Back on the Island

Paul here:

Back on St. Maarten at last after a time waiting for documents allowing travel. Long delays there, but I must congratulate the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Detroit as being the most helpful place I have yet encountered among governmental bureaucracies. The flight down was very easy and there was no problem making the connection in Miami in spite of a short time between flights. It would have been different if our flight had been delayed unloading for more than 10 minutes or so. On the last leg, the flight was packed and I sat with two guys returning from the USA to vote. Since one was a building laborer, I was surprised since a return flight from Maine must have cost quite a bit. However, there has been some writing on the newspaper site that that some people get their way paid to come back to vote.

Anyway, the election has led to a split government since the two main vote getting parties ended with 7 seats and 6 seats with the third party holds 2 seats. So there will a coalition that will have to deal with the coming independence from the Netherlands Antilles on October 10. Very little has been talked about that!

In spite of hurricane Earl that caught St. Maarten a little, the apartment was completely OK though a bit musty having been shut up for some time. After a bit of airing and mopping it seems as good as new. A major improvement is the Internet connection that is now appearing to really solid, and my landlord finally did a number of small repairs that had been needed. The flamboyant trees are however no longer in bloom and, in fact, the number of flowers out and about seem to be quite diminished. There were a few bright yellow ones on the mountain pass though.

Today, Saturday, morning I went to help with blood testing with the Diabetes Association but it started to pour with rain and was called off. It was held outside a grocery on a narrow road and I amused to see a long line of cards trailing a motor mower going past us. The cancellation allowed me plenty of time to get some groceries at Le Grand Marche which seemed to have a little less variety than before: I am told that this is often the case in the stores in the heart of the low season. I went on to Sarafina in Marigot for some good bread, only to find it closed for a vacation "a la Francaise," but this disappointment was tempered by finding fabuouse blue cheese bread at La Sucriere almost next door. They also sell goat cheese bread - for next time! This is very nice french bakery with less variety compared to Sarafina's but it has plenty to choose from. One advantage is that there is WiFi at hand so there are always several people earnestly working on computers.

The wind is up and there has been a glorious sunny afternoon: you wouldn't know it had rained. There is a strong wind and the waves on Mullet bay have been big and strong making those who wish top sunbathe have to lie at the upper edge of the beach. But it is lovely to hear the waves again and see them shoot high over the rocks.

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