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Caribbean Travel RoundupNewsletter - Paul Graveline, Editor |
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This report describes our recent trip to Negril, Jamaica, including some comparisons to an earlier trip to Jamaica-Jamaica, a Superclubs resort in Runaway Bay. Strictly for my own convenience, I will write this report predominantly in chronological order. Traveling from the Southwest to the Caribbean is seldom convenient, and this trip was no exception. Our routing was to take us from Phoenix to Detroit to Tampa to Montego Bay. Mechanical delays added Miami to this list as we were re-routed from Tampa. It made for a very long day, but we breezed right through customs and did not wait long for our Tropical Tours van to Negril. If you don't find the ride to Negril thrilling enough, I recommend doing it after dark - you still go more than 70 mph, but you have less warning about roadside hazards. Nonetheless, we survived the trip and collapsed into our bed at Drumville Cove, on the cliffs in the West End, to catch up on our sleep. We were able to notice, prior to our collapse, that the room was spacious and quite a bit nicer than our dorm-like accommodations at Jam-Jam. In the morning, after breakfast there, we had a visit from Karlene of Tropical Tours (a very nice lady) who gave us an overview of Negril as well as some of the tours we might want to take (we signed up for a catamaran trip to Booby Cay for a picnic). We then got a quick tour of the grounds by the manager, Linus. We had noticed that we left our shampoo behind, and asked Jennifer, the girl at the "lobby" bar where we could get some. She offered to get it for us, and we left her some money to do so. Once we were oriented to our surroundings, we grabbed our snorkeling gear and headed for the water. We noticed that the cliffs are actually fossilized coral and you can see fossil shapes all along the walls. The water was incredibly clear that day (over 100 feet visibility) and once we made the tricky entry into the water saw plenty of interesting sea life. While we were out there, we ran into Linus, who was also snorkeling, and he pointed out a lobster that was hiding between the rocks. After we got out and rinsed off under one of the freshwater showers on the cliffs, we started to notice how empty the place seemed. I think we saw only about half a dozen guests there the entire trip, though there were a number of locals who were hanging out at the cliff-side bar. There was a small pool on the edge of the cliff, but it was not filled. Otherwise, things were in generally good repair, with one exception. The water pressure is normally lower in the West End than in the rest of Negril, but it was especially low at that time due to work that was being performed on the water and sewer lines. We decided to walk over and try lunch at Rock Cliff, one of Drumville Cove1s neighbors. I was glad that we did not decide to stay there, the service was very slow (thirty minutes to cook ham cheese sandwiches for their only customers) and the girl serving us seemed to resent that we wanted her to do anything at all. We also found out that although they advertise a weekly all-you-can-eat lobster barbecue, they do not do so during the low season. We did more snorkeling in the afternoon, and I tried some cliff jumping, which was pretty fun (the water is at least thirty feet deep in many places off the cliffs). Jennifer found us to give us our shampoo, and we were delighted to get $120 (Jamaican) back from the $5 (US) that we gave her (the exchange rate was between 33 and 35 Jamaican dollars for one US dollar). If we had bought shampoo at a typical resort gift shop, we would have paid much more. We decided to walk down and try the Pickled Parrot, a bar/restaurant that is a popular hangout spot on the cliffs. We had a nice dinner (I especially liked the Jerk chicken) with a wonderful view of the sunset. The food prices were quite good, but drinks were a bit high. We were pretty excited about the trip to Booby Cay . We were picked up at our hotel and met some "ugly Americans" from Indianapolis, that made embarrassed to be associated with them at all. Nonetheless, we made it to the beach and got on the catamaran to head out to Booby Cay. We had complimentary drinks during the whole trip and stopped to snorkel around an offshore reef. Though there were not many fish, we were able to see sea cucumbers, wrasses, parrot fish and a sea snake. We finally got to the island to enjoy our BBQ picnic. We were exploring the island, but had to retreat due to a gathering storm. We rode the storm out under the hut we used for lunch. The strength of this afternoon storm was incredible, even compared to the summer monsoon storms in Arizona; for the rest of the trip, my wife referred to this storm as the "hurricane." Unfortunately, this storm took up all of our time on the island and we were soon headed back. I must note that the catamaran did not use its sails at all, but operated under gasoline engine power, as seemed to be the custom there. For dinner, we walked a short distance down the road to Mariner1s. We had an excellent meal there with great fish soup and fabulous lobster. The service there was some of the best we experienced on the island, and the sunset view was breath-taking. The next day, I met Moses! Moses is a local who fishes off the cliffs at Drumville Cove, and tried repeatedly to get me to take some tours arranged by him. We later set out on a walk to Xtabi for breakfast. We had just left Drumville Cove when we were accosted by one of the omnipresent taxis. We were not going far and wanted to just walk, so we declined the taxi driver who proceeded to yell at us, telling us we were just cheap! Unfortunately, this and a few other incidents tainted our entire stay in Jamaica. After a nice breakfast, we got a taxi ride from a driver that always seemed to turn up when we needed him and went to Hedonism II for the day. This day pass to Hedonism is a confusing business. In a number of different calls before our visit, we got differing details on this. My travel agent, myself and Drumville Cove got different answers as to the hours a day pass covers and the amount it cost. In the end, it cost $50 (US) each to go from 11-5 (which was shorter than any of the calls had indicated). The people at the front desk were not very pleasant (my notes refer to them as surly), but we did get in. Having heard so much, we were anxious to experience the beach. Although we had been warned, we were a bit disappointed in the quality of the "beach." The area was very crowded, mostly with couples and the use of surf shoes was very important as there are many rocks and urchins underwater. With the aid of some snorkel equipment, we were amazed at the variety of life swimming around these congested waters. These included a small barracuda, some cute baby Sgt. Majors, a sea snake, a puffer fish and some fairy basslets (one of my favorites). The afternoon brought yet another big rainstorm, so we took the time to get lunch. I was struck by the very American menu they served compared to the area restaurants, but the food was plentiful and good. I had more than my share of drinks that afternoon, but it was relaxing to get away from people selling things and kick back. Upon our departure, the same taxi driver appeared as if by magic and took us back to Drumville Cove. That night at our hotel, the water in our second-floor room stopped flowing; we could not flush the toilet or get water to drink. We contacted the management about this, but they said sometimes this happens for days at a time due to the water line construction. In the morning, I was forced to shower out on the cliffs since we still had no water. We spoke to the management and decided to move down to the beach. I have to compliment Drumville Cove for the way they handled this: they covered the extra expense for us to stay at Firefly and also got us a ride down there; they were a class act, though they were clearly sad to see us go. We got to Firefly in time for lunch and got settled into the beach cottage room. This room is in a separate building from the rest of the rooms. The beach bar here was tended by a nice woman named Livia, and features one of the best prices on the beach for Red Stripe ($50 J). We spent the afternoon relaxing on the beach. This was Sunday afternoon, and the beach-walking crowd included some locals. We took a walk later up past Swept Away, but were not impressed. The Swept Away grounds seemed a bit cramped, and the people seemed a bit uptight, though I cant say why. Following a recommendation from Karlene, we tried a restaurant on the beach named Kuyaba. We had some great bacon-wrapped shrimp as an appetizer, followed by an incredible dish of pasta covered with a lobster in garlic sauce. Though the meal was not much more expensive than many others we had, it was awesome, and we vowed to return. After our long walk back up the beach to our room, we went to the spa for a dip, and found the water level too low. We found the night watchman, Desmond (a very friendly man), but he could not help us, so we went to bed. We started our next morning with a quiet walk on one of the world's most beautiful beaches, which was even more pleasant because few hasslers (salespeople) were out yet. I know these people are making a living this way (I don't need any lessons on their struggling economy, thank you), but I don't reward their pushy behavior with my business on vacation any more than I do at home. An obnoxious and insincere salesperson is unpleasant to me no matter where I am. Upon our return, we had a wonderful and inexpensive breakfast of bacon and egg sandwiches at the beach bar. We then headed to Xtabi by way of the resident taxi man, Jerry. On our arrival at Xtabi, we were given an enthusiastic and warm greeting to begin one of our best afternoons on the island. George showed us around the property including the cliff-side caves. We quickly went down for some great snorkeling. When we took a rest on one of the platforms built on top of some coral, Richard brought us some lounge chairs and drinks (what service!). We got in more snorkeling, spotting virtual clouds of small fish, a sand digger, many Tang and some fish I call Neon Dots that were too shy for my camera. We had a tasty lunch of Jamaican Chicken and headed back to Firefly. During our afternoon walk, we went North on the beach again. By the time we returned, the spa had more water in it, and I enjoyed a sunset soak watching the many tropical birds in the trees, imagining I was in paradise. We walked down to Alfred's Ocean Palace, which is noted for its frequent Reggae shows, for dinner. Though the meal was decent, it took over 20 minutes just to get the check. Then, after this long wait, they treated me like a criminal for paying with a traveler's check without a picture ID (which had not been a problem elsewhere). We left there disappointed with our treatment. After a short walk on the beach, we resolved to give Hedo II another try and had Jerry drive us there. We had less hassle getting in this time and quickly found a shady spot on the beach. We had a good time watching the competing teams in the "Olympics" that were going on that morning. Later, I got a sailing lesson from Devon of watersports and got some relaxation in, floating off of the beach. We then took a Sunfish out for a sail over towards Grand Lido (looked much more quiet over there) and around Booby Cay, getting in just as the daily storm was getting underway. In the afternoon, we had a fun time watching the body painting contest which featured some very creative designs. We grabbed a couple of burgers from the beach grill and had to head back. We started walking back towards Firefly when we got a lift from the same taxi driver who took us back the last time (that guy was everywhere!). We got back in time to watch the party boats return after sunset and have a relaxed evening in our room. We spent the next morning reading on the beach and enjoying our breakfast at the beach bar. We had a such a good time at Xtabi that we returned for more snorkeling. The water was a bit cloudier that day, but the snorkeling was still great. We met a nice newlywed couple from North Carolina and had a pleasant lunch during the daily storm. The rest of the afternoon was some relaxation back at the beach at Firefly, followed by another great dinner at Kuyaba and a free shuttle ride back to our room. We spent the rest of our evening packing for our trip back. The nest morning, we got the bus back to Montego Bay to start our long journey back home to some very happy dogs. General Comments: I doubt we would go back to Negril this way again. We went on vacation to get away from hassles, not to be constantly accosted by pushy salespeople and taxi drivers who sometimes don't understand what "no, thank you" means. The only respite we got from this was our time at Hedonism II. We also decided that though we got more variety by choosing where we went for our next meal, the process of deciding and then traveling to each meal was very time-consuming and, in the end, detracted from our vacation experience (YMMV). If we do go back to Negril, we will probably stay at Xtabi As far as Hedo II vs. Jam-Jam is concerned, we prefer Jam-Jam, though, once again, YMMV. We are beach people and the beach and reef are much nicer at Jam-Jam. The full service bar and grill at the Hedo II beach were nice but we would give them up for the natural beauty of Jam-Jam. The grounds at Hedo II seem more lush, in part because it is less open and built upon a hill. Though we did not sample many meals at Hedo, we thought the fare (and the clientele) at Jam-Jam was a bit more international. It was a nice vacation, and a bit less expensive than an all- inclusive, but we are not likely to vacation this way again.
My new husband and I just got back from our honeymoon at Swept Away in Negril. Since I benefited so much from reading reports in this forum, I thought I'd write a brief one for anyone who is interested. Swept Away was absolutely marvelous. We took a quick peek and some of the other resorts along the strip and in our opinion, Swept Away was much nicer. It was the perfect spot for a romantic honeymoon. We got there around noon and were given fresh orange juice while we checked in. Our bags were taken to our room -- our room was so large and nice. We had an Atrium room which is the middle lane and I thought it was the perfect location. We could see a bit of the beach from our balcony, but were surrounded by beautiful trees. The windows in each room have mahogany panels and no glass. The balcony was almost as big as the bedroom itself. We were impressed. We put on our swimsuits and explored the grounds. Everything was very well kept and the grounds were lush with palm trees and many other tropical flowering plants. The beach was very large and well kept -- they raked it every morning. There were always plenty of chairs on the beach with foam mats. There are also plenty of places to sit in the shade for those fair of skin. FOOD: We made our first trip to the bar and the bartender never forgot our names after that. This is an example of most of the staff at Swept Away: they are very friendly and make an effort to remember your name and what you like. There are four bars on the property: one on the beach, one in the main dining hall, one in the piano lounge and one in the sports complex. I tried many new drinks, my favorite being the Dirty Banana. I also tried the Jamaican Delight (yum) and the Yellow Bird (which I'm convinced is for alcoholics). :-) They also have a Veggie Bar (open daily from 11a.m. to 6 p.m.) and Beach Grill. Paul runs the bar and can introduce you to many new fruits and fruit drinks. I drank out of a coconut and my husband fell in love with the Mediterranean olives. The beach grill offers grouper or snapper sandwiches and chicken sandwiches. We ate here almost daily. There are two restaurants at Swept Away: the Main Dining Room and Feathers (at the sports complex across the street). Both have very good food. Feathers is more gourmet and we were always impressed with the food there (but weren't too crazy about the deserts). Definitely try the lamb at Feathers. Yum! One thing: you must get used to the Jamaican way and not expect your food to come as quickly as it may in American restaurants. Things run slower there, so take your time and enjoy the wine and company. We did have breakfast in our room most mornings (the only time you can get room service). I guess a local bird got used to us having breakfast on our balcony. The last morning we were there, we were sitting having fruit and banana bread and a little bird came, sat on our plate and started eating my bread!! It was pretty cute. SPORTS: Swept Away has a very very large sports complex that is well known. We aren't the athletic types so we didn't make good use of this aspect of the resort, but know that many people did. We did get a massage, which came free since we were honeymooners. We also took the couples massage class (offered twice a week, I think) and that was fun. We concentrated mainly on water sports. We snorkeled a lot, learned to wind surf (we weren't very good at it), water skied and even learned to SCUBA. We didn't get officially PADI certified, but we took the resort certification course. The instructors were very good and made sure that everyone was comfortable in the water before ending the class. SCUBA was a neat experience and we dove twice. I think I'd recommend maybe getting officially PADI certified though. Although the instructors were good, there simply wasn't enough time in a three hour class to learn all you need to know about the physiology of the sport. I ended up not equalizing myself correctly and had an ear problem that sent me to the doctor. It's cleared up now and wasn't a big deal, so it didn't spoil our experience. Our one trip off the property was to go horseback riding to Babo's. This was arranged through the resort and cost about $77 per couple. I am very glad that we did this. We got a chance to see the "real" Jamaica. We rode up into the hills and met a couple of Rastafarians living up there who showed us some "historical" sights. The ride was scenic and educational -- Jamaica is really a third-world country and many of the homes looked like they were about to fall over. I was never uncomfortable, though. Everyone we met was very friendly. O'Neill was our guide. My husband lost his sunglasses along the way. A couple of days later O'Neill found them for us and sent them back to the resort!! We did walk down the beach and visited some of the vendors selling carvings, jewelry, etc. Again, Jamaicans are very friendly people and they expect the same from visitors. If you are not interested in seeing their stuff, just smile and say "No thank you." They'll appreciate that and leave you alone with a "No problem, Mon." If you ignore them (like we are "trained" to do in the states) they get a bit irritated. GENERAL: Monday night, the resort has a beach party with buffet food (and lots of it) and entertainment. We learned how to dance raggae and saw fire-eaters, etc. It was a good time and we walked down the beach later listening to the sounds of the Calypso band. It rained daily for about an hour in the afternoon. The last day or two it started raining about 3 p.m. and didn't quit, but it was no big deal. We sat on our balcony, listened to the rain and read. We also played pool and ping pong. They have a room next to the piano bar that plays movies on a big screen TV and also has an assortment of many board games. During the rain, we saw some people take advantage of this room. Swept Away does not have the night live some other resorts do, which is one of the reasons we chose it. There is dancing and nightly shows until midnight every night, but after that, things are quiet. For that reason, the resort may not be for someone looking for parties, but it's perfect for people like us who enjoy a good dinner and then a quiet walk on the beach without the distractions of loudspeakers announcing the next race. We didn't have any trouble getting through customs either coming or going. Our flight back to Atlanta was delayed three hours, which was disappointing as I could have had more beach time. We spent about $150 total in American cash while we were there on souvenirs, cab rides, etc. We brought it in 1, 5 and 10s, which I think is the best way to go. Anything bigger is unnecessary. We did exchange money for our exiting tax which is about $14 per person ($500JA). In short, my husband and I had a wonderful time at Swept Away and are planning to return next year. I would highly recommend this resort to anyone wanting a relaxing vacation in a beautiful, quiet setting.
(Ed Note: This file was submitted by Ed Buckley who operates V.I. Divers, Ltd. He can be contacted at http://www.padi.com/vidivers.html)
________________________________________________________
Name of Restaurant BLD (Phone number)
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Location
Description of food
"My comments are always in quotes"
Credit Cards they accept. None accepted if none listed.
________________________________________________________
Anabelle's Tea Room BLD (773-3990)
51 Company Street, Christiansted
Spanish, Cuban, & Caribbean cuisine including hot pressed
sandwiches and
vegetarian dishes, and salad platters.
Antoine's in Anchor Inn BLD (773-0263)
58A King Street, Christiansted
Alpine Cuisine and Seafood
AX, V, MC
Anything Goes Deli BL (773-2777)
Gallows Bay, Christiansted
Gourmet takeout and deli
Blue Marlin BLD (773-7077)
Club St. Croix Condos
Salads, sandwiches, burgers and pastas for lunch while seafood,
including
their flaming rum lobster, is their dinner specialty.
AX, V, MC
Bombay Club LD (773-1838)
5A King Street, Christiansted
Steak, Chicken, shrimp, fish, sandwiches, and several daily
specials.
"Great roasted garlic and brie."
Air conditioned dining in the bar or air cooled in the patio.
AX, V, MC
Cafe Du Soleil D (772-5400)
Prince Passage on Strant Street, Christiansted
Local fish, lamb, lobster, shrimp.
"Great Sunday brunch. Excellent place to catch a sunset."
AX, V, MC
Camille's BLD (773-2985)
53B Company Street, Christiansted
American, Steak, Seafood, Sandwiches, Salads
Cheeseburgers in Paradise LD (773-1119)
East End Road
"Wonderful cheeseburgers, burritos, chicken, pasta and daily
specials.
A real favorite hangout for the locals especially on weekends."
Live music Thu-Sun
MC, V
Columbus Cove BLD (778-5771)
Salt River Marina
Continental & Caribbean cuisine, seafood, and pasta, steak,
sandwiches.
Great home made deserts.
Comanche LD (773-2665)
Strand Street, Christiansted
Seafood, Prime Rib, duckling, local fish, steaks
Reservations Requested
AX, V, MC
Company Street Pub LD (773-6880)
Company Street
Snacks, Sandwiches, salads, daily specials
"French Dip and Curly fries are wonderful."
Open till 4am
Cormorant Beach Club BLD (778-8920)
Cormorant Beach Beach Hotel
Continental & Caribbean Cuisine including salads and gourmet
sandwiches
for lunch and a great Caribbean Night Buffet on Thursdays with a
floor
show. Good Sunday Brunch spot
too.
Reservations Requested
AX, V, MC, DC
Cultured Pelican LD (773-3333)
Coakley Bay Condos
Pasta, veal, and italian dishes along with an excellent stuffed
lobster.
Also a great Sunday Brunch.
"One of the best views on the island"
V, MC
Deep End Bar LD (773-4455)
Tamarind Reef Hotel
Light fare, sandwiches, salads
Down By the Bay BLD (773-2918)
Chenay Bay Beach Hotel
Continental & West Indian Cuisine
Tuesday & Saturday West Indian buffets, Wednesday is pasta night,
Friday
has belly dancers.
Duggan's at the Reef LD (773-9800)
Teague Bay, East End
Quiche, flying fish, soups, sandwiches and daily specials for
lunch, rack
of lamb, filet, mignon, veal and lobster for dinner
"Great setting at the east end of the island. Chicken verde pasta
and
lobster putanesca is excellent."
Reservations Requested
AX, V, MC
The Galleon D (773-9949)
Green Cay Marina
French, Italian, lobster, chateaubriand, breast of duck.
"The best rack of lamb on the island."
Reservations Requested
AX, V, MC
Greathouse at Villa Madeline D (778-7377)
Teague Bay, East End
International, Continental cuisine
"Gourmet dining and an excellent view from the top of the
mountain"
AX, V, D, MC
Harbormaster BLD (773-2035)
Hotel on the Cay, Christiansted
Seafood, burgers, sandwiches and a Tuesday night Beach Barbecue
buffet
with a limbo show, broken bottle dancer, fire eater, mocko jumbie
and
steel band.
Reservations for the buffet.
AX, MC, V
Harvey's LD (773-3433)
11B Company Street, Christiansted
West Indian cuisine including local fish, creole, ribs, chicken,
lobster
and lamb stew.
Hideaway BLD (773-4042)
Hibiscus Beach Hotel
Right on the beach serving steak, seafood, sandwiches. Wednesday
night
barbecue night with live music and limbo contest. Friday night
five
course dinner and show by the Caribbean Dance Company. Jazz on
Saturday
night.
Reservations required for special nights
AX, MC, V
Indies LD (692-9440)
55-56 Company Street, Christiansted
Caribbean & International Cuisine, Seafood.
"This is the place I recommend first for seafood. There's also
Sushi on
Friday nights."
Reservations Suggested
AX, V, MC
Kendrick's LD (773-9199)
Gallow's Bay, Christiansted
"This is my top choice for fine dining on the island.
Contemporary &
Nouvelle American cuisine, including pastas, seafood, duck, pork
loin and
a great wine list." Pub dining downstairs, fine dining upstairs.
Reservations requested
AX, V, MC
Lizards LD (773-4485)
1111 Strand Street, Christiansted
Island-inspired dishes, barbecue
Live music nightly
AX, V, MC
Luncheria LD (773-4247)
6 Company Street, Christiansted
"My favorite all around restaurant for their cheap and good
Mexican Food
and the best frozen Margaritas ANYWHERE. Their $1 margarita is
extremely
"tart" to cover the vast quantity of tequila that gives it the
kick of a
mule. Three or four of these and you'll see things that aren't
there!"
Mahogony Room D (778-3800)
Westin Carambola Beach Resort
Fine Dining, Seafood
AX, V, MC, D, DC
Mango Grove LD (773-0200)
Queen Cross Street, Christiansted
Sandwiches, burgers, light fare, and their specialty drink the
Mango
daiquiri. "Chicken fingers and fries make a great lunch"
AX
Marina Bar BLD (773-0103)
King's Alley Yacht Landing
Continental breakfast, light fare
AX, MC, V, D
No Bones Cafe LD (773-2128)
Gallows Bay, Christiansted
Seafood, grilled steak and chicken, homemade desserts prepared by
the
self proclaimed resident gypsy, Chef Tomas. Great seafood chowder
too.
"My favorite is the Flying Fish and Chips with really really cold
beer
(which always makes a place rate highly on my list). Their steaks
are
highly acclaimed"
Reservations Requested for dinner
V, MC, D
Nolan's Tavern LD (773-6660)
Estate St. Peters, Christiansted
West Indian Cuisine
Conch Specialties
Reservations Suggested
Off the Wall LD (778-2227)
Cane Bay Beach
Grilled food, pizzas, subs, mexican, all served in an extremely
casual
atmosphere right on the beach with a great sunset view. "Great
place to
stop in for a snack and a drink if you're out touring around the
island
or after a day of diving at Cane Bay."
On the Beach BLD (772-4242)
At the On the Beach Resort
Wonderful west end view from right on the beach which means great
sunsets. Lunch is salads, gourmet pizzas, and huge burgers, while
dinner
includes nightly gourmet specials. Sunday Brunch is great (and
then
spend the day at their beach) and Sunday night is Pasta Night.
Reservations suggested
AX, V, MC
Picnic in Paradise D (778-1212)
West end of Cane Bay
"Even though the name says picnic, it's because they used to be a
deli.
It's excellent dining in a great seaside setting now with fresh
seafood,
pasta, pork, and lobster."
AX, V, MC, D, DC, CB
Roget's Cafe LD (772-1100)
In the former Royal Dane Hotel, Frederiksted
Fresh seafood and steak and nightly specials and a dessert
special--flourless chocolate cake.
AX, V, MC, D
Saman Room BLD (778-3800)
Westin Carambola Beach Resort
American, West Indian dishes. "Their Friday night Pirate's Buffet
including an Island Show and/or Sunday brunch are not to be
missed."
St. Croix Seaport BLD (773-6585)
Hotel Caravelle, Christiansted
Right on the water with a great view of Christiansted harbor.
Caribbean &
Contemporary World Cuisine, Pizza
AX, D, V, MC
Saloon LD (772-BEER)
Market street a block from the water, Frederiksted
Airconditioned bar with burgers, nachos, chicken sandwiches, and
salads.
AX, V, MC
Serendipity Inn LD (773-5762)
Mill Harbor Condominiums
Soups, salads, sandwiches for lunch, fish pasta chicken, steak au
poivre
for dinner. Tuesday night-fried chicken, Wednesday night-Italian
night,
Friday night-barbecue. Sunday brunch.
AX, MC, V
South Shore Cafe D (773-9311)
Corner of routes 62 and 624
Fine seafood and vegetable entrees featuring homemade pasta, also
prime
rib, lamb, and daily vegetarian specials.
Stixx BLD (773-5157)
Pan Am Pavilion (Waterfront),Christiansted
Seafood, continental cuisine, pizza, pasta
AX, V, MC
Tivoli Gardens LD (773-6782)
Strand @ Queen Cross Street, Christiansted
Continental cuisine & seafood like shrimp curry, coquilles St.
Jacques,
and lobster.
Reservations requested
AX, V, MC
Tommy & Susan's Taverna L (773-8666)
6 Company Street, Christiansted
Greek with at least one island special every day like roast pork
or fresh
snapper.
Top Hat LD (773-2346)
52 Company Street, Christiansted
Continental cuisine, Scandinavian Specialties including a
smorgaasbord
selection of hors d'oeuvres and salad bar. Black angus steaks and
fresh
local seafood.
Reservations Suggested
AX, DC, V, MC
Tutto Bene D (773-5229)
2 Company Street, Christiansted
Southern provincial Italian
AX, D, MC, V
Waves at Cane Bay D (778-1805)
Near Cane Bay at the Waves at Cane Bay Hotel
Fresh seafood, steak, pasta, chicken, and vegetarian specials.
"Great
food, an excellent view right on the water"
AX, MC, V
Wreck Bar & Grill D (773-6092)
5AB Hospital Street
American Cuisine
V, MC, D
Well, back again to Cold Wisconsin. Spent 17 days on St. John. Had a variety of weather, those hot steamy days, windy days, rainy days, and the high surf from hurricane Lily. All typical October weather. Happy to report that Pusser's has re-opened. Totally new staff, same pain killers! Asolare opened on Nov 1 (the day we left), as did Caneel Bay. The island looks really good. No hurricane damage to be seen. The former Hyatt, now the Great Cruz Bay Hotel, has yet to open. Scop Bank seems not to know what to do with it. We ate out alot. there is a new restaurant, La Tapa, where ice cream parlor used to be, next to police station, is great. Serving Spanish TAPAS, light appetizer fare, that is usually eaten family style, has great selection, good service and interesting location (right on the street). Spent Halloween at Morgan's Mango, along with all the costumed wait staff and neighborhood kids. Was great - food was fantansic. Lime Inn was experiencing it's first crowds since last season. First time we got in on shrimp feast night without having to wait. All the businesses have been suffering from lack of tourists. A shame, cause the island wasn't hit that bad. No tourists at all in Sept. As they say at the Barricuda Bistro - bring more tourists to St John! We love 'um. I don't think I have ever seen the island more green and colorful. I know I've never seen more rainbows! It was spectacular. We stayed at our new villa, which is 725 ft above sea level overlooking Jost and Tortola. A view to die for! We will be putting in a pool and remodeling it this winter, so will be on island for 3+ months. Now that sounds alot better than Wisconsin! (except for the Packers!) Cable TV is still struggling to re-cable the island. We have it at Morningside Villa, but not at the new one. Some one should get satelite TV there! What a market! We worked alot on this trip, but did get to Trunk, Cinnamon and Francis Bays. All were empty with just a few tourists. The Cruise ships were starting to bring people over, especially on Wed (Norway) and Thurs (7 ships in STT). More touring of the island and less dropping off at Trunk to stomp the snorkel trail! Le Chateau de Bordeaux is running full swing, so is Woody's. 2 ends of the restautant spectrum! Had great pasta at Cafe Roma (as usual), and super BBQ at Uncle Joes. Spent a day at Jost at the Soggy Dollar Bar eating flying fish sandwiches and drinking the original PainKillers. a great trip - too soon over!
Just returned from a 10-day trip to St. John, USVI and though I'd offer an update on the conditions we found there after the past two seasons of significant hurricane activity. Our last trip was 7 years ago so that's the standard against which we compare. In a nutshell, we couldn't tell there had actually been any problems. We saw little evidence of lingering damage from the storms. Because of the fairly wet summer, the vegetation was thick and green even in the southwest part of the island which was quite dry on our last visit. The downtown areas of Cruz Bay and Coral Bay were bustling and in the same state of repair as usual. All of the normal services and activities were available and we had a great time. Caneel Bay Resort had just opened a few days before we arrived and from the road above and a passing ferry boat ride, looked to be back in good form with palm trees back in place. We did hear the Hyatt was not back in operation yet but didn't go check it out. The beaches we visited (see itinerary below) were also in good condition. The only effect we saw was the damage to the coral reefs and grassy seabed which had taken a lot of sand coverage. In spite of this we saw as much fish life as before and even a few new types. If anyone is interested in more detail drop an e-mail and we'd be happy to pass along what we experienced. The activities and locations we experienced were: Flew to St. Thomas from Chicago via Delta then cab to Red Hook Ferry to St. John to pick up Avis rental "jeep". Stayed 6 nights at Concordia Eco-Tents out beyond Coral Bay and 4 nights at Maho Bay Camp on north shore. Dined out at Shipwreck Bar, Coral Bay and Pussers and Asolare (awesome) in Cruz Bay. Rest of the time, picked up stuff at the markets and cooked in. Snorkeled Salt Pond, Lameshur (Big and Little), Leinster, Trunk, Maho (Big and Little), Francis, Hawknest and Jumbie Bays and Waterlemon and Whistling Cays (rented a sea kayak). Hiked Rams Head, Drunk Bay and Europa Bay trails and took a day trip to the Baths on Virgin Gorda, BVI Spent a 1/2 day shopping in St. Thomas on the last day on the way to the airport and back to Chicago via Atlanta on Delta.
All the Fun You Can Eat...Club Med for the whole family Inspired by visions of topless beaches and round the clock toga parties, I never dreamed of bringing my family to a Club Med. But over the years, the Club shed its hedonistic overtones and now offers G-rated packages at many of its locations. So we selected the Club Med on St. Lucia, a former British colony with French place names. It seemed exotic...yet safe. This facility has since been converted into Aquarius, a no frills resort affiliated with Club Med, so these comments may not be typical for every family oriented Club Med. The Rooms When we considered an all inclusive resort, we assumed it would include a hotel room rather than a broom closet with twin beds. Ever been to the men's room at Billy Earle's Texaco in Sardis, Mississippi? Well, our bathroom had the same designer. If this is the antidote for civilization give me the poison. The Activities Obviously, the Club Med staff does not want to spend all your time in your cubicle. So they provide activities for every age group and level of athletic ability. Our kids signed up for go carts, golf, archery, swimming, scuba, street hockey...and that was just the first morning. Other choices include tennis, horseback riding, triathlon, alligator wrestling, jousting, chainsaw juggling and demolition derby. Being adventuresome, I signed up for sitting in a lounge chair to see if any woman under 200 pounds between the age of 18 and 55 would go topless. My wife opted for water aerobics, an activity where a very tan woman barks confusing directions in French at a pod of pale Americans bobbing in the water while Euro Techno music annoys the rest of the people at the pool. Then there's the circus activities. Every now and then I'd glance at the trapeze, high wire, trampoline and other instruments of torture. I never liked clowns. I didn't spend all this money to become one. No thank you. Kids are divided into four age groups from toddlers to teens. With proper planning, family members can avoid each other for a whole week. The Food Club Med's real claim to fame is the food. And there is a lot of it. All identified by little signs in French. Even the hot dogs seemed to taste better with French names. Hot food. Cold food. Soups. Fruit. Vegetables. Salads. Wonderful fresh bread. French food. Italian food. Chinese food. Burgers. Pizza. Ice cream sundaes. Fresh pastries. All you could eat and then some. And some people still asked for doggy bags. Club Med encourages camaraderie in the dining room. The forced mingling provides an opportunity for total strangers to develop a genuine and lasting dislike for each other. Sometimes we were joined by French or German people who claimed to be world travelers, but didn't even know who Brett Favre is! Boy, talk about being provincial. The Entertainment Every night the staff provided free entertainment such as lip synching to Disney cartoon songs or dancing in front of someone's vacation slides. I now have a much better appreciation for the production values of my sixth graders' school plays. Every night had a theme, like "Watch Your Kids Bounce on a Trampoline While Wearing Silly Costumes." The Money Instead of using real money, you buy bags of colored pop beads which you trade for overpriced drinks or snacks. And they say the Indians got a raw deal for Manhattan. The theory is to make every one equal regardless of social class. It didn't work. The rich folks couldn't resist prancing around in their pop bead chokers and tiaras. One aristocrat was dripping with enough beads to keep a small village in Red Stripes and Doritos for a month. Show off. The Bottom Line A family Club Med is a summer camp without reveille. A cruise ship without sea sickness or Cathy Lee. A non stop orgy of food and sports instead of the other kind at Hedonism II. In short, a family oriented Club Med is a wonderful experience for a kid...and for adults who want to be treated like one.
I think I should title this trip report the "Adventures (or misadventures) of Ed and Althea. We arrived on the island on Oct. 17. Our flight was right on time. As I am somewhat limited in my mobility I waited till everyone had gotten off the plane before I did. Even doing that we were through immigration, got and luggage and were in the villa within an hour of landing. We spent the remainder of the afternoon on the deck of the villa greeting our friends. We had some problem with the car on the short ride from the airport and told Naldo (our friend who keeps the car for us). He said he would take the car in the next morning and see what the problem was. Since Frank & Nina were not back on the island yet Naldo brought their car for us to use and took ours for repair. About 6 o'clock we went up to take a nap and did not get up again till morning. We had gotten up at 3:30 AM on travel day so I guess we were just tired. On Friday morning we made our normal trip to Food Center. We decided to go to the new/old Food Center that had opened just recently. I found the store to be very well supplied and we purchased enough groceries to keep us through any blizzard <g>. On Saturday we decided to take a ride around the island and see what it looked like since the hurricane. My impression was that for the most part the island looked physically recovered. There are still a few places that have piles of rubble where a building used to stand, but for the most part if you did not know there was a devastating hurricane you would not know it. We road completely around the island, first to Point Blanche, then Guana Bay, Orient Beach. Grand Case, Marigot, the lowlands and through Mullet Bay. I am happy to see that the buildings at Mullet now have new red roofs and there is signs of work going on there. The golf course is nice and green (there has been lots of rain) and I saw a staff of gardeners working. I must add that although the island looks to be physically restored, the local people on the island are FAR from recovered. It is my opinion that some of them will never completely recover. Over the years we have become friends with many locals and we visit with most of them while we are there. At this point if the wind picks up and there is even a small storm in the area the locals are spooked. Most of the island people are religious and all have said how much they are praying NEVER to see anything like Luis again. On Monday Frank & Nina were due to return. Ed and I thought it would be fun to greet them at the airport for a change. They arrived right on time and were surprised to see us greeting them! That night they came over for dinner. I had brought sausage and peppers, Frank's favorite meal, from home. I was careful not to let the sausages get loose at the airport when we arrived <g>. For the most part after that we spent most days watching the flowers bloom. Each day Ed would wheel me down to the pool and I would be able to sit on the steps in it for a while and enjoy the sun and visit with the many home owners who were in residence at Coral Shores. Most of them are from here in NJ and we know them. I must say at this point that although the island is not wheelchair friendly, it is truly the friendly island. I have enough mobility to get up and down a couple of steps, but I do need assistance. Every where we went someone was always ready to help. Whether we were going into a store, restaurant, casino, etc. there was always someone ready to lend an arm of support, of if Ed was helping me up or down the stairs someone would bring my wheelchair. Frank & Nina decided to give Ed a day off from me (I didn't think he needed that <g>) and take me out shopping for a day. We parked at the Seafood Gallery and went from there. My first stop was the Gold Coin. I know everyone on this bb goes to Touch of Gold, but over the years I have always shopped at Gold Coin and gotten great bargains there. For the most part I am not usually in the market for jewelry as I already have enough (don't tell Ed I said that <g>). Gold Coin carries the Swarovski crystal I collect, which is why I started going there years ago. This trip I did buy two of our girls gold earrings and a gold cross and chain for our 5 yr. old granddaughter. After Gold Coin I went to Penha to purchase some perfumes for Xmas. I must say that even though I have been shopping there for years it is always the worst service of any store. A salesgirl reluctantly waited on me. Halfway through (I spent about $300) my selection she told me her lunch was there and someone else would help me! I think that if I were physically able to get around better I would have told her what to do with the perfume and gone elsewhere, but I was almost finished with the selection process so I just allowed someone else to finish and we left. Next time I think I will go elsewhere! We finished shopping and went to Kalaloo (formerly Callaloo <sp?>) for lunch. There are under new management and have been renovated. I will do a separate report of where we ate, what we ate and the cost. Where we ate was dictated quite a bit by whether or not our car was running. We had constant problems with it and it is now being repaired. I am sorry to report that the Paradise Cafe is history. Byron closed. owing his employees back pay. He is in the process of filing for bankruptcy so that he does not have to pay them. Byron has a drinking problem and it is a shame. I also understand that he is trying to buy another restaurant. I am happy to report that Ren & Stimpy is open again. They were closed for vacation and while closed had a new roof put on the building. We ate there one night and had a great meal. Felix has been sold. The new owners have renovated the place and it is now called the Indiana Beach. It is very nice. We ate there one night because we were on our way to Yvette's for dinner when our car broke down in front of LaVista. Naldo came and got us going again, but we decided to eat close by just in case we had another problem The people on the island are hoping for a better season this year and although personally I liked the lack of tourists, I can well understand the need for more tourists. For the first time EVER, there were people begging. You know things are bad when locals are begging from locals! Most of our days were spent being lazy and not doing more then waiting for the flowers to bloom. One day Ed was going out to buy a newspaper. As he was leaving the house Naldo told him that one of the rear tires on our car was low and to put some air in it. Ed stopped at the Texaco station in Cole Bay and asked if they had an air pump. They said "yes". Ed said okay and proceeded to have them put $10 worth of gas in the car. After they finished that he asked if they would put air in the tire. The clerk looked at Ed and said "The pump is broken". When Ed asked if they had an air pump he NEVER asked if it worked!!!! On the last couple of days on the island we did the usual packing to get ready to come home. Since we leave a lot of stuff on the island it takes us time to pack up our kitchen utensils, snorkeling equipment, etc. On Friday, Nov. 8, we got our luggage together and at about 11 AM Frank came over and went to the airport with Ed. Ed checked our luggage, got our boarding passes and paid our departure tax so that we could arrive at the airport around 4PM for our 4:40 flight. When he got back from the airport we spent some time at the pool, then showered and got dressed. We went to Mark's Place to have lunch and then went back to Coral Shores to say good bye to all our friends. We arrived at the airport around 4PM. Almost immediately upon our arrival an announcement was made that the flight had more passengers then seats and AA would give $250 in vouchers to anyone willing to surrender their seat. I thought it would be fun to stay an extra day so I volunteered our seats. Since they still needed volunteers the ante went up and by the time the vouchers were issued we ended up with $700 plus AA paid for our hotel room at the Maho and dinner that night, breakfast the next morning and lunch the next afternoon, plus our taxi fare to and from the airport. This procedure took a bit of time and we arrived at the Maho about 6PM and were given a beautiful room. I was able to arrange for a late check out the next day so we had the room till about 3PM. Our luggage had left the island so all we had were our carry-ons, which held a bathing suit for each of us, plus some clean underwear and medications. We had a lovely dinner at the Rumboat and went to the casino where we won a few. On Saturday we spent a couple of hours at the pool, then had lunch at the restaurant on the beach, got dressed and went to the airport at around 4PM. Again they announced that the flight was overbooked and would anyone be willing to give up their seats. Again I volunteered and this time we received $600 in travel vouchers plus the hotel, meals and taxi fare. Again we returned to the Maho. I again arranged for a late check out. We had dinner that night at Cheri's, went to the casino, where we lost a few this time. Sunday was pretty much a repeat of Saturday except that shortly before we left for the airport we stopped in the lobby of the Maho, where there are some slot machines, and bought some quarters. Ed hit a machine for over $300 and while he was across at the big casino cashing in the quarters (they did not have enough cash in the slot area) I was playing a machine and hit 1000 quarters. When Ed returned he then took my quarters and cashed them in. It was a profitable day <g>. We again returned to the airport around 4PM and again the flight was overbooked and we did not have a seat assignment and again we were bumped. However, this time we received NO travel voucher because as it turned out the flight was canceled. The flight was canceled because while it was waiting for it's turn to take off at 747 took off and the windshear from the takeoff broke the windshield of the American plane. Since the parts necessary to repair the windshield were not available on the island and had to be flown in, the flight was canceled and instead left at 7AM the next morning. When we got back to the Maho on Sunday the clerks all knew us by this time and gave us "our" room AGAIN. On Monday we again returned to the airport around 4PM. The flight on this day was GREATLY overbooked and they were offering $550 pp to give up your seat....guess who was the first in line<g>. The AA agent asked if I was ready to apply for residency on the island <g>. We again returned to the Maho and by this time the clerk (the same one for the fourth day in a row) said if we wanted they would engrave our name on the door of the room <g>. We ended up with a total of $2400 in travel vouchers. Guess we will have to find somewhere to go <bg>. It REALLY hurt me to have to spend an extra 4 days on the island...NOT! Now we get to the good part.....the restaurants. We had hoped to eat in the French cul de sac and Grand Case a few times, but car trouble kept us in our own neighborhood most of the time. All meal prices I given includes the tip or service. We don't drink wine, but the price includes a diet coke for me and a beer for Ed. Surf Club South: We stopped here on Saturday for a late lunch. We were driving around the island and thought this would be a good place. We each had a burger, Ed had fries with his and I had onion rings (the best I've ever eaten). the food was great and the bill was $22. Surf Club had a Halloween party. Our friends went to it and there were hundreds of people there all in costume. They had a contest for the best costume and a woman dressed as a table (her head was the centerpiece on a silver platter) won first prize. Laguna: We decided to go to the Paradise Cafe, only to find out it was closed so we ended up at Laguna. It was a great choice. We had a Caesar salad. Ed had angel hair pasta alfredo and I had spaghetti carbonara. The food was excellent. $58. Don Carlos: Ed and I shared an order of their special nachos. They were yummy. I had a chimichanga dinner and Ed had grilled shrimp in garlic sauce which was served with mixed veggies. Everything was good. $48 Don Camillo: We went here by default. We met Frank & Nina at Ren & Stimpy. That night Ren & Stimpy were offering a buffet only. It was $12 pp but did not appeal to either Ed or Frank so we go in the car and went to Marigot. Don Camillo has been a place we enjoy and go there at least once each trip. Ed had his favorite appetizer Carpaccio. He also had angel hair pasta with alfredo sauce and shrimps. I had their special salad and their pasta with eggplant. Frank had their lasagna and Nina had one of the specials (I can't quite remember). The bill was $65 per couple. Rancho Argentine Steakhouse (formerly La Palapa): I had a 10 oz rib eye and Ed had the medium filet. Both came with french fries (you had a choice of fries or baked( and vegetables. The steaks were done just as ordered and were really tasty. The bill was $38. This place serves till around 11 PM which is nice since there are times that we just don't quite make it up from our afternoon nap any earlier <g>. Mario's Bistro:We did have reservations, although on this particular night it was not full. I think it was "Coral Shores Night" there since residents of the complex took up 4 tables that night. Martine was our server. I think they kept those adorable French guys away from our table because while I was sitting in the front of the restaurant waiting for Ed to park the car I was doing some drooling and they got tired of mopping up the floor <g>. Our meal was very good. Ed had carpaccio (this time served with ham instead of beef). I had an asparagus appetizer that was OUT OF THIS WORLD. For a main course Ed had the filet topped with blue cheese and I had the rib eye. We both got the garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables. We shared the dessert of the day which I can't describe but it was to die for. It had chocolate mousse on it. Our bill was $78 and well worth it. Barvaria: This is a place that doesn't get mentioned here very often, but is one that has very good food and the prices are quite reasonable. Since the hurricane the place has been refunished. Out are the dark (and uncomfortable) benches and IN are tables with pink table clothes and while chairs. The place is brighter and nicer looking. Both Ed and I had the potato soup, which is absolutely delicious. I had their schnitzel <sp?> which is a huge piece of pork and is cooked to perfection. It comes with potatoes and salad. Ed had the bratwurst which caqme with potatoes and sauerkraut. The bill was $38. Pasanggrahan: Ed and I drove into town to exchange a pair of earrings and decided to have lunch while we were there. We had never eaten here before and decided it was time to try it. I always enjoy eating at the places that face the beach and the water. We each had the lobster salad, which was quite good. The bill was $32 Ren & Stimpy: We went back and this time made sure that there was no buffet. Addie said they were only going to do the buffet about once a month. Ed and I shared one caesar salad. Ed had a pasta dish with gorgonzola cheese and I had their pasta with eggplant. Both were great. $37. Indiana Beach: We ate here because on this particular night we were going to goto Yvette's. Our car broke down in from of the LaVista and we called Naldo, who came and gave us a jump and left the cables in our car just in case. We decided that we did not want to venture that far so we opted for this place. The food was good. I had a mixed salad, which had pieces of star fruit on it...a nice touch. I also had the ribs as my main course. Ed had gaspacho and a t- bone. The food was good but a bit pricey. Seafood Gallery: We had dinner with Frank & Nina and this is one of their favorites, so the four of us, plus their cellphone, got into our car and headed there. The meal was great! Ed had steamed clams, Frank had conch fritters. for the entree Frank & I both had the lobster thermedore. It was excellent. Ed had scallops and Nina had the stuffed shrimps. Everything was prepared to perfection. $65. Rumboat: We had never tried this place before but were glad we decided to try it. We each had a cheeseburger and I had my all time favorite dessert...profiteroles. The food was very good and not expensive, although I don't remember what the bill was as my notebook was already packed. Yvette's: Again on this evening we were going out with Frank & Nina and their cellphone. We had a terrific meal (as usual). Ed had the conch cocktail and the three of us had the lobster cocktail. We all had the shrimp and lobster creole. That is the most expensive entree on the menu and I mention that because most of the meals are between $9 and $12 but this was $25, but well worth it. The night we were in there the service was exceptionally slow because there were short of staff and all the tables were occupied. I did not mind the slow service, after all, I'm on vacation <g>. When we went to leave our car would not start AGAIN! Glad we had those jumper cables. There was another couple leaving and we asked if they would give us a jump and they did. On the nights we were bumped we ate at the Rumboat, Cherie's and the Grand Europe Cafe. It was the first time I had eaten at Cherie's and did not think much of the food. It was edible but not great. The meal we had at the Grand Europe Cafe was good. We each had one of their salads and a steak. The food was excellent. We did not eat out as often as we normally do. The reason for that was that many evenings we were just not hungry so we stayed in and just had a sandwich. All in all it was a great trip, one I am grateful to have been able to make. I am now hoping we can get back in the spring. I am hoping to go late in May and stay for the month of June, but it is too early to plan it yet.
(Ed Note: Joachim is from Germany and mentioned that his English is not that good and suggested that I make appropriate changes. I'm always impressed when someone can write in a foreign language so I've made a few corrections where they seemed appropriate but left the article essentially as he wrote it.)
Marine Hotel Simson Beach I stayed 3 weeks in this Hotel. The rooms are clean and equipped with AC, cable TV, safe and a small kitchen. The breakfast is good and included in the room price. I had half-board in this hotel and for the dinner I must take the menu of the day . I can't recommend it. Maybe the other items on the menu are better. I don't try them. If you go to this hotel, avoid a rooms on the street side. The street is just in front of the hotel, and the cars and the motorcycles accelerate after the bumpers. In the early morning trucks passes very noisy in front of the hotel. The others rooms, with view to the lagoon or the pool are quiet. No public bus passes to this hotel. If you want to go out, you need a taxi, or you must walk to Marigot. It takes about 45 minutes. The hotel offers a bus service to Marigot and Phillisburg every day, except Sundays. The two-way to Philipsburg is about 8 US$. They offer a bus service to different beaches on the island too. The bus leaves an 9:45 am and take you back an 4:00 pm. On some of the offered beaches, like Plum Bay, there is no shadow and no beachbar or restaurant in the vicinity. The next beach to the hotel is Baie Rouge. You can walk there and it takes you about 10 to 15 minutes. A big problem in the hotel is the language. You are on the French side and they can't (or won't) speak English. On the reception they speak English sometimes. In the restaurant the menu is in French and the waiters have some problems to explain the menu in English. The best way is to rent a car a go out to dinner. (I recommend Chery's Cafe at Maho Plaza). In the lobby you can choose between Europcar and Sandy's. I took the car from Sandy's, because they were cheaper. I rented a Dahiatsu Charade (without AC) and payed 125 US$ for the week. (227 US$ including the CDW). I think, this is the best way to explore the island. Shopping Following suggestions, I went to J N Jewelers at Maho Plaza. While I was choosing what I want to buy, they offered me something to drink (Beer, Coke or what you want) The selection is good and the service friendly and excellent. Finally I bought a bracelet for me. I looked for the bracelets in Philipsburg too and I think the prices are higher in the city. In any case the service at J N Jewelers is excellent and better than in the city. They have 2 shops at Maho Plaza and a third one at the Juliana airport. Maho Bay Because I like to take pictures of airplanes, Maho Bay was my favorite beach. The best time for pictures is Fridays and Saturdays, when the Boeing 747 (Jumbo Jet) from Air France, KLM an others arrives. This big aircraft passes the beach very low. But be careful when they take off. Don't stay behind the aircraft on the street or on the beach. All your belongings will be blown in the sea. Tours If possible, try to make a tour to the islands in the neighborhood. I went to Anguilla with the ferry-boat from Marigot and to Saba and St. Eustatius with the plane.. On the islands a took a taxi and the drivers showed me the large part of the islands. I like Saba very much. Its totally quiet and different from the other islands in the Caribbean.
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