Philippe, what year were those pictures taken, my first trip was in April 1983 with mom and dad and that is how I remember Marigot!

Ah, yes, we remember it well.....................

This is what I meant - the Marketplace really was a very special thing back in the day....we used to wander the market for hours taking it all in.

Thanks for the memories, Philippe.

Gratefully,

pat

Wow, Philippe you are good. Even with my terrible spelling of the name, you knew what I was talking about. La Calanque was my special place. And for more reasons than the wonderful food. We taught our three small children to sit and take a formal meal there. Our youngest would soon lose interest and I most often would take her out for a walk while my family finished their meal. One night we went for dinner and once we were seated, the Chef came from the kitchen with a newspaper in one hand and a box of crayons in the other. On each page of the newspaper he had drawn an animal or fish that she could color. It was such a hit with our little one that she always made sure he knew she was there and he always had a picture for her to color.

Barbara, the banana duck was the best ever.

Sylvia,

That's one of the more priceless of island memories. Thanks for sharing it with all of us.

So much love and so many memories.....

Respectfully,

pat

Some are mid 80's, others are late 80's and a couple are from very early 90's... this is so sad what it became since though... this is a spoiled paradise forever, and idiots (corrupted politicians and civil servants..) are still spoiling today what's left of it, because of greed...
Sometime when I think about I have tears coming in my eyes... but I try then to positive, and I say to myself, I was a lucky one! Lucky enough to have the chance to knew it when it was that way.
If I was coming today to this island for the first time, I certainly wouldn't make it my home and stay over 20 years, and I am even not sure I would revisit... so again, we are lucky enough that, for now, and i insist on "for now", we have people who revisit every year and sometime twice or more a year. But how long this will last when everything who made it a caribbean island will be gone forever?

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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Philippe,

Your sentiments are shared by many but sadly, those of us who knew her when and loved her then are in the vast MINORITY these days and all too often, the current mentality of "If we build it they will come...." does seem to win out in the long run - the Westin being a case in point.

I've sent you a private message.

Respectfully,

pat

Being one of those who didn't visit until recently, this thread has helped me to understand why so many of you lament "what the island once was". Had I experienced what you did, I would feel exactly the same way.

One of my earliest memories of dining in Marigot, Le Maison Sur Le Port, out came sisters french onion soup, took a look and laughed, big old "june bug", must have flown in as they put the cheese on, he survived the broiler and was served up on a very pretty dish still with his feet moving about!!!

Shhhh, Kim - I don't think Karen wants to talk about that to this day. But it was very funny at the time. ><

And do you remember the waiter - he suggested he could take it to the kitchen and take the bug out? Why did we all have the sneaking suspicion that the same soup would eventually reappear at her place just minus the bug? It's no small wonder she decided to pass on soup that night!!

And Georgia,

There are things we could try to explain about 'back in the day' till we're blue in the face but unless you were there, it's just hard to get. But when Philippe and Barbara manage to come up with these wonderful photos, it sure does bring back the memories of earlier island times - and how much we loved her then and as you've stated, it makes it easier for more recent visitors to see and understand.

That's not to take anything away from the island enjoyment that newer visitors have come to look forward to, but these threads serve to remind us of how it used to be.....and to rekindle all those old warm fuzzies.

Respectfully,

pat

Yes I think fondly of what SXM was "back in the day". But you can't go back ( but it makes me very happy to have experienced SXM then).

SXM??? Wendell

The last week in August, 1985. That was the first time I visited the island, I had just graduated from university in June, and my best friend and I backpacked through 7 islands for 5 weeks before returning home and starting jobs. He had to return home a week before me, so I ended up having that last week all to myself in SXM and absolutely loved it. Of all the islands I had just visited, it was the only one that reminded me (then) of Mombasa, on the coast of East Africa where I spent a large part of the first 19 years of my life before we emigrated to Canada.
I rented a scooter and traveled all over the island for that week, discovering bays and beaches, lying on the sand undisturbed, with a platter of grilled chicken and ribs, rice and peas and a cold Carib ! For a struggling student about to enter the work world, that was living the high life, LOL !

I remember staying at Horizon View Hotel (?) on Front Street, near Passangrahan, and sometimes eating cheaply at an Indian restaurant just across the road where an Irish man called Patrick was the manager and who always sat at my table and chatted to me whenever I went there. Also remember eating Callaloo for the first time at The West Indian Tavern and drinking Ma Doudou cocktails which were so cheap back then. And small bottles of Heineken for $0.99 ! Gosh, what wonderful memories. The island really was so different way back then. But traffic on Cole Hill was the same then as it possibly is now. Makes me want to dig up some pictures, scan them and post them here, if I can find them.

I returned every year until 2002 except for 5 years when I traveled to South America and Asia, and since then have been spending more vacation time in Europe. But...I will return to SXM in September this year after almost 8 years and am really looking forward to it.

Hello Barbara. Good to see you on here once again; you may remember that we met on two of my visits to the island in the late 90's and I brought you bagels and Krispy Kreme donuts from Canada ! I enjoy reading your blog too.

M.

hi M
I do remember. how are you?
it is good to see you here.
It's great you are coming back again

[barcann.livejournal.com]

These pictures are absolutely fabulous! I'm really enjoying all of your memories and wish I could share in them.

As a relative newbie to the island, our first visit being in 2003, we never experienced the "back in the DAY".

But we have experienced the wonderful people who live here and have been welcomed with open arms and hearts. I think that is something that has not changed since before these pictures were taken. And is what prompted us to make this wonderful island our home. Warts and all.

And I can't help but think how Bob1P would have loved this post!

Elaine, Bob woudl have been all over these posts. he loved the old days and the old pictures so much
I miss him

[barcann.livejournal.com]

I agree that Bob would have been all over those pictures! He truly loved the OLD days and I miss his posts.

I remember Marigot harbor back in the 80's and how much fun the market days were. I'll have to dig and see what kind of pictures I can find. I know I have some.

Annie