TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin French side today?

My advice to freaked-out tourists: Take a deep breath. Any time that U.S. or Canadian citizens visit a foreign country, it makes sense to learn about the country you are visiting and to talk to local residents. When we visit another country, we aren't entitled to anything. We're visitors.

Protestors are protesting for a reason. Listen to their grievances. If you have to take a boat, or drive the long way around, remember that your inconvenience may be less important than the issues that matter to the residents of the country where you are a visitor. Most protestors are polite -- talk to them. Dialog is good. Try to become allies with people in the community you respect.

Of course, you'll also encounter opportunists and rowdy teenagers as well as polite protestors. But we have those in the U.S. and Canada, too.

I see the schools will be open tomorrow. That's progress.

Here's my trip report today. At noon, I drove from Philipsburg to Orient Beach through Oyster pond direction. The French border was half blocked. It was passable but there were a lot of rocks on the road on the French side. I saw a car driving thru from the French side. I didn't risk my car, so I turned around and went to Marigot. No roadblocks anymore, although there was still some mess on my way to Orient village. A lot of gendarme stationed near the original protesting locations, but I have no problem traveling to the French side and coming back. However, I got stuck in the traffic for a looooog time. I am not sure if that is typical during rush hours?

Not anymore. Originally, the schools were to open except in Sandy Ground and Orleans. President Gibbs has now decided that all schools will remain closed tomorrow. The reasons give were the uncertainty of being able to transport the students, clean the classrooms, or provide meals.

Yes, traffic is typical; roadblocks are not.

Thanks!

bc007--traffic, yes, for sure.. Enjoy your trip.

Posted on St Martin News
"According to the latest info we received the Minister is cancelling PPRN and. The protest is over, clean up time. Got this from F.Q. I just confirm. A new prefete one that was here before will be coming in January to sit down and map out a new plan with the people"

Correction. Postponed for 3 months.

Scubaman--I really don't think it was necessary to post this on EVERY one of these threads.

Regardless, this points out that there are WAY too many threads about the same thing. Will close several of them now.