TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Some first thoughts.......

11/06 - had a lovely breakfast here at ElZafiro and after that we took our first real ride around a bit of the island. Signs of progress everywhere but still so very much to be done. Hearing about what our beloved island went through just doesn’t tell the whole story. You really have to see it to understand and we didn’t even hit the French side yet. Much worse than what I recall when we first returned after Luis.

Lots of rain but the island is Ireland green. And those who referred in the past to Mullet Golf Course looking like a pasture - now it truly does. The roughs are about up to my knees and still people were playing. Couldn’t see much of the greens but the grass appeared to be higher than it should be.

Drove through the lowlands towards Sandy Ground and it is heartbreaking to see what was once Dreams. And in fact, things are so overgrown it was hard to tell if we were in the right place. We were aware Bruno was not reopening but we did hear rumors that Le Sand might?

Went into P’berg to see friends. The old car on Old Street is now truly looking and showing her age and was seriously beaten up by that b itch, Irma. Lots of businesses closed but more are reopening every day. The damage is evident everywhere you look but the people are mostly amazing. Their spirit and outlook is that of positivity even through their adversity.

Wanted to find Jean Pierre formerly of Antoine’s but sadly his eatery was closed. We grabbed a quick lunch at a sidewalk cafe that we must have walked by a hundred times and never noticed - the Front Street Cafe - and our sandwiches were delish. Not a place I would typically try since we usually opt for waterside but it was recommended. So glad we did......

We didn’t experience any traffic to speak of but our drive times and directions were opposite the island rush hours. People parking all over Front Street and still people just not getting hot to navigate the traffic circles.

It was a lovely first day though probably not the typical first day for most people. So I think today we will chill on our beach.

THanks for the update. Looking forward to more. Enjoy.

Thanks for the update. Have a wonderful time! Keep posting :-)

Sorry we missed each other again by days...

Yes, not a typical first day for most, but it's your vacation. Enjoy!!! Looking forward to hearing more..

Pat, where are you staying?

Pat, do you plan to visit Towers? With your sunny outlook I know you will have a wonderful time. With your ability to communicate I am hoping you will be able to provide some current info about our beloved Towers. Thanks in advance

Thanks for the update, we will be arriving beginning in Dec. Have a wonderful stay and vacation.

Is that the Sint Rose Café not far from the court house? They have excellent omelets & we've had a few while shopping on front street.
Thanks for sharing. Enjoy your time, it goes by so fast.

Georgia,

We are currently at El Zafiro and tomorrow we move to BSV.

JEEPERS,

I don’t think they are the same places, or at least not the same names. If you come out of Caribbean Gems (the store across from Holland House) and turn left you walk past Old Street and it’s a big building that runs from Front Street back in an alley. I think the main store on Front Street is a sun glass store. The Cafe is open for breakfast and lunch and the sandwiches we had - a chicken Caesar wrap and a chicken spiced up version of the same - were both yummy. Our jeweler sent us there when we said we just wanted to grab a quick sandwich. He knew what he was talking about.

Louise,

One of these days it will happen. I had really hoped to meet you and David and Mike. Others, too and we are also missing a bunch of friends who arrive midweek of the week we leave on Monday. It just works that way sometimes.

Vivian and Lyn,

We went there yesterday and I walked away not happy, since I didn’t get the answers I wanted to get, but at the same time I did feel reassured the Towers will be back. Someday - and hopefully sooner than later. But I honestly don’t feel real good about my April weeks in 2019. Maybe but it remains to be seen.

And btw, the upgrades to 7 and 8 are nice though I’m not crazy about the colors since they didn’t have that Caribbean feel to me. Goods are ordered - we saw the invoices, and the crane was back in use and they were working on both the main building roof and the chiller unit over the laundry/maintenance building. All the staff are well and send their good wishes to the owners. Believe, they miss us as much as we miss them, and then some. And James is still there doing what James does.

And thanks to everyone for the good wishes. I truly believe if people go with a happy heart they will be greeted in the same manner.

Thank you so much Pat, even though the news doesn’t seem good. We were plannng weeks 5,6 and 7. Any thoughts on what we should do about the maintenance fees?

Enjoy your vacation, Pat! So sorry we will miss each other by days AGAIN. One day.....

How very true! Enjoy your vacation; I'm sorry that our paths won't cross there this year.

Everyone has to do what they’re comfortable with. I love the Towers, as do we all, so I can only say - at this point, anyway - we will probably pay our fees on time and hope that if not April, perhaps we can use a bunch of weeks later in the year or spread over two years. But as I said, everyone has to do what they’re personally comfortable with and I do believe in the end, those of us who hang on and pay our monies will NOT be disappointed. Even if we don’t love the soft goods colors.

Hi Pat,

Wishing you and John a fabulous vacation! Your positive outlook will see you through.. SXM is still our favorite home away from home.


Marc and I were so happy to be back on island a few short weeks ago. I shed a few tears, but overall our trip was a wonderful one!

Have a safe and smooth move today over to BSV. I hope the weather cooperates.

Hopefully pat does not care that people know where she is staying.

JD--she said it herself in an earlier post. Right now, it looks to be raining, on the island cam.

Seeing as she has it in the forum calendar and shared it specifically on an earlier post on this actual thread, I would say that she made that information public.

It's sad that you turn a warm thought into something sinister.

Not doing that at all. I just was not sure she had made it public.

BTW, there is a member of this board who had their house broken into while they were on the island. They constantly posted about being out of the country. Coincidence? No idea.

Sorry if you took offence.

Enjoy your time Pat! Hope to run into you in April!! btw sounds like quite the party going on at BSV. Enjoy that too!!

Laurel--I think most of the folks who were at Beachside that are on TTOL have left already. But Pat I'm sure can make her own party!

Thank you for the warm thoughts, Brian - are you here yet? Or soon?

And thank you, J.D., for thinking of our privacy but i’ve been so excited to finally return that I know I’ve mentioned it in posts and I think you actually helped me finally get it onto the travel calendar the second time around after all the changes in our original plans.

Laurel, lots of fun people here and more soon come but ty for the warm thoughts. And sadly, April isn’t looking real good right now for the Towers.

And Carol, Party? Who? Me? I’m the shy, quiet one. Remember, J.D., how you and Andrea had to threaten me to get me out of my shell?! Yeah! Right!

Do not despair, we are all settled in at BSV. This place only gets better year after year, even after all their adversities from that b itch Irma! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at El Zafiro but now I feel like we’re in one of our two favorite island places and thrilled to be so fortunate as to be here.

Glad you're all settled in at "home". Enjoy!! Wish I was there!

Looking forward to more reports. Enjoy.

Oh what I would give to be down there right now!! Enjoy Pat!

Pat, I'm glad the move went well and that you are all settled into you home away from home. We arrive on Saturday afternoon, taking the AA flight out of CLT. We are just staying up the beach a little ways from you. We are staying immediately past Mary's Boon. I hope at some point during our stay that we have the opportunity to run into each other, It would be just like the pilgrimage I took to see Mother Theresa.

Pat, how is it possible that Towers is listed as a hotel for the Heinekan Regatta?? If they are renting rooms where does that leave owners??

Awe, c’mon, I’m not that old.........but be careful what you wish for!

I can’t answer that question but don’t forget, supposedly the ‘house’ owns about fifty percent of the rooms so I guess they can do whatever they can get away with.

And as much as I love ourctime there, I honestly wouldn’t want to stay there now with an empty pool, no pool bar, no pool lunches - as meager as they were, and all the work going on and the workers milling around along with many of the staff trying hard to look busy.

And sometimes the adds we see mean nothing. Look at all the properties listed as ‘sold out’ on Travelocity. I guess in the end, sadly, they can pretty much do whatever they want and there’s just not much we can do about it.

Oh Pat, I was in no way referencing your age. It was more a reference to your general demeanor that you show on the board. A good soul.