Arriving in Saint Martin

As the winter weather descends on the Pacific Northwest and Washington State Route 20 through the North Cascades National Park is closed for the winter due to early heavy snowfall and risk of avalanche (to reopen in the spring), we head someplace tropical for a short stay:  Saint Martin in the Caribbean.

Saint Martin is approximately 374 km (230 miles) east of Puerto Rico and is divided roughly 60/40 between the French Collectivity of Saint Martin and the Dutch side of the island (Sint Maartin) which is one of the four constituent countries that form the Kingdom of the Netherlands.  The French part of the island is part of the EU, the Dutch part is not.

We are staying in Grand Case, on the French side, and arrive in time to visit the supermarket and then watch the sun set (pictures of  sunset, but not of supermarket).

Sunset across the water

In the morning. we rise and explore our favorite hotel on the island, the Grand Case Beach Club.  The sky and weather change dramatically through the day as tropical rain showers pass through, then we quickly return to a clear, sunny day.

Around the hotel

Looking out across the water

Walking down the street from the hotel, we find a public beach access path with fabulous paintings on the walls, something we haven't see in prior trips (we usually walk down the road the other direction, toward the town of Grand Case).

Public path to the beach

Art on the path

Reaching the end of the path

Soon, after a lazy day, another sunset again welcomes us to the island and indicates that it is time for cocktails and to start thinking about dinner.

Another day comes to an end

We're glad to be back on Saint Martin!