Wasn't a problem last summer ('08). The great thing was that no one bothered if you did or didn't. We were first timers and my wife wouldn't have done it had there been any oglers.
Forum: The Friendly St.Martin Island Forum

On our last (and only) trip, we spent part of the day at Friar Bay. I had read that there is a trail to Happy Bay but couldn't find it. Can anyone share the secret with me or it being kept well-guarded to protect its exclusivity? :-)
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WE will be staying at the Sapphire -- Rivage Studio -- booked through St Martin Blue next May. I'm assuming this is a time-share or owned studio within the Sapphire. Would that be part of the complex or is it located in a different part?
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We're coming back! My baby and I are making our way back to SXM and Cupecoy beach in May for a spur of the moment trip. Well, the decision to go is spur of the moment, now we have to wait until May until we can sink into the Cupecoy sand. We have a studio at the Sapphire Beach Club and since this is not our main vacation of the year, I have a couple of questions. We'll be doing thing
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Good to hear! Thank you, both. Now, I just have to get winter out of the way...
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We're pondering a quick trip to St Maarten in the Spring and have spotted a good deal for an apartment at the Wyndham in Cupecoy. We loved Cupecoy last year and had a great time there, getting umbrellas beer and food from Danny and his table-top bar. Is it still as nude-friendly now that the apartments are in place above the cliff?
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That's exactly right. Pajo. It looks like a good deal. I just wonder how "all-inclusive" their all-inclusive package is. How far along is Sonesta? Is it right at the end by the mini-roundabout? Or is it furher West, in where the BaddaBing and other Casinos are. From memory, and thinking about it, Cupecoy is quite a hike from there. OK by car but probably too far to walk. John
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Last year, we rented a villa on Beacon Hill and to be honest, I wasn't that keen on St Maarten as a regular destination until we found our way (with help from this forum) to Cupecoy beach. My wife and I loved it and I'm sure you can guess why. Now, we find ourselves in need of a break but funds are short. We've just seen an ad for a week at Sonesta Maho, all-inclusive, at a real
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Wow! Where did the beach go? I loved Cupecoy last summer and didn't really mind the new building directly above us. We rented loungers and an umbrella from Johnny on the way down to the beach. One of the people we met here said that the beach changes location periodically and that it used to be a little further down, towards Mullet Bay. Has it moved again?
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thanks for the pointers,folks. Lost today to weather. 12 metre regatta tomorrow Back on the beach hunt tomorrow
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Please help, folks, because I've had a very frustrating day. I headed for Cupecoy and just couldn't find how to get to Cupecopy Beach. So we headed back to Simpson Bay and up to Marigot then round anti-clockwise, over the bridge expecting to find access to the beaches oin the right. Problem was -- no access! I saw a sign for Nettle Bay Beach with access only through Nettle Bay Beach Clu
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Thanks for all the feedback, folks. We're Starbucks addicts who grind our own beans and have three different pieces of coffee-making equipment, depending on our mood. Folgers or Nescafe or anything that comes pre-ground in big cans just wouldn't cut it. What can I say, I'm a coffee snob...
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Thanks everyone. We were wondering what the caretaker was thinking. Maybe he doesn't drink the stuff. :-)
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Can anyone provide some guidance on how much we should expect to pay for insurance -- CDW & Liability -- on our rental car? The Rental companies online don't provide much in the way of that information.
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The caretaker of our villa advises us to bring our own ground coffee with us. He says that there's nowhere on the island to buy really good coffee. Given the gastronomic nature of SXM, I find that hard to understand. How about it SXM-ites? Is this likely to be the case and should we grind our own beans before departure??
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jimandi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA. You have always been a > wonderful neighbor. > Sylvia Thank you, USA. So have you (most of the time).
Forum: The Friendly St.Martin Island Forum

Talking elsewhere about cheese, I found this great fig salad appetizer. Put 3 tbsp walnut oil and 1 tbsp sunflower oil, 1 tbsp white vinegar, salt and freshly grounded black pepper in a small bowl, then whisk together. Arrange 1 x 114g bag watercress, 3-4 ripe figs, quartered and slices of Pont L’Evêque on four serving plates. Scatter over 6 dried stoned and sliced dates and 2 oz toaste
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Thanks, Phillipe. Is there any particular fromage that you like and would recommend?
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I visited Gouda once and saw the marketplace where the cheeses were weighed. It's a really nice town. Gouda is much easier to eat than it is to pronounce.
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We're renting a house and will eat out only occasionally. So this gives me the opportunity to unleash my inner glutton. I'm on the look out for the types of cheeses that are hard to come by in North America such as the unpasturised soft cheeses. My faves, in no particular order are: Morbier Roquefort Stilton Good aged Cheddar (I am British, after all) Brie & Camembert and sim
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Le fromage, it's not just Brie. What are your favourite cheeses that are available on SXM?
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Some great appetizers: Cherry tomato and feta kebabs. Slice cherry tomatoes in half. Cut feta into cubes about the same size as the tomatoes. Sandwich the feta between the tomato halves and thread onto a toothpick. Add a small piece of basil to one end as the "leaf" of the tomato. Asparagus and prosciutto. Trim the asparagus and cut the prosciutto slices in half (to make short
Forum: The Friendly St.Martin Island Forum

Interesting take on tzatziki, Phillipe. I've never made it with cream, only yoghurt. Good Greek style yoghurt works best, I find.
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Vicky -- Aegean memories! I'm going to have to try those keftedes. OK, this is a tip rather than a recipe. To prevent chicken and port from drying out on the barbecue, soak the meat in brine for an hour beforehand. Make a brine with 1 ltr (1 quart) of water and dissolve 6 tablespoons of table salt and the same quantity of sugar. Put the chicken or port in a 4 litre/1 gallon ziplock b
Forum: The Friendly St.Martin Island Forum

Sent you a PM, Denis.
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Thanks, Richard. Yes, I live a bit to the south of Hamilton. I've checked the prices and even without the taxes, I'm saving quite a bit over Henry's prices. The thing is that Boolchands have to special order the items I want, so the other places on Front Street likely would have to as well. And as Boolchands is the only place I know by name...
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I plan on buying some lenses from Boolchands next month. I was wondering if they are the only place in town for high-end photographic equipment? I'm in the mood to haggle if I can find an alternative. If not, I'm saving a lot compared with Canadian prices anyway but, being a Scot, I'm always looking for the best deal...
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Merci bien, Denis.
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So, it's not SXM but here's one of mine.
Forum: The Friendly St.Martin Island Forum

How do prices compare between the two sides? With the Euro trading at around 1.5 USD, if something costs $10 on the Dutch side but a comparable item or dish costs 10 Euros then the French side is going to be more expensive. However if it were $15 but only 10 Euros then the balance would be equal. How is it? Will we pay more for the ambiance on the French side? That's a rather complicated
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