Didn't sleep very well. Breakfast today is French toast and coffee. We've used the coffee pouches that went with the regular coffee maker so now we're using the pods for the nespresso machine. Leaving around 9:00 am. It's a light drizzle here.
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| Nespresso pods coffee |
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| French toast |
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| It's raining as we leave-a light drizzle! |
On our drive we stop at the same border monument we stopped at back in 1994! The monument is the same but the surroundings have changed. And the signs for Dutch side and French side are different. It's fun comparing things from this trip to our trip back in 1994!
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| Dutch side |
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| French side |
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| Border monument |
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| Same but from 1994 |
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| From 1994 |
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| From 1994 |
We arrive in Philipsburg around 10:00 am with no major mishaps. Richard drives down Front Street-it's a one way street-and drops me off by the Boolchangs store. He will go park the car and meet me back here. I'm here to get my SXM Pandora charm. I'm at the wrong store. They carry some Pandora but the actual Pandora store is further down the street. I walk there and find the charm I want. Cost $75.00 USD. I'm also hoping to get some other destination charms from other places we've been-Bahamas, Bonaire, Aruba...... They don't carry them here at the store but they're sending a link with information to my e-mail so I can order them. We're told that the Hard Rock is not open and hasn't been for a long time. Something about a hurricane destroying the place?? Maybe Irma?? I didn't walk to where it was just to make sure and I wish I had done that. Not that I don't trust what the store staff is saying but........... But there are more stores open today. We walk down the short Old Street and a guy takes a picture of us by the yellow car. It wasn't there in 1994! Walking back to the car I break down and buy this green stuffed animal that is so cute from one of the stands selling touristy souvenir stuff. Cost $5.00 USD.
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| Driving down Front Street |
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| SXM Pandora charm I want |
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| Store open on Front Street |
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| Front Street |
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| Another store open |
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| Pandora store |
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| SXM charm I bought |
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| Old Street |
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| Old Street |
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| Picture of us by the yellow car on Old Street |
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| Place to eat |
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| French Bakery |
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| French Bakery |
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| French baked goods |
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| Walked to the end of Old Street |
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| Old Street 1994 |
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| Front Street 1994 |
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| Cruise ship in back in 1994 |
Driving to Maho Beach we see another monument but at the side of the road so we stop. It's a man sitting in a chair-looking at the view! We drive by the Princess Juliana International Airport.
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| Monument-Man Sitting in a Chair |
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| View |
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| Princess Juliana International Airport |
Maho Beach. Easily find a spot to park along the side of the road a short walk from the beach. This is the beach where planes arriving fly low overhead. Planes taking off-their engine exhaust blows towards the chain link fence. There is a warning sign on the fence. A few people are in the water but most seem to be here to experience arriving and departing planes. Not as many people here as when we were here in 1994. Back then we stayed at a resort close to this beach so we spent time swimming here back in 1994 as well as seeing planes arrive. This time we just watch for the arriving planes. A small plane and then a jumbo jet. Hard to take pictures with the sun in my eyes!
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| Maho Beach |
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| Warning sign |
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| Maho Beach |
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| Maho Beach |
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| Small plane landing |
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| Selling touristy stuff |
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| Small plane landing |
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| Maho Beach |
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| Large jet landing |
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| Plane flies so low as airport is right there by the beach! |
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| Picture I took back in 1994! |
Mullet Bay Beach. Back in 1994 we stayed at the Mullet Bay Golf Club and Resort. It's gone now and that lovely golf course is in a sorry state. So sad to see. However the beach itself is just as beautiful as it was all those years ago.
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| Former golf course in bad shape |
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| Entrance to an area of Mullet Bay beach |
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This area is set up by new resort Kataluna
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| Mullet Bay beach is still nice |
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| Mullet Bay beach |
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| Picture from 1994-Mullet Bay Golf Club & Resort |
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| Picture from 1994-Mullet Bay Golf Club & Resort |
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| Mullet Bay Golf Club & Resort-1994 |
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| Mullet Bay Golf Club & Resort-1994 |
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Mullet Bay beach-1994
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| Mullet Bay beach-1994 |
On our drive to our last stop we pass by another monument. Brown Pelicans. I didn't get a good picture as I was in the car and we were driving by it!
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| Brown Pelicans monument |
Mary's Boon. Everyone on TA says you have to stop here so that's what we're doing. It's a lovely place in a good location. Looks like a small hotel but with a very nice beach. We sit at a table in the bar area. It's very busy with lots sitting outside ordering drinks and food. We order Carib beer and a pinã colada and curly fries to share. Drinks are refreshing. The fries were so good. Vinegar and ketchup came with the fries. Cost $20.00 USD. Tip was included in the bill. Around 18%. You can buy merchandise here too. I wanted a T-shirt but they didn't the size I needed. So I bought a baseball style hat. Pink for my step daughter. Cost $20.00 USD. From our table we could also see a Jet Blue plane taxing after landing. This would be a cute place to stay. It even has a swimming pool.
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| Mary's Boon |
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| Mary's Boon |
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| Mary's Boon |
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| Lobby and restaurant area |
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| Menu |
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| Menu |
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| Menu |
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| Menu |
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| Menu |
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| Bar area |
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| Chalkboard menu for today |
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| Drinks |
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| Curly fries |
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| Beach-Mary's Boon |
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| Beach-Mary's Boon |
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| Beach-Mary's Boon |
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| Mary's Boon |
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| Merchandise for sale |
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| Restaurant area |
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| Mary's Boon dog?? |
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Could see this plane taxiing at the Princess Juliana International Airport from Mary's Boon
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| Mary's Boon even has a swimming pool! |
Back to our place we go. I take pictures of the exercise/fitness room, the swimming pool............. The boutique/gift shop sells clothing, snacks, postcards, jewelry, coffee. I get 2 packets of the regular breakfast blend ground coffee for $4.00 USD which I charge to our room. It's overcast so not the best day for swimming at our beach.
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| Exercise/fitness room at GCBC |
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| Exercise/fitness room at Grand Case Beach Club |
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Hours for the exercise/fitness room
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View of GCBC buildings
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| View from wrap around walkway |
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| View of Creole Rock from walkway by Sunset Cafe-GCBC |
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Pool
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| Jacuzzi |
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| Pool |
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Beach on the other side of the Sunset Cafe
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| Boutique/Gift shop |
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| Boutique/gift shop |
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| Boutique/gift shop |
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| Coffee packets I bought from the boutique/gift shop |
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Watersport/activities desk
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L'Auberge Gourmande. Our reservation for dinner is at 7:00 pm. (Originally we were supposed to get our covid tests done tonight for our 5/2 day trip to Anguilla and that's why I had made this specific reservation close by in Grand Case) Choose to sit inside. Table settings are very nice. I love the dinnerware. Start by getting complimentary champagne cocktails. Nice touch. At this place the bread basket contains 2 different kinds of bread-rolls and French bread. Richard gets the John Dory fish filet which is served on a bed of zucchini spaghetti with creamy asparagus risotto and clam sauce. Not his favorite fish but he has no complaints. I decide I'm going to have beef so I order the beef filet cooked medium. There's a choice of sauces and I opted for the shallot red wine sauce. Comes with potato gratin. My beef was cooked perfectly and so tender. Delicious but all that sauce! It was good but maybe a little on the plate and the rest in a dish for dipping?? Unfortunately no room for dessert. Unhappy about that as I'm staring to get addicted to these French restaurant desserts! Complimentary banana rum shots which we drank before I remembered to take a picture! I liked the banana flavor with the rum. But then I've liked all the rum shots! Cost 71.76€/$76.02 without tip.
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| L'Auberge Gourmande |
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| Beautiful table setting |
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| Menu |
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| Menu |
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| Complimentary champagne cocktails |
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| Menu |
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Menu
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| Menu |
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| Beef filet , shallot red wine sauce, with potato gratin |
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| John Dory fish filet on a bed of zucchini spaghetti with creamy asparagus and clam sauce risotto |
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| Bread basket |
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| Those banana rum shots disappeared before I remembered to take a picture! |
Back to our place. Since we're not going anywhere tomorrow I do a bit of work on my computer but still manage to go to bed earlier than I do back home in Colden!
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