Three Weeks with Alan, BJ and The Mick. (a play on “Talkin Baseball with Wiiiiillie, Mickey and the Duke”) The Book and the People. Mickey Mantle biography to read and a vacation with Barbara Jane Sirota on the Island of St Martin.
A most enjoyable combination.
Preamble – Dallas for Elizabeth’s Birthday
The outpouring of welcome for us was heartwarming. Barbara’s family has accepted me as their own….And Visa-versa.
It is hard to believe that little Elizabeth is celebrating her 8th birthday. Always ahead of her time intellectually, she continues to entertain us with her remarks.
And, of course, Rob and Anne were the perfect hosts. The addition of the two grandmothers, Lenore and Eileen, rounded out this wonderful family.
But, now on to the main event, almost three weeks in warm St Martin.
But, wait, one extra stop. Due to bad weather forecast for Dallas on the day of our departure, February 1, we left the night before to stay over in Miami. Good thing we did. Dallas airp[prt was closed for over a day due to ice and snow.
The Miami stop let us relive a bit, Sara’s wedding. Including food at the Jewish deli, Jerry’s.
St Martin – February 1 – 19.
Overall notes about St Martin.
Very friendly natives, from tourist officials and service sales people, to residents on the streets. All smiles and willing to give directions. Alas, some are wrong.. But, their hearts are in the right place.
Speed bumps galore. Nuisances, but necessary to slow down drivers, me included, in towns.
Lots of car washes. Not the automatic ones like home. All hand done ones. Must be a lot of dirty cars here.
Lots of sun, sandy beaches and puffy clouds. Even some warm rain showers.
The water on the Caribbean side gives new meaning to the word aquamarine. The most beautiful color I have ever seen anywhere. Just as scenic as the blue water of the Azure Coast of southern France. I hope the color shows up in my pictures.
Some great, albeit sometimes overpriced, meals, both on the French and Dutch sides. Wonderful French bread, pastries, croissants, hot chocolate and coffee.
And three weeks of reading, but not quite finishing, a biography of Mickey Mantle. Quite an enlightening view of a boyhood hero.
Day 1 Tuesday, 2/1
Arrived late so all we did was get to our room and settle in. B257 at Simpson Bay Resort newly renamed from Pelican Bay Resort. Both the condo owners and the employees objected to the new owners. All of the employees were fired and told they would have to reapply for their jobs….at less pay and with no seniority and few benefits. Their union is suing. Good luck!!!!
Day 2 Wednesday, 2/2
We came here to eat French food. So, day 1 started with breakfast at the local French restaurant, on the grounds of the condo development, “Bon Apetite. A great first chocolate croissant.
Then off to Phillipsburg for our first shopping outing. Really just scouting about. Cameras do not appear to be any great bargains. Oh yes, a French food lunch on Old Street. A favorite from past memories. And, some Belgian chocolates.
Ended the day with dinner at Toppers on the Beach at our resort. Lobster. Fair, but overcooked.
Day 3 Thursday, 2/3
Rental car day. Save, another memory from last visit. Best deal I could negotiate…$170/week, plus $5/day for second driver. But, when we got there, they reduced the price to $162/day, plus half price for second driver. Even without me asking. Now I see on one of the tour maps that they offer a 15% discount. Do I have the nerve to ask for it when I check out? You bet!
Then to Grand Casse for restaurant search. First, lunch at a Lo Lo on the water. Great food at cheap price.
Then, we found an old favorite restaurant, La Marine, had been replaced by Ti Provincale operated by an award winning chef. So, we reserved for dinner at 7:30. By advice of couple we met from Minnasota. Man was an Anderson windows manager. Spent couple hours from about 3 – 5PM on the beach. Cool end of day relaxation. On to Sunset Beach Café for watching sunset. Alas, clouds obscured it.
Day ended with expensive and disappointing dinner at Ti Provincale Alas, his Gold Metal was in 2008. But, the presentation was very impressive. Broad variety of locally caught fish. We had Parrot fish. Light tasting white fish. Only OK and not worth the $100 bill. I knew this was going to be an expensive place.
Day 4 Friday 2/4
Found our favorite French supermarket. Still great. Barbara bought variety of cheeses.
Highlight was a concert by Brothers in Arms at night at Friars Bay. Dirt road to get there. But, we were given free tickets as we reached the front gate. Saved $60. Good thing, because the concert was very loud and not very satisfying to me. But, Barbara liked it. It was an experience witnessing this “happening” with wide variety of mostly French fans across three generations. Lots of cigarette smoking, but no mariuana odor that would be ever present at such a concert in USA.
Day5 Saturday, 2/5
On to our first timeshare condo, a studio apt at Ocean View. We were here last time, maybe even in the very same room, #305. Very simple, but nice patio view of the ocean. Will present great sunset views.
Off to Marigot for dinner on the marina.
But, first ice cream at the Carousel in Simpson Beach. Very creamy.
Walked around the marina in Marigot. We remembered it from last time.
Dinner at ….., where we met nice couple from Cape Cod. He, Dave, had retired from being a lobster wholesaler in Maine. Interesting discussion/education on lobser fishing and wholesaling. Rare example of meeting someone with more interesting career experience than ours. In fact, they never even asked what we did. We got so wrapped up in questions about lobster fishing.
I liked the dinner, good onion soup. But, Barbara was not overly impressed.
But, nice relaxing dinner on the marina with boats and boat people walking bye.
Day 6, Sunday 2/6
Super Bowl Sunday. Number 45. I remember several notable ones.
Number 1 – Green Bay Vs Kansas City. Lombardy won. I remember listening to it on the car radio as Sylvia and I took John Latham to the Phillisburg (Pa, of course) airport. John was a Englisg friend of ours who we met in Falgstaff on one of the MRI field programs. But, I digress.
Number 3 - NY Jets Vs Baltimore. Joe Namath Vs Johnny Unitis. “Broadway Joe” Namath forecast victory against heavily favored Colts. He pulled it off.
Number ???? – NY Giants Vs New England Patriots. Wildcard Giants, under Eli Manning, were long shot underdogs to undefeated Patriots. Miracle catch in late 4th quarter won for Giants. I watched and rooted from a condo party on one of the islands in the Caribbean.
So, here I am back on a Caribbean island for number 45. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.
But, first our day.
Breakfast, including croissant, on our patio overlooking the ocean. Pretty close to paradise.
Off to Baie Orientale. Orient Beach has “Au Naturale” beach at one end. We went to the other end where we had lunch at the Tiki Hut Bar. Beach was beautiful, but too windy to sit on it.
After a stop at our favorite French market, we went to an orientation briefing at the Sapphire Club, next store to our place. We will be staying at Sapphire next week. Very poor orientation, but we got a couple of free fruit punches at the bar. While drinking them, we met an interesting couple from Fresno, Ca (her) and Portland, OR (Him). Both doctors who will be going to his child’s house on….Newark Street, in Cleveland Park on Monday. Small world, indeed.
Finally, the Super Bowl at the restaurant at our place. We entered the pool for five selections, at $2 each. Barbara picked the slots, which included the upper left and lower right. Well, upper left came out to be Packers 1 and Steelers 0. In case you remember, the half time score was Packers 21, Steelers 10, after a half ending touchdown drive by the Steelers. We were rooting for the Packers overall, but the Steelers to score the touchdown that won the half time payoff ($50) for us. Good return on our $10 investment. I pay, Barbara picks, we win. Great combo. Good picking Barbara.
The last time I won such a pool was one time on a time share vacation in the Bahamas, when the slot we picked for Sara won. It was the week of the shuttle Columbia launch disaster. I remember both the disaster and Sara’s winning. But, nothing else about that vacation.
BTW, the Packers won 31 – 25. If they had scored one more field goal, we would have also won the game ending score with one of our other picks. But, alas, we had to settle for just $50. Will spend it (plus another $50) to splurge on a big dinner on the French side.
Day 7 –Monday 2/7
Barbara did water aerobics at our neighboring condo/hotel, called Sapphire. While she was occupied there, I was able to hop on their wifi connection. Finally got a sold connection to allow me to clean out my e-mail.
Started out in the car, to find flat tire. Not totally flat, so it could be pumped up until we could get it fixed at the car rental place. No big deal. Turned out it was a nail that had to be removed and plugged. While waiting, I had an interesting conversation with the manager of the car rental place. He claims he was a banker in NYC, who took a buyout when his bank was bought. Took a Caribbean vacation, during which he met a woman who soon gave him his first child. So he settled here. That child is now 17 years old. Nice story,,,but, is it true or just a dream. Who knows.
Afternoon trip to Phillipsburg to find the tourist office. Alas, not much help. A couple of hours shopping in Phillipsburg. No tour boats in, so it was a leisurely outing. Found a stone for Mira’s bracelet.
Walked a bit on the boardwalk. Cement version of boardwalks in US. Nice views of the Great Bay.
Nice chilling out at the lounge at the Holiday House Hotel. No pressure to buy any drinks.
Finally dinner at their restaurant, Ocean Lounge. Terrific fixed price menu of chicken ceaser salad, sea bass and dark chocolate suffle with ice cream. Add excellent bread, good onion soup, led to our best dinner of the trip so far.
A bit of a stressful ride back from Phillipsburg to our condo on Cupecoy. Probably a 10 mile drive. But lots of oncoming cars with bright lights and narrow, curved roads. But, we made it safely.
Day 8 Tuesday – 2/8
One week in St Martins. We arrived last Tuesday night.
Day started with another relaxing breakfast on our patio. Smoked salmon, French cream cheese, chocolate croissant. Could life be any better?
Then off on our day, alas, not before noon, with a trip to the new Weston Hotel on Dawn Beach. But, not before a stop in Simpson Bay for a couple of croissants for tomorrow’s breakfast and a chicken sandwich for later today. At a French bakery on in Simpson Bay. The sandwich turned out to be superb.
The Weston turned out to be quite new and modern with a very grand swimming pool and beach. The restaurant was charming. We had lunch there. Then spent about a half hour on Dawn Beach. Too windy to really enjoy this very picturesque beach.
On to Oyster Bay Marina for a quick stop to see lots of yachts. Lots of rich people here, with big marinas here, at Simpson Bay and at Marigot, to mention just three.
Last stop was the Tuesday street fair and dinner in Grand Casse. The fair was a mix of food, mostly junk trinkets and jewelry, and a few special things.
Dinner was at La Carraibe Restaurant. I had excellent onion soup and Barbara had
“The best red snapper I ever had”. It was in cream sause with excellent veggies. So, I guess this chef, who is the same one as was once at the best French restaurant in France, that our friends, the Fields love. Not a bad recommendation. It lived up to it.
The evening ended with a good chocolate crepe at another restaurant.
Why do all these entries focus on food? Well, isn’t that what we came here for?
Day 9 Wednesday 2/9
Happy Birthday Sara. Wish you and Victor were here.
Another breakfast on our patio followed by water aerobics for Barbara and e-mail for me. I shoulkd be using the gym at the Sappire. But it is poor and I am lazy. Heck, I am on vacation.
Finally off to Marigo for their Wednesday market. Similar to the one last night in Grand Casse, but bigger and better. Very colorful.
Lunch at Bistro Sur La Mer at the port. Excellent pizza.
On the way home, we discovered a French supermarked called “US Market”. We were cynical, but it had great selection of food.
Dinner was at our Condo development. BBQ Ribs night. All you could eat for $12. Alas, lost on me as I eat little portions. Bob Anderson would have eaten them out of food. We enjoyed a video of a Jimmy Buffet concert on Anguilla, a neighboring island that we are off to tomorrow. The Buffet songs, “Cheesburger in Paradise” and “Margaretaville” brought back memories of a past vacation with the Andersons (both NY and Wa) and the Gemmills. The ribs were great and the company was enjoyable.
Day 10 Thursday 2/10
Happy birthday in memorium to my father. He always joked Sara about her being a day older than him. It is nice to think about my parents once in a while. Wonderful, loving parents they were. But, alas, I digress.
Anguilla day. Off to the ferry from Marigo.
Anguilla was a rather disappointing trip. Heavy sea going over, led to some quisinass for both of us.
Upon getting there, we decided to rent a car to tour the island on our own. As a previously British colony, they have left side roads. And we had a right side driver car. I immediately hit a curb at the gas station and blew out the left front tire. After negotiation with the car rental agency, we settled on me paying for half of a new tire, $50. Ah well, we got a different car with left hand drive. Much better to judge the curbs, although we never saw any others, as this is a not bery built up island.
The island turned out to be very dull. We saw a few expensive hotel and a few nice beaches. One hotel complex was composed of 4 villas. Each accommodating about a dozen or so people. Comes with its own chef. Only cost $40,00 per WEEK. Nice to money. The best views were of Meads Beach from the Frangipani Hotel. Very nice. But, nothing any better than right here on St Martins. The $180 expense, for ferry ride, entry and departure taxes and the car, was definitely not worth it.
Upon returning, we showered and went to eat locally at an Italien restaurant called “La Gondola”. Very good Veal Milanese.
We finished the day at the Casino Royale in Maho. I find gambling a turn off. The blackjack tables are up to $5 minimum and the machines are boring to me. So, I just walked around and looked while Barbara played to penny machines.
Day 11 Friday 2/11
Off to the Butterfly Farm. They were in rare, open wing, form. Lots of different kinds. I will have to go to their site to ID the ones I caught.
Next was a stay on the beach at Baie Orientale’s Gallion Beach. A beautiful, family oriented, beach. Lots of French families. Barbara loved the kids. We spent a lovely 2+ hours on the beach. Even went into the water, but only ankle deep.
Dinner was back in Phillipsburg, at the Greenhouse. They have a lobster Mania on Fridays. $19.95/lb. It is Caribbean lobster, which is almost all tail. Very scrawny claws. We shared an almost 2lb one. A bit tougher than New England lobster, but still very good.
After another trying ride home from Phillipsburg, we tried to find a comedy night performance in Sandy Ground, on the French side. But, alas, we had the wrong night. So, instead we had to settle for Magnum Bar ice cream in our room. Why can we not find these in the US. White chocolate covered ice cream bar. We remember them from England. You would think somebody in the US would either import them, or copy the idea. Hmmmm, maybe there is a business there. Shades of imported llamas from Bolivia. But, you cannot store ice cream bars in your basement storage place. Anybody want to buy about 100 stuffed llamas from Bolivia?
Tomorrow we move over to Sapphire for the final week of our stay.
Day 12 Saturday 2/12
Moving day. This place, the Sapphire Club, is much more upscale than the Ocean Clubs. Very lasrge, elaborate, one bedroom condo. Maybe the most elaborate 1BR RCI we have ever had. But lousy service. Clearly faded glory. The hallway had a stale cigarette smell, which showed a trace in the room. They sprayed to cover the odor, but just barely. 4 Cup coffee maker, no placemats, no pothoders, no dish towels….and little desire on the part of the staff to do anything about it. One staff told us that management is cutting corners on everything.
But, we can live with it. Nice roomy place, two TV’s, one flat screen. Many channels.
Today we looked at the new condo development across the road called Porto Cupecoy. Very new (4 years) and very upscale. Two bedroom units start at about $½ million(2 BR) and go up to almost $3million for a 4 bedroom. Condo fees can be as high as $1300/month. Makes Woodley Park Towers seem cheap.
After that, we explored local beaches. First Cupecoy, where there were some “au natural” bathers.
Then on to Mullet Bay, were we spent a couple of hours, including our first swim, watching a sunset. Alas, clouds again spoiled the view.
We had dinner in a local French restaurant called Montmartre. Where I had my best onion soup so far. Even creamy. Very tasty.but only so-so shrimp fpr Barbara.
We ended the night in a local casino. The best part was a great creperie, where I had what could have been the best nutella crepe I ever had. When we asked him what he was going to do for Valentines Day, the French waiter told us about his girlfriend from Bolivia. She is at the customer service desk at the casino. We met her and spoke a bit about Bolivia. She spoke perfect English. She was from Santa Cruz. Of course, we told her about Sara and La Paz.
Day 13 Sunday 2/13
Off to “Art in the Park” More like junk in the park. But, saving grace was a colorful marching drum group. Variety of ages of kids, colorfully dressed. They call themselves “New Generation”.
A time killing walk through Phillipsburg. Things are rather dull on Sundays there. If I was on a ship with a port stop here today, I would be disappointed.
Saving graces for the day were the evening events.
First a sunset cruise. Free from the Jeff B site. In fact, the only benefit for our $49 annual membership. It was called “Celine” A very relaxing cruise around Simpson Lagoon, annotated by the owner, Neil.
Then on to Grand Casse for our best, albeit most expensive, meal of the trip. At “Le Presseur”, a very romantic setting in an old house. Great presentation and great basting fish. Soup course was a collection of three soups, onion, pea and lobster Bisque. All excellent. The next course was a collection of cold fish, two different lobsters (small) , shrimp and a couple of others. All excellent again. Next course was a selection of four fish, each on top of different mashed potatoes. Again, excellent. Finally, desert. One of the best crème brulle we have ever had, plus a pink, hand made marshmallow. Following the meal, we had a visit by the chef himself. Frank Mear from Brest, France. A nice close to an excellent meal.
Out gourmet friends, the Fields would have loved this place. Our other friends and relative, normal eaters like us, would have enjoyed it completely like we did.
Hopefully, we get to share this experience with some of them.
But, right outside was a crepe stand. Full as I was, I could not pass up a chocolate crepe. Only so so. But a French crepe can never be bad.
Much too much food this night. But, time is running out for French food.
Day 14 Monday 2/14
Happy Valentines Day. The hottest day yet. Surely too hot for the beach, at least during mid day.
First stop was Marigo, where we had crepes for lunch. First savory crepe, seafood. And, of course, a sweet one, but only sugar. Both very satisfying.
The Museum in Marigo was quite informative on the island’s geology, agriculture, sea life and history. Soon I will lnow enough to put up my shingle as a tour guide for the cruise ships. Not a bad way to spend a winter. Even with onloy a little business, I could take my rent off my income tax. Would the IRS buy that?
Valentines dinner at “Temptations” Excellent lamb chops. Not exactly local food, but very good anyway. Nice Valentines dinner.
Day 15 Tuesday 2/15
On the home stretch. Beginning to run out of breakfast things. A bit too early.
Nothing very special today.
Started out getting the suitcase fixed,,in Phillipsburg. Same place as last time. Good to see that some things do not chanhe. Zipper repair. $4. Quite reasonable.
The high scenic point of the day was viewing the Atlantic coast at Guana Bay and Pointe Blanche. Both on the dutch side, even if Pointe Blanche sounds French. The water on this side is rough with wuch white surf and very blue color. Much different from the aquamarine, still water on the Caribbean side.
Dinner was at “Skipjack’s”, a well know sea food place in Simpson Bay. We had their Caribbean lobster. All tail, but VERY good.
Day 16 Wednesday 2/16
Slow day today. Running out of must see sites.
Today it was the Radison Resort on Anse Marcel, way up north. The trip was barely worth it. The high point was the purchase of a spectacular photobook of the beaches from the air. It puts my pictures in proper perspective….Amateur. But, of course mine are not from a plane. But, mine will be available for quick viewing. The ones in the book will have to await a visit to us in Washington.
Dinner again was the rib night at Ocean Clubs. Our dinner mates this time included the warden at a county prison near Albany, NY. Another interesting exploration of that career. His prison had 1,000 inmates. He, the warden earned $80,000. A guard earned $40,000 max.
Day 17 Thursday 2/17
Loterie Farm and Oic Paradise were the main outing today.
As I now remember it from last time, there were vnot much. Lots of green in an otherwise blue and white island is its main feature.
Then a return trip to the Butterfly Farm for several more pictures.
Next, an afternoon on the beach at Le Gallion. Relaxation and a swim. Nice, calm, warm water.
Dinner was at Tropicana on the marina in Marigo. The main dish, a duck sheppards pie, was only so-so.
But, the apitizers, escargo for Barbara and onion soup for me, were superb. And the desert, a chocolate/coffee combination was also great. But, the coup de grasse was the complimentary, hand made, rum. I am not a big drinker. But, this was truly noteworthy. I had two shot classes full. Barbara took due note.
We ended the day with a crepe stop in the….at the Atlantis Casino. Might have been my last crepe stop of the trip. Both the waiter, Pierre, and his girlfriend….. were there. He from France, she from Bolivia. Meeting and falling in love (?) in St Martin. There must be a movie there somewhere.
Day 18 Friday 2/18
Last full day. Started with Barbara’s last water aerobics. Thus, we did not get started until about 1PM. The first stop was the highest spot on the island, called {ic Paradise. Once there, I remember the scenery was hardly worth the climp up for my underpowered car. On the way down, we stopped at Lotterrie Farm for lunch. Another bit disappointing memory from last time.
Spent most of the afternoon on the beach at Bay Rouge, Red Bay. Nice, peaceful afternoon watching the waves and trying (unsuccessfully) to finish my biography of Mickey Mantle.
On the way to our final meal, we finally got to see, and photograph, our first sunset. I fittingly called it the sunset of our vacation.
The final meal was quite an experience. It was back in Phillipsburg at a restaurant called “L’escargot”. The reason we went there was for their floor show…Drag. Quite an experience indeed. We did it last time, so this time was not quite as surprising. The whole experience, dinner and show, blew the budget to the tune of about $190. But, what the heck, it was out last night. We shared a table with a couple from Connecticut. He a neural surgeon and she a nurse. Another interesting career to discuss. We have had many such interesting dinner discussions on this trip.
Day 19 2/19
Getaway day. The only rainy, almost cool, day of the vacation. Good thing we did not have beaches to visit.
After one last crepe at “Zee Best”, we boarded the plane at about 4PM. And sat on the runway for over an hour. It rained a lot during the day. So, planes were stacked up to take off on the one runway at the airport.
Fprtunately, my seat neighbor was an interesting man. Another doctor, but this time an OB/GYN, from Monroe, Louisiana. Couldn’t be much different life experience than that. He was as interested in my career, and life, as I was in his. It made the time pass quickly.
As I write this, I hope we make our connection in Miami.
Return to Dallas.
This time the main focus is the birthday of Alexandra (Alie). Her second one. How considerate of Anne and Rob to have her arrive on the back end of our normal time in the Caribbean.
Rob and Elizabeth were off skiing when we arrived. Gave us time to appreciate Anne and Alexandra alone.
On our last full day there, I was able (by the good graces of Anne) to visit the gravesite and one time home of Mickey Mantle in North Dallas. A fitting end to the Mickey part of this vacation.
Rob and Elizabeth arrive the last night we were there. A nice sendoff.
Home
Well, here we are back home. Lots of mail to catch up on.
Barbara goes to work on Wednesday and I prepare for the start of my Spring tour season.
Back to the real world after a fabulous, albeit expensive, 2011 winter vacation.
