After our sea day, covering 500 miles or so St Maarten came into view
The pool decks which the day before had drawn the crowds of sun worshippers ....
.....would be wide open for those who wanted to stay on the ship in the port of Philipsburg where the ship would dock. That wouldn't be many people as St Maarten is one of the most popular islands for cruise ship visits and most passengers would be going ashore.
We had an excursion booked for this island- an Underwater Walk through a Marine Park, wearing diving helmets with air pumped from above. On that morning however we got a note delivered to our cabin that said it was cancelled due to poor visibility. We had to go to the Excursion Desk to find something else and arrived there after breakfast, 5 minutes before they were due to close. We booked another excursion.
St. Maarten is divided into two -a Dutch owned side (40% of land) and a French owned side (60%). We docked on the Dutch side but our excursion to a Butterfly Farm would take us to the French side. We would stop at the beautiful little harbor of Marigot, the French capital, along the way for some shopping.
Once off the ship and assembled in our tour group, our guide led us on a lengthy walk to where the tourist coaches park and we were soon on the road heading to Marigot.
St. Maarten is divided into two -a Dutch owned side (40% of land) and a French owned side (60%). We docked on the Dutch side but our excursion to a Butterfly Farm would take us to the French side. We would stop at the beautiful little harbor of Marigot, the French capital, along the way for some shopping.
Once off the ship and assembled in our tour group, our guide led us on a lengthy walk to where the tourist coaches park and we were soon on the road heading to Marigot.
We like the mountainous islands for the dramatic views that unfold around each bend
The bus parked near the harbor and we had 45 minutes to walk around, get a drink or shop. As it was hot the cold drink sounded like a good idea. A beer from a supermarket cost $2. They can give you change in US Dollars too. There were several sidewalk cafes that looked tempting but alas, not enough time to relax and enjoy.
No shortage of beautiful luxury yachts here
There was a very colorful street market nearby
We don't really shop when we are cruising so we didn't touch any of the clothes and as a result the saleswomen didn't approach us.
You can see a fort on the hill but it was too hot and we didn't have time to go up there for a panoramic view. It is Fort St Louis, built in the reign of Louis XVI.
A tribute to a beloved local character
Here's a video clip I shot from the bus as we drove to Marigot, just to give you some local color....
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