St Maarten - The Closing Days

Thursday and Friday can be summed up in three words, food, beaches, and relaxation. Thursday started with a trip to the Westin for some timeshare-pitch-funded massage and manicure time, then up north for some beach time. We jaunted over to a butterfly farm just as it closed, to see what there was to offer, then finished the night back in Grand Case for dinner.

Since every meal in Grand Case we had had was at a single restaurant, we decided to branch out to another. We used our late afternoon to walk the strip, since nothing but the bars are open French-side at 4pm, and decided on the restaurant pitching that it had no "incentives," just good food. We went back to our rooms for a quick rest, and ended up back at Cafe Le Soleil at 7pm for dinner.

While I wouldn't say dinner was a disappointment, in fact, mine was probably the best entrée I had, and the digestif was amazing (and free!), the general atmosphere was not as good as Rainbow, and the food was at-par or just below Rainbow. I'll definitely be trying to recreate the white rum and coffee drink, and am not sure I'll have duck as succulent, but I'd try another restaurant if we make it back to the island again.

So after finishing a good meal, we walked down the street to Rainbow to finish off the evening with dessert, and what a great choice that was. I would have to say, hands down, that the dessert I had there was the best thing I've ever eaten. Sure, it was just French toast, on day old baguettes, it was utterly amazing. A couple more shots each (free again, I guess we should have dined later each eve), this time a variant on kamakaze's, and it was time to call it a day.

From St Maarten - Day 6

Friday was rinse-and-repeat. We started the day with a hike up to one of the forts, to view the city of Marigot from above (and really, to find a French-side cache!) The off to lunch at Rainbow Cafe, an afternoon at the beach, then back to the room to pack with a fine-dining experience of McDonald's, to be ready for a VERY early morning departure back home, to Damon, and to our wonderful pillows.

It was a wonderfully relaxing vacation, with some great memories and some great time for just Diane and I, and I can't wait for our chance to do something like this again. Next time, though, either closer to home, or MUCH farther, like Italy.