Pat same here we love St Martin but as much as we miss it we are scared to come back right now.. we don't know what to do .

My excitement dropped several yrs ago when I was approached many times on Front St by a lowlife to buy drugs.My first trip to Phillipsburg was in the late 70's and we never experienced drug sellers in town.I was especially suprised because it was across from the Police station.Plus the overbuilding, traffic congestion, and huge rise in crime is a problem for us.However we've learned to handle these problems inorder to enjoy the great restaurants, beaches, warm weather and the island.We'll just have to see if the situation reaches a level for us to change our winter vacation destination.

Bruce,

I truly feel your pain.

As I already stated, we're still going back but each year it's a "wait and see" for us for future trips. We've booked our annual November 'long' weekend and our Easter trip but I really have come to understand that exploring other destinations is fun also.

Regarding you and Kim and the problems you encountered - have you considered doing a compromise trip? I know you love the French side of the island and I'm thinking you're more of a villa guy, but how about some time in one of the high-rise destinations like The Cliffs (which could actually be a good thing to let you rediscover more of the other island beaches...) and then add in some time on any of the near islands?

We've come to love the tranquility of both Saba and Anguilla (we're not looking for cl/opt. or activity so they work for us...) and really haven't regretted at all giving up some SXM time for the trade-off. Perhaps you might consider a day or two on SXM in one of the more seemingly safe high-rises coupled with some time on St. Barts. That might be the best of both worlds for you right now given what you're dealing with.

Whatever you ultimately decide to do, good luck with your choices.

Respectfully,

pat

BobP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My excitement dropped several yrs ago when I was
> approached many times on Front St by a lowlife to
> buy drugs.My first trip to Phillipsburg was in the
> late 70's and we never experienced drug sellers in
> town.I was especially suprised because it was
> across from the Police station.Plus the
> overbuilding, traffic congestion, and huge rise in
> crime is a problem for us.However we've learned to
> handle these problems inorder to enjoy the great
> restaurants, beaches, warm weather and the
> island.We'll just have to see if the situation
> reaches a level for us to change our winter
> vacation destination.

Bob,

Like you, we started visiting in the early 70's and it's only the past year or so that we've lost some of that magical pre-trip excitement but I have to tell you, we always knew there were drugs around and easy to get had we been so inclined, but by the early 80's it had become the norm for certain characters to approach and offer them to visitors.

We were in Marigot one time with our girls, (who at that stage in their lives only walked twenty paces in front or behind us and those who've raised teen-aged daughters should get what I'm talking about....) and they were offered 'stuff' although we didn't even realize it at the time.

Personally, I'm thinking Marigot - Philipsberg - it didn't really matter since its such an open island destination. Back then, just like today, we dealt with them just as we deal with the timeshare hawkers - a polite no thank you and we just kept walking. They get the point and back off....

Have some great Nov. and Feb. days - we'll be missing you both trips this year.

Respectfully,

pat

Pat, I remember the drug spot in Marigot yrs ago by the Animal shop area too. We were not directly approached there but I blind person could see what was going on at that corner.The last time we were asked to buy in Phillipsburg the guy won't go away.I guess he finally realized how angry I was becoming and he walked away into an alley.My point is that yrs ago our only worry was making sure we had a dinner reservation at 8:00 or 10:00pm in Grand Case. Or if it was raining during the day. Unfortunatly the wonderful DAYS before SXM was discovered are over. I guess I'm having a hard time understanding why the problems weren't addressed earlier.We know that our vacations now don't compare to the great times we had in the past. We just don't have the same excitement now because we know the island is different and changed.We will continue to vacation there because of our love for the beaches and restaurants.

a lot of people have just gave up and moved on and those are probly not the folks who follow chat boards. There is a whole bunch of people out there that got truned off to the island responses to crime and drugs and just got out and moved on and there probly the ones who never bought time shares and arent so heavily invested in the island. That these things are getting worse is a real shame.