We got a late start out today, on purpose - there’s only so much shopping you can do in the Caribbean (yes, I know this is contrary to what any woman reading this is thinking). We had a dinner reservation in town, didn’t want to drive all the way back to the resort then back to town again. The drive into Philipsburg can be brutal and filled with a frustrating amount of traffic, but we got some pre-trip advice from mom and dad on ‘the road less traveled’ into Philipsburg. We were a bit disappointed once we did make it in. The capital of the Dutch side has become overrun with jewelry stores - no doubt due to the ever-increasing number of cruise ships that come into port now. I remember there being a number of jewelry stores 14 years ago, but they seem to have multiplied like rabbits since. Front Street, the main road going through town, is a riotous mix of locals and cruise ship tourists.
We went straight for our chosen lunch spot, Saveurs de France, which is a little French deli that seemed to have popped straight out of Paris. This gave me the opportunity to try out my French again. And so I proceeded to order a Ham and Gouda on baguette in very slow and stunted French. but the owners were gracious and put up with it. SQ’s accent was worse, so then I felt better. I also discovered my now second favorite beer ever - Leffe Blonde, from Belgium (I just can’t put anything above Guinness). We were the only non-French customers, and in true European fashion had to ask for the check. I also had forgotten how much better cheese tastes outside the U.S.
On to the adorable Belgian Chocolate Shop, which was just across Old Street (really more like a pedestrian alley). We purchased a mixed box of 9 pieces for $12 - and then gobbled them all up in under two minutes. The chocolates were incredible, and Beatrix (the owner) got very upset when SQ suggested she was potentially comparable to the chocolate shops in Marigot. She told us they all imported their chocolates, then charged much more for them. Hers are all made fresh on-site. Even if they were double the money, they would still be worth it.
After a two hour playtime with the jewelry in Touch of Gold (see Haru, she’s excellent!) we made our way to the Guavaberry Factory for a Guavaberry Colada. These were SO delicious, but very large, so one would have been enough for both of us. Then SQ was on the hunt for a linen shirt like he saw on the very dapper French guy eating next to us in the deli at lunch. We finally found one on Back Street, which has several shops as well, but seems to cater more to the locals than the tourists. Over at the Faconnable shop back on Front Street (Rose Street Arcade), we received a lesson in island growth, tourists and politics from the ladies working in the store.
It was almost time for our dinner reservation at Passanghran House. We arrived a bit early, I had had enough shopping and the shops were starting to close up anyway. There were no other diners, they weren’t ready for us and not all that accomodating either. However, the building is really, really beautiful and the back opens up right onto the beach. We finally got our table, and there only ended up ever being two other tables of people the whole time we were there - a lone diner and one other couple. The server didn’t seem like she wanted to be there and the food was unremarkable. We split a French Onion Soup, then a grilled Wahoo with garlic butter sauce. The fish was fresh, but overcooked, and the sauce was very bland and flavorless.
We attempted to make our way to Orient Beach in the dark, and shockingly found it. Our goal was to find one of SQ’s bosses, the groom! Amazingly, we found him too in the sea of restaurants new to Orient since we’d been there before. We spent some time at La Chapelle, which is kind of a sports bar place. We didn’t eat here but the food looked good, and we wished we’d not already had dinner. At this point our French lunches are far out-pacing our Dutch-side dinners.