Back to the title of the thread, about the island changing. I began to dream of living here within hours of first arriving by air 20 years ago. We visited many times in the next decade or so before arriving by sailboat from Canada in 2018. We lived on the boat for 5 years - even through COVID - most of it in Marigot Bay. Through all that time, the island had always had for me a magical quality. Now after 2 years living ashore on the Dutch side, fully legal, as a tax-paying resident, I have to say that for me, the magic is definitely gone. There's a list of perhaps 10 things that have soured me on the place, but crime and corruption are near the top of the list.
We're leaving at the end of high season for our next adventure. Can't say when we might return to visit.
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