TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Trip Report 10/22-11/5/16 Part 3 of 3

Having heard so many great things about the Secret Spot t-shirts at the Marigot market (Wed/Sat) from other TTOLers, we hit the market.
Very nice original designs, and great quality. We left with some long sleeve t's for hubby and some cute off the shoulder, fitted hem t's for me. Also got our Magic Spice refills. Breakfast and crepes at Sarafina's in Marigot.



Pretty tile work at the market.


After the market we headed towards Philipsburg. There was a store we wanted to get sauces at, and some flip flops at the Flip Flop Shop on the Boardwalk.

On the way back to our car we saw this sign, which I'm sure we've seen many times, but it cracked me up so I took a picture! As I'm taking it, a voice from behind me yelled (with its island lilt) that he would make me one....and thus began our hilarious encounter with a true character. Fisherman. Mr. Illidge! It began raining, but what could be more fun than drinking Painkillers while being entertained? It's a miracle I was able to walk when we left!




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Needing to find food on the way home (something hearty to soak up Painkillers!) we stopped at Marks for dinner. Once again, a good TTOL tip. Haven't been to Marks since they were in Cul de Sac. Good local food, generous portions. Despite "it's in a larking lot" remarks, we sat inside. No problems with heat or anything, of course it had been rainy. The plants and greenery provide a nice screen.
One of us had curry chicken, the other curry goat. Then I spied leumpia on the menu...hmmm, could it be anything like the lumpia I loved when I lived in the Philippines? The waitress said if we ordered all 3 items it would be way too much for us...so she suggested order one piece of leumpia to try. Sooooo glad she said that! The thing was HUGE! Lol...not at all like P.I. lumpia. It was doughy, kinda like a calzone. And the filling was ham, cheese, veggies...not the rolled pork spring roll little morsel I was used to. But hey, I didn't say it wasn't good!





The next morning we went to the Hideaway at La Vista for breakfast. I was really wanting the Spanish omelette like I'd had previously, but the former breakfast chef has passed away. It's a new menu and new chef, in fact they had only reopened for breakfast that week. They made an attempt, but it just wasn't the same...something was missing.





One morning at the end of our causeway walk, we noticed a lot of emergency equipment activity on the runway. We ran over to the fence,
and a fire truck was using the hose on a small plane...it was an exercise, and all of these little children ran out of a daycare center towards the fence...each was dressed as a fireman, Doctor, nurse, etc. So cute! Then the firemen talked about emergency services...must have been a little career day!



Things were winding down for us by this point. We Kakao'd another time (it's a verb for us now), had a special eggplant/mushroom risotto made for us. Said goodbye to friends.

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Lots of meals or leftovers at home. Watched the World Series, every game.

Time to leave, and we met our special travel partners.

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And Coconut is now terrorizing our home. Such a special Beach Kitten!

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How was the Painkiller with Bacardi rum? I have always had them in the original way with Pussars Rum.

Beachkitten,

Thank you for the final installment - a most enjoyable read, and thanks for your gastronomical tour of the island. Yes, I admit, even this non-foodie enjoyed it.

It's too bad the kitty isn't able to adjust comfortably to her new home! And how nice for you to have this living, breathing reminder of another great trip. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the report! Glad you enjoyed Mark's. Good food, large portions, reasonable. What's not to like??? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> Sorry to hear that the chef at the Hideaway passed on. They have been making that Spanish omelette there forever! Cute picture of the kids by the airport. And glad to hear the new addition is fitting in!

Loved the report but especially the picture of the two kitties. It brought a big smile to my face as I'm missing my own boys a lot.

Thank you for the reports. I so enjoyed the report and photos.

Thanks for your reports and pictures. Very nice, all of them.

Glad you enjoyed Mark's Place. It is one of my overall favorites for a casual meal on the island. I had been told there were lots of changes at The Hideaway.

Thank you for all your reports. I enjoyed them all. Sorry to hear about the Spanish omelette it was my favorite too. The prices seem a little higher than what I remember. How was the service? I always thought it was slow. I don't like to linger over breakfast, too many better things to do.

The Spanish omelet was my favorite there as well, but I found the new Caribbean omelet to be quite tasty. Our service was excellent.

Loved all of your reports and pix. Thanks for taking the time.

I enjoyed your wonderful vacation! Thanks!

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences- and the pictures bring them to life. Brought me such joy.

Thanks again for all your reports & especially pics-love the 2 kittens and the school children and all the food pics of course. Cute the way you soaked up the painkillers.

Thank you!
I know we both love our Towers.

I go back to pre '95 hurricane, when we stayed in a unit by the Ocean pool.
We would walk the boardwalk thingie to the beach restaurant for breakfast. What was that called...?? Shipwreck?

Enjoyed your report so much.
The children, the kitties, the food!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

luvluvluv your pics. I have 2 questions.. can you still get rum jumbie? and any idea what the difference is between la vista's special pancakes and French toast?

We stayed at the Mullet Bay Resort from 1986 until the Towers was finally built (we bought pre-construction and for 3 years they put us up in the resort for what our maintenance fee would be- and it was pretty cheap back in the day <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />). We used to rent scooters and zip around the property until I hit a hidden stone and flipped my bike -luckily no damage except to my ego! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> I think the beach restaurant was called Shipwreck but not sure- maybe Pat will chime in. We rarely left the resort in those days and if we did, we hired a taxi. We used to stay for 10 days- now that we're both retired, it's 4 weeks.

The beachside restaurant at Mullet Resort (in the general area of where Rosie is today...) was definitely called the Shipwreck and was originally located in the Cliffside area, just a short distance away from the old 'Honeymoon Walk' that today is also but a distant memory to many of us.

We, too, spent most of our time at the resort back then as far as beaching and daytime activities but we always rented a car and travelled the island for meals and such. Some of the places we took our Holiday Rental Car back then would have Lesley tearing his hair out if we could even find locations that bad today to take his cars....... we can't, we don't and we wouldn't but back then it was adventurous to find those out of the way places.

But the thing is (was?) back then there wasn't a real good reason to leave Mullet since they had everything right there - five or more nice restaurants, two pools, a few great watering holes, the Tennis Village and the golf course and lots of nifty shops plus their own Gourmet Restaurant and their own casino. Why leave? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Thanks, Pat. I knew I could count on you to know the name.

YW!!

Thanks for letting us enjoy your trip. Love the kitty pics.