TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Day 9 of 21 in Orient Village

Day nine of 21. We are in Orient just behind Kontiki water sports – great location.

Random thoughts and observations. - note all my pics in pdf format, will work to convert them!, tomorrow, maybe

Travel is busy, regardless of whether cruise ships in port or not.

Heard a reggae version of George Harrison’s My Sweet Lord yesterday on Island 92– I liked it!

First visit to the Art Box Gallery in Simpson Bay. Well worth checking out – 89 Welfare Rd, not that the address helps as almost no businesses have street numbers. We have several prints by Antoine Chapon, now we have one more!

Every time I visit Au Dirait le Sud in the village for meat, treats, pistachio ravioli, Italian lemon and Orangeade and more, I feel like the person in the story, …. How to make a million in Orient Village? - start with two million! Oh my, the crunchy cannoli stiffed with lemon or salted caramel – freshly made and so good. Think they also had nut and a pistachio filling. We will be trying all the flavours.

Found the lady in Marigot market who sells Fr linens, and now we have more. Hard time getting nutmeg - we always take some. Olive near the fish stalls didn’t have any, her daughter Sandy in the market didn’t, but Olive sent us to Marianne at Spicy Milo, down the alley between the bakery and public bathrooms across from the market – what a great stand.

Excellent lunch at Kat Too Toos in the resto area just south of the market made from shipping containers. Spoiler alert Kat is Wilfred Brooks wife.
Food was excellent, loved the presentation detail and the sauces. The curry sauce would rate a “That’s money” from Guy on Triple D! We split salt cod fritters and creole conch – should have taken pics. We will return before we go home

Had my first curry land crab rice bowl at Chez Leandra’s – ggot to try it at least once. I am a Jerk fan and Leandra’s is pretty good, maybe better than my own. Order it extra spicy or as they say– Zelman style. I keep trying to get them to make Caribbean jerk chicken poutine [ with brie instead of curds], but to no avail.

Island is green and all is good

John & Bev

Ahhh thanks for the report. I enjoy the random "thoughts" posts like this. I can relate re: Au Dirait le Sud and can provide peer-reviewed research on the deliciousness of the pistachio cannoli. Enjoy your time and please share more.

Thanks for the report. I will need to go to the Art Box this time. I have some of Antoine Chapin's works myself. The only problem is that I probably will find something to buy and I am already out of wall space, so sometimes I have to take things down and rotate them!

Reggae version of My sweet lord was done by Damian Marley.

Thanks for all the miscellaneous information. We stayed in the area where you are last fall and loved it. Will be back in 12 days. Would have liked to meet you. On Durait Le Sud could easily clean my wallet out. Their food is so good and they are really nice people. Enjoy your trip.

Thanks for the Marley tip. Googled and found a version where the horns start in the beginining, a little touch of Ska and then Damian starts skips thru the song. I am a fan of Toots and the Maytals- 54-46 is a fave, but Damian and this song will be on the rotation when I return. Nice....

Thanks

J&B

Trying to add pics - hope it works

J&B

Hey, it worked! Congrats!

Everything at Chez Leandra is so good! You have to try the Royal rum punch!! It is kickazz good!!

The royal rum punch is my wife's fave every time we visit . Me - I get Natalie to make a rum cocnout tropial sour drink - given my first name I call it the Johnny on the beach

J&B