TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Trip report #4. Don't bother, boring.

Well, the days are getting quieter, sand gravity is taking further hold, we are doing less stuff. Sorry that this report is going to suffer from an excess of boring.

The day started the same as usual, or rather the way that we like it, with a long walk on Orient Beach. I realized this afternoon just what kind of a workout these long walks in sand really are. I have tired achey muscles in my lower legs, and I do 3 or 4 miles on the treadmill pretty well every morning at home.

We made it back to the villa without stopping for pastries today, the Froot Loops eaters had left us with three or four from yesterday. They’re not as good the second day, but they’re sure not bad.

Somehow we got the guys out of bed and started to figure out what to do today. Our older, the one whose face looks like a Burger King drinking straw decided to stay in the villa and read. The kid really got sunburnt yesterday. Not just the remarkable (I’d call it funny rather than remarkable but that would make me the worst Dad in the world) pattern he has burnt on his face, but his shoulders and upper chest were really pink this morning as well. Of course you feel sorry for the guy, sunburns are terribe, but at the same time, when is the kid going to use his head? We’re in the tropics! Grease yourself up completely with sunscreen! The kid is a certifiable genius in school yet has no sense whatsoever.

So the older one stayed home, the younger one wanted Kim and me to join him at Baie Rouge again, he enjoyed the surf so much from yesterday. He’s really not impressed with the rather pedestrian surf at Orient compared to the 10 foot! waves he described are the norm at Baie Rouge. Of course, conditions change day by day, and he ended up with less surf that he likely would have had at Orient today.

We took kind of the long way ‘round over the causeway and by the airport so that Jake could see that whole west end of the island. It’s a pleasant enough drive. Sure is lots of building going on. I pointed out that Porto Cupecoy didn’t even exist when we first visited.

I hadn’t been to Baie Rouge since our first trip ten years ago. It is beautiful. That long crescent beach just begs to be walked. I didn’t. Kim did. We stayed for 4 hours or so, then thought we should get back and join the lonely boy. Turns out that he had had a fine day on his own drinking soda pop and reading books. He didn't miss us a bit, we needn’t have worried.

It was nice to come home in time to take advantage of the beautiful deck/patio/pool area of the villa. We stretched out on the loungers and read for a while beside the pool.

Then another nap! What a habit.

Got up and shook off the cobwebs and got ready to go to dinner at Le Piment. The kids dropped us off for a grown up dinner before they took off to do their own thing. Their own thing, it turns out, was to go to MacDonalds. Pfft.

It’s Friday Night here, as it is in much of the western hemisphere, and that means that there’s a big hoop-de-do going on down in the village. You couldn’t get near La Piment without a rez. The solution was plain, we went where we have been several times for dinner, to Café La Plantation. I have mentioned that we have stayed at La Plantation multiple times, so having dinner there tonight held some nostalgia.

It was a superb dinner. Starters was a shared shrimp springroll, Kim had a plate of grilled shrimps and scallops in a Sauterne sauce, I had lobster risotto. I am not big on lobster, but find I like it when it’s part of anther dish rather than the featured component. Both of the dishes were fantastic; the risotto was perfect. Desserts were a chocolate ganache with raspberries, and a serving of fresh berries with crème on this amazing pastry. They topped it off with the obligatory Ma Dou Dou, that was house made, and quite a bit more sophisticated than some that you get.

And now back to the villa. It’s 10.30 ish, and I can hardly keep my eyes open AGAIN. I don’t know who it is that keeps Maho hopping at night; I can barely make it through dinner after a day of sun and swimming.

Another good day!

Boring or not, I still enjoy reading about your daily activities. Keep them coming <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

I don't think that people from Toronto would find this boring!Sounds fine to me.

Looking out my window at all the snow, and the single digit temps, I'LL TAKE THAT BORING ANYTIME! ENJOY! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

Is it still hard to walk on the beach at Baie Rouge? That's one thing I remember about the beach.

Doesn't seem boring to me!! Thanks for posting!

Ha! I love Baie Rouge, but agree -- that sand is difficult to walk on! Makes for a good workout. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Not boring at all. Thanks for posting. It is snowing here in Burlington yet again. Looking forward to the sand being the only white we see tomorrow. St. Martin here we come.

Thanks for boring us some more. Keep it going.

Reading about your son getting sunburned reminded me of our early visits years ago when our daughters were in their teens. Their priority was to go back home with a nice tan to show to their friends. They didn't want to use the suntan lotions because they thought they wouldn't get tans - so they both got burnt. As they got older they realized that they could get tanned without getting burnt.

PandpfromCanada - travel safe! Look forward to sharing the island with you. I will be the large bald man in the jeep with greasy late teens.

Your story reminded me of one of our earlier visits when our son got a serious sunburn on his face. Housekeeper saw him and went out behind Belair and cut some aloe from cactus. It soothed his pain and prevented scarring on his face. We will be forever grateful.

Only been back home from the Island for 9 days. It snowed 6 inches 3 days after returning. School was out all week. Temps in the single digits at night and teens during the day. Bring on all the boring you can type. I desparatly need a dose of boring about now. Enjoy, <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />

Ritchard, never boring, always a good read! Keep em coming! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />