SXM short trip –
We don’t make trips to SXM for only a week with as far as we have to travel but we were in Ft Lauderdale over New Years with friends and when looking at flight to go back to Portland Oregon they were really expensive for big seats. Looked at what the cost was from SXM home about a week later and we would save over $500 per person to instead fly back from SXM over any of the Miami area airports. So being the math genius I am we purchased tickets to SXM from MIA, and then the SXM to PDX a week later. Less money than just flying home and we got a week on SXM!
OK, anybody that goes there between say Dec 25th until Jan 7th knows that this is prime time, not just high season but prime high season. Places to rent are at their highest point, we had not experienced this time of year since our first trip in 2002 arriving New Years Eve. Oh well, there goes all that savings and a few grand, we rented this time from Fred of mysxmvacation.com at the Blue Mall. Fred is a great guy and we have known him a bit over the years at Dany’s, and his place was fantastic. Great view from the deck over Porto Cupecoy and clear view across the lagoon. We like having the secure parking below the building and really like the location. He really has done a great job with this unit.
When we go for three weeks or a month we seem to do very little, with our only one week we packed it in. We spent three days at Friars Bay Beach Café, our favorite beach restaurant on the island. The vibe, staff and food are great. As I noted on another post this will be their 30th year. Everything we had there was good but an extra shout out on the mussels, very different than what Baywatch used to have but the best I have had since those days of Mussels ala Andy.
The Palms and Lal’s were great as they are every trip. Ribs and chicken at Dany’s is still a must for us each trip. La Chingona has become a favorite of ours and I repeat my statement that they just keep getting better and better, adding new menu items and even their always happy demeanor keeps getting brighter.
New places for us –
Rendez Vous Lounge (Porto Cupecoy) – Went there for dinner, loved the company but would give the place a B+. Good but not inspiring, not a place that is drawing me to go back.
SAO (Orient Village) – Excellent, we had great service and the food was all excellent. Very high marks, I can see why people would drive that over from the Dutch side to have what they refer to as Asian Cuisine which has influences from multiple countries. We shared Korean Chicken, Shrimp Tempura, Edamame (spicy) along with Pad Thai and don’t recall what else. All at the suggestion of the Princess we dined with. Complete winner and the cost are very reasonable.
Closing moment – We have done preseason Lemon Drop many times but have always missed season. This trip we were honored to be there for the start of Lemon Drop season with Paul and Diane’s arrival. The morning after the opening night of Lemon Drop Paul passed away, MJ and I feel honored to have known him and got to hear him tell people leaving to “GTFO” as he has historically stated. The family goes beyond blood lines and with Paul it is one heck of a great family that was there for the first “gathering of friends” with out Paul, not a dry eye there. (no dry eyes typing this either)
“The best friends are, St Maarten friends” RIP Paul
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