Yesterday afternoon, we participated in a trivia contest centered around music of the 1960s. We got 35 points out of 40, to finish in a tie for second. We missed two songs that I should have known. Last night, we went to karaoke. One of our group, Dave, went up on stage and blew the socks of the audience with a rendition of "Here Comes The Sun."
This morning the wind has finally decreased to some extent, but it is
still breezy. The air is warm and humid. The sea while a bit rough is now manageable. I guess this is typical Caribbean weather.
We have arrived at our first port of call, Philipsburg, St. Maarten. While looking out of balcony, the first thing I noticed was number of luxury yachts in the harbour. St. Maarten appears to be a rich person’s playground. But I was soon to find out that looks can be deceiving.
St. Maarten is located east of the Virgin Islands and about
1,200 miles south of Miami.
It has a history that dates back thousands of
years. The island was first inhabited by the Arawak and Carib tribes, as early
as 3000 B.C. They arrived from the north coast of South America in huge dugout canoes. The
Arawaks were peaceful farmers and fishermen, while the Caribs were more
aggressive and warlike, and eventually they controlled the island.
Christopher Columbus sighted the island in1493, naming it
after Saint Martin of Tours. Although claimed by Spain, the island was not
heavily settled by the Spanish, and they gave up the fight to the Dutch. The
Dutch and French later established settlements, with the Dutch focusing on salt
mining and the French aiming to colonize the region.
St. Maarten is the smallest island co-ruled by two different
countries. The total population is 44,000. In 1648, the Treaty of Concordia
divided the island between the French and Dutch, creating the unique
dual-nationality arrangement that exists today. The southern part, Sint
Maarten, is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, while the
northern part, Saint-Martin, is a French overseas collectivity. The Dutch side
uses the Netherlands Antillean guilder and the U.S. dollar, and the French side
uses with the Euro. Both sides import most of their goods, including food and
energy resources, due to limited local agriculture.
Legend has it that border was defined by a contest. The
French started on the north coast and the Dutch start on the south coast. Each
contestant was to walk towards the middle and where they met was to be where to
border was established. Unfortunately for the Dutch, their contestant was a
drunk and stumbled along the way. So, that is why the French area of the island
is larger than the Dutch area.
St. Maarten's economy is heavily reliant on tourism, which
accounts for approximately 80% of its economic activity. That is why English is
the main language of commerce. The island's tropical climate, beautiful
beaches, and duty-free shopping attract millions of visitors annually,
including cruise ships like ours. Today there is only one other cruise liner in
port. Tourism-related industries, such as hotels, restaurants, and
entertainment, are the primary sources of employment for the local population.
St. Maarten has one of the highest GDP per capita rates in
the Caribbean. However, the island has faced recent challenges, including the
devastating impact of Hurricane Irma in 2017 and the COVID-19 pandemic, which
disrupted tourism and caused significant economic setbacks.
St. Maarten enjoys a tropical maritime climate,
characterized by warm temperatures and high humidity throughout the year.
Average temperatures typically range from 25°C to 31°C The island experiences
two main seasons: a dry season from December to April and a wet season from May
to November, which coincides with the Atlantic hurricane season. Trade winds
help to keep the island cool and comfortable, even during the hotter months.
Philipsburg is the capital of St. Maarten, located on the
southern Dutch side of the island. It has an estimated population of around 3,000
people which is less than population of our village, Port Stanley Ontario.
We took a guided tour of the island. It might be one to worst tours we’ve taken on
any vacation. As we drove along the streets it was obvious that there is a high
degree of poverty on the island. Yes,
there are mansions along the coast, but the condition of most of the houses
are decrypted.
Traffic is horrendous. At one point it took 30 minutes to travel about a kilometre.
There were no interesting or historical sights to be seen. The
only stops that were included were nothing more than shopping opportunities. The
only highlight was a stop at the Princess Juliana International Airport, where we
could watch planes land incredibly close to the beach that is next to the
airport runway.
One of other stops was at a flea market in Marigot on the French side of the island.
I would not recommend St. Maarten as a vacation spot unless you just want to stay on your resort.
Tonight we'll be celebrating Olive's birthday. It was lots of fun.
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