WHEN Nietzsche wrote “That which does not kill me makes me stronger" he probably hadn’t walked from the Netherlands to France and then back again in 27 degrees and high humidity. Or had a navigational malfunction that wasn’t very well received!
The aforementioned navigational issue occurs next, obviously I’m blaming Google, or the hotel that had erected an enormous ‘private road’ sign thus making the junction look like a driveway not a road! So we slog up the absolutely steepest hillside imaginable for a considerable distance, me wondering how much further to our junction. Catching breath, I check Google and identify the error, but we decide it’s too much to descend back the 100m that nearly killed us first time, risking having to re-climb it if the road actually was closed. So plan-B takes us up another steep hill, but after this it’s downhill all the way to the port.
However on reflection there’s still merit in those words, and the calories consumed certainly mean we are doing something right, and making room for more Pinnacle extravagances.
We’re no stranger to hills, indeed living in God’s Own County we have plenty right from our door step, but having been previously glaciated, they are more rolling and gentle. One doesn’t get many glaciers in the Caribbean so in Sint Maarten / Saint Martin the hills tend to be conical, frequent and steep!
After a modest breakfast on our veranda we’re out the door and walking along the quay, delighted to see Windstar’s Legend and our other most favourite, Seabourn Odyssey parked up nearby. Having left my hat onboard, we pop into town to by a new one then head out as planned. The route is due North from Phillipsburg covering the Eastern part of the island we have least explored on our numerous previous visits.
On several occasions we’ve noticed the very enterprising bars that offer car washing as well - how novel, we naively think … see the photo for the alternative explanation!
A few twists and turns, passing through the colourful village of Belvedere, we come across the Dutch / French border, it’s over 370 years of cordial coexistence between the two European nations, maybe we should learn something from that? The locals here are so friendly, there’s a wave or a toot around every corner, and passing a house almost always elicits a friendly hello.
Before long we’re in Orleans, crossing the Ravine du Quartier, and heading to the northern shore, more specifically an etang created by a mangrove spur. The lookout we find gives a wonderful view back to Orleans.
Next we’re in Oyster Beach where we find excellent pains aux chocolate in a patisserie. Further around the bay it’s an ever-changing view of Oyster Beach and the very smart hotels and houses in this area. We know money doesn’t grow on trees, but here lizards certainly do, we find a ‘mess’ of iguanas ‘lounging’ in the mangroves.
The aforementioned navigational issue occurs next, obviously I’m blaming Google, or the hotel that had erected an enormous ‘private road’ sign thus making the junction look like a driveway not a road! So we slog up the absolutely steepest hillside imaginable for a considerable distance, me wondering how much further to our junction. Catching breath, I check Google and identify the error, but we decide it’s too much to descend back the 100m that nearly killed us first time, risking having to re-climb it if the road actually was closed. So plan-B takes us up another steep hill, but after this it’s downhill all the way to the port.
After a lengthy walk we are in need of sustenance and grab lunch from our lounge whilst catching up on some work matters, before heading up to nine aft and that inviting swimming pool. We watch as we depart, then St Kitts goes by whilst it’s canapé time with a crisp Chardonnay.
The company is screening BBC Planet Earth with some of the ship’s classical musicians playing alongside so we pop down to the show lounge for that before dinner in Pinnacle.
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