Disney Cruise Part 3: St Martin/St. Maarten

Our first stop was to St. Martin/St. Maarten.  We decided to rent a 15 passenger van with the Owens and take our own tour of the island.  Thanks to some inside info from one of Dave's co-workers who is from St. Martin and a little internet research, we had a great day.

 Spencer drove the 15 passenger van like a champ!  St. Martin had some pretty steep hills and sharp, narrow curves but he maneuvered the van smoothly.  He requested far in advance that we have car seats, which they assured us they would have but of course did not have when we got there.  A fellow passenger mentioned that it was not technically the law that children be in car seats so we opted to go it sans car seats.  I was a little nervous about it until we passed a local family riding on a motorized scooter with mom, dad, and baby sandwiched in between.  When in Rome (or St. Martins)...

 When you do your own tour, you get to see all of the island, which is a much more cultural experience.  I think the kids thought the cows and chickens wandering in the streets were pretty cool.

 The adventurers

 We stopped in Grand Case (on the French side) for lunch at a "lolo".  Food is a big priority for us when we travel to a new country and Spencer heavily researched what we should eat.  A "lolo" is a big barbecue pit made out of a giant tin can.  Our meal of ribs, seafood, and fried plantains was delicious.

 After lunch, we headed to the perfect little quiet beach that Dave's co-worker recommended.  It was small, and mellow without too many tourists.

 *All photo credits go to the Owens who take amazing pictures and always have their camera at the ready-which we do not.