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Caribbean Travel RoundupNewsletter - Gert van Dijken, Editor |
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I visited Saba for a few days in December, 2001 and after reading the new articles about that island, I decided to send my comments to this newsletter. I have visited the island several times, often as a day trip from St. Maarten, but also for a few days before our timeshare vacation in St. Maarten began. It's a relaxing start to help unwind from the stress life can bring. Indeed the island is vastly different from its neighbor, St. Maarten. Windwardside is really the only town, of sorts, with a few restaurants, gift shops, etc. I was told, at the tourist office, that I could safely hitchhike to other "towns" but I could view them in two minutes or so. My husband scuba dives on the island, and he loves his diving experiences there. I did some snorkeling and it was a really good experience. Also, I spent some time photographing the beautiful tropical flowers growing there and hiking a bit. On another trip we did the Mount Scenery climb. It's over a thousand concrete steps to the top through a rain forest. On one visit, the "beach" was there...which is present only a couple months a year, I was told. It's coarse brown sand, but it's a beach...when it's there. We've stayed at Julianna's, which is a nice hotel, as another mentioned, and walking distance to restaurants and the few gift shops. Brigadoon is my favorite restaurant. Our dinners there were excellent. Patricia Chamma, owner and hostess, is great. One day, in December one year, I was walking past a church and heard music. I went to the door ...which was locked a little earlier but now open..and walked inside. It was decorated for Christmas...with flowers and red velvet bows. Someone was playing the organ so I quietly sat down. Eventually the organist noticed I was there. He told me he was practicing for a New Year's concert.....a little interesting experience for me. On our last trip there, we visited the Gate House Restaurant which provides transportation. I was very happy about that. Saba's roads are endlessly winding...not a place you may want to drive...particularly after dark. I didn't know it at the time, but the restaurant apparently (according to the most recent article) had only been in operation a couple months. We had a wonderful evening there. My dinner was duck on a bed of fresh spinach covered with a very light orange sauce. It was a truly enjoyable experience. The proprietors were gracious and made us feel like part of the family. Maybe that was because the dining area really looked like the living room of their home...remodeled. I wish them the best. You may like to make Saba part of your next trip to St. Maarten or maybe a vacation in itself. Most of the visitors are interested in the diving. However, the island has other low-key things to offer, as described. It's relaxing, refreshing, and revitalizing.
The official Caribbean Travel Roundup World Wide Web site is http://caribtravelnews.com. Any material or views posted on this website in any context whatsoever represents the views, and is the responsibility, of the individual author only and as such The Caribbean Travel Roundup Newsletter cannot be held responsible or liable for the content or accuracy of posted material. The inclusion of such material within the website does not represent the position of, or an endorsement by, The Caribbean Travel Roundup. Contact: Gert van Dijken, e-mail: editor@caribtravelnews.com
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