The winds pop those multicolored spinnakers as the fleet of
65-ft racing yachts bears down on us. Massive, to say the
least. Their speed and looming bows are even more daunting;
electrifying. Crews in flashy yacht colors are crouched along
the rail, hanging on, cheering the skipper on to buoy #1, first
turn in the morning race.
 We, however, watch from a stable 50-ft. catamaran, a
spectator yacht. The passing parade is great fun, a fine
afternoon with an adult beverage in hand, making our own
cheering section. It’s America vs Canada, Britain, and Italy at
the Heineken Regatta, at St. Martin / Sint Maarten.
Look for a touch of Dutch, a fragment of French, and a
smattering of any other language – German, Spanish, Danish,
Italian, Papiamento (the island patois) – all here in small
part.         
Though the prevailing language is English, and the money
system guilders, they love all things American. Here are so
many different flavors in one tiny island it’s a wonder they all
get along; but it’s a friendly hideaway.
St. Martin / Sint Maarten is a mere dot in the Caribbean that,
like many, has vastly more visitors each year than residents,
and an even greater disproportion of tourists to natives.
 Everyone comes to bask in the sun, sand, beaches, and
some of the clearest aquamarine/turquoise waters in the
world. The quirky main difference here is that the island has
two different allegiances, to France and the Netherlands.















 Both sides get along, however, and except for tourist traps
in different languages, it’s easy to see where you are.
Where else can you get the chance to crew on an actual
America’s Cup winning sailboat, or watch up close as a 200-
boat fleet jockeys for position at the first buoy of a great
Heineken Regatta? As for a great afternoon crewing on the
actual yachts, Stars & Stripes, or Canada II, they are ready
to fulfill your dreams.
 It’s a singular tourist economy, so; five cruise ships stop
every week; passengers hungry for duty-free bargains rush
into the two small towns for a few hours, then are gone.
Yet, there are luxury resorts with full amenities, along with
lower priced and more modest facilities, B&Bs, hillsides of
condos, estates, plus day or week rental guest houses in the
tiny towns.
 For a soothing vacation or work/meeting combo it's easy to
choose a resort such as Maho Beach, or others, with full
convention center and electronic communications hook-ups,
cozy restaurants, clubs, and a flashy Casino Royale for the
James Bond types.
There is, of course, shopping, duty-free for all levels of
jewelry, watches, camera equipment, plenty of T-shirt
shoppes, as well as a native market on the French side.
Dining is fine on the Dutch end; sensational on the French –
but mai oui, of course, madame! Stop at Grande Case village
and sample the cuisine. Transplanted French chefs will tempt
you with many Parisian or Mediterranean specialities; you
can’t choose just one.
 Everything here is imported; with terrain not suited for
agriculture, though picturesque as any south seas isle.
Discovered by Chris Columbus in 1493, it’s named after the
Saint’s day. A history rife with Pirates – naturalmente – with
a tumultuous past, claimed by the Netherlands, France,
England, Spain, and first, the Carib Indians.
 It’s the smallest island in the world governed by two
powers. Legend says that when the fighting finally stopped,
one Dutchman and one Frenchman decided to divide it,
starting in the middle. They began walking in opposite
directions on the shoreline; the division would be marked
where they next would meet.
 The story goes that the Dutchman paused to sample a
libation and lost some ground. So the French side is a few
square miles larger.
It’s a very easy alliance. You never need know which side
you’re on. Both are laid-back tropical escapes.   
(However, that French cuisine is Ooh-la-la!)
                                  #


For More, Link to:

http://www.st-martin.org   212-475-8970

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