FRIDAY MARTI...HOLD ON...

What fun is life if you don't shake things up every once in a while?

So, instead of the Friday Martini we're headed for Ile St Barth and an ice cold rum on the shores of Saint Jean Beach. The famous Hepy Bar at the beautiful Hotel Emeraude Plage.

Escape with a taste of the Caribbean.

PHILIPSBURG, SINT MAARTEN - ALONG VOORSTRAAT

Today's image is from the shops along Voorstraat, the main tourism street in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, the Dutch side of an island shared with France.  Despite the fact my wife has a devil of a time getting me to do any kind of shopping (other than grocery) while we're at home, I LOVE shopping districts, no matter how touristy they may get -- and some of them get frighteningly touristy. I have t-shirts and shot glasses to prove my point.

Both Sint Maarten and Saint Martin (the French side) thrive on the tourist dollars -- in about an hour Voorstraat will be teeming with tourists slipped from their cruise ships to head into town to make contributions to the local economy.

Because it is a divided island, featuring both Dutch and French cultures to their best, Saint Martin is one of our favorite destinations in the Caribbean. Whether you enjoy all-inclusive resorts or prefer small-town beach places, a quiet escape or the vibrance of a casino, a high-end dining experience or grabbing a snack at a local lolo, Sint Maarten/Saint Martin is a small island with a lot of options. 

Try the Ma Doudou flavored rhum, it's spectacular (and usually very cheap) almost everywhere on the island.

Pic of the Day: Ice Cold Rhum

In the beachside town of St Jean, island of St. Barthelemy ("St Bart's") in the Caribbean, the Hotel Emeraude Plage featured a bar on the sands next to the beach.

As you can see, the rhum (that's how they spell it in the Caribbean) was served ice cold and delicious.

According to their website the bar has since been converted to the Club Eau de Mer...but the magic still remains.

Hotel Emeraude Plage