First Timer 1/18 - 1/28/2019

speaking of beaches, not sure which ones Dan'l has been to yet, but be sure to consider Gouverneur, before or after lunch at santa fe...
and don't miss the charming little cove at la petite anse at the far end of Flamands (where the large rock is in the middle of the road...)
 
Lovely report, I am enjoyed your embedded updates. Just what is needed on a cold and blustery day in PA!
 
Our day with no plans started with breakfast at Kiki-e’ Mo. This is our second visit here with having had lunch the other day. We have made friends with Iby, who owns and operates it with her husband who we met. I have forgotten his name! She visits her sister who owns a home in Springs, Easthampton NY. Very close to my home in Southampton and we may get together over the summer.
Very windy with 20 mph out of the East. We decided to hike to Colombier and on Elgreaux”s suggestion La Petite Anse. Very windy as we got out on the point just before Colombier beach. Took a lot of photos, met the goat family up close and were surprised how much wind was on the beach at Colombier. We thought it would be quiet down there protected by the hill but not so. Lots of boats taking advantage of the lee. I loved the view out over the sea back to the west. The islands made me think of pirates, as they would hide behind small islands throughout the Caribbean. La Petite Anse very pretty also, Iby had said it reminds her of Italy.
After that a stop at Marche’ U by the airport. I also am on the hunt for some nice rum that wouldn’t be available back home. Went over to the liquor store and unfortunately they were closed for lunch. We had picked up sandwiches at Petite Colombe in Colombier and we carried them to St. Jean to spend the rest of the day on the beach.
Plan for the night is to enjoy our deck and view and get takeout. We discovered this fabulous meat and seafood market called Meat my Fish. I just googled it and see that BBT posted about this in July of 2017. The proprietor told us to visit Ti Marche in Lorient for fresh produce. Ti Marche gets deliveries from Guadeloupe on Friday and Saturday. We picked up lettuce and tomatoes and bought rice and beans from Meat my Fish along with chicken and ribs. He cooks anything you want, open 4-7. The produce is very good at Ti Marche. Altogether a nice meal and cocktails on our deck and a nice day.
Time to get going, only two days left. Dinner tonight at Black Ginger.
 
Dan'l, if you're still looking for rum to bring back home, check La Cave du Port Franc in Public. It's on the road going into Gustavia, on the inland side from the fuel tanks. I've found aged Rhum J.M there, a very nice Rhum Agricole (cane-syrup based, not molasses based). I'm currently nearing the bottom of a bottle of the '94 rhum which I've had for close to 10 years. Rhum Agricole isn't to everyone's taste, but I like it. The aged bottles aren't cheap, but they're not for everyday drinking either.

Alternatively, consider a bottle of flavored rum from M'Bolo. M'Bolo is a block and a half up from Le Select in Gustavia, tucked behind Case in Blue, across the street from American Gourmet. I'm partial to their Vanille Sec, a less sweet version of the vanilla rum offered in many restaurants, and they have several other flavors. Sandrine and Christian will be happy to give you a sample taste, and to wrap your purchase in bubble wrap for the trip home.
 
Got a nice Rhum Vieux at the liquor store across from the airport. "Reimonenq" from Guadeloupe. Was what they used for my ti punch at La Langouste. Also brought back a 3-liter box of Clement (Vieux) from Segeco. Something like 50 euros, which is quite the bargain.
 
Another slow start to our day, wind is up again so not going to rush to the beach. Plan is to buy rum and a t-shirt. Breakfast at Les Jardins around 10. Waitress wasn’t sure we could be seated and after asking in the back we were seated. We were the only ones in there. We enjoyed our quiet breakfast and enjoyed the little girl (3 years old) help her grandmother? set the tables for lunch. We felt like family! Parked the car and walked on St Jean beach by the airport, too windy to lounge there for the day. So off to buy some rum.
Thanks for the tips on the rum. I did buy a bottle of rum vanilla from M’Bolo a few nights ago and Sandrine was very nice to talk to. Their rum is white rum sourced from Guadeloupe and the rum vanilla is infused with vanilla bean for 3 months in the sun. Too late for Kevin’s advice on La Cave du Port Franc as I bought 3 bottles from the liquor store across from the airport. I found out that we are only allowed 2 liters per person through customs. We bought 7 yr. Bielle Vieux from Marie Galante, Guadeloupe; 12 yr. Trois Rivieres Martinique; and to ease it up on the pocket book a 7 yr. Havana Club. Off topic, but I am infatuated with Marie Galante and would like to visit this small island in the near future.
Time to get to the beach. Not crazy about the constant bass from Nikki and the ack ack from the demo on Eden Rock so we decided to chance the wind at Saline. Walking the path to Saline I asked a beachgoer as he was leaving how the wind was on the beach. Not bad! He reported that he was worse in the morning but has died down some now. He was right, we walked down to the left, kept our heads down!, and had a nice afternoon on the beach.
Home to shower & get ready for the evening. Stop in at Black Swan in St. Jean; buy the t-shirt I had been eyeing and off to pre-dinner drinks at Bonito. We enjoyed the time at Bonito very much, a beautiful setting and Joey the bartender is a happy soul. 7:30 dinner at Black Ginger, service is fast, food is good. Spring rolls, spicy green curry with beef for me, coconut milk, curry, mahi mahi for Sue. Chocolate mouse and rum vanilla to finish.
Time to check off another on my list of things to do in St. Barths. Rum tasting in the Rhum Room at Quarter Kitchen and Cocktail Lab. We walk in, tell the maître d’ we would like to visit the Rhum Room and he sits us at the bar while he checks to see if it is available. It is! We are escorted through the kitchen and enter the room as Thomas is putting his bartenders apron on. We have Thomas and the place to ourselves and enjoyed it all thoroughly. Thomas was very informative, we tasted so many varieties that there is no way I could keep track. Good conversation with Thomas about St. Barths along with the Rhum talk. Afterwards we take a walk around town, the drummers are practicing away for carnival again, and it’s time to get some sleep.
Our last day tomorrow, dinner at QG.
 
Hope you both Enjoy your final moments in Paradise. Thank you again for posting about your experiences. Wish you safe travels.
 
I found out that we are only allowed 2 liters per person through customs.

As I understand it, the 2 liters is duty free. Anything above that requires a duty, which last I checked isn't much. I've brought back, and declared, quite a bit more and haven't been asked. FYI: The Havana Club is still banned. I think it is only legal now if brought back directly from Cuba. I took a chance a couple of years ago, and didn't have a problem. I made sure to pack it separately in case they confiscated it. Makes great mojito's and daiquiris by the way.
 
Regarding US Customs and rum, just tell them the truth. You can actually bring back much more, subject to paying Duty. Given the small amount of Duty due, they will usually waive the Duty. If you actually have to pay Duty it will be just a few dollars. You’re talking a few bottles. That’s one thing. If you were talking a case or mire then that would be different.

The Havana Club, for personal consumption, is legal now, as are Cuban cigars for personal consumption.
 
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