{"id":6546,"date":"2017-02-08T18:46:50","date_gmt":"2017-02-08T23:46:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=6546"},"modified":"2017-02-08T18:46:50","modified_gmt":"2017-02-08T23:46:50","slug":"dining-in-the-trees-st-martin-style-can-i-have-another-baguette","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=6546","title":{"rendered":"Dining in the trees, St Martin style.\u00a0 Can I have another baguette?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s another beautiful day here in St Martin.\u00a0 And, there\u2019s plenty of wind, that\u2019s for sure.\u00a0 Our plan is to head to St Barths next week when the wind is expected to be lighter but for now, it\u2019s quite windy so for the next few days we will just have to hang out and enjoy the scenery.<\/p>\n

Yesterday and today we rented a car with some friends to tour the island.\u00a0 Our trek took us to a number of the most popular beaches and a stop at the highest point on the island. \u00a0The traffic is remarkably heavy in town and to go just a few miles can take an hour. \u00a0Go figure. \u00a0It seems that everbody with a car is on the road all day every day moing around VERY SLOWLY.<\/p>\n

On the way home tonight we stopped for groceries at a fabulous grocery. \u00a0The selection was amazing and the prices weren’t that different than in the US. \u00a0However, the French wines? \u00a0A lot less expensive. \u00a0How about $6 or so for a nice chardonnay? \u00a0Cheeses are good to. \u00a0That’s important as we DO need something to go with the terrific baguettes. \u00a0Did I mention that I love French bread? \u00a0It’s pretty good here. \u00a0No, make that AMAZINGLY good.<\/p>\n

Near one of the beaches, we spied this “herd” of cows. \u00a0They look like they would be more at home in India. \u00a0They didn’t seem to be particularly concerned about being run over as the ambled across the road in front of our car.\u00a0\"\"When we headed to the top of the highest mountain on the island yesterday, we were happy to learn that there was a road that went nearly to the top so we didn\u2019t have to hike the entire way up. \u00a0 However, it became very rugged for the last few miles so hoof it we did. \u00a0No, this photo wasn’t off the rugged part. \u00a0You will just have to trust me on that. \u00a0Acutally, it was a lovely walk.\u00a0\"\"\u00a0It was a LONG way up.\u00a0\u00a0 However, once there, the view was spectacular. \u00a0\u00a0And, speaking of wind, the wind, already blowing in the high 20s, really accelerated as it hit the mountain and whipped up the side.\u00a0 To stand near the edge was a bit unnerving as it blasted at \u00a0me in the gusts.\"\"On our way down the mountain we stopped at a wonderful private \u201cpark\u201d, Loterie Farm<\/a>. \u00a0\u00a0It\u2019s a large beautifully laid out property featuring several places to eat as well as rooms for rent, hiking and an impressive zip line course, your choice of exciting and “estreeme”. \u00a0For lunch we ate in the \u201cTree Lounge\u201d a sort of deck\/treehouse.\"\"It was a very nice spot to enjoy a plate or two of tapas dishes. \u00a0And yes, I had a drink that might have come with a little umbrella. \u00a0It was pink and I can’t say that I totally recommend it. \u00a0 It was colorful though. \u00a0Very colorful. \u00a0 However, the environment made it taste pretty good in spite of it looking sort of like a rasberry slurply from 7\/11 but with cream.\u00a0\"\"The view from the tapas lounge was lovely.\"\"If you wish, you can rent a treetop cabana near the pool. Pretty chic. \"\"Nearby we saw a troop of monkeys.\"\"Some large iguanas too.\u00a0 I got pretty close to this guy.\u00a0 Beautifully patterned skin, scales, whatever.\"\"There was also a lovely spring fed pool complete, or not completely complete, as it were, as it was \u201ctopless \u201c optional for the ladies. \u00a0\u00a0Welcome to France.\u00a0 \u201cHere, give that cute baby a cigarette so she will grow up to be thin like me\u201d.<\/p>\n

Editor: \u00a0sorry, no pictures.<\/p>\n

While we were eating we watched the zip liners fly by.\"\"And speaking of exciting, no visit to St Martin is complete without a stop at the end of the airport runway to watch the planes take off and land.\u00a0 There is a fence and beach at the very end, and I mean close to the end of the runway where folks stand with the hope, I think, \u00a0of being blown off of their feet by the jetwash of a jumbo jet\u2019s engines at full takeoff power.<\/p>\n

This is just how close the big jets are as their engines spool up for take off. \u00a0 Note: \u00a0Objects in this photo are closer than they appear.\u00a0\"\"Look at the sand blowing, along with the spectators.\u00a0 \u201cMommy, MOMMY, I have sand in my eye!\u201d\"\"If you think that this would be even more fun after a few drinks… \u00a0Well, you are in luck as there are bars on either side of the beach and at the very end of the runway. \u00a0There\u2019s even a TV with the takeoff times for each flight over the bar so you can go out to the fence and grab on at just the right time. \u00a0No reason to be away from your beer for more than a few moments.\u00a0\"\"Imagine something like that at Kennedy Airport in NY.\u00a0 Not likely.\u00a0 So much for airport security. \u00a0 President Donald might have something to say about that. \u00a0You think?<\/p>\n

Anyway, it was a long but fun day of dining in the trees and watching tourists be blown off of the beach.<\/p>\n

Tomorrow? \u00a0It’s the old “cruising, boat repair in exotic places”. \u00a0Problems with the SSB radio and a rip in my mainsail. \u00a0 Electrnics guy coming early and then off comes the main to send it out for repair.<\/p>\n

Oh yeah, one more thing. \u00a0 Remember the extension for the cockpit table? \u00a0Well, it turned out well. Here’s a shot of it in the “cocktail” position, folded up.\u00a0\"\"And in time for dinner, folded out and ready for action. \"\"It’s even big enough to fit a baguette, cheese and a glass of French wine. \u00a0 No, make that two glasses. \u00a0Good thing as there’s plenty finding it’s way aboard Pandora here in St Martin.<\/p>\n

Yes, I think I’ll have another baguette. \u00a0 Brenda! \u00a0How about a glass of wine to go with that? \u00a0 Yes, I think there’s room on the table for that too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s another beautiful day here in St Martin.\u00a0 And, there\u2019s plenty of wind, that\u2019s for sure.\u00a0 Our plan is to head to St Barths next week when the wind is expected to be lighter but for now, it\u2019s quite windy so for the next few days we will just have to hang out and enjoy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","_s2mail":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6546"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6546\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6566,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6546\/revisions\/6566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}