TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Just another day on the beach......

Except we never quite made it there.

Okay, then......it's Sunday morning and I'm not sure if I should comment on yesterday or today so far.

This morning's sunrise was really more of the same but at the same time totally different because while I can clearly hear the waves crashing in on the beach at Mullet Bay, the sun's reflection on Mullet Pond makes it look as smooth as a mirror - quite a contrast in views. And the haze on the ocean is barely allowing me to make out a nearing cruise ship. And Saba? Saba she be gone from the horizon. At least for the time being, and the hazy sky is preventing me from seeing about the seaweed this morning, if any.

So enough about sunrises.......yesterday was slated to be a shopping day in P'berg, and quite truthfully, anyone who knows me at all, knows that I absolutely hate shopping of any type, so this was bound to be a really 'fun' kind of day.

We left the Towers around 8ish and encountered no traffic at all, even managing to avoid the Simpson Bay Bridge opening, and we arrived at our midtown parking lot destination at 8:25 to be only about the fourth car in the lot. There was at least one cruise ship in town, but the foot traffic from that was minimal at best so we beat feet to the Barefoot Terrace where we breakfasted on freshly squeezed orange juice and real Caribbean French Toast made of all the usual ingredients on sliced baguette as opposed to sliced bread. We can get it that way anywhere but this was delicious and when I asked, they were more than happy to do it that way. Delicious!! We killed almost an hour there eating and taking in a wakening Philipsberg and then chatting with a cruise couple off the ship.

I couldn't drag it out any longer so off to Caribbean Gems we went to say hello to Manu and his son Assan - who, as luck would have it - had just left yesterday morning to attend a wedding in Atlanta - and of course I had to look around for a quick minute. And then on to their other store to see Max and deliver a small gift from CT along with various assorted greetings and good wishes from friends. And finally, down to the real business at hand and my reason for the trip to town - the redesigning of a piece of jewelry purchased many years ago and the discovery that I needed to speak to Manu in the end which means another trip into town next week. Lucky me.....

At this point it's about 11:00 and I'm so done with shopping but I had another mission so I briefly looked in a couple of stores and said the heck with it. So back to the car and home we went, and we were back by noon with nothing accomplished except spending a half day in town without a purchase made. So much for my mission........

Didn't do much the rest of the day - said our goodbyes to a few departing friends and our hellos to a few new arrivals, took a quick swim to find the pool water is like bath water at this point. It's been incredibly hot the last few days, or so it seems to me.

We didn't really feel like going 'out' anywhere special so we returned to Fig for dinner and we received a nice greeting from the owners who assured us there were no large parties going on tonight and they actually thanked us for returning. How nice is that?! To know that your patronage is truly appreciated. This place on St. Maarten has become as familiar to us as our favorite Greek neighborhood restaurant is at home and they've never let us down, food-wise yet. But we're not foodies in the sense so many others are down here - we just truly enjoy the comfortable atmosphere of the place. DH even managed to make room at the end of his dinner for a chocolate mousse dessert.

Back home to a glass of wine out on the balcony - or so we thought. But sadly, the breeze is nowhere to be found and the dreaded moskies are out there for the first time since we've been here. And it was so very hot today I even gave in and turned on the a/c, which I normally don't appreciate .Back inside for a little TV and my book and before you know it, it's off to lalaland to prepare for another SXM Sunday.

I guess the waves are too big at Mullet, if you can hear then. We don't normally go there on Sunday, but were thinking about it. Maybe Orient. Thanks for the info!!

How are the waves and the seaweed over by you? And FYI, I stepped out on the balcony and I don't hear them crashing anymore, though I do see the second cruise ship of the morning heading your way. What's up with that - two in on Sunday is unusual, isn't it?

Sounds like another good day. Give all at Caribbean Gems my regards if you see them again. Fig does a great job, reasonable prices and a good selection.

Enjoy!

Pat, enjoy that "bath water pool" and the heat because there's a cold snap back home. You won't be too thrilled to return to CT. Had to bring the plants in temp 29. So much for spring in the North East!!

Have fun.

I so enjoy your posts!! We enjoyed three weeks at Simpson's Bay returning home April 4th. Since then I think I have been in withdrawal!! The ocean breeze was so cold yesterday I had to put on the fireplace. Enjoy the warmth. And yes, we love Fig, too. We dine there at least two or three times each visit. Will look forward to your next adventure.

Pat, the waves aren't too bad here, but filled with seaweed. The beach is a mess with it and the cliffs from a couple of nights ago!
Yes (Sunday ships), but the French side still closes on Sunday--I think. The market is one of the places they take the passengers.

Hi Terry and Rit--do those cliffs of sand go all the way down in front of the units at BSV?

curently we are having a really bad infestation of that dreaded seaweed. everywhere you look.
This is a picture I took the other day at Mr. Busby's.It's in the water and on the beach. They keep cleaning up the beach but more comes




We also have Saharan desert dust which is the reason for the hazy look.



and it's hot and we need rain, but other than that, it is a beautiful day, right, pat?

There are a couple of "islands" of seaweed in Pelican Key. Yesterday, someone was looking at the water and thought it was an oil slick. lol I guess the seaweed is moving around the island. Hot hot hot the last few days too! It's great in the shade though.