Sisters Getaway 2019
A Day Made Of Memories
Long before my sister, Michelle and I had money, time or husbands, we loved to travel. We did road trips across country, down to Florida and up to Maine after reading many Stephen King books. Then international trips to Mexico, Caribbean and Europe. Then life got in the way and we stopped our annual holidays.
In 2001 we resumed our travels. We picked St Maarten. Who knew that decision would start a nearly two-decades old love affair with St Maarten? We went every year for about 10 years, we included husbands to the mix. Mine was concerned and maybe even suspicious because sometimes I went twice a year. But my affair was with the friendly people, the best food, the calm multi-blue colors of the Caribbean, and the Atlantic and duty free shopping . Yes jewelry at discount prices!!! It just took one trip for my husband to see why it had became my second home. He started going with me every year.
This summer Michelle and I decieded to return to our beloved island. She reminded me that every trip has it's own story and the theme of this trip was of resilience. We saw it in and through the eyes of our wonderful guide, John. We hired him for three hours to tour both the French and Dutch sides of the island in the wake of Hurricane Irma, but it turned into a half day tour as he pointed out the horrific devastation left by Irma in September 2017.
Most of the island was devestated and many houses and hotels were destroyed. On the French side they were hit by 20 feet waves and the damage was still visable. But John, an eternal optimist, said this gave them a chance to build better and stronger. Not only had he been born and raised on the island but he knew everyone and all of the island's gems. He proudly showed us the progress of the rebuilding and improvements of many of our old haunts.
Our favorite section of the island is the Dutch side, where we discovered our favorite restaurant, Lee's was gone. They made the best grilled fish on the planet and for the past five years I was looking forward to my red snapper. But John said they are rumored to reopen. Oh I hope. (Just how friendly is "The Friendly Island"? I tried the grilled red snapper at another restaurant and it was awful. When the waiter asked, all I could say it not Lee's." The manager came over shortly, apologized and comped my meal.) The waiter also told me Lee's was reopening soon.
During the tour, we discovered that the multi-story hotel we had shared with our husbands had collapsed as a result of the hurricane and all was left was a empty lot.
Our driver was something of an herablist too because he was able to tell us the medicinal properties of every plant growing along the road. He was a full service driver. He took photographs for us and of us, he showed us the neighbhood where he, his family and many of his relatives lived, he picked out a great lolo for us in Grand Case and took us to a beach party. (Lolos are local outdoor barbeque joints on the French side that serve great food and are fun places to hang out on Sundays.)
It is, indeed, the friendly people who makes St. Maarten the best vacation spot for us. Even after so many years away, Max at Caribbean Gems, on Front Street in Phillipsbury, greeted us like we were old family friends. Visit for good deals .www.CaribbeanGems.com
It was also nice to see our friends at the African Market also on Front Street in Phillipsbury, whose beautiful items aren't to be missed.
With its 37 beaches and duty free shopping at 40% discounts, it is easy to fall in love with this island. But even with the uncertainty of another hurricane season, life goes on because they are resilient. Just ask John. Even as Irma was bearing down on the island, his newborn son, he said, slept right through it.
In recent years, my sister and I have dealt with our own personal hurricanes: cancer, Alzheimer's and the loss of loved ones, but we know vacations are still the best therapy, especially together.
