Trip Report 2/19 – 2/27<br><br>2/27 Wednesday: After 20” + of snow on Sunday & Monday we made the drive to PHL early. Arrived about 7:15 am to find a long line at the U S Air Caribbean check in. People who should have left Monday were still trying to get to there destinations. After an hour wait we checked in and then got in the security line for about another 20 minutes wait. Janet lost here favorite pair of eyebrow tweezers. We let them be confiscated because there was no way we were going to go back and check the carry on bag. After a little breakfast we went to the gate to wait for boarding. The plane arrived about 1 hour late and after a few minor delays they backed us away from the gate only to bring us back. Someone who had checked in and checked a bag but did not board the plane. The pilot stated that new regulations are that the bag must be removed if the person does not board. We all agreed this was a good rule!! Finally left about 2 hours late not to bad considering weather and everything. Flight down was fine and breezed through immigration and baggage claim. Bob the phone guy was waiting (more on that later) and Micky from Tropical was about 10 minutes late but we were soon on our way. It is so great to feel the warmth of the sun after such a rough winter! Rush hour through Cole Bay and Marigot was not as bad as we remembered made the trip to Orient Beach in no time. Checked in at L’Hoste and it was great to find Fred was still working there along with about 95% of the people we remembered. I think this speaks well of how the place is managed. Dinner at Le Petite Auberge in Marigot was great & reasonable. Since this is the same week we traveled last year we met some people we made friends with there last year.<br> <br>2/20 – Thurs. Up early for our breakfast at Madras & again it was great to see our friend from Dominica was there again this year with her great smile. Off we went to Pinel Island on the ferry for some sun & fun. Packed our little lunch in our collapsible cooler. Went out to dinner that night with our cousins who arrived today. We dined in Grand Case at LeCottage. Dinner was great along with the dessert. Did a little shopping there too. We were awoken up at 3:45 am by our neighbor’s downstairs coming in from their late partying. They were a little loud. But after we asked them to keep it down a little & they did. <br><br>2/21 – Friday. We went into Margot for some more shopping and our favorite spot for some croissants & espresso. It rained off & on during the morning there, but it didn’t deter the girls from shopping. We then went to Friar’s Bay where we had lunch. It rained some while we were there but it stopped in 15 minutes & the sun was back out. We went back to the hotel to wait for the rest of group to get in. The rest of the group consisted of our son & daughter-in-law (Stephen & Maria) and Maria’s parents. After they arrived we went to Margot to LeBarDeLeMer for dinner. Had the fresh water shrimp & lobster, which was delicious. Everyone was tired by then, so we went back to the hotel for the night. <br><br>2/22- Sat. Up early had breakfast & all 8 of us went to Margot to the market? We split up a little then met & returned to Orient Beach. We spent day the day at LaPlaya & relaxed. Very windy today but we tough it out. After the beach we had wine & cheese poolside & just enjoyed our company. We went to dinner that night at SoleLuna. It was very good, but I didn’t think as good as last year, but everyone enjoyed his or her dinner.<br><br>2/23- Sun. We all had breakfast & decided to spend the entire day on Orient Beach & just take in the sights & the parties. This is the best day to experience Orient Beach plenty of stuff going on everywhere. Two of our group ventured off to Philipsburg for some shopping. They returned with a very nice ring. Our son who was in the USMC went down to Baywatch to hang out with Andy a little & met some new friends. The six of us had lunch there & it was pretty good. Almost like being home. Back to LaPlaya for the rest of the day and then returned to the room to change and back for the barbecue & beach party. They had a band & then a DJ. Plenty of fun & dancing. We all had a great time, especially our son & daughter-in-law. He made quite a few friends, one of which owns a new restaurant in Margot by the marina. A few of the younger ones then went down to Kontiki for more partying while us old folks went to bed. Just a little side note my son and his wife were giving us a hard time at breakfast. Telling us we were in a rut always going to the same island etc. I am sure a lot of you have heard the same rant.<br><br>2/24 – Mon. Funny thing at breakfast today the same people who were giving us a hard time yesterday were talking about what they were going to do when they visited SXM next year. What a difference a day makes! Two of our group left today and the rest of us hung out at LaPlaya. Made a nice lunch poolside with stuff we purchased from the little store beside L’Hoste. We made a promise Sunday night to have dinner at the new restaurant owned by a couple we had met at the beach party. So off we went to Margot Marina and LeTaratata. Menu was in French but with our limited French and Geronimo our waiter’s limited English we got through it. Dinner was excellent and not very expensive we all loved the melted brie cheese served like a fondue. (We returned for this on our last night) After dinner we learned that the waiter was fluent in Italian. We had a good laugh for 3 in our group could speak Italian and it would have made the menu translation much easer. Valerie our host shared a bottle of champagne with us, which finished off a lovely evening. <br><br>2/25 – Tues. The rest of our party had to leave today including the people who were breaking our stones earlier in the week. We had to yell at then to get off the beach and to the airport so they don’t miss their flight. They just didn’t want to leave! Bought a baguette and cheese at the little store and had another small lunch by the pool. The now famous 3 legged man appeared today at the big rock. Went to Grand Case and Talk of the Town for dinner. Chicken and ribs still as good as we remember.<br><br>2/26- Wed. On our last full day we packed the collapsible cooler for another day at Pinel. After being tour guide for the last few days it was nice to just get away by ourselves. Had the little beach north of the lo lo all to ourselves with the exception of the wind surfer who came and went all day. Finely solved the mystery about him. He camps in the small grove beside the beach. Has a nice little set up in there and it is all rent-free. The Orient side of Pinel was very crowed as there were 3 busloads of people from the cruise ships in. Didn’t notice them there until we came back over for the ferry and had to wait about 30 minutes for our turn to cross because they had to get all their people over at the same time. Back to LeTaratata for another excellent dinner. <br><br>2/27- Thurs Up for our last breakfast at Madris. Though this is included with our room @ L’Hoste I really enjoyed it and would have purchased it if we had to. Then one final walk on Orient. Checked out, said our goodbyes and off to Margot to do some final shopping and lunch at La Petite Auberge. Saw our friends again from the other night and made a few new ones. Checked in at US Air about 1: PM and them over to Sunset Beach Bar to watch the planes take off and land. Only two nuts hung on to the fence this time when the KLM 747 took off. Met Bob to return the cell phone and beach chairs. (I rented a cell phone this time and used the phone card. It would have been a better deal if the phone had coverage on the French side but it only worked in a few places. Got the phone so I could receive calls but to my disappointment no signal. Bob said service may be spotty but it was pretty much nonexistent on that side of the island. Worked OK on the Dutch side.) Back to the airport and Mickey was there waiting. Flight home was on time and uneventful even with a forecast of more snow in PHL about the time we landed. <br><br>General Comments<br> Speaking to a few people who work on the island they told me business was off by about half it was last year and last year was bad. Never had to wait for a table anywhere. Traffic was not as bad as before but then we didn’t drive as much this year. This was our third trip to St Martin but this was the first time we came with other people. It was great showing them all the things we loved about the island and getting their positive feedback. BUT!! We missed the time we had by ourselves on our previous trips Soo!! The solution is to stay an extra week by ourselves next year. A great big thanks to all the TTOL members for their help and guidance through the years. We had used the old board for our first trip 3 years ago and watched the new one become one of the best on the web.<br><br>Another side note since we got home my daughter-in-law has been planning their return trip next year and talking it up with her very extended family (Italian). So our group may rival Contessa’s next year.<br><br><br><br><br>
