TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin First full day report

So, Friday was our first full day here. I got up way early for me, 6 AM. Had some coffee, just enjoyed some quiet time. Eric eventually got up and we headed out to Super U in Marigot for a serious wine run, plus some other items that we had missed the day before. We also bought some wine glasses, as we have the past few times. While I always say that Beachside Villas lacks for nothing, I despise their "jelly jar" wine glasses. Super U was 1 to 1 for either cash or credit card, although I think Eric messed up and paid with a card that charges a foreign transaction fee!

There was very little traffic in Marigot on the way to the store, but it was the typical Marigot madness as we left. They were doing what looked to be sewer work at the corner which always seems to be the source of many kamikaze moments there, so that contributed to it, I suspect. In the (so far) futile search for mint, we decided to try the Carrefour by the Causeway. We picked up a couple of items there, but no mint. We looked at Etna ice cream and where shocked by the $9 price tag for a very SMALL container, so ended up with this stuff, for half the cost.



Oddly enough, we couldn't find any CROISSANTS at the Super U in Marigot or at Carrefour. Weird. I was too lazy to walk over to the An Pain there outside the Super U, as I figured we were going to Carrefour anyway.

So, onward and upward! We stopped by the Maho Market, in the continuing search for mint. I asked a lady who was mopping the floor if they carried mint. She dropped her mop and went over and searched the top shelf through all the herbs they had, no mint. Neither one of us were tall enough to see what was in the packages, so she took down each one and looked at the label. No mint, but I thanked her for her help.

So, shopping finally done, it was time to head back to BSV and unload and unwind. As we were unloading our groceries, Mrs. SXMFox came up and said hi. After we got our stuff put away, I went by their room, but the door was closed. Emmanuel happened to be standing there and I asked if he knew where they were. He said they were by the pool. Everyone here is so helpful! So, I headed out the the gazebo and we spent an hour or so shooting the breeze and enjoying the lovely views and the breezes, interrupted occasionally by the roar of a jet plane.



Soon it was time for them to head out to the airport and we wished them bon voyage. I wish they had been here longer, as they are a lovely couple to talk to. So great to meet you guys!!

It was gone 1 PM by this time, and time for some sustenance! We cooked burgers on the grill for lunch



and settled down for the rest of the day 'at home'. I read my book, in my comfy chair by the door and Eric hung out and did not much of anything. A little before 5, I heard a plane revving up and suspected it was SXMFox's plane and so I ran out and snapped a couple pics and said goodbye. This one is the best of a bad lot.



Several glasses of wine were consumed and then it was time to eat our lamb chops that we had purchased at Super U.



Dinner was over around 8. After dinner, we spent a couple of hours just sitting on the porch, listening to the waves and chilling and drinking a couple more glasses of wine. After a while we tried that ice cream. OMG!! This is the best ice cream I've ever had!! And then off to bed.

God, I love this place!!

Sounds like a great start to your vacation. Great pics that make me want to return to the island.

Just remember NOT to allow Eric into the produce aisles unattended!!

Looks and sounds like you’re off to a very nice start. Enjoy your time as I know you will…….😊😊

Pat--It's too late!! I sent him off to find ketchup, and he comes back with this THIRTY TWO OUNCE bottle of ketchup!! He said "well, it was on SALE, and a name brand!" Jeez, Louise!!!



This is one of the wine glasses we bought yesterday, to show you the size of the thing!!

And it has been a very lovely start to the trip, indeed!

We plan on heading to Tropicana for a long late lunch, after a while..

Nice start for your stay.
"I think Eric messed up and paid with a card that charges a foreign transaction fee! duh"
Not only a fee but probably converted to the going Euro rate too.

The trip reporting is in your hands for awhile because I'M NOT DOING ANYTHING and can post only so many photos of the view from here. The Causeway Carrefour is my grocery store of choice. I will have to try that ice cream.

I bet Carol would gladly deliver some to you.

I can wait until Monday.

Good start!! Sorry about the mint. We have made some of those Super U lamb chops twice this trip. Very yummy. I have some veal steaks in the fridge for tomorrow night.

Scuba--oh well. A couple of bucks either way, probably.

fatcat--I'm not sure whether we would have looked for them, except for your note, so thanks!

Linda--no problem. Hope you feel better. Do try that ice cream when you can.

Hello Carol, we did enjoy our visit by the pool the other day. It was so good to finally meet you and Eric, hopefully out trips in the future will overlap more than just a day! Your pictures look great, makes us wish that we hadn’t have left, and shoot if we had know that burgers and lamb were involved we would have stayed another day, lol! The food does look great, I’m sure It tasted great! We hope y’all get some good use out of that umbrella as the breeze always feels great out there.
We had a somewhat unusual travel day starting at Sxm airport. They didn’t have enough buses so decided for us to walk to the plane, no big deal. Got to Charlotte, then they didn’t have enough planes or personal. Finally got home around 2am, I’m surprised the crew on the last leg of the flight didn’t didn’t clock out, we were the only thing flying in the air at that moment! But all was good, we made it home, and if anyone has global entry, in Charlotte they now have facial recognition, super cool, don’t have to do anything other than take your photo, heck he didn’t even want to see our passports. Anyway, we hope that you and Eric have a great vacation, which looks like it’s off to a great start!

Hey, so great to meet you too!! Today we went to Marigot for lunch and it has been pretty darn windy all day, so have not had time to check out that umbrella yet. Eric does want to know how you were able to plant it in the sand, as the stick doesn't have a pointy end on it???

I just push it in the sand as far as it will go, and start moving the pole back and fourth while applying pressure and it just goes right on down. Hope that helps. Also remember that under that sand there is a fair amount of sea weed from years ago, so he might want to try several spots, and if all else fails just get Emmanuel to set it up for you, I’m sure he’d be glad to

Oh and after you get it set, at the end of the day, just leave the pole in the sand and just take up the Umbrella

Lovely, just lovely...and that ice cream looks like a real treat! Glad you found your mint for mohitos!!😉. Enjoy and keep on with your reports...please😎. Enjoy😉

OK, thanks Fox!!

Shelby--we are here until the 20th, so there should be several more reports! And yes, I am glad re the mint also!!

So envious! Looks like you're going to have a great time!

Going very well so far, yes!

We arrive at BSV on Tuesday . Do they have umberallas or do we need to rent from someone? Thanks for your help

They only have a couple. You can chance there will be one, or you can rent from Craig at Packlight. Just google Packlight SXM.

Resort seems pretty full right now and according to SXMFox, it was empty last week, so I suspect that most people just got here. Anyway, I'm sure you'll enjoy it here, if you've never been!

Great report and pictures. Cheers to a
wonderful beginning of vacation! 🥂

Thanks!