TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin BEERMAN Trip Part 2

SXM Part 2 (February 21-27)

Woke up very early to a really dark bedroom, took me a second to realize where I was! I didn’t see any kind of sunlight so I forced myself to try to sleep a little longer, however after maybe an hour I gave up and quietly moved to the living area. Our NBBC unit had front and rear sliding glass doors and a separate double hurricane shutter doors. We were instructed by the owner Marie to secure these shutters when we went to bed and we did. She said everyone in the complex closes these shutters for added security late at night. As I opened the glass sliders and then pushed the metal shutters aside I realized that the sun had already rose above the island, I probably missed the full sunrise by ½ hour which is unusual for me. As you can see from this first photo of the day I don’t think we missed much with the clouds and fast moving squall.




My wife would soon join me for coffee and tea and we watched the rain move in, didn’t really concern us WE WERE IN THE ISLANDS! After a while we realized that the rain was going to stick around for a while so we hopped in the car and headed into Marigot for breakfast. We found ample parking in town and chose Sarafina for breakfast. This is a great French bakery!! We enjoyed fruit, yogurt and fresh bread here while chickens walked around our table. The rain continued so we took our time and really relaxed at Sarafina watching the town wake up.




After breakfast we ran to the car and decided to drive around the island, no particular destination in mind. We zig zagged through the streets of Marigot then over the hill to Grand Case and navigated the side streets there. The rain was really coming down and the streets were becoming small rivers. We continued on from Grand Case and ended up seeing a sign for Orient Beach….sounds good! We drove as far as we could and eventually parked in a puddle filled parking lot on the beach. With rain continuing we leaped from the car and darted into the first bar we saw, ALOHA! This impromptu stop would prove to be just what we needed. ALOHA is our kind of beach bar! The staff here is young and personable and made us feel right at home. There were only a few people here. We chatted with locals, a guy from a cruise ship avoiding the crowds and a nice couple from Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, I noticed a boat in the bay that was partially sunk (photo below). A local guy said it took on water that morning and they had been trying to reach the owner. It was a pricey parasailing boat, very bad day for the owner. Everyone in the bar was saying the day would be a wash out with this rain…….









We’ve been coming to the islands for 30+ years and we never assume the weather will wreck a whole day. After a few Presidente’s and small talk we noticed a break in the rain, then the sun and blue skies soon followed! The bar staff began raising the plastic windows exposing a beautiful ocean view.





We paid up our tab and stretched our legs along the long beach here at Orient. The sand felt great on our bare feet as we walked end to end. There weren’t many people out at the start, but by the time we were returning from the far end the beach was buzzing with activity. We poked our head in several of the beach front restaurant/bars, which anyone of them would be a great place to hang out for a day or two. We were getting hungry and tried to decide where to plant ourselves, would you believe we ended up right back at ALOHA! Like I said, the staff made us feel so comfortable that morning we decided to grab a beach front table for 2!









We spent a few hours soaking up the rays at ALOHA! but it was time to motor on. I wasn't sure what to expect of Orient from all the photo's I've seen showing large crowds of people, but I have a better appreciation of it now that I've spent a day there, it's a great beach! ALOHA!!!

[img]http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q778/BEERMANRICK/St%20Martin%20Part%202/IMG_5766_zpszrs4lbuk.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums...tin%20Part%202/sxm20rick_zpsoruwoj6b.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q778/BEERMANRICK/St%20Martin%20Part%202/IMG_5760_zpsijyk1cil.jpg[/img]


Again, with no particular destination in mind we mozzied on. Speaking of mozzies, we didn't experience any mosquito issues the entire trip, except for one bathroom near some woods. Our first detour would be at the Pinel Island Ferry dock where nothing was happening, then up a hill towards French Cul De Sac where we would find pastures filled with horses and donkeys...ok let's stop! Beautiful views of Grandes Cayes and Ilet Pinel along this route. A few people were along the pastures fence line feeding the animals and several joggers were enjoying this stretch of road.

[img]http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q778/BEERMANRICK/St%20Martin%20Part%202/IMG_5809_zps85okgrix.jpg[/img]


After visiting with our four legged friends we continued down and around to the end of a dirt road. There is a trail head here that takes you UP to Red Rock, that is on the list for our next trip! We also found a trail head that leads from Grande Cayes passing Petite Cayes all the way around to Anse Marcel, an interesting looking hike along semi arid beaches, bet the sea glass hunting on these beaches is awesome.

[img]http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q778/BEERMANRICK/St%20Martin%20Part%202/IMG_5821_zpsndgh1sop.jpg[/img]



Sun was starting to set so we continued on to lovely Anse Marcel. This is our kind of beach for sure, beautiful calm turquoise waters to swim in. I missed photographing the sunset here but the skies were a wonderful mix of blue and pink hues. We walked around the resorts and small marina located here, it's a beautiful setting for sure. Another item for the bucket list!

[img]http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q778/BEERMANRICK/St%20Martin%20Part%202/IMG_5845_zpscrxirpan.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q778/BEERMANRICK/St%20Martin%20Part%202/IMG_5841_zpsbvrn93sg.jpg[/img]


Just after sunset we started our drive back towards Nettle Bay. We passed by Grand Case and considered finding a restaurant, but we had no reference points at night and we had already had a looooong day, so we decided to eat closer to home. Funny thing, we apparently made a wrong turn in Marigot....we caught it early but said what the heck keep going and see what we will see. We ended up driving over the Simpson Bay/Cole Bay Bridge towards the airport. The lights of the marina and surrounding area is a marvelous sight.

[img]http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q778/BEERMANRICK/St%20Martin%20Part%202/IMG_5869_zpsdk7l14bs.jpg[/img]


Once back at NBBC we cleaned up and walked the beach to Ma Ti for dinner. It is very nice to have these wonderful restaurants as an option just a short stroll from our villa. My wife wasn't very hungry and simply had a great bowl of French onion soup and I had seared tuna, fantastic! oh and red wine which was fantasticerrrr! What looked like a dreary day turned out to be a highlight day of our trip!

To be continued.... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

Another lovely report!

You hit upon our very favorite bar/restaurant on Orient - Aloha! We LOVE that place. Nathalie and her staff (Frederic, Sue & Jo) are amazing people and the food is divine. Love the rum shots at the end of the meal too. Your photo of them totally conveys their fun-loving spirit. Gosh, I can't wait 'til June! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" />

Just gained 5 pounds looking at those pastries!

Thanks for part 2. Nothing starts a day better than a trip to Sarafini's. Of course, making a decision on what to have is a REAL problem. We also like the new Causeway bridge, except for those interior lights that are just about driver's eye height.

Beerman,

You have absolutely made my day. I suggest to all my first time visiting friends to do exactly what you've described and sadly, nine out of ten hit the first known named beach and/or beach bar they can find and few venture any further.

St. Maarten/St. Martin is such a wonderful diverse place and while obviously the beaches are what it's mostly all about, this island really is so very much more.

Grand Case by day used to be a sleepy little fishing village with just a couple of BBQ grills to grab a roadside lunch and not too very much more than that but over the years it has grown and expanded in style and offerings.

Marigot was the place you'd go for the ultimate in French shopping ops not to mention some great dining spots and wonderful old architecture along the beachfront but that was mostly redone years ago for the filming of a Sandra Bullock film and now it's beautiful but without the early natural charm it once offered, and this is the case of so much of the island.

Time passes, things change and building predominates all across the island. Philipsberg raises the scorn of many who couldn't be bothered to go to town, yet we love to head in early in the morning and have our breakfast there as we watch the bustling little city come alive - we love to see the shop workers enjoying their morning coffee along the Boardwalk, the workers setting out their wares in the market area and the school children doing their Phys. Ed on the beach. And then the hordes of cruise ship passengers descend on the town to buy their tee shirts and trinkets. Okay, enough people watching and by then it's time to head out of town and take in some of the other scenic areas of the island.

So much to see and experience and yet, so little time to do it all in. Sometimes I have to pinch myself and ask, "Can we really have been visiting here all these years and yet, each year we manage to find something new to fall in love with?"

Back in December, for the first time in the 40+ years we've been visiting we finally experienced a lovely Sunday lunch at Layla's - thank you very much Elaine for inviting us - and yet, you discovered this lovely spot in the early part of your first stay. Go figger!

I truly hope the rest of your trip is just as filled with all things St. Martin/St. Maarten and that the remainder of your trip lures you back to find the other hidden wonders she has to offer.... And then off to the near islands of Anguilla, St Bart's and my personal favorite, Saba. Each so unique and each so wonderful and yet, so very different from each other?

Enjoy the balance of your time and please do keep sharing as you see fit.

Another WOW! Waiting for the next part. Keep on typing! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/typing.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for sharing your trip with us...enjoying the photos as well. I think I need to get one of those t-shirt from Ahola!
Enjoy your trip! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Wonderfully entertaining synopsis and photo's of your exploits.
You need to bottle and sell you blood, bro. You seem to be immune from the effects of beach Sand Gravity.
In the years of watching and posting to this forum have never, ever, seen anyone that can keep on ticking like you.
Maybe your are related to the Energizer Bunny??? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />
A brother, second cousin....?? Keep on truckin <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Thank you thank you thank you. I've been waiting for this all day

Great read! Reminded us of some of our days on the island. Love driving around and finding niches and crannies we haven't seen before or haven't seen for some time. And this time of yours seemed almost a repeat of one of our days minus NBBC. I remember first time over that road to Anse Marcel---thought we were on the path to oblivion.

No, the path to oblivion came the day we followed a road in Point Blanch. At one point before cresting a steep hill, hubby got so nervous he asked me to get out of car and check ahead. Good thing! I found myself at cliff's edge looking at a beautiful view of Divi Little Bay, the fort, and beyond. Below barges and container ships.

Keep exploring and reporting to us.

Wow, now that's scary!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Shocked.gif" alt="" /> No guardrail??

So enjoying the read, Beerman! Carry on!

I always love reading your trip reports. You make them so easy to read and the photos are always excellent. Thanks for taking the time to do this on your vacations.

Yes, won't find a better beach bar anywhere, the staff makes that place! A French speaking gentleman was opening coconuts behind the bar and without asking slid this plate in front of my wife, chocolate! (grainy cell phone pic)

I am loving your reports and appreciate the time and effort required to write them. We love breakfast at Sarafina's and Aloha has always been a fun place for drinks and lunch. Hopefully St. Martin/St. Maarten will fast become one of your favorite Caribbean islands!

Oh my, that coconut looks delish! Lucky you.