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what keeps you coming back?
- Thread starter charlieh
- Start date
JEK - it's really tough giving up on an old friend, especially one that I liked as much as SBH. The flame is still there and I'm curious to hear what others who have this flame have to say.
Also I'm not quite sure why this little island has such a strong hold on me. I just think it's a good topic for discussion. Not trying to prove anything.
Also I'm not quite sure why this little island has such a strong hold on me. I just think it's a good topic for discussion. Not trying to prove anything.
NH Diane, Very well said and as fellow travelers who always stay at villa Everest, we have the same feelings. I'd like to thank you for the book you left at the villa and assigned it for required reading!I read it with much enjoyment last summer and sent for a copy when we got home. The book was the Four Hour work week by Tim Ferriss. Happy to say I'm almost there.
Voosh
Senior Insider
Re: "I just think it's a good topic for discussion"
It's a great topic that should, and does, come up regularly. Gives some of us the blues because we're not there and whets the appetite of folks who haven't been there yet.
What a place to just lay back and be thankful for the good things in life without having crass BS in your face at a, relatively, easy price.
Hope it stays that way.
It's a great topic that should, and does, come up regularly. Gives some of us the blues because we're not there and whets the appetite of folks who haven't been there yet.
What a place to just lay back and be thankful for the good things in life without having crass BS in your face at a, relatively, easy price.
Hope it stays that way.
Landing on runway 10 on December 25th, with 50 knots crosswind
Meeting the local "gendarme" at immigration with a "Bienvenue à St Barth" again...
Claiming your bag at Winair's desk, because it's not arrived
Renting that mini cooper with Turbe Car rental, convertible of course
That morning sunrise over Grand Cul de Sac lagoon, watching the kite surfers...
That Croissant smell at "La Petite Colombe"
That bright light over Gustavia harbor in the morning
Having a brunch at "La Plage" watching the planes landing "from over the beach" (the wrong way)
The Ti Punch atmosphere at the Select at 6 pm (with a Cheeseburger bien sûr)
The Crème Brûlée flavour at the Wall House
Shopping around at the "St Barth French West Indies" shop
Buying the "parfum au Tiaré" at La Ligne St Barth
Taking that "ultimate dive" with Bertrand St Barth Plongée
Taking the 20 min walk to discover the beautiful Colombier beach
Drinking a cup of champagne under the stars at Villa La Baleine (Rosita's)
Watching the New Year's fireworks from La Route des Boucaniers" with all the yachts in the harbour "firing the horns"
Watching sunset from the Carl Gustaf with a "Planters' punch"
Taking the usual "quatre fromage" pizza by Andy's, with the warm welcome from the tall Englishman (rhum vanille to come)
Taking the picture of the landing "Winair twin otter" over la tourmente hill
Having lunch at Do Brazil watching the local kids "jumping the wave" at Shell Beach
Having dinner at K'fe Massai with Mick's warm welcome
Getting sun burn in Saline next to the naked "crazy" French locals
Having a last drink at the "Casa Nikki" (oh well it's only 3 am)
Meeting the local crowd at Nikki Beach
Having a "Sushi" at Caviar island
Going the the Guanahani Spa (well for Madam), while Monsieur is taking his first windsurfing lesson
Spending a lot of money at Cartier's for Madam's
Buying a Cigar Montecristo #4 (hecho in Cuba) for Monsieur
Getting that t-shirt "sorry no telephone"..... for the kids
Wondering why the "hell" there is no gas available for the car on the island on Sundays
and why all shops are closed between noon and 3 pm
and why "La Saladerie" has moved places 3 times...
and why the dollar is so low compared to the Euro
and why is all the New York crowd in St Barths on December 31st
..........and many other reasons....
Well that is why I love St Barth (please note "no s") and why I keep going back again and again and again......
Meeting the local "gendarme" at immigration with a "Bienvenue à St Barth" again...
Claiming your bag at Winair's desk, because it's not arrived
Renting that mini cooper with Turbe Car rental, convertible of course
That morning sunrise over Grand Cul de Sac lagoon, watching the kite surfers...
That Croissant smell at "La Petite Colombe"
That bright light over Gustavia harbor in the morning
Having a brunch at "La Plage" watching the planes landing "from over the beach" (the wrong way)
The Ti Punch atmosphere at the Select at 6 pm (with a Cheeseburger bien sûr)
The Crème Brûlée flavour at the Wall House
Shopping around at the "St Barth French West Indies" shop
Buying the "parfum au Tiaré" at La Ligne St Barth
Taking that "ultimate dive" with Bertrand St Barth Plongée
Taking the 20 min walk to discover the beautiful Colombier beach
Drinking a cup of champagne under the stars at Villa La Baleine (Rosita's)
Watching the New Year's fireworks from La Route des Boucaniers" with all the yachts in the harbour "firing the horns"
Watching sunset from the Carl Gustaf with a "Planters' punch"
Taking the usual "quatre fromage" pizza by Andy's, with the warm welcome from the tall Englishman (rhum vanille to come)
Taking the picture of the landing "Winair twin otter" over la tourmente hill
Having lunch at Do Brazil watching the local kids "jumping the wave" at Shell Beach
Having dinner at K'fe Massai with Mick's warm welcome
Getting sun burn in Saline next to the naked "crazy" French locals
Having a last drink at the "Casa Nikki" (oh well it's only 3 am)
Meeting the local crowd at Nikki Beach
Having a "Sushi" at Caviar island
Going the the Guanahani Spa (well for Madam), while Monsieur is taking his first windsurfing lesson
Spending a lot of money at Cartier's for Madam's
Buying a Cigar Montecristo #4 (hecho in Cuba) for Monsieur
Getting that t-shirt "sorry no telephone"..... for the kids
Wondering why the "hell" there is no gas available for the car on the island on Sundays
and why all shops are closed between noon and 3 pm
and why "La Saladerie" has moved places 3 times...
and why the dollar is so low compared to the Euro
and why is all the New York crowd in St Barths on December 31st
..........and many other reasons....
Well that is why I love St Barth (please note "no s") and why I keep going back again and again and again......
RickyG
Senior Insider
For me, its kinda like crack. The first time was just incredible.....fantastic. We keep going back in an atempt to recapture that taste, chasing the dragon. We get close. Probably what keeps me going back is how I feel when I'm not there.
On second thought maybe I just like the food
On second thought maybe I just like the food
NHDiane
Senior Insider
NCTrader - glad you liked my choice of reading and Villa Everest. IMO one of the best villa bargains on SBH. We haven't been there in a few years, only because we are fortunate to have a friend that owns and allows us to stay at her villa. Hubby and I absolutely love Everest and owner Edward. I am happy to say that I am well on my way to the "good life" - aka not working! Will you return to Everest?
I appreciate all of the input. I just wish that message boards had existed when I first started going.
“safety and little crime” – I think that Andy hit on a key benefit.
I’m not an expert on SBH, but I do know one thing beyond a shadow of a doubt. It was my first true love for a vacation destination and to this day it is the only place that I’ve truly loved. I’ve liked many places, but none of the other places have instilled pure love.
I’m going to attempt to answer my own question in concrete terms. In my opinion SBH is unique in our hemisphere. The features that set it apart from any other island or vacation destination are: small, French, hilly and safe.
The ramifications from each of these are many. Being small it is easy to create a “home” familiarity with the places and people we get to know. From the airport to the grocery to the beaches, restaurants, harbor, etc it is easy to become familiar with one’s surroundings.
Being French provides a level of casual chic as well as great food and accommodations. I think it also provides an air of sophistication that is lacking in other destinations. There are other French islands, but they are all much larger and less intimate feeling.
Being hilly not only gives great vistas but also is a key reason that this was not a good location for colonial farming. The offshoot of this is the island culture has a strong Euro influence. We also know this is not a “poor” island as so many Carib islands are.
Being safe adds greatly to the sense of relaxation. You can walk, drive and park anywhere and feel safe – at least in my experience.
Wrap all of these things together and I don’t think any other island in the Carib can compare head to head with SBH. I discovered ti-punch there which is now my favorite drink - period. The creperie in town is my favorite eatery in the Carib simply because I love creperies. In the years since I first discovered SBH, there have been countless occasions when I could bring up my feelings while camped out on a beach and bring back the sense of relaxation. I know that the most relaxed days of my life were spent on this island.
“safety and little crime” – I think that Andy hit on a key benefit.
I’m not an expert on SBH, but I do know one thing beyond a shadow of a doubt. It was my first true love for a vacation destination and to this day it is the only place that I’ve truly loved. I’ve liked many places, but none of the other places have instilled pure love.
I’m going to attempt to answer my own question in concrete terms. In my opinion SBH is unique in our hemisphere. The features that set it apart from any other island or vacation destination are: small, French, hilly and safe.
The ramifications from each of these are many. Being small it is easy to create a “home” familiarity with the places and people we get to know. From the airport to the grocery to the beaches, restaurants, harbor, etc it is easy to become familiar with one’s surroundings.
Being French provides a level of casual chic as well as great food and accommodations. I think it also provides an air of sophistication that is lacking in other destinations. There are other French islands, but they are all much larger and less intimate feeling.
Being hilly not only gives great vistas but also is a key reason that this was not a good location for colonial farming. The offshoot of this is the island culture has a strong Euro influence. We also know this is not a “poor” island as so many Carib islands are.
Being safe adds greatly to the sense of relaxation. You can walk, drive and park anywhere and feel safe – at least in my experience.
Wrap all of these things together and I don’t think any other island in the Carib can compare head to head with SBH. I discovered ti-punch there which is now my favorite drink - period. The creperie in town is my favorite eatery in the Carib simply because I love creperies. In the years since I first discovered SBH, there have been countless occasions when I could bring up my feelings while camped out on a beach and bring back the sense of relaxation. I know that the most relaxed days of my life were spent on this island.
I am eagerly awaiting my trip to St. Barths in November: my 15th since 2003, all but one as a single. I keep on returning because I know that regardless of the weather, I will have a perfect, relaxing vacation, meet fascinating people, have wonderful food, and completely forget about work.
BARRY52166
SBH Member
An overall feeling of blissful solitude for my self and wifey. I think for us personally we Love St Barths more for what is does NOT have..duck tours, all inclusive mega resorts along with their "forced" fun activities,commercialized fast food,tall bldgs, reliable cell service ,which allows us to totally disconnect from our real lives back home,people trying to sell me weed on the beach etc..etc.. These are the things/reasons why we love coming back to St Barths.
I absolutely agree with Barry that the private, intimate experience is a key ingredient. All of our trips have been after April 15, so I have not experienced high season, but April and May have been great times to go.
The main complaint I've heard mentioned during high season is parking.
The main complaint I've heard mentioned during high season is parking.
