St. Maarten - Two For OneNov 28, 2008
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Big & Small Share the Sea
Entering French St. Martin
The Butterfly Farm
On a bright, beautiful and clear morning, we cruised into Wathey pier on the tiny island of St. Maarten. This is the smallest island in the world to be divided between two sovereign powers. Yes, the 37 sq. mile island is shared by France and the Netherlands. We docked at Philipsburg, which is the capital on the Dutch side.
We had booked a tour so we had an early breakfast and headed for the gangway to obediently join hordes of fellow passengers from three mega liners all lined up for tours. We had a wonderful and informative tour guide who shared lots of history and fun facts about the island. In short, it has two of everything…..airports, electrical power stations (one 50Hz and the other 60Hz), water plants, currencies, etc.; yet, there is no real border between the Dutch side on the south and the French side on the north. A humble marker and a sign mark the border. How the division of land came about is summed up in the story of a Frenchman and Dutchman, who both set out walking around the island in opposite directions. The Frenchman was fortified by brandy and the Dutchman by gin. When they met again, it seems the Frenchman had fared better and subsequently 16 square miles went to the Dutch and the remaining 21 square miles went to the French....how true this is we don't know, but it makes for a good story.
So, our sightseeing tour started in Philipsburg, the most populated zone. We passed the Great Salt Pond; the Caribs called the island Soualiga which means ‘land of salt’ due to the many salt ponds. We soon crossed into the French side and arrived at our first stop at the St. Martin Butterfly Farm.
The owners cultivate butterflies and have over 40 species from around the world in a tropical garden setting. The tour guide was just a fountain of knowledge and demonstrated a true love for nature. The butterflies were gorgeous and just fluttered around from plant to person to flowers. They are attracted to bright-colored clothing or perfume and, if they land on you, it is an omen for good luck (maybe we'll hit the casino later). We had time to wander leisurely through the garden and then our hosts treated us to rum punch (yes, with lots of rum).
Our tour continued on past Orient Bay and Pinel Island offshore, which is a famous snorkeling venue. As we rounded the north side of the island, we traveled along the Atlantic Ocean to the capital of the French side, Marigot. We had time to walk around the harbor, shop the handicrafts and the glitzy shops carrying designer goods, and see the hilltop fortress of Fort Louis. We completed our circular island tour and returned to Philipsburg, with a stop at the overlook over Great Bay for pictures.
We returned to the ship for lunch prior to walking back to Philipsburg to sightsee. Lots of casinos and shops line the streets but there’s not much else to do. The courthouse in Wathey Square is an attractive 18th-century historic building with a pineapple topper; it was mass humanity in town and almost impossible to get photographs of anything. It is overwhelming when there are three large cruise ships in port. For those who love the beach, snorkeling, or shopping, this island indeed would be paradise. We were exhausted so we hopped a taxi back to the ship.
Italian was the theme for dinner and, following a scrumptious meal, the dining room staff serenaded everyone with their rendition of ‘O Sole Mio’. The evening show featured a performer named "Joey Van" who does comedy impressions. His self-characterization is he’s “A man who hasn’t been himself lately”. He did several very good routines. After a glass of wine, we called it a night. We have an early tour tomorrow in St. Kitts and I think the crowds in Philipsburg wore me out.
