hats anybody?
for some reason tourists like to buy jewelry when on vacation. Local entrepreneurs are happy to comply
Simpson Bay harbor with the airport in the background
not much bargaining possible here, to many Yanks around
but after the rain some streets are pretty quiet
Philipsburg downtown is filled with tourists
we are here to relax
some are here for pleasure, others for work
this is Little Bay beach
but the Golf Course is open
a view of a quiet Great Bay Beach
A country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands since 2010, it
goes with the nickname "The Friendly Island".
Tourism, in particular from the USA and Canada is big business here, with several
casinos, jewelry
shops and of course nice stretches of warm sandy beaches.
It was the salt that originally attracted the Dutch to St Maarten, but today the pond
is used as an ordinary landfill.
The official currency is the Netherlands Antillean Florin, but everybody uses $$$.
St Maarten
lies in the Hurricane Belt, and thus prone to severe weather. In 1995 Hurricane Louis caused major damage to houses at the Mullet
Bay Golf Course.
And in September 2017
Hurrican Irma struck and caused devastating damage to property and tourism industry. It even
toppled the local government.
The
COVID-19 pandemic only made things worse.
We spent a short vacation in St Maarten in December
2007.
Sint Maarten occupies the southern part of Saint Martin Island. The airport is near Simpson Bay
a view of Philipsburg at the other side of the Great Bay
a ship sails by in front of Saba
and enjoy the sunset
the Mullet Bay Golf Course apartments were destroyed by hurricane Louis in 1995
