The McSparklesons are BACK and they are CRUISIN! COMPLETE 10/4

[Wicket's Mom]

I know all about "sea scared", all I could think about was that our shio was the same size as Titanic!

I don't seem to get seasick, however one time we were near a storm this wa one ill puppy!

 

[Jillpie]

I spent a good portion of last night and finished your story today, awesome so far! Keep it coming, great quick videos, leaves us wanting more of them.

 

[brookelizabeth]

More Sociology 101. St Maarten is a very poor country, but because of the people, your heart doesn't ache for them. Again reflecting on my time in Jamaica, the attitude is "I wake up to blue sky and blue seas right outside my door, what's to worry about?" As long as they have food for their next meal, they are happy.

They don't worry about their 401K, or planning their next vacation. They don't aspire to that house on the hill, or a country club membership. They have their families, and their health, and food on the table. We could learn a lot from people in the Caribbean.

Such a great attitude! I need to adopt some of that in my life.

Love your sunrise pictures - simply beautiful!

 

[JWBmom]

This TR is hilarious!!!!
Can't wait to read more!

 

[KathyM2]

Your trip report is awesome! We are going on the Wonder to Alaska on August 9 and even though you went to the Caribbean you have a lot of great info about what cruises are like! I have a lot of the same worries you did and am a control freak too, so I've really enjoyed your insights! I'm still pretty stressed about the sea "sickness" and sea "anxiety" as well...so stocking up on all remedies natural and otherwise just in case! Also, I find it hilarious that you brought a pop up hamper. I actually have considered doing that on vacay but got made fun of so much that I didn't. I think this time I will!!

 

[karajeboo]

"...sea "scared"..." - Yep, thatsa me but reading your TR still makes me want to go on a cruise. I do not know how you are finding time to write your trip report with your daughter being out of school now but please keep writing. We need the entertainment.

I REALLY am trying to get an update in! I have so many pics and video of St Maarten and then ST Thomas - oh heck, I have so many pics and video of the rest of this cruise!!!!

I know all about "sea scared", all I could think about was that our shio was the same size as Titanic!

I don't seem to get seasick, however one time we were near a storm this wa one ill puppy!

OK, funny story about Titanic. Jeff was flipping through Netflix last night and found "Titanic 2" - really? And just what will that be about? Did Leo really pop back up and say "Surprise! Just holding my breath!"

I spent a good portion of last night and finished your story today, awesome so far! Keep it coming, great quick videos, leaves us wanting more of them.

I will really really really try hard to get an update in today or tomorrow.....

Such a great attitude! I need to adopt some of that in my life.

Love your sunrise pictures - simply beautiful!

Isn't it the truth? And here I sit worrying about not having a balcony stateroom for my next cruise. Yes, I am a princess. I would not make a good St Maartener.....

This TR is hilarious!!!!
Can't wait to read more!

Hey, looks aren't everything!

Your trip report is awesome! We are going on the Wonder to Alaska on August 9 and even though you went to the Caribbean you have a lot of great info about what cruises are like! I have a lot of the same worries you did and am a control freak too, so I've really enjoyed your insights! I'm still pretty stressed about the sea "sickness" and sea "anxiety" as well...so stocking up on all remedies natural and otherwise just in case! Also, I find it hilarious that you brought a pop up hamper. I actually have considered doing that on vacay but got made fun of so much that I didn't. I think this time I will!!

I take that pop up hamper with me on EVERY trip longer than 4 days! And also the over the door shoe hangar. I cannot stand to have my clothes all over the place!!! Let them make fun of you and don't let them use your hamper!!!

 

[Beth D]

I REALLY am trying to get an update in! I have so many pics and video of St Maarten and then ST Thomas - oh heck, I have so many pics and video of the rest of this cruise!!!! I will really really really try hard to get an update in today or tomorrow.....

I take that pop up hamper with me on EVERY trip longer than 4 days! And also the over the door shoe hangar. I cannot stand to have my clothes all over the place!!! Let them make fun of you and don't let them use your hamper!!!

But I want it NOW! (paraphrasing Verucah Salt from Willy Wonka)

Us groupies need our fix, and I need to know about the islands so I can start planning excursions for February!

I've never brought a hamper to our timeshare, but have used mesh laundry bags to gather dirty clothes. We're in an inside stateroom (no sympathy, it's better than not going!) will there be enough room for a hamper?

 

[karajeboo]

But I want it NOW! (paraphrasing Verucah Salt from Willy Wonka)

Us groupies need our fix, and I need to know about the islands so I can start planning excursions for February!

I've never brought a hamper to our timeshare, but have used mesh laundry bags to gather dirty clothes. We're in an inside stateroom (no sympathy, it's better than not going!) will there be enough room for a hamper?

I put mine in the closet (along with my HUGE suitcase that wouldn't fit under the bed..... I'm guessing the closets are the same for inside staterooms as the balcony staterooms????

 

[karajeboo]

As we drove along the narrow roads of St Maarten, on our way to Orient Bay, we kept smelling a "burning" smell coming from the car. Not good. And the brake light kept coming on. Not good either.

But doggone it, I made a DEAL with my friend at Acme Car Rental!!! He wouldn't give me a bum car!!!

No, he didn't, my husband, a licensed drive for about 25 years, was driving with the emergency brake on. Yeah.

It's amazing how much better a Jeep rides up and down the moutains of the Caribbean WITHOUT the emergency brake on. Just sayin......

Soon we saw the itty bitty teeny weeny sign directing us to Orient Bay. We made the turn and came into a parking lot where we were able to park right up by the beach.

Now I did do a lot of reading about cars being broken into around the beaches, and I was a bit concerned. But since this was not my car, it didn't have 6 pairs of sunglasses, $7.38 in change, a couple of granola bar wrappers, a wet moldy pool towel, one shoe, and half a mint stuck to the carpet. Even if it WAS my car, I'm sure THOSE things wouldn't be in there either!!!! WEll, maybe the mint.....

But I guess my point is that all we had to do was grab our beach bag, lock it up, and go. No reason for anyone to break into the car so I wasn't worried. And no, this is NOT foreshadowing, so do not lose any sleep wondering if the McSparklesons had to file a police report in St Maarten. They did not. But thank you for your concern.......

We stepped onto the beach and grabbed a couple of chairs not too far from the parking lot. We laid out our towels (which thanks to DISboards we knew to grab from the ship before left!), applied sunscreen, and stretched out to relax and....

"Do you want to sit in these chairs?"

Jeff: Uh, yes?
St Maarten beach chair Nazi: $5 each, 2 for $10 (he was a GENIUS!!!) or $15 for both chairs AND two rum punches. (Now THAT is McSparkleson Math!!!!)
Jeff: Oh, we have to pay for the chairs?
St Maarten beach chair Nazi: Yes. $5 each, 2 for $10 or $15 for both chairs and two rum punches.
Jeff: Well, I guess we'll take the rum punches.
St Maarten beach chair Nazi: You want the chairs too?
Jeff: Uh, yes?

No, dude, gimme the rum punches for $15 and I'll plop my heiney on the sand and after two or three of those rum punches I won't even MISS the chair, right?

Doofus. But a happy doofus. Cause he lives in the Caribbean. Go back and study the previous lesson from Sociology 101.

And sure enough, he gave us tickets which we took to the "snack bar" and redeemed for the rum punches. But since it was only about 9:30 am we thought we should wait.

So back to the relaxing part......

Who couldn't relax when this was spread out in front of them?

Now as much as I love St Maarten, and I do, when Jeff said, "Let's go out in the water" I thought, really? And just leave all our stuff on the beach?

Sure! Why not? Well, I'll tell you why not, because my camera is there in that beach bag, our PASSPORTS are there, our keys to get back on the ship, and our tickets for RUM PUNCH!!!! That's why!

Needless to say, we didn't go play in the water. I think it was the rum punch tickets.

But really, when you think about it, everyone on that beach had a passport. Nobody was from there, we were all visiting from the cruise ships, so an unattended bag would be like GOLD! I just couldn't take the chance.

Speaking of rum punch tickets.....

Time to redeem...... Cause (sing it with me!!!!), It's 5:00 somewhere.......

We sipped our punch for a bit, and then decided to start packing up and walk down the beach before leaving.....

Absolutely beautiful beach!!!

Orient Bay Beach - VIDEO1

It got a bit more crowded as we walked down the beach. I think the tiny little parking lot by Pedro's was not the main parking area, but I'm glad we found it (the turnoff to go to the butterfly garden) because the part of the beach where we sat was MUCH less crowded.

Orient Bay Beach - VIDEO2

Orient Bay Beach - VIDEO3

Now if you are wondering about Waldo, let me just tell you the game we played, and not until we came home from our trip and started organizing photos.....

Since au natural sunbathing is allowed on Orient Bay Beach, we did see a few who chose to go home with no tan lines, but it was nothing that freaked us out or caused us to say, "OMG look at THAT!!!"

And then there was Waldo.

Who seemed to show up in MANY of our photos!!! But not to the degree that ANYONE has spotted him yet. But we see him. We know where he is. Do you?

We took our leave of Orient Bay, seriously one of the most beautifuly beaches I've ever seen, despite Waldo......

We knew we had about a 30 minute drive back to the ship and I think that once we came down the moutain, and saw the port in the distance, I finally relaxed. I did not like leaving Ally on the ship in a strange land, but now that I did it and everything turned out okay, I would do it again.

We parked the car and headed back to pick Ally up in the Oceaneer's Lab so we could head into Phillipsburg for lunch.

As soon as we walked into the Lab and saw here, and the 2 or 3 other LITTLE children there, we knew.....

"Don't EVER do that to me again!" Not a very exciting time I guess?

Ally was glad to escape and we were glad to have her with us for the rest of the day!

Now when we picked up Ally, the counselors at the Lab told us about a place we should eat, called the "Blue (I can't say the word) Bar" - ????? She kept saying it just like that, complete with "I can't say the word because this is a Disney ship."

OK, yeah, we'll look for it......

We chose to drive to downtown PHillipsburg, something I would NOT do again. We ended up in a parking lot SOOOO far, we might as well have walked from the ship. And it IS within walking distance..... Live and learn, right?

But Ally wanted to ride in the Jeep, so we drove.

Well, I know that if she doesn't get into an Ivy League school, she can always go to Gangsta U......

Walking from the parking lot to the main boardwalk area of PHillipsburg....

And who can NOT spot the hidden Mickeys here!!!!

Now this is another reason I loved St Maarten - such a cute cute cute shopping district!!!!

Phillipsburg St Maarten - VIDEO

After we passed through the district, we found the boardwalk with shopping and dining to the right, and the harbor to the left.

Phillipsburg St Maarten boardwalk - VIDEO

We found the "Blue Bxxxx Bar" and had our AHA moment. Disney employees, female dog slang. OK, we get it. But they said the food was REALLY good so......

"Well, guess y'all win Parents of the Year Award for bringing me here."

"Hush and drink your milkshake in the souvenier mug with the name of the restaurant so you can show all your friends when we get home."

Two great things happened here. First and foremost, I discovered the guavaberry.... AHHHHHHHHHH! As in the guavaberry colada. It is basically a pina colada made with guavaberry liquor. 2DIE4!!!!

When I asked our server for something "unique to St Maarten" I had no idea I'd be ready to sell my house in SC so I could move to St Maarten JUST FOR THE GUAVABERRY COLADAS!!!! Yes, they are THAT good!!!!

Frozen Heaven in a mug.....

We didn't want anything too heavy so we just split some nachos and some shrimp and onion rings.

I'm embarassed to admit that the nachos were some of the best I've ever had! Or maybe it was the 2 guavaberry coladas?????

Oh, and did I mention the view from our new happy place?

Up Next: The Von Trapps in St Maarten!!!!

 

[podsnel]

OMG- she is hilarious!!!

That beach looks sooo pretty- I'll be there on my cruise in August- we were planning to do the jeep thing, too- do you have any advice for us? Other than just wait til we get there? I know we want to go to Maho for the airplanes and Orient Beach- they have jet skis there, right? That part of the beach you sat on looked really pretty, I have to admit. But I can't find Waldo- hopefully I won't find him there, either!

Glad you reminded me about the guavaberry- I'll have to pick a few bottles up while we're there-aaahhhh....even though it's only a month away, I feel like it's forever because July is soooo stinkin busy!!

Can't wait to hear why the hills are alive......

 

[KristiMc]

I didn't try a guavaberry drink when we were there - darn it - I guess I will have to go back. We didn't do any shopping in the Phillipsburg area either- it is a cute shopping area.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

Those beaches are to die for! I would love to get back there, but I don't se a trip there in my near future.

 

[anewmac]

This is one thing we are trying differently next cruise, no late dinner seating. I really liked the idea, that we didn't have to rush after days in port, we could take our time getting ready for dinner each day, but that's really not true. At least not if you want to catch the shows, because if you have late dinner seating, then your showtime is the same as the early dinner seating. So you don't save any time at all.
I say that each time too. plus i think earlier dinning doesnt run so long as they know they need to kick ya out at somepoint for 2nd seating. If we do a freestyle dinning cruise at somepoint Ill do that so we can come and go as we please LOL

Plus, two days of fun in the sun all day, and we needed to hit the hay early for our first port the next morning. I'm not gonna kid you, I was really excited to see land......haha I did that too.. its nice and all but then it gets kind of quiet and sort of scary LOL

As usual, I was rocked to sleep by Captain John. Wait, that didn't sound quite right..... just don't tell Jeff, but Captain John really rocked my world! So much so that he put me to sleep almost right away!!!!
If that boats a rocken.. dont come a knocken..

The next morning, it was barely light when I rolled over and found Jeff gone again. That man just cannot sleep in on vacation! He was gone, somewhere up on deck watching us come into St Maarten.
oh thats me.. my thought is vacations are too short, ill sleep when i go home.. or die LOL

All I know is that he came back with coffee......
good man

Actually, because Jeff and I had decided to check out Orient Beach, and we read that this is very EUROPEAN, being on the FRENCH side of the island, we thought we'd leave Ally on the ship and come back and get her later.
oh i see how you are, 1st the Rascl spa then all nekked in St Maartin LOL

There ya go.... Geography 101 from Karajeboo U. You are officially a graduate.
thank god i graduated from somewhere now.. can you send me a diploma please lol

So we waited.... and waited... and waited. No sign of Panoramic.
hmm sounds like my limo rental in Port Canaveral

Our friends gave us a map and walked around the car with us, took the top off, and off we went!
already taking your top off eh..

Now for a little Sociology 101..... the people of St Maarten are true Caribbean people. Full of personality and so friendly.... I have been to Jamaica twice and St Maarten reminds me so much of that area in the way the people behave. Love them!!!
wait more classes. i though I already graduated... is this grad school?

No, he didn't, my husband, a licensed drive for about 25 years, was driving with the emergency brake on. Yeah.
he was too excited after you took your top off LOL


"Do you want to sit in these chairs?"
love when they ask that... never a good thing

No, dude, gimme the rum punches for $15 and I'll plop my heiney on the sand and after two or three of those rum punches I won't even MISS the chair, right?
how much just for the rum punch i ould have just got more drinks and saved the money from the chair LOLn but thats just me

And sure enough, he gave us tickets which we took to the "snack bar" and redeemed for the rum punches. But since it was only about 9:30 am we thought we should wait.
for what? a waiter... its vacation you should have had like 10 by now LOL

Who couldn't relax when this was spread out in front of them?

BLISS

Sure! Why not? Well, I'll tell you why not, because my camera is there in that beach bag, our PASSPORTS are there, our keys to get back on the ship, and our tickets for RUM PUNCH!!!! That's why!
We always tag team one sits with the crap and drinks while the other hits the water.. but its never 50/50, E goes and snorkles for hours and I sit on the beach drinking ... it works for us.

Needless to say, we didn't go play in the water. I think it was the rum punch tickets.well if you werent nekked you could put them in your suit... just saying lol

. We know where he is. Do you?
guy in the teal speedo? or we looking for full on commando?

We knew we had about a 30 minute drive back to the ship and I think that once we came down the moutain, and saw the port in the distance, I finally relaxed. I did not like leaving Ally on the ship in a strange land, but now that I did it and everything turned out okay, I would do it again.
thats something im very scared to do. As there are things E and I would like to do that the boys dont want to but Im scurred to leave them too

Well, I know that if she doesn't get into an Ivy League school, she can always go to Gangsta U......

your next xmas card! WORD TO YO MOM lol

We found the "Blue Bxxxx Bar" and had our AHA moment. Disney employees, female dog slang. OK, we get it. But they said the food was REALLY good so......
k this is how bad my spelling is, thought it was breast LOL

"Well, guess y'all win Parents of the Year Award for bringing me here."

"Hush and drink your milkshake in the souvenier mug with the name of the restaurant so you can show all your friends when we get home."
aha love it!!!!

I'm embarassed to admit that the nachos were some of the best I've ever had! Or maybe it was the 2 guavaberry coladas????
food and drink are always better in paradise!

Up Next: The Von Trapps in St Maarten!!!!

+cant wait for more i love it all!

 

[Captain's Wife]

[

That's my baby girl, there on the right!

I've been haunting the Cruise boards since March 9, hoping for a glimpse of her, especially after she mentioned that she'd "met some DISBoards people!" during a phone call home. You were the nice people that gave out the chocolate bars, weren't you?

You just made this momma weep - since she's been gone, she's only been able to upload 2 pictures, and one didn't even have her in it, and the other was too distant to see her face. I miss my girl!

The Magic is in the Med now - 3 months down, 26 days to go before my girl comes home. I must tell you that her almost-daily calls home are filled with how much she LOVES working with the kids, and how great they've all been. I hope she was able to add some magic to Ally's trip.

I'm glad your cruise was so awesome, and I love your Trip Report!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

[

That's my baby girl, there on the right!

I've been haunting the Cruise boards since March 9, hoping for a glimpse of her, especially after she mentioned that she'd "met some DISBoards people!" during a phone call home. You were the nice people that gave out the chocolate bars, weren't you?

You just made this momma weep - since she's been gone, she's only been able to upload 2 pictures, and one didn't even have her in it, and the other was too distant to see her face. I miss my girl!

The Magic is in the Med now - 3 months down, 26 days to go before my girl comes home. I must tell you that her almost-daily calls home are filled with how much she LOVES working with the kids, and how great they've all been. I hope she was able to add some magic to Ally's trip.

I'm glad your cruise was so awesome, and I love your Trip Report!

Ahh, you're making me cry now. I have grown boys, and I know how hard it is the first time they leave, and how you hope for a glimpse and a phone call or letter. I'm so happy Kara could have this pic here for you! I'm sure you're very proud of your daughter and she is having a great time!

Happy 26 days!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

That is so funny, and then not about the parking brake. I am having that kind of week here with Jim and the trailer episode - glad he found the problem
I think I saw Waldo, just on the right hand edge, but not sure.

I loved your Beach videos - so beautiful and peaceful! There's something about chairs in St. Maarten. We went on the Pinel Island snorkel from DCL and the beach we relaxed on after snorkeling was "owned by Sharrrron and if you want to sit in a chair, you need to pay Sharrron $20 each and $5 more for an umbrella." We were able to rent a locker for $2, but we elected to sit on the beach in the sand fleas rather than pay the $40 for a half hour chair.

Funny that you loved the shopping - I hated it, except for the Guavaberry Rum place This was my first experience with this kind of shopping, and I felt like everyone was so agressive and I thought they were going to grab me and pull me inside or something!

More on the Rum in next post:

 

[MAGICFOR2]

OMG- she is hilarious!!!

That beach looks sooo pretty- I'll be there on my cruise in August- we were planning to do the jeep thing, too- do you have any advice for us? Other than just wait til we get there? I know we want to go to Maho for the airplanes and Orient Beach- they have jet skis there, right? That part of the beach you sat on looked really pretty, I have to admit. But I can't find Waldo- hopefully I won't find him there, either!

Glad you reminded me about the guavaberry- I'll have to pick a few bottles up while we're there-aaahhhh....even though it's only a month away, I feel like it's forever because July is soooo stinkin busy!!

Can't wait to hear why the hills are alive......

Is this the place you got your guavaberry? This was the only shopping we did on this Island. Rum Cakes for everyone, bottles of rum for our son and BIL, sauces and rums for guys at work - loved the free tastings,(maybe that's why it was my favorite store?) The ladies were so sweet in there - got Ryan a T-Shirt with that happy man on the front - he got scolded for wearing it at DLR - we never even saw it that way Anyway - here is the link: http://www.guavaberry.com/guavaberry.htm
P.S. The spiced rum was really good, too!

 

[KristiMc]

[

That's my baby girl, there on the right!

I've been haunting the Cruise boards since March 9, hoping for a glimpse of her, especially after she mentioned that she'd "met some DISBoards people!" during a phone call home. You were the nice people that gave out the chocolate bars, weren't you?

You just made this momma weep - since she's been gone, she's only been able to upload 2 pictures, and one didn't even have her in it, and the other was too distant to see her face. I miss my girl!

The Magic is in the Med now - 3 months down, 26 days to go before my girl comes home. I must tell you that her almost-daily calls home are filled with how much she LOVES working with the kids, and how great they've all been. I hope she was able to add some magic to Ally's trip.

I'm glad your cruise was so awesome, and I love your Trip Report!

Brought tears to my eyes also! My 10 year old son was away all last week at his first overnight camp and I was on the website the whole week looking for pictures of him. I can't imagine how I will be when he goes away to college.

We were on the same cruise as Kara and my boys loved the Lab. Thanks to your daughter and all the counselors that made their trip (and mine!) wonderful.

 

[Beth D]

I can't find waldo either.

Guavaberry huh? I'll add that to my cruise notes for February! I can't wait.

We're thinking of doing a beach excursion through DCL to Orient Bay that includes lunch. Maybe that was why the one part of the beach was so crowded?

Love the gangsta pose!

 

[karajeboo]

OMG- she is hilarious!!!

That beach looks sooo pretty- I'll be there on my cruise in August- we were planning to do the jeep thing, too- do you have any advice for us? Other than just wait til we get there? I know we want to go to Maho for the airplanes and Orient Beach- they have jet skis there, right? That part of the beach you sat on looked really pretty, I have to admit. But I can't find Waldo- hopefully I won't find him there, either!

Glad you reminded me about the guavaberry- I'll have to pick a few bottles up while we're there-aaahhhh....even though it's only a month away, I feel like it's forever because July is soooo stinkin busy!!

Can't wait to hear why the hills are alive......

SERIOUSLY pick me up a bottle!!!! I'll get it from you on the cruise maybe? Or sometime but I MUST have more guavaberry!!!! I got it at a little stand right outside the pier. They were advertising coconut smoothies and guavaberry coladas..... LOVE it!!!

I didn't try a guavaberry drink when we were there - darn it - I guess I will have to go back. We didn't do any shopping in the Phillipsburg area either- it is a cute shopping area.

I would fly to St Maarten right now just for a guavaberry colada!

Those beaches are to die for! I would love to get back there, but I don't se a trip there in my near future.

Oh Mother of Wicket..... and I would have enjoyed Orient Bay so much more if I wasnt' worried about getting back to the ship where Ally was......

+cant wait for more i love it all!

I wish I could comment on all your comments, but let's suffice it to say, Girl, you crack me UP!!!!!

[

That's my baby girl, there on the right!

I've been haunting the Cruise boards since March 9, hoping for a glimpse of her, especially after she mentioned that she'd "met some DISBoards people!" during a phone call home. You were the nice people that gave out the chocolate bars, weren't you?

You just made this momma weep - since she's been gone, she's only been able to upload 2 pictures, and one didn't even have her in it, and the other was too distant to see her face. I miss my girl!

The Magic is in the Med now - 3 months down, 26 days to go before my girl comes home. I must tell you that her almost-daily calls home are filled with how much she LOVES working with the kids, and how great they've all been. I hope she was able to add some magic to Ally's trip.

I'm glad your cruise was so awesome, and I love your Trip Report!

I am so glad you found her! I do believe she was the one who said, "Hey! It's my Disboard kid!" when Ally came in one day. Anjelica, right? I just asked Ally and now she's not sure. But Ally LOVED her!!!!! And YES! We were "the nice people" who gave them chocolate bars..... Well, we are just plain NICE anyway! I am so glad you found her pic on here - and if she's still on the Magic next March let me know if you want us to surprise her with anything special from you!!! We'd love to do it!

Ahh, you're making me cry now. I have grown boys, and I know how hard it is the first time they leave, and how you hope for a glimpse and a phone call or letter. I'm so happy Kara could have this pic here for you! I'm sure you're very proud of your daughter and she is having a great time!

Happy 26 days!

I know, right? I got a little teary eyed when I first read it too, thinking, geez, how long until Ally leaves???? And then I cried harder when I realized that she's home for another 8 years!

That is so funny, and then not about the parking brake. I am having that kind of week here with Jim and the trailer episode - glad he found the problem
I think I saw Waldo, just on the right hand edge, but not sure.

I loved your Beach videos - so beautiful and peaceful! There's something about chairs in St. Maarten. We went on the Pinel Island snorkel from DCL and the beach we relaxed on after snorkeling was "owned by Sharrrron and if you want to sit in a chair, you need to pay Sharrron $20 each and $5 more for an umbrella." We were able to rent a locker for $2, but we elected to sit on the beach in the sand fleas rather than pay the $40 for a half hour chair.

Funny that you loved the shopping - I hated it, except for the Guavaberry Rum place This was my first experience with this kind of shopping, and I felt like everyone was so agressive and I thought they were going to grab me and pull me inside or something!

More on the Rum in next post:

Hey, the St Maarten beach chair Nazi gave us two chairs AND an umbrella AND rum punch for $15! Deal of the century! I didn't find the shopping that intrusive at all. I'm thinking you are referring to the part in the video that Jeff took, that you walk through on your way to the boardwalk. Once you get through there, and pass through the boardwalk, there is Old St Maarten that is not like that at all. I just thought it was so pretty!

Is this the place you got your guavaberry? This was the only shopping we did on this Island. Rum Cakes for everyone, bottles of rum for our son and BIL, sauces and rums for guys at work - loved the free tastings,(maybe that's why it was my favorite store?) The ladies were so sweet in there - got Ryan a T-Shirt with that happy man on the front - he got scolded for wearing it at DLR - we never even saw it that way Anyway - here is the link: http://www.guavaberry.com/guavaberry.htm
P.S. The spiced rum was really good, too!

Rum is Jamaica..... didn't know they had much in St Maarten. Not sure where we got it - it was right outside the pier entrance though, not over in PHillipsburg. Just a little hut that advertised Guavaberry coladas and Coconut smoothies......

Brought tears to my eyes also! My 10 year old son was away all last week at his first overnight camp and I was on the website the whole week looking for pictures of him. I can't imagine how I will be when he goes away to college.

We were on the same cruise as Kara and my boys loved the Lab. Thanks to your daughter and all the counselors that made their trip (and mine!) wonderful.

You said it!

I can't find waldo either.

Guavaberry huh? I'll add that to my cruise notes for February! I can't wait.

We're thinking of doing a beach excursion through DCL to Orient Bay that includes lunch. Maybe that was why the one part of the beach was so crowded?

Love the gangsta pose!

Yes, the parking lot we were in could not accomodate a bus so I'm sure the excursions drop people off further down the beach and that is for sure why it was more crowded.

Well, nobody found Waldo, and I'll tell you, you will not find him. If we hadn't somehow found him in one of our pics, we never would have noticed him in the others......