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Sint Maarten: Vacation in a near-Paradise
In the Fall of 1995, Hurricane Luis roared over the normally tranquil, picture postcard perfect Caribbean resort island of Sint Maarten with sustained winds of over 150 mph and gusts over 200 mph for about 22 hours, spawning several tornadoes and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage, and killing the island's 1995-96 tourist season.
If you visited the island during winter '97, chances are you'd have been hard pressed to find any evidence of the storm. Except for a few widely scattered watercraft still beached in Simpson Bay Lagoon, Hurricane Luis is just a distant, albeit tortuous, memory.
This lush tropical island is back in all her splendor, and tourists are back by the thousands. Yet the island retains that special flavor that sets it apart from its neighbors - in part its genuinely friendly people, in part its world class restaurants, but in sum - it's everything you could ever want in a great tropical island.
This writer spent much of January and February of 1997 in St. Maarten, returning again in late May and early June. This is St. Maarten's story.
Picture in your mind an idyllic tropical island . . . caressed by gentle trade winds year round . . . blessed by crystal clear turquoise waters . . . covered in a lush blanket of rich, colorful vegetation. . . inhabited by people with whom you can build long-lasting friendships . . . with beaches so numerous you could spend a month and never get bored.
Now picture yourself on a warm tropical beach, with great snorkeling nearby . . . the scent of freshly grilled local fish wafting just down the beach . . . and the cooling pleasure of a Caribbean beer or ice-cold Heineken.
Add to all that the excitement of the island's two cities, Marigot and Philipsburg, where you can buy anything from T-shirts and simple souvenirs to world-class artwork, fine jewelry at low Caribbean prices, or designer pocketbooks for half what you'd pay at home.
Golf. Tennis. Every conceivable watersport. They're all here in St. Maarten/St. Martin, the half-Dutch, half French, thoroughly delightful island which sits between the Caribbean sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
In twenty years of visits here, I've never quite figured out what my favorite thing is about this island. Beaches? Maybe. Cupecoy beach, with its sandstone cliffs and oceanfront caves, is easily the most beautiful I have ever seen anywhere, including Tahiti. Shopping? Whatever you want, it's right here, either in tres chic Marigot on the French side or in bustling Philipsburg, where the shops cater to upwards of a dozen cruise ships every week.
But I think it's really the restaurants that do it for me. The variety is endless and the quality, incomparable.
What to Take Home
Visitors to St. Maarten come armed with gift shopping lists, and this island makes gift shopping easy. Downtown Philipsburg's Windmill Shop, our annual souvenir stop, is overstuffed with literally thousands of shirts, from the eye-catching hand-painted to the tacky stuff somebody is bound to buy, though I've never seen anyone do it. Like many other souvenir and jewelry shops here, Windmill is operated by ΘmigrΘs from India, many of whose families have been here for many generations.
You would do well to come to the Front Street, Philipsburg, shopping area more than once and walk the street to fully appreciate all it offers. You'll even find places here selling beautiful handicrafts that rival anything you can get anywhere...
On a slightly less artistic bent, there's a Jimmy Buffett store where Parrotheads can get almost anything they've ever wanted. Recordings of Buffett, whose Caribbean travels sometimes take him here and to neighboring St. Barts, are often heard in the background at some of the local bars and restaurants. (For the Cheeseburger in Paradise, take a day trip to St. Barts - you'll find the bar that inspired the song right in Gustavia, on the harbor.)
Caribbean Gems and Zhaveri Jewelers, also annual stops for us, are crammed with ship passengers and repeat customers, and the haggling is spirited -- and successful. Philipsburg has excellent buys in jewelry and electronics, often as prices less than you might pay in the U. S. (especially so for jewelry).
If couture is your interest, check out Marigot. Designer shops a la Rodeo Drive are here, as is the most pricey jewelry. And the bakeries will make you want dessert first....
Pic Paradis
Whenever you visit a new island you should take a tour, and St. Maarten is loaded with things to see and do. When you're in Marigot harbor looking over the yachts toward Anguilla, turn to your right. Atop the hill you'll see Fort De Marigot, which offers a commanding view of the area and a great historical perspective.
There's a Butterfly Farm which you'll find fascinating; too. It's a few minutes' walk from Orient Beach. The island seems to have lots of escapees, including Monarch butterflies.
There are many places to discover here but the most breathtaking is the view you'll get from the summit of Pic Paradis (Paradise Peak), at about 1400' the island's highest point. Whatever you do while you're here, go.
Marigot: Destroyed By A Runaway Ship?
Marigot gained greater fame during the summer of '97 because of the motion picture Speed2, which was filmed in St. Maarten late in '96 and through February of '97. Sandra Bullock and Jason Patric and scores of Speed2 staff members were here much of the '96 - '97 winter.
In Speed2, Sandra Bullock was on a runaway cruise ship, the Seabourn Legend. The movie premiered in June '97. But the question remains: what really happened to that runaway cruise ship?
Speed2 is loaded with action all over St. Martin/St. Maarten, but most of the action is either on the ship or in Marigot. We won't give away the plot, but we will tell you two of the movie's secrets which we witnessed on the island last winter.
Part of the plot calls for the Seabourn Legend to go out of control and literally slam into and destroy the center of the town of Marigot.
Fortunately, this is a Hollywood destruction, not a de facto one. So, on the site of a large open-air market next to Marigot Harbor, Hollywood setbuilders created an entire town, complete with stores, restaurants, open-air shops, and a church. In Speed2 you see the Seabourn Legend slam into the town, demolishing buildings as it careens through the plaza, its bow ultimately impaling a church steeple - and its anchor slamming to rest in a convertible on the main street.
In reality, the ship's bow was all that really existed, and it was affixed to the front of an old freighter. Every day, the freighter would push the bow forward a few inches on underwater rails while frame-by-frame photography caught the movements, and the slow destruction of breakaway buildings, and the explosions, in intimate detail. The results are remarkable.
That's not the only bit of Hollywood magic that was brought to St. Martin.
At one point, a seaplane slams into a supertanker at sea causing a monumental explosion. It looks astonishingly real, and in fact the explosion itself was absolutely real.
Stunt technicians loaded 81 62-gallon plastic barrels with gasoline (at the island price of $1.52 per liter - now the price is lower) and blew them up on sand next to the rocks between Embouchure and Orient beaches. It was a rare overcast, showery day at the beginning of February, and the explosion could be heard over much of the island. It created a huge black halo-shaped cloud which convinced some people an alien invasion was underway - a funny-in-retrospect event dutifully reported, we're told, by CNN.
Embouchure suffered no lasting ill effects from the blast, except for a few blackened shrubs which have since grown back. The actual crash? It was computer-generated, but you'd never be able to tell that by watching the movie.
About St. Maarten/St. Martin's beaches. . .
Some of St. Maarten's beaches change shape and size according to the whims of Mother Nature. They range from places with surf (and surfers) to quiet coves that are virtually calm. Here's a rundown of many of the island's most popular beaches:
Mullet Beach, the very popular strand at the Mullet Bay resort, is where the waves and the surfers are. Although it's on the Dutch side, you'll see many French families here especially on weekends. (Topless.)
Pelican Beach, at the sprawling Pelican Resort complex, remains very popular. Manageable surf. (Beach chairs are for Pelican timeshare owners.) The view of ocean sunsets here can be gorgeous -- and you can watch the pelicans dive for dinner not far offshore.
Maho Beach, at the southern end of the runway of Princess Juliana airport, is an almost equally attractive strand, as long as you don't mind the 747s and 757s approaching the airport only about 50 feet above your head. (Beware of jet blast.)
Great Bay Beach, which encompasses the Philipsburg waterfront, is crystal-clear and inviting. When you get tired of shopping, you can always relax on this quiet downtown beach!
Dawn Beach, site of the hurricane-destroyed Dawn Beach Hotel, is beautiful. It grew bigger during Luis, but "no trespassing" signs at the resort make access ill-advised. An alleged insurance scam is the reason this resort is not yet back in operation.
Orient Beach, the largest and most popular on the island, is loaded with watersports facilities including parasailing, plus shops, restaurants, and beach bars, one of which - KonTiki - even sells sushi (by a French chef who says he was trained in Paris by Japanese.) Club Orient, the world-renowned naturist resort, was rebuilt after the hurricane and is a sun worshipper's' Mecca. The deservedly popular Papagayo restaurant, part of Club Orient, offers a variety of delicious island fare. The beach is bustling. (Virtually all of Orient Beach is clothing optional, except for the restaurants and bars outside Club Orient and the beach in front of Hotel Mount Vernon at Orient's far northern end.)
Anse Marcel, at L'Habitation (Meridien) Hotel, is a very pleasant, usually quiet beach, popular with French tourists.
Rouge Beach, one of the island's longest and most beautiful, is in great shape. Like all beaches on the French side, tops are optional here. The more southerly end of the beach is clothing optional.
Long Beach, with the "rich and famous" Hotel La Samanna at its southern end, rebuilt itself nicely after Luis and gives you a great spot for relaxing. There's little shade and few breezes here, so this tends to be the hottest beach on the island. The far northern end is clothing optional.
Cupecoy, easily our favorite St. Maarten beach, is actually a string of beaches at the island's southwest corner. As noted earlier, sandstone cliffs and caves are the backdrop for this unusual beach, one of the world's most breathtaking. Its steep drop-off, which changes shape frequently (as does the string of beaches itself), makes Cupecoy waters hazardous for young children. The sands here do shift constantly -- there may be room for 300 people one day, and barely room for 10 two days later. Don't miss it. Cupecoy is largely clothing optional.
Prune Beach, also known as Plum Bay, is a sweet, intimate, crescent-shaped strand frequented by an eclectic crowd including occasional surfers, despite rocks among the breakers.
Le Galion Beach, also known as Embouchure or Coconut Grove, on the site of the long- defunct Le Galion Hotel, is the island's best windsurfing beach and is ideal for children because of its shallow, calm waters near shore. Always keep an eye on your kids any time they're near water - even if it's only two inches deep, in your home tub. (Topless with some clothing-optional use weekdays, though gendarmes patrol and frown on it.) Orient Beach is a seven-minute walk away.
Sint Maarten/St. Martin Restaurants
This half-Dutch, half-French island has literally hundreds of fine restaurants -- "fine" in terms of quality, ambiance, and service. If you've never been to St. Maarten, prepare to get hungry:
Turtle Pier, an over-water restaurant bordering Simpson Bay just north of the entrance to Princess Juliana Airport, is a genuine treat. Park in front near their big yellow sign, and you're likely to be greeted with wolf whistles or polite "Hellos" from an assortment of parrots in the restaurant's parking area and beside the restaurant walkway. (There are also rabbits, guinea pigs, large turtles, small monkeys, and an occasional wild, but sedate, iguana here. Kids love it. Parents take note: the animals are NOT in or near the restaurant.)
The lively bar is frequented by local business people and tourists and by Konki, a Conure, who predates the current owner, Al Wathey, by several years. Konki sometimes struts around as if he owns the place and frequently sits just beyond the end of the bar, keeping a watchful eye on everybody.
Pick your Caribbean lobster from their in-the-bay selection (from nearby Saba, they range from a hard-to-find pound and a half to seven pounds or more). Sea turtles cohabitate with lobsters here. I asked whether the lobsters eat the turtles. "No," Al said, "but sometimes if a turtle gets hungry enough, it eats a lobster." Which explains why both sea creatures are fed frequently. When we last looked there were also two small sharks in with the lobsters. Turtles are raised here for pure enjoyment, and are ultimately released to the sea.
Turtle Pier offers a large selection of fresh seafood, steaks, duck, or chicken. On a couple of occasions we were stuffed just by the appetizers. Coconut shrimp is several large, beer-battered shrimp, rolled in shredded coconut, fried and served with glazed pineapple rings...(also available in a dinner portion). Or try the conch (pronounced "conk") fritters, served hot with a cold saffron dip.
Our favorite dinner at Turtle Pier: Caribbean Blaff, snapper poached in a broth seasoned with bois d'Inde, Caribbean herbs and spices, and served over sliced Christophene (a squash), dasheen and plantains, and any of their Caribbean lobster dishes -- Champagne, Creole, Thermidor, or any of several others. (The Caesar Salad is superb here.) If you're not a seafood fan, you'll like Turtle's beef offerings, or check out the chicken & mushrooms - it's outstanding. Turtle Pier is also open for lunch and breakfast.
One of the liveliest spots on the island is busy Cheri's Cafe in the Maho district. Serving fresh, delicious overstuffed sandwiches at both lunch and dinner and a large menu of traditional dinner selections, Cheri's has nightly entertainment and dancing into the wee hours and a very lively bar. If you just want to sit, slowly sip on a Pina Colada, and take in the many sights and sounds, nobody will hassle you here. Click Cheri's Cafe to check their website.
Tucked deep in the alley between Casino Royale and Cheri's is one of the island's many Italian restaurants, Trattoria Pizza Pasta, which is a kick. This smallish, unpretentious restaurant, which fills up early, is operated by Ilda Figarolo, who immediately challenged us as we sat down: "Do you know what a Trattoria is?" Before we could inhale to answer, she charged on, "A Trattoria is like eating in someone's home! It is small, it is noisy, and you get a lot of food!"
It wasn't actually all that noisy, except when Ilda got into an animated discussion with an employee in the kitchen a few years ago, but the portions are huge, and be prepared for a disdainful look from Ilda if you don't finish. (We took home two doggie bags once and yes, we got the look.)
We chose both Melanzane Parmigiani, Eggplant Parm (we opted for the vegetarian sauce), and Spaghetti Bolognese, spaghetti with meatballs, which was so delightful it reminded me of "Carrie" Fargnoli, a friend of my parents who, when I was a kid, made her own pasta (long before it was chic) and the most delicious meatballs.... The salads, soups, and of course the thin-crust pizza are all top-notch. Prices are very reasonable here, too. (Come early or wait - but the wait is worth it.)
Not far away is Laguna, another Italian restaurant with a casual elegance and food quality few others match. All we'll say here is that you've got to try it on your next-to-last night on the island. Everything (and we have tried practically everything) is done perfectly.
Another outstanding Italian restaurant is Tutta Pasta, operated by Angela Faia and by Walter Warren of Sint Maarten. Tutta Pasta offers an incomparably rich collection of old (and occasionally new) family pasta recipes, many of them going back several generations. The number of menu selections was doubled in the winter of '97, making the selection process tougher than ever.
For appetizers, try the Sweet Peperonata di Mondello, a sumptuous, gustful blend of peppers, onions, tomatoes, and potatoes in a tangy sauce. It's incredible.
One of the oldest entrΘe choices is Spaghetti alla Mamma, with delicately thin slices of zucchini fried in olive oil served over spaghetti, locatelli cheese, and garnished with mint leaves. We tried the Baked Farfalle with Salmon, which is bowtie pasta with pink salmon in a "gentle" cream sauce seasoned with dill. (I tried to duplicate the recipe when I got home and failed miserably. Ah well, I'll just have to go back. It's well worth it.)
We also tried the Spaghetti alla Sandra, which had fresh, tender mushrooms sautΘed in imported olive oil with garlic and parsley in tomato sauce. All of the pasta - now more than 40 menu offerings -- is imported from Italy. This smallish, romantic restaurant offers great ambiance, a fine view of Simpson Bay, and superb, authentic Italian food with generous portions.
Probably the island's biggest, noisiest Italian restaurant is Sambuca, with its traditional red and white checkered tablecloths. Only a few years old, Sambuca has quickly became a favorite here, serving many local people from all over the island as well as many tourists. Sambuca offers a great variety of traditional Italian fare at back-home prices. Very generous portions!
If you can stand the bumpy, out-of-the-way ride to get there, Captain Oliver's restaurant at Oyster Pond is worth the trip. Dine at water's edge just feet away from luxurious sailboats and yachts, and enjoy the romantic ambiance day or night. You'll find a wide selection of fine French cuisine here. Reservations are a must, especially for choice seating near the water.
Another of our favorite places is Chesterfield's, at Bobby's Marina in the northern part of Philipsburg. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Chesterfield's offers reasonable prices along with a panoramic view of the entire Philipsburg waterfront. You can make reservations next door for a day-sail to nearby St. Barts. Come at night to enjoy the lively bar and great food, with an abundance of locally caught seafood. The grilled tuna is superb.
For a change of pace, check out Ric's Place on the waterfront in downtown Philipsburg. An American sports bar/restaurant by run by Texans Kathy and Ric, Ric's serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all inexpensive, delicious, and filling. Check out the walls and ceiling, where you'll find banners and other mementos from scores of college and professional sports teams, while you sit and watch sports on their big satellite TVs. Or sit by the water and check out the arriving cruise ships. (Come Super Bowl Sunday, this place rocks.)
For a geographic change of pace, check out Surf Club South New Jersey Steak House, just east of the Grand Case airport on the French side of the island. Formerly located under a mammoth tree on the beach in Grand Case, Surf Club South was forced to move when Luis literally blew it away. This is probably the only place on the island where you can buy real American coffee (usually Maxwell House), thick waffles with a choice of several thick syrups, stupendous onion rings, old-fashioned juicy hamburgers, and anything you want to drink from their bar, which at its former location was named one of the ten best in the world by Newsweek International. Hot? Jump in their pool, right next to the bar.
This place is heralded by big flags for Heineken and Finlandia, and by oddly familiar metal signs for both the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway (complete with mile marker). Andy, the affable gray-ponytailed owner/creator of this icon, takes the fate of his original establishment -- and most everything else -- in good humor, but he's dead serious about that back-home-in-the-summertime food. It is delicious. He started serving complete dinners - great steaks, seafood, and all that goes with it - in winter '97, quite a departure from the totally informal and slightly bizarre Surf Club South days. This is quite a fine restaurant, with quality similar to that of the five-star restaurant Andy owned and operated in New Jersey for many years. It's worth the trip.
The gastronomic heart of St. Maarten./St. Martin for years has been the village of Grand Case, on the French side on the northeast coast. Grand Case is home to many world-renowned restaurants where the view of Grand Case Beach is picture-perfect, and is easily matched by the best dining on the island.
For lobster try Le Fish Pot, an island favorite for many years. It has the reputation of serving the island's best lobster. (Pricey.)
Le Tastevin continues to be as popular and busy as ever. (Pricey.)
In the lowlands outside Marigot is Mario's Bistro. Only open a few years, this fine French restaurant sits on the canal to Marigot's protected inner harbor and is clearly one of the island's top restaurants. Our innovative appetizer included a generous portion of tuna sashimi, a very nice surprise. Mario's is not to be missed.
Check out Tropicana in downtown Marigot, also overlooking the inner harbor. Arrive early or make reservations -- the restaurant is about the size of an average living room. Excellent food, festive atmosphere!
There are many other fine restaurants on this island. You'd need a month or more to sample some of the best: Rainbow is superb. You should also try Don Camillo, La Diva, Messalina, L'Escargot, and Mark's Place, to name just a few.
Everyone is entitled to a favorite restaurant on their favorite island, and ours continues to be L'Alabama in Grand Case. Co-owners Karin and Pascal have created a menu of true delights that alone are worth a return visit. The specials will draw you here again and again, but take note: when you see a special that appeals to you buy it. There are so many, and they change them so often, you may never see it again!
Start with a Caesar Salad for one, the best in the world in this writer's opinion (and easily big enough for two, though you'll want it all for yourself). Whether you prefer seafood or meats, or if you prefer a vegetarian selection, Karin and Pascal will know how to please you: this is one restaurant where you just absolutely can NOT miss.
Look at these, some recent specials:
* Trout filet with sesame on tomato and licorice compote with basil sauce, easily the best trout I have ever had anywhere.
* Quail roasted with apple, vanilla and Jamaican peppercorn sauce.
* Shark with white cabbage and grenadine, herbs and ginger sauce.
* Marlin grilled with Indian coriander, apple and pineapple chutney.
* Salmon with sorrel, colombo and raisin sauce.
Of course there are plentiful beef and chicken dishes prepared with equal helpings of elegance and panache. But -- we reiterate -- keep in mind two things: they change specials every two or three days, and NEVER repeat any specials for at least an entire year. If you see something you like, get it before it goes away.
Yet another piece of advice: save room for dessert. How does creme brulee sound? Or caramelized banana flambΘ with dark rum and malaga ice cream? (Getting hungry yet?)
For obvious reasons, reservations are essential in Grand Case restaurants, particularly on weekends.
If you're up late and crave yet another great dessert, try one of the island's many fine bakeries. One that's open very late is the Casino Royale Bakery next to Cheri's Cafe. Even your cardiologist wouldn't begrudge you a taste of their coconut cake, which defies adequate description. Our advice: skip dinner altogether one night and head here.
Words don't do justice to these magnificent creations, but here are some of the selections: Key Lime Pie, Apple Tart, Chocolate-Chocolate cake, and lots more to savor before you walk a few feet away to watch that warm tropical moon shimmer over the delicious Caribbean sea....
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