The "A Few Meanderings About Our Recent Trip To SXM" Story

Part #1:  It was an ordinary day.  Carol and I are sitting high up on a hill above Orient Beach at Rancho Del Sol eating spaghetti carbonara and watching my grandson's baseball game on my phone via an app titled GameChanger.  Shortly, the owner approached our table to see if we were enjoying our meal and saw my phone sitting next to me.  Wasn't long before we began a discussion about American baseball on an island in the Caribbean that is about 1,500 miles from Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  He told us he was in the United States and went to a baseball game, but didn't understand much of it since they seem to change the rules from time to time.  I had no response for that!  But, as the three of us watched my phone, I pointed out that my grandson was pitching at the time.  He understood that and mentioned that my name was Woods, as per the screen shot.  After three straight strikeouts he said, "He's good.  Isn't it good when you strike out three straight batters?" Ah, he did understand baseball!  Well, our meal came to an end.  The bill was delivered and it was over $100 Euros for the evening!!  I questioned how lettuce and spaghetti could be so expensive.  He looked at the bill, grabbed it and left.  Returned with the correct version and I paid him the $27 Euros and said we would return once again.  I put the tip on the table, grabbed my phone and we headed back to our villa in the village below.

Part #2:  It was an ordinary day.  I had been in touch via email with friends Barbara and Dee who live in Sint Maarten.  We usually try and find time to visit with them every time we travel to the island.  

Friends Pat, Barbara, John, Larry and Carol at Mark's Place

This vacation Barbara suggested we meet for lunch with both Dee and her as well as Pat and John who have become friends with us through the website TravelTalkOnline.  Pat is also a regular visitor to the island and contributor to the online site and I often will write something on the site.  Pat had told me in the past that she enjoys my stories I write on my blog and would love to meet with Carol and me if we ever are on the island at the same time.  Well, today we met with Pat and John as well as Barbara at Mark's Place which is a local restaurant near Barbara's home in Sint Maarten.  Dee wasn't feeling well so he missed our first reunion this time.  A good time was had by all and we more than likely would have talked longer at the restaurant except there was going to be an island parade past the restaurant and we decided to depart before the traffic arrived.   

Part #3:  It was an ordinary day.  We had been on the island of St. Martin for a week already and have had to call our realtor only once during that time.  The last time we visited, we stayed in a different villa and had to call our realtor eleven times.  Actually she made a few stops without a call to make sure we were OK!  It was in the early 2000s that we began to make yearly trips to the island known as "The Friendly Island".  After our first trip we got to know this young woman who worked at a real estate office on the French side of the island.  We asked about places on the island that we could stay that would cost us less than what we were paying at the resort we were visiting.  Wasn't long before we were renting through her.  Magali was a real sweetheart and treated us as if we were her best friends.  Whenever we needed something we called and she was there.  Last year we had trouble with the TV.  Called and she was there in 10 minutes.  The next day we had trouble with the WiFi.  Called and she was there in 10 minutes.  Then we noticed the private pool was losing water.  Yep, 10 minutes to fix that.  Then our neighbor parked in our parking place.  That one she handled on the phone with, "park in their spot!"  Well, we called this year to make arrangements to stay in the same villa and told her to put the deposit on my credit card.  Everything was fine until the email telling me the owners of the villa decided they wanted the weeks we were coming.  She promised us she would find a nice place for less money.  And, boy did she!  We walked in the villa this year and she pointed out the new sofa that she said was perfect for my back.  Well, she's in heaven this year because after my first call the same day we arrived about there being no water pressure, and a response that it was out all over the village, I have not placed a single call asking for help.  This is a PERFECT place for both Magali as well as Carol and I.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.