Super buys on gold. Heeru was busy with another customer, but mentioning Prodigy got us another 10 percent off. To anyone who wishes to purchase jewelry or perfume: check the price of the franc. When we were there the Dutch side had much better prices. This fluctuates so "to the buyer beware." There was a 15 dollar difference on the perfume I wanted between Philipsburg and Marigot.
Surf Club South in Grand Case is a charming bar and restaurant posed directly on the water. On Sundays they serve free bloody Mary's and mimosas from 11:00 till 1:00. Band in the afternoon.
Le Repast: Our best meals were at Tutta Pasta: salmon in cream sauce and a shrimp and anchovy pasta with marinara sauce for Bill. Coupled with fried Zucchini. Charming atmosphere, super service, and the bill was only $30.00 Including beer for Bill. Paradise Cafe: They have an early bird special from 5-7:00. The swordfish is wonderful and a super seafood medley. Great atmosphere, service here also.
La Residence...A price fixed meal $28.00 per person and worth every penny. Bill can not have sugar and the graciously substituted 2 appetizers for the dessert. I had the escargot in puff pastry and blue cheese sauce, filet with peppercorn sauce and baked Alaska. Marvelous meal. Bill had red snapper with some wonderful sauce, smoked fish of the islands and a country salad. Both of which he said were excellent. Topped off the meal with champagne. Very friendly waiters, the manager a great person
We also enjoyed Le Bar de la Mer, Le Brasserie de la Gare, the Lolos for ribs. The croissants at both "Zee Best" and omelet, and Le Crossanterie in our opinion can't be beat. For anyone who hasn't tried either, Le Crossanterie sits facing the Marigot marina and their croissants are soft and flaky. Danny's, at La Masterdama are very buttery and crispy. Both are excellent. Danny has just installed a new restroom which is an added plus as far as I'm concerned.
Somebody told Bill there are over 2100 restaurants on the island. If that's true, it could take us a very, very long time to "test the waters." Such a shame.
We got many opportunities to talk with the locals this trip. I can not repeat enough how friendly and helpful we found everyone to be. The people there truly seem to enjoy talking out their island and way of life. Many people work 2 jobs, but say that the stress factor is not a problem. Perhaps it's the tropical setting. As an example, the manager of Tutta Pasta ,Ed, also charters day trips for those who wish to fish, explore, etc. A very enterprising young man. A waitress at Stop and Shop had quit her job in Jamaica (loan processor) and greatly emphasized how much she preferred her present job. Relaxed atmosphere, less stress were key points mentioned by all.
We did manage to find the Cliffside Bar. However, it was not open during our stay. Sorry we did not get a chance to meet the owners.
Cupecoy does have a beach as of this writing. One morning there were photographers there with their models. Spent about an hour just watching them taking pictures using the cliffs as a backdrop. Fascinating Three young blondes and three brunettes. Mix with a gorgeous young man and some rather suggestive poses against the backdrop of the cliffs and water and WOW!
All-in-all, it was a simply wonderful trip. We relaxed, paid our respects daily to the sand Gods, and simply enjoyed the beautiful setting of beautiful, glistening water, majestic mountains, letting the time wash quietly over us. Even the sometimes slow traffic between Marigot and Grand Case, or over the mountain into Philipsburg was not a deterrent to our pleasure.
We just returned from 5 days at St. Thomas. We stayed at the Grand Palazzo Hotel which is near Red Hook on the east end. It is a beautiful hotel about three years old, comprised of six, three story complexes (bldgs A-F) all facing the water and St. John. The F building was furthest away from the main buildings but it did have the most privacy. The "A" building was the closest to the dining rooms and main building.
Each room have a nice size balcony, exceptional bathrooms and all the extras the US first class hotels have including wall safe and hair dryers. The people who work for the hotel were all excellent.
The beach was small but well kept. All non motorized watersports were included in our hotel fee. Snorkeling was actually pretty good.
The two restaurants were the less formal Cafe Vecchio and the more formal Palm Terrace which served good but not great gourmet food. The service was actually too quick. We also ate at Mims which was a very informal restaurant right on the water at the Watergate Villas. Their lobster with a coconut curry sauce was excellent($29.00)
Another night we ate at Agave Terrace which is high up about 5 minutes after Red Hook. The views of St. John, Tortola and Jost Van Dyke were great so go before sundown so you can enjoy the views. The food was very good.
For another good view go to Entre Nous which is in the Bluebeards Castle overlooking Charlotte Amalie. This again you should go early to enjoy the view but don't go on Monday nights because the hotel has a Caribbean night theme at the pool which is right next to the restaurant. It gets a little to noisy for my tastes. The place could be very romantic on a different night. Food was good, not great.
All in all the Island has a lot to offer and if you can go into the city when the cruise ships are not there the shopping can be great. Had a wonderful time at the Grand Palazza. Almost nothing to complain about.
We arrived in St. Thomas at 8:45 P.M. and headed for the Stouffer Grand Beach.
After a speedy check in, it was off to Eunice's Terrace for conch fritters! They were every bit as good as we remembered. Dinner of New York Strip Steak, Old Wife (fish), plantain, fungi, salad, beans and rice, and two Bushwhackers (they really know how to make them right!) $55.90 with a tip. Then it was back to the room to unpack. The rooms at the Stouffer are spacious and pleasant, complete with a small refrigerator, coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, etc. We have stayed here in the past and the service and courteous staff are still as great as ever.
(6/14/95) Wednesday morning we headed for downtown Charlotte Amaile to get our shopping out of the way. T-shirts for the kids, Ron's "Annual Caribbean Hat," and a small steel drum were quickly purchased then it was off to see Paul at the Palm Passage Cafe. Paul Grybowski, the owner, was his usual hospitable self. Paul is a native of St. Thomas and can tell you all of the lore and history. He is very active in the local merchant's association and has led the way to bring even and more activities to downtown. We discovered that he and Michelle had a new son, Max, born January 13th.
The Palm Passage Cafe is a courtyard type establishment, located downtown, in Palm Passage. We dined on a wonderful lunch of Black Bean and Fettucini Pizza (fantastic) and imported New York Italian Sausage in a wonderful sauce, salad, Pineapple and Banana Puffs, and Ice Cream. We highly recommend Paul's Palm Passage Cafe for a real treat and reasonably priced food (only open for lunch, closed on Mondays).
After stuffing ... ourselves, it was off to visit our favorite jeweler in the entire Caribbean Imperial Jewelers at 10 Main Street. We have shopped with Charlie and his crew for many years and never been disappointed in our appraisals when we returned home. Unfortunately, Charlie was away marrying off one of his daughters, but Harry took great care of us. We cannot recommend this store high enough. The merchandise is wonderful, the people are religious and honest, and the staff is fantastic. If you ever get a chance to stop if ask for Charlie, Harry, or Brian and tell them that Ron and Angella, "The Tall Texan and his little lady" sent you! Be prepared to buy ... you cannot pass up the deals they make.
After a full day of shopping, we headed back to the Stouffer to get ready for dinner. We decided to walk over to Poppagayos (sp) Mexican food for dinner. This was a real mistake for Texans. We had a hard time finding anything that remotely resembled Mexican food. After trying chips and salsa (with chili powder!) for $3.00 and an order of Quesidellas (with Italian meat sauce inside flour tortillas!), we paid the tab and walked down to Eunice's Terrace for a real dinner. The marinated Conch with all the trimmings was fantastic as was the Key Lime Pie.
(6/15/95) Thursday was without a doubt the best day of our entire trip. We met Wolf Leonard ... a travel forum member ... and his lovely wife Juliana. We enjoyed a splendid sail on their elegant sailboat, the Tuch-a-Klas. The boat is truly beautiful but totally unmatched by our superior sailing companions! From the moment we stepped on board, Wolf and Juliana treated us like royalty! We sailed out of Red Hook and snorkeled between two deserted islands.
The four of us, and Sheba their exceptionally well mannered dog, strolled a deserted beach, gathered shells and sea fans, and enjoyed the wonders of the Caribbean Sea. Juliana prepared a gourmet lunch and presented the food served so beautifully that our first instinct was to take pictures of the plates rather than eat. The food was every bit as good as it was beautiful.
Ron and I learned that Juliana was from "down-under" and has had a fascinating life. These days she works as a wedding planner, a glamour photographer, and manages the properties she and Wolf own. Judging by the way Juliana pampered us, I am sure that the weddings she plans are something to behold!
After lazing around and thoroughly enjoying the company and the scenery, we pulled up the anchor and sailed past St. John to Little St. James. We docked and watched the sun sink into the water. After dark, Ron and I experienced the wonders of bio florescent plankton glowing in the waters around the boat. Watching the plankton explode like little firecrackers was fascinating. An early Fourth of July!
Juliana worked her magic again and served a scrumptious dinner, presented like dinner prepared by the finest French Chef. After dinner, we reluctantly pulled up anchor and sailed back into Red Hook in total darkness. Ron and I watched in amazement as Wolf parallel parked the Tuch-a-Klas perfectly at the pier! It was with great regret but wonderful memories that we headed back to the hotel. We can only hope that Wolf and Juliana will let us sail with them again next year!
(6/16/95) Friday we walked over to Coki Beach to snorkel. After many trips to the Caribbean, this is still our favorite place to snorkel. The underwater life is spectacular. We spent the entire day enjoying the brightly colored fish and plants. After a hard day, we headed back to the Stouffer for a few Bushwhackers and hamburgers at the pool side bar. Hamburgers $6.95 each.
(6/17/95) Saturday morning we headed to Megans Bay. It is known as one of the ten best beaches in the world. Complete with all facilities, a restaurant, shops, etc., this is a truly beautiful beach. Ron dubbed it the "largest swimming pool in the world". The gently slopping sand floor allows one to stand up in the water far offshore. The two-inch crashing (ha) waves are truly reminiscent of a swimming pool! As far as we know, there is no snorkeling here ... at least none that we could see. This is the perfect place to take non-swimmers and kids to let them enjoy the beach. Saturday afternoon, Wolf came by the Stouffer and picked us up. He drove us to a scenic outlook where we took fabulous pictures of the vistas.
Then we went to the National Park and drove by Secret Harbor. After a few brief stops, we met Juliana at Cabrita, which is a condominium complex where Wolf and Juliana recently purchased a condo they plan to rent. The unit is a precious one bedroom, beautifully decorated by Juliana. It is within easy walking distance of two, gently used beaches, and has a pool and restaurant on the site. I could not believe the fully stocked refrigerator, a coffee cabinet, a cereal cabinet, etc. It is a place that we will definitely consider staying in the future, especially since the price is so right.
Juliana took us on a tour of the Grand Palazzo hotel. The grounds are magnificent and the pool is an architectural work, as it appears to blend right into the ocean. Next we went to Eastwinds, another condominium complex, where Wolf and Juliana own two condos that they also rent. These condos, a one bedroom and a studio, decorated by Juliana, are very neat and clean. Juliana, a glamour photographer extraordinare, had beautiful landscape photographs she had taken showcased on the walls. Eastwinds is located next to the National Park near Red Hook and is easy walking distance to a secluded beach.
For dinner, we joined Wolf and Juliana and Sheba for a fabulous meal and entertainment at one of their favorite, local spots. This lovely, outdoor establishment, sat right on the water. I had the best Red Snapper I have ever had. The singer, Gary, was incredible, singing a wide range of music. We had a marvelous time and could not have selected a better way to spend our last night on St. Thomas.
(6/18/95) Sunday morning it was time to pack and check out of the room. We headed downtown to say good-by to the gang at Imperial Jewelers. While we were at Imperial, we got to see Vinnie and learned he now owns his own wholesale diamond business. For many years, Vinnie has been associated with Imperial. I guess this was the first time we had ever been downtown on a Sunday morning and were surprised to learn that the shops closed at noon, even with a ship in port. We closed down Imperial, and then went back to the pool side bar at the Stouffer for lunch and refreshments. Late in the afternoon, we headed for the airport to catch our LIAT flight to St. Maarten. A word of note, when traveling LIAT, always arrive early, never step up to the ticket agent without being called, and pack light (20 kilos per person).
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO BY GOFF PICKLES
First Impressions
Superficial views after 50 years in Europe, but probably valid for all that. Apologies to all for the fact that so much of this is negative, but that is how it comes across. Environment Urban Trinidad is one of the dirtiest places I've been to and is now drowning under layers of plastic bottles, disposable diapers/nappies and plastic wrappings. Slash and burn agriculture is also an air pollutant and forest destroyer. There is an education programme going, but the Government really ought to get a lot tougher and enforce comprehensive "carrot and stick" legislation.
Agriculture.
See remark above. The loss of fine forest timber and mature cocoa shade trees is frightening. Bare hillsides wash into the sea, shade grows less every year. Tourism needs shade, so does some agriculture; and so most certainly does the flora and fauna of the tropics. I don't know the laws, but what about a regulation requiring replanting of a tree for every one harvested, with a minimum number per acre in every large garden and in the wild? (Subsidized by a heavy tax on that modern scourge, the chain saw). I know of the squatter resettlement legislation, but that is obviously not enough.
Advertising.
Main roads and their surroundings have turned some of Trinidad in particular into one of the ugliest places I know. Can't Trinis see that? What about a subsidy for professional sign-writers to be used by anyone? One painted advertising scrawl can be quaint; when they are roughly daubed all over every surface they become objectionable. Beauty being in the eye...etc., there is a need for a lot of education here.
Architecture.
The "Magnificent Seven" buildings in Port of Spain are being preserved - just. But there is general neglect of the attractive wood en architecture which so adorns some to the other West Indian islands. Downtown POS shows traces of conservation in some larger stores, but even the old Stephen's clock in Frederick St. is in disrepair. I certainly do not believe that outstanding old structures (notably wooden ones) can always be preserved in the Tropics, but at least modern architects ought to be encouraged to copy traditional styles, many of which evolved for good practical reasons to cope with the climate - Demerara windows, for example. That said, congratulations to those who have designed some of the more imaginative villas. Many are very attractive, and if only their style could be borrowed by the bulk of new houses, the place would be improved.
Air Travel.
If your flight stages in Barbados for a crew change, you may want to use the superior new duty-free shops there - take US$ or EC$, not Sterling. On return flights to Europe the air conditioning is often cold for newly- acclimatized beachcombers - have a light pullover handy. There is a change going on in air access, with British Airways apparently pulling out of the Europe-Trinidad service in favor of BWIA and Air Carib bean having taken on the inter-island shuttle. Charter seats to Tobago from Europe are a good option for those who can plan ahead. Could not both airports make their Departure Tax staff visible? At the moment, one pays a stiff fee to the invariably friendly and chatty cashiers, who are rendered sinisterly invisible by heavily tinted foil on the glass window.
The POS Museum.
How can this have been allowed to get into its present sorry state? Bad lighting, decayed displays and notices which are too far away in the cases to be read go along with skimpy historical detail. This could be part of the state's education resources as well as a tourist draw, and some good ideas lie gathering dust in it. Surely the money can and should be found?
Racism. Most impressive how the races have largely mixed into an unselfishness blend in Trinidad. The old separatism which threatened 50 years ago seems to have disappeared in most areas and some really fine young people have emerged.
TRINIDAD REVISITED
General.
I stayed in two Band Bs for 2 weeks during my visit in April 1995. If you are going out there, read every guidebook you can find, then re-read the Insight, API and the Nelles Guides. This report is just a few personal and additional notes which may help you. They are written by a European and intended for anyone on a budget.
Tourism.
The guidebooks say it all, but the Northern and Southern Ranges of Trinidad are a gem for bird watchers and also offer some relaxation for those on business trips. See them now, though, before the slashers and burners send the very last of the jungle environment up to devastate the ozone layer. The wildlife guidebooks are barely adequate for the variety. Be wary of swimming on deserted beaches: there is sure to be a good reason for the emptiness and you don't want to find out what it is.
Air Travel.
I traveled charter by Air Caledonian to Tobago. Excellent flight and service. Onward to Trinidad a couple of hours later by Air Caribbean shuttle: 25 minutes in a YS-500 turboprop from Crown Point to Piarco. If possible, reserve this beforehand as it can get booked out - my hosts at Sadila House did this for me entirely unasked. Shuttle leaves a bout every couple of hours, early to late. Sea crossings include one by fast Jetcat.
Local Travel.
Plans to hire a car were soon abandoned when confronted with fantastically convenient route taxi system. Guide books do not do it justice, and need to publish the route plans and junction points to save much asking (don't believe all they say about English being the local language; much of it is evolving along its own unique road and is hard to understand, whichever side of the Atlantic you come from!). Fact is, though, that one can flag down a taxi or maxi taxi (both H registration) anywhere and stop it anywhere for a few cents a mile. Arouca to Port of Spain, for example, is TT$4 (=L0.40 / US$0.60 at the moment) for a 20 minute trip. For about double fare you can be taken off-route to a village or guest house. With a knowledge of junction points
you can go almost anywhere and never have to wait more than 5 minutes for a lift or pay more than a few US$ for each leg of the journey. This is what public transports should be like everywhere. Don't try it with more than a small bag, though, as maxis do not have luggage room. If traveling between POS and Arima get a taxi which is licensed to use the expressway along the old railway track.
Security.
Trinis are obsessed with the security threat caused by a high (and apparently random) housebreaking-with-murder rate and by highway robbery. I won't belittle it, but the number of active criminals seems to be small, and I never felt threatened anywhere. Locals of all ages and both sexes wander the streets long after dark without harassment. (Indeed, I should compliment the Trinis on having apparently established a really relaxed society). Do not wander East of the Dry River in Port of Spain, though - no outsider does. For the faint-hearted: you will soon find that the grimmest looking passers-by will almost always melt into delightful shy smiles if you greet them first. As one contact put it, "Oh, you're absolutely safe anywhere round here. We've a couple of guys on ganja, but they're really nice fellahs and don't make any trouble".
Beggars.
Accosted only twice, when my firm "No" met with a resigned "OK" and the disappearance of the man. Prepared for a struggle, one almost felt sorry!
Food.
Very varied in quality. I cannot endorse the guide books which talk about excellent roti, etc, as most street roti I found inedible and the "doubles" boring. As so often when traveling, it is the cook, not the food which is at fault. Do not avoid the hot sauces; their flavouring is essential, and can be obtained without cauterizing your mouth if you are careful. When all else fails, take a maxi to the nearest chain foodery: MacD et al are to be found in the main centres and shopping malls and are cheaper than in most of Europe. Noteworthy: not one stomach bug in 5 weeks - more than can be said for many places in the temperate zones, including parts of Europe.
Accommodations.
Try Sadila House in Arouca (640-3659/fax 640-1076). The area has no attractions, but is very close to taxi routes and airport, and within easy reach of the whole of the Northern Range. Hospitality excellent (see also Air Travel above) and included airport connection at a nominal rate. Room with shower and air conditioning was spotless and modern. Constant hot water, almost unique in the West Indies at this price. Iced water in the room and in kitchen refrigerator. Guest rooms (3) occupy first floor of the building and share a kitchen, dining room / cable TV / sitting room + balcony. Breakfast, eggs and local specialties with orange juice and coffee, good, varied and well presented. You will need to plan your own evening meals, as there is nothing in the area for tourists. Hosts are delightful and considerate.
Also Villa Maria (629-8023) in Maraval valley, some 4 miles up from the capital. Run by Doris Hurst and Winston Supersad, this is very attractively laid out with lots of shade and tropical shrubbery round a central swimming pool. Room was air conditioned with shower and of a high standard. Ice water provided and ice always available. Some local girls provide the staff and they are both efficient and polite. Very pretty gardens, and close to the golf course. Not on the main taxi route, but this starts about half a mile away in Maraval Village. From there it is a few minutes and cents into the nearest shopping malls and Town centre. You will need to make arrangements for evening meals, or nip downtown. The main part of the Villa Maria is run for occasional receptions and has a dance floor, pool table and bar. TV is available in the lounge area. Breakfast much as Sadila House, well presented - often by Doris herself, who keeps a firm eye on catering and staff. Villa Maria is on the road from Town to Maracas Bay and the other North Coast beaches. A pity that the local guest houses do not have a co-operative system of maxi taxi travel to the coast, as individual taxis are expensive. Be prepared for VAT and Service on the bill. A real rest from the heat and dirt of central Trinidad and the capital itself.
If you want rain forest bird watching and sea bathing, check out Fred Zollna's new place at Blanchisseuse (telephone 628-3731 for information). Not only has Fred (late of Blue Waters Inn in Tobago) built some very comfortable rooms with balconies, but he has converted an old copra drying house as a small restaurant and bar to make a delightfully tropical place spanning sea, coconut plantation and forest. He is gradually developing more of the plot in the same relaxed way, but already has a short path to the beach with fine swimming and some surfing usually available. Fred has the place under his personal direction, but is ably helped by Bernadine and her brilliant smile. Blanchisseuse is now at the end of the surfaced North Coast road from Port of Spain (1 hour or so)., and Fred is building up a very attractive addition to it, lit outside by kerosene flares at night. Fred's wife Barbara runs House Zollna in the Maraval Valley, close to Port of Spain.
TOBAGO REVISITED
General.
As quiet as its reputation, but equally relaxed and under crowded. Hardly changed in 50 years, except, sadly, for the marine "desert" along the edge of Buccoo Bay to Sheerbird Point (Bon Accorde Lagoon), once unswimmable for its dense colonies of conch, gorgonias and sea cucumbers, but now just a graveyard for coral skeletons from Buccoo Reef. Most people do not benefit directly from tourism, so don't expect a hero's welcome everywhere just because you have foreign currency; at the same time, you won't often get overcharged either. To generalize, people seem a little more serious than in Trinidad, but are not a bit less sincerely friendly - just quite a lot shyer. Once again, these notes add to the many guides on the place (best seem to be API, Insight,
Nelles, all pretty accurate and very informative). Tobago is still one of those places where you very largely bring it with you or do without, thank Goodness. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Phones.
Invest in a cheap Phonecard at the start of your holiday; cash phones are rare and seldom work, whilst phonecards are often unavailable when needed. A tip for Charlotteville: if the only public (phonecard) phone is not working, or the gas station has no cards for it, the Fisherman's Co- operative, second on the left along the road to Pirates Bay and sign posted, will let you pay to use their phone in an emergency.
Taxis.
Route taxis rarer than in Trinidad, but the system is the same. On the whole you will not get ripped-off.
Charlotteville.
I agree with the comment in one of the yachtsman's guides, that Charlotteville is less friendly than its reputation. This is not due to any xenophobia, though, but to the fact that they really have to work hard for a living and get very little return from time spent on visiting yachts and a few tourists. Fish or a patch of yams on a mountainside need a lot of effort. Try Sharon Eastman for cheap (US$10 and up), clean apartments looked after by Bernadette, and the best food in the village - 8 till late at Sharon and Pheb's. Fish, chicken or shrimps with at least six vegetables and a Carib on the restaurant balcony cost from about US$4.50 to 7.00. Sharon's sister also now provides daytime snacks and drinks at Pirate's Bay. Sharon has some realistic and attractive plans for her business, so watch that space for modest tourism improvements in keeping with the place. Deirdre's family, amongst others, also has rooms uphill from the church. At present, rooms are always available somewhere for wanderers.
Road Charlotteville to L'Anse Fourmi.
This tricky and unsurfaced road is a scenic delight and just about OK for skilled drivers in 4x4 vehicles in the dry season. Avoid in the wet, as it is dangerous and your damage inconveniences the few residents who really have to use it (and who also assume that no one else will, so watch out!).
Birdlife.
Mot-mots and Jacmars abound in the hills - look for holes drilled in the banks of roads, then wait for a minute or two. Both are fairly tolerant of humans and mot-mots announce their presence with a confidential hoot, seemingly at one's elbow. The other local attraction, Rufous-vented Chachalacas (Cocricos), are liable to pop up anywhere without warning and once feeding cause a very irritating racket audible for a mile or so, giving rise to the unworthy thought that they might well taste a lot better than they sound - or look.
Mount Irvine.
For golf, sea and varied eating this is among the best. For accommodation try Gemma Shaw at her house Sea Edge (Tel/Fax 1-809 639-9052), where she has a comfortable, self-contained unit for two with kitchenette (US$25 per person accommodation only) and an extensive family garden stretching to the cliff edge. The garden overlooks a wide stretch of the Caribbean from Buccoo Reef to Black Rock with the finest sunsets as a backdrop.
Good snorkeling ranges from shallow coral reef (this is the very end of Buccoo Reef itself) to deeper Gorgonia "forests" and starts at the foot of the ladder - which is soon to be turned into steps - from the garden. Take old canvas shoes for the rocks. In April the turtles swim past in large schools at sunset. Excellent and empty beaches are a short stroll away on either side of the house, or down the ladder and head 10 meters left.
Restaurants, also a short walk in either direction, range from Italian to local, and fresh fish arrives by boat in Buccoo prompt at 5 p.m. for about US$1.20 per pound. The golf course is just outside the front gate. As a central point for all the attractions, the airport and Scarborough, Mt. Irvine is unbeatable and Gemma's place a real find. Can't think why I'm sitting here writing this, instead of back there.
Airport.
Tobago immigration and luggage handling is not up to coping with the arrival of even half the payload of a wide-body aircraft, resulting in long delays with nowhere to sit and nowhere to fill out the immigration declaration. Please, would someone in the Tobago House of Assembly with a few bucks to spend invest in this before some harassed mother with three kids and three suitcases, arriving in the heat after 4000 miles of the Atlantic, throws a real wobbly and spreads the word round Germany or wherever? And while they are about it, what about some lockers outside for luggage between connecting flights to Trinidad? The building is OK, just the organization and equipment need some forethought from someone who's actually had to use them, and the officials could do with a few lessons at charm school (not so the airline handling staff, though, who are delightful and helpful).
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