So as some of you may know, this is Junos week in Regina. I gather that the whole event will be capped off with an awards gala on Sunday night (though, to be perfectly honest, I'm a little fuzzy about the scheduling and am less than motivated to head to their website to figure it all out).
What this means for me and all of my fellow celebrity hunters is that we may get a chance to see Canadian music Royalty in person. This process may be slightly confounded for me as I don't think that there are too many Canadian music hotshots that I might actually be able to identify, and I suspect that of those that I might be able to identify only a sliver might actually make the trip to Regina.
Though I can't say I've ever really listened to his music, I am pretty sure that I'll be able to recognize J. Bieber - so I'm really hoping that I may get to see him.
Actually, I'm kind of thinking that I may want to ramp my Bieber hunt up by heading to the airport for one of the Toronto flights tonight, you know, to maybe see his monkey in person. Let's just hope that by being a Belieber I'll ensure that J. Biebs flies commercial rather than charter/privately.
Because Jeannette's coming back from a work trip on what I hope will be J. Biebs flight I'll probably pick her up too. Do you think that once she lands she'll text me any deets about celebrities on the plane so I can be mentally prepared?
Oh, and can anyone even confirm that Bieber is actually even coming to Regina? I keep hearing his name mentioned but don't have any real deets. Anyway, hopefully my trip to the airport won't be for naught.
Showing posts with label Airports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Airports. Show all posts
Friday, April 19, 2013
Monday, July 26, 2010
Michigan -1
I am presently in the Halifax Airport waiting to board my flight to Toronto. So far the wait has been pretty good, but I guess I still have about 45 minutes go before boarding. Fortunately I was able to pick up a free paper while checking in (I left my copy at home this morning).
One of the neat things about my flight is that I should be meeting my parents on board. This morning my father was able to arrange the seat assignments such that I will get to sit next to my mother from Halifax to Toronto.
Of course this change in seating assignment meant that my seat assignment changed between the time I checked-in online yesterday and the time I checked in at the airport today. At first the staff person at the counter here was somewhat confused as she didn't understand why my seat would have changed. Only once I explained the "meeting my parents on the plane" thing did she understand what was going on. Anyway, hopefully all of this seat shuffling will work out and I will get to sit next to my mother.
It seems that once we are in Toronto we will be driving to somewhere in Toronto to meet Kirsten and then spending the night there. From this location, I don't know exactly where, we will be heading down to beautiful Michigan. I still don't know exactly where we will be heading once we cross the border. The more I hear about it the more I get the sense that no one knows exactly where we will be heading.
For better or worse I have brought some work for me to do while I am on this trip. I wonder if I should reasonably expect to do any of it? While I think that it is unlikely that I will have much time to spend on studying and work, I would like to find at least a few hours on a few occasions to tackle a few of these tasks.
I guess I might consider heading towards my gate. Getting this far (to the airport and through security) only to miss my boarding call would be rather frustrating.
One of the neat things about my flight is that I should be meeting my parents on board. This morning my father was able to arrange the seat assignments such that I will get to sit next to my mother from Halifax to Toronto.
Of course this change in seating assignment meant that my seat assignment changed between the time I checked-in online yesterday and the time I checked in at the airport today. At first the staff person at the counter here was somewhat confused as she didn't understand why my seat would have changed. Only once I explained the "meeting my parents on the plane" thing did she understand what was going on. Anyway, hopefully all of this seat shuffling will work out and I will get to sit next to my mother.
It seems that once we are in Toronto we will be driving to somewhere in Toronto to meet Kirsten and then spending the night there. From this location, I don't know exactly where, we will be heading down to beautiful Michigan. I still don't know exactly where we will be heading once we cross the border. The more I hear about it the more I get the sense that no one knows exactly where we will be heading.
For better or worse I have brought some work for me to do while I am on this trip. I wonder if I should reasonably expect to do any of it? While I think that it is unlikely that I will have much time to spend on studying and work, I would like to find at least a few hours on a few occasions to tackle a few of these tasks.
I guess I might consider heading towards my gate. Getting this far (to the airport and through security) only to miss my boarding call would be rather frustrating.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Airport bound
In a few minutes I am going to head out and pick up a rental car for the day. The first thing that I am going to do with this rental car is take Neil and Rebecca to the airport. The second thing I am going to do with this car is pick a friend up from the airport. Nothing quite says fun and good times like multiple trips to the Halifax airport in a single day (don't read too much sauce into this, I am looking forward to assisting both sets of travelers).
Even though I will have this car for the better part of a day I don't think that I will be doing much else other than driving back and forth to the airport with it.
Even though I will have this car for the better part of a day I don't think that I will be doing much else other than driving back and forth to the airport with it.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Return to Halifax
After about two weeks in St. John's Neil, Rebecca, and I returned to Halifax today. Our early morning flight meant that we had to wake up at about 4:00 AM, which meant that none of us had much time for sleep.
We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare, though I arrived in different car than Neil and Rebecca. Through a strange piece of luck (for me) I somehow managed to end up at the beginning of a new check in line and consequently had my bags processed quite quickly. Neil and Rebecca, who weren't quite as lucky in the line department, were also ready to move on to the next stage of the process.
The security line was a little longer than the check in line, though even this line wasn't too long. What was most impressive about the security process was how quickly I moved through the metal detectors and x-rays, there was basically no lost time (though I was asked if I had liquids or gels about 2 more times than made sense).
Not to longer after we made it through security we all decided to make food and/or beverage purchases at the cafeteria. Amazingly, the amount of time we spent standing in line to place our order was probably more time than the combined amount of time that I had to spend in the other two lines.
When Neil was eventually able to place his order, which included a toasted bagel, he was told that they didn't have any bagels. This was a little surprising as bagels were visible in the display case. A moment later the employee indicated that they were just 'joking,' and that they did actually have bagels.
The plane ride itself was rather uneventful. Unfortunately, I think that the 20 ounces of coffee and can of energy drink that I consumed before the flight largely prevented me from sleeping on the flight even though I had had only about 1.5 hours of sleep the night before.
Shortly after deplaning and picking up our luggage we made our way out to grab a cab. We made our way to the only remaining cab, whose driver eventually determined that he wouldn't be able to fit all six of our suitcases in his cab and thus was unable to take us. He indicated that he would request that a van be sent for us. After going into the airport to make the call, he told us that a van had been requested but that it would likely take "a while."
After waiting for a few minutes Neil came to the realization that part of the problem was likely that most of the cab drivers (particularly the drivers of vans) had likely worked until the middle of the night on New Year's night. This likely explained why there were so few cabs at the airport and why a van would take "a while."
While waiting for the van we discussed various options other than a cab to make it back to Halifax. Unfortunately none of them seemed particularly tempting or particularly expeditious.
Just as Neil and I were in the midst of such a round of discussions the cab driver came over to talk to us and suggested that we might consider renting a car. He even offered to call an acquaintance at one of the few open rental companies to try to grease the wheels for us.
So within in a few minutes of the cab driver's suggestion we were on our way back to Halifax in a rental car, which turned out to be less than the cab ride would have been. Even once we take gas into account I think that this will be the cheaper than a cab ride (with tip) would have been.
Once back in Halifax with a ride (and unlimited kilometers) we decided to do a little cruising. We eventually settled on having breakfast in Clayton Park and then doing a quick drive-by on the Bayers Lake shopping district. Not surprisingly, most of the stores and businesses were not open today, which was a little disappointing as this is likely the last time we will have car access for the next few months.
By about noon we had finally made it back to the apartment and had time to unpack most of our belongings (some of which were previously owned, others of which we acquired while in St. John's). All three of us then decided to go for afternoon naps, which I think were necessary as none of had even close to 4 hours of sleep.
Though we don't have too many specific plans for our first night back in town, we are thinking that we might head out to catch a movie at Bayers Lake (which would be quite an inconvenience without a car). As of tomorrow we will have to try to get back on something of a regular schedule, which should be assisted by a few commitments that we each have in the coming days.
We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare, though I arrived in different car than Neil and Rebecca. Through a strange piece of luck (for me) I somehow managed to end up at the beginning of a new check in line and consequently had my bags processed quite quickly. Neil and Rebecca, who weren't quite as lucky in the line department, were also ready to move on to the next stage of the process.
The security line was a little longer than the check in line, though even this line wasn't too long. What was most impressive about the security process was how quickly I moved through the metal detectors and x-rays, there was basically no lost time (though I was asked if I had liquids or gels about 2 more times than made sense).
Not to longer after we made it through security we all decided to make food and/or beverage purchases at the cafeteria. Amazingly, the amount of time we spent standing in line to place our order was probably more time than the combined amount of time that I had to spend in the other two lines.
When Neil was eventually able to place his order, which included a toasted bagel, he was told that they didn't have any bagels. This was a little surprising as bagels were visible in the display case. A moment later the employee indicated that they were just 'joking,' and that they did actually have bagels.
The plane ride itself was rather uneventful. Unfortunately, I think that the 20 ounces of coffee and can of energy drink that I consumed before the flight largely prevented me from sleeping on the flight even though I had had only about 1.5 hours of sleep the night before.
Shortly after deplaning and picking up our luggage we made our way out to grab a cab. We made our way to the only remaining cab, whose driver eventually determined that he wouldn't be able to fit all six of our suitcases in his cab and thus was unable to take us. He indicated that he would request that a van be sent for us. After going into the airport to make the call, he told us that a van had been requested but that it would likely take "a while."
After waiting for a few minutes Neil came to the realization that part of the problem was likely that most of the cab drivers (particularly the drivers of vans) had likely worked until the middle of the night on New Year's night. This likely explained why there were so few cabs at the airport and why a van would take "a while."
While waiting for the van we discussed various options other than a cab to make it back to Halifax. Unfortunately none of them seemed particularly tempting or particularly expeditious.
Just as Neil and I were in the midst of such a round of discussions the cab driver came over to talk to us and suggested that we might consider renting a car. He even offered to call an acquaintance at one of the few open rental companies to try to grease the wheels for us.
So within in a few minutes of the cab driver's suggestion we were on our way back to Halifax in a rental car, which turned out to be less than the cab ride would have been. Even once we take gas into account I think that this will be the cheaper than a cab ride (with tip) would have been.
Once back in Halifax with a ride (and unlimited kilometers) we decided to do a little cruising. We eventually settled on having breakfast in Clayton Park and then doing a quick drive-by on the Bayers Lake shopping district. Not surprisingly, most of the stores and businesses were not open today, which was a little disappointing as this is likely the last time we will have car access for the next few months.
By about noon we had finally made it back to the apartment and had time to unpack most of our belongings (some of which were previously owned, others of which we acquired while in St. John's). All three of us then decided to go for afternoon naps, which I think were necessary as none of had even close to 4 hours of sleep.
Though we don't have too many specific plans for our first night back in town, we are thinking that we might head out to catch a movie at Bayers Lake (which would be quite an inconvenience without a car). As of tomorrow we will have to try to get back on something of a regular schedule, which should be assisted by a few commitments that we each have in the coming days.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Convocation weekend
As some of you may recall, a few weeks ago I successfully defended and submitted my MA thesis. This meant that I had satisfied the requirements for the Master of Arts degree in Political Science at Dalhousie. I didn't think that this was particularly big news, but it seems that a few people in my family did.
On Thursday evening, a few hours later than originally expected, my grandmother arrived in Halifax with the intention of attending my convocation ceremony. My sister and mother were to, and did, arrive on Friday afternoon for the same reason.
Prior to my mother and sister's arrival I met my grandmother at her hotel (we didn't have room for three) where we had a very pleasant lunch together. Shortly after we parted ways so that I could go to the university and pick up my academic gown, as well as submit a paper.
Not too long after I eventually made it back to the apartment I was able to contact my mother and sister, who had arrived in the intervening period, and suggest that instead of driving through the Valley in the rain they come to our apartment for dinner. Though there was a little bit of confusion about communication and when people would arrive, they eventually did show up and I cooked us all dinner.
That evening, after a few games of Fluxx, Kirsten talked my mother and I into joining her for a dip in her hotel's pool. I think that we were all rather surprised by how big and deep the pool was for a hotel pool on the second floor of a hotel. The other nice aspect of the set-up was that they had a hot tub. As I hadn't been in a hot tub in quite a number of years I was quite keen to see if I still liked them as much as I remembered liking them. It turns out that they were as good as I remember, though I think I may have stayed in a little long as I definitely felt a little faint by the time we got out.
After a group breakfast on Saturday morning we all went back to our respective sleeping locations to either prepare for the afternoon's convocation ceremony, sleep, or engage in some combination of both activities. I know that I managed to sleep for a few minutes before throwing on my convocation garb.
We all made our way to 'The Cohn' about an hour before the event was to start. I arrived at this time because that was when the graduands were instructed to arrive. The other arrived at this time because an additional ticked was needed and this was when they were planning on distributing the extra tickets. Fortunately, within moments of arriving Kirsten was able to secure the needed ticket, allowing me to go upstairs to the staging area with a relative degree of comfort that things weren't going to be screwed.
Almost as soon as I entered the area where all of the graduands I came across a, now former, classmate. We spoke for a few minutes when a third classmate joined us. As it turns out, of the 11 of us who started as MA candidates last September, we were the only three political science MA students to show up for the convocation ceremony. Actually, I got the sense that quite a number of the graduands were no shows. It was so sparsely attended that I was fifth last in the alphabetical line-up even though my last name normally puts me in the middle of most lines.
At the appropriate time the graduands were assembled two-by-two in lines. After what seemed like about 5 order checks we eventually made our way to the auditorium. As it turns out, as MA students, we were relatively near the end of the batch of graduands, though there were a few computer science types and Ph.D. students after us.
Once we made it into the auditorium and were seated things began to move quite quickly. Before I knew it they had started getting the Bachelors students up on stage. Eventually we were moved from our seats to the staging aisle. They had planned things so that once standing no one would have to stand that long.
After just a few minutes my name was called and I was making my way across the stage. Of course I am sure that I slouched and screwed up the timing, but I guess there isn't much I can do about it now. That being said, I think part of the problem is that I had no idea what to expect when I reached the Chancellor in the middle of the stage, this part of the ceremony wasn't explained to us at all. As it turns out he basically just says good luck and you move on (no hand shaking because of the swine flu). It was generally rather awkward, particularly as nothing really happens (they don't hood you like they do at MUN convocations).
After all of the graduates had been on stage they started the honourary doctorate part of the ceremony. The recipient of the ceremony's honourary degree was the Music Director (and sometimes conductor?) of Symphony Nova Scotia, Bernhard Gueller.
After Gueller's talk things wrapped up quickly and we made our way our to the lobby. Once in the lobby I again ran into one of my former classmates, and then my history professor (who happens to also, be the Associate Dean of Arts and Social Sciences). Eventually, my mother located me, and after a little chatting and photo taking we make our way across the lobby to find Rebecca, Kirsten, and my mother.
After a little bit of indecisiveness and dilly-dallying (along with a few cookies and some juice) we made our way through the building to find a place where we could take some pictures. Eventually, after a few photos, we were ready to leave.
Shortly after leaving we decided to head directly to dinner. After some more indecisiveness and a little bit of snarkiness we settled on the Mongolie Grill (so that everyone could get the ingredients and quantity they wanted). All things considered, I think that the meal went well (though I was definitely tired and not in a celebratory mood).
After dinner we returned to the apartment to kill time (and my chances to study) while my mother waited for Neil's plane to arrive so that she could head out to pick him up from the airport (he was attending a conference for matheletes in Atlanta for the better part of the week).
This morning we again went out for a group breakfast, mainly so that Neil could get a chance to see grandma (and because we all needed to eat). After breakfast Rebecca and I returned to the apartment while The Ladies + Neil made their way to the Valley for some apple picking and touring.
Eventually, the group went to the airport to drop my grandmother off for her flight only to find that one leg of her trip had been cancelled. The eventual result was that she was re-booked for a new set of flights tonight and will be crashing with us tonight (I imagine it has been a few years since she has spent the night on a futon in a student apartment).
Anyway, I am now trying to catch up on some school work and reading while the rest of them are playing euchre in the living room. If the pots get to big I may have to go in and say something, but until then I think I can probably trust them by themselves for a while.
So tomorrow brings us back to another week of school, the main difference being that will have visitors (my grandmother for the morning and my mother the next few days). I imagine that I will feel my slack work weekend in the very near future, maybe as soon as tomorrow morning's class.
On Thursday evening, a few hours later than originally expected, my grandmother arrived in Halifax with the intention of attending my convocation ceremony. My sister and mother were to, and did, arrive on Friday afternoon for the same reason.
Prior to my mother and sister's arrival I met my grandmother at her hotel (we didn't have room for three) where we had a very pleasant lunch together. Shortly after we parted ways so that I could go to the university and pick up my academic gown, as well as submit a paper.
Not too long after I eventually made it back to the apartment I was able to contact my mother and sister, who had arrived in the intervening period, and suggest that instead of driving through the Valley in the rain they come to our apartment for dinner. Though there was a little bit of confusion about communication and when people would arrive, they eventually did show up and I cooked us all dinner.
That evening, after a few games of Fluxx, Kirsten talked my mother and I into joining her for a dip in her hotel's pool. I think that we were all rather surprised by how big and deep the pool was for a hotel pool on the second floor of a hotel. The other nice aspect of the set-up was that they had a hot tub. As I hadn't been in a hot tub in quite a number of years I was quite keen to see if I still liked them as much as I remembered liking them. It turns out that they were as good as I remember, though I think I may have stayed in a little long as I definitely felt a little faint by the time we got out.
After a group breakfast on Saturday morning we all went back to our respective sleeping locations to either prepare for the afternoon's convocation ceremony, sleep, or engage in some combination of both activities. I know that I managed to sleep for a few minutes before throwing on my convocation garb.
We all made our way to 'The Cohn' about an hour before the event was to start. I arrived at this time because that was when the graduands were instructed to arrive. The other arrived at this time because an additional ticked was needed and this was when they were planning on distributing the extra tickets. Fortunately, within moments of arriving Kirsten was able to secure the needed ticket, allowing me to go upstairs to the staging area with a relative degree of comfort that things weren't going to be screwed.
Almost as soon as I entered the area where all of the graduands I came across a, now former, classmate. We spoke for a few minutes when a third classmate joined us. As it turns out, of the 11 of us who started as MA candidates last September, we were the only three political science MA students to show up for the convocation ceremony. Actually, I got the sense that quite a number of the graduands were no shows. It was so sparsely attended that I was fifth last in the alphabetical line-up even though my last name normally puts me in the middle of most lines.
At the appropriate time the graduands were assembled two-by-two in lines. After what seemed like about 5 order checks we eventually made our way to the auditorium. As it turns out, as MA students, we were relatively near the end of the batch of graduands, though there were a few computer science types and Ph.D. students after us.
Once we made it into the auditorium and were seated things began to move quite quickly. Before I knew it they had started getting the Bachelors students up on stage. Eventually we were moved from our seats to the staging aisle. They had planned things so that once standing no one would have to stand that long.
After just a few minutes my name was called and I was making my way across the stage. Of course I am sure that I slouched and screwed up the timing, but I guess there isn't much I can do about it now. That being said, I think part of the problem is that I had no idea what to expect when I reached the Chancellor in the middle of the stage, this part of the ceremony wasn't explained to us at all. As it turns out he basically just says good luck and you move on (no hand shaking because of the swine flu). It was generally rather awkward, particularly as nothing really happens (they don't hood you like they do at MUN convocations).
After all of the graduates had been on stage they started the honourary doctorate part of the ceremony. The recipient of the ceremony's honourary degree was the Music Director (and sometimes conductor?) of Symphony Nova Scotia, Bernhard Gueller.
After Gueller's talk things wrapped up quickly and we made our way our to the lobby. Once in the lobby I again ran into one of my former classmates, and then my history professor (who happens to also, be the Associate Dean of Arts and Social Sciences). Eventually, my mother located me, and after a little chatting and photo taking we make our way across the lobby to find Rebecca, Kirsten, and my mother.
After a little bit of indecisiveness and dilly-dallying (along with a few cookies and some juice) we made our way through the building to find a place where we could take some pictures. Eventually, after a few photos, we were ready to leave.
Shortly after leaving we decided to head directly to dinner. After some more indecisiveness and a little bit of snarkiness we settled on the Mongolie Grill (so that everyone could get the ingredients and quantity they wanted). All things considered, I think that the meal went well (though I was definitely tired and not in a celebratory mood).
After dinner we returned to the apartment to kill time (and my chances to study) while my mother waited for Neil's plane to arrive so that she could head out to pick him up from the airport (he was attending a conference for matheletes in Atlanta for the better part of the week).
This morning we again went out for a group breakfast, mainly so that Neil could get a chance to see grandma (and because we all needed to eat). After breakfast Rebecca and I returned to the apartment while The Ladies + Neil made their way to the Valley for some apple picking and touring.
Eventually, the group went to the airport to drop my grandmother off for her flight only to find that one leg of her trip had been cancelled. The eventual result was that she was re-booked for a new set of flights tonight and will be crashing with us tonight (I imagine it has been a few years since she has spent the night on a futon in a student apartment).
Anyway, I am now trying to catch up on some school work and reading while the rest of them are playing euchre in the living room. If the pots get to big I may have to go in and say something, but until then I think I can probably trust them by themselves for a while.
So tomorrow brings us back to another week of school, the main difference being that will have visitors (my grandmother for the morning and my mother the next few days). I imagine that I will feel my slack work weekend in the very near future, maybe as soon as tomorrow morning's class.
Friday, May 08, 2009
More Exciting YouTube Content
Well it has been a few days since I posted my last YouTube video, so I thought I might post another enthralling video. I like to think of myself as a bit of a YouTube hit machine.
Actually, there is a slightly better justification in this this case. My Uncle brought a camera with him and was interested in how it worked and what could be done with it. Using the Flip Video camera and proprietary software I created this somewhat boring and poorly edited piece of something. Unfortunately the software wasn't quite as versatile as I might have liked (though I think that there may be a way around this problem).
[Embedded video]
If all goes as planned you might even see a few more such videos from our upcoming touring activities.
Actually, there is a slightly better justification in this this case. My Uncle brought a camera with him and was interested in how it worked and what could be done with it. Using the Flip Video camera and proprietary software I created this somewhat boring and poorly edited piece of something. Unfortunately the software wasn't quite as versatile as I might have liked (though I think that there may be a way around this problem).
[Embedded video]
If all goes as planned you might even see a few more such videos from our upcoming touring activities.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Sint Maarten: Day 17
At about 5:15 AM I woke to find that my father had already risen and showered. Almost immediately I went in to clean up. Once I was done in the bathroom I packed our dirty clothes and my belongings. We then went down to the main floor to check on the continental breakfast and the shuttle.
As it happened, they were loading a shuttle as we exited the lobby. We thought that we would head over just to check things out, and maybe to find the schedule. It also became clear that again there was a bit of a backlog and that things may take longer than one would want. As we approached the shuttle it was clear that many people weren’t going to make this particular journey. Somehow, just as this was becoming clear to us, one of the individuals who wasn’t going to make the trip because of space constraints pointed out to the driver that we didn’t have luggage and that we would fit. So at the last moment we made our way onto the shuttle for the three-minute journey to the AirTrain station.
Unlike like our first trip on the AirTrain, our second journey required us to visit all of the terminals, even those we had no interest in seeing. Fortunately, the train wasn’t too busy and seemed to move quickly from one stop to the next.
Once in the airport we were able to go directly to security as we had already checked our bags to Montreal. This was a relatively quick process, and certainly more painless than in smaller North American centers, but nowhere near as painless as Sint Maarten.
Soon enough we were through security and on our way to our gate, which we thought we would check out before getting some breakfast. As we continued walking we realized that our gate was quite a ways out, and that we likely wouldn’t be able to make it back to the restaurants at the beginning of the journey as they were just too far away.
Fortunately, just as our gate came into view so did a final food service establishment. After a quick examination of the menu we learned that they sold basic breakfast sandwiches for reasonable prices, and even dropped 30 cents if you didn’t have cheese. Even more pleasant than the low price was that the fact that the sandwiches were actually relatively large, and very satisfying. I was also very satisfied with the coffee that I purchased, it was much better than I expected.
Soon enough we were able to board our plane. For the first time on our trip my father and I were actually assigned seats next to one another, which was a pleasant change.
Both of us fell asleep very quickly, before the plane even left the ground. I ended up waking up and reading while my father continued to sleep. Eventually both of us were up and served drinks by the very competent and pleasant flight attendant. Unlike most Canadian flights, the flight attendant actually came back and offered us a second round of drinks (and this is on a flight that is only about an hour long).
Once in Montreal we raced off the plane and to the immigration screening area. We were the first people, possibly of the day, but certainly of the flight, to make it through. Though we were asked a few questions there were no problems.
We then moved down to the baggage claim area where I went to the bathroom. By the time I returned our bags were making their way along the conveyor system. Our only real delay then was that my father also wanted to use the bathroom, causing us to wait a minute or two during the entire process.
Customs was even less problematic than immigration and we were able to exit the secure area and enter the arrivals area.
While at the airport we went to the ticketing counter to try to change my flight itinerary so that I could spend some time in Halifax on my way to St. John’s. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t let me change the schedule without paying a change fee and the cost of the new fare. This made the trip impractical, as one of the main reasons was to reduce shipping costs, which would be less than the change to the itinerary.
We then made our way to the shuttle bus. While at the ticket counter we were told that there would be another shuttle at the main bus station that would transport us to our final destination, which we thought would be McGill. Soon after taking our seats we were on our way, reaching the bus station in a very respectable time. Soon after arriving at the bus station we noticed a particular individual who seemed to be associated with the bus company. My father was convinced that this particular man was the shuttle driver. Eventually my father approached this man and learned that he was in fact the shuttle driver.
Much to our surprise, instead of ending up a Sherbrooke Street hotel, the driver dropped us off at my door. This was particularly nice as by the time we boarded this second bus it had started to rain, and was raining quite heavily by the time we reached my apartment.
Soon after arriving and dropping off our bags we went out to Place Milton for lunch. As it happened to be a holiday they were only serving breakfast, meaning that I wasn’t able to purchase the hamburger that I had hoped to order.
Once we had finished lunch we started on the packing. Basically we needed to back my belongings in both suitcases and boxes by the following afternoon, at which point we needed to head out to the airport to catch a flight to St. John’s.
Amazingly, we were able to pack about 6 boxes and the better part of four suitcases in a number of hours. By time we finished packing for the evening it was dinnertime, meaning that we had done what we needed to in about 4 or 5 hours. This was a much more efficient operation than I had originally expected, but that is fine with me. Our productivity meant that we had a much more relaxing and productive day the following day.
After dinner, which we ate a restaurant on St. Catherine, my father and I hand-trucked a load of beer bottles over to the local grocery store. I was able to get about $14 from the load, which was nice. The only downside was that it wasn’t quite enough to cover the dozen beer and bag of pretzels that we were purchasing.
Shortly after returning to the apartment Liam arrived for a poker game that Nithum was arranging. Eventually Dougal and Nithum also arrived, allowing us to start the game. Eventually one additional player arrived. As it turned out, the latecomer was the big winner.
Soon after finishing playing poker we hit the sack. Both of us were able to get to sleep relatively quickly as we were going on about 4 hours of sleep.
As it happened, they were loading a shuttle as we exited the lobby. We thought that we would head over just to check things out, and maybe to find the schedule. It also became clear that again there was a bit of a backlog and that things may take longer than one would want. As we approached the shuttle it was clear that many people weren’t going to make this particular journey. Somehow, just as this was becoming clear to us, one of the individuals who wasn’t going to make the trip because of space constraints pointed out to the driver that we didn’t have luggage and that we would fit. So at the last moment we made our way onto the shuttle for the three-minute journey to the AirTrain station.
Unlike like our first trip on the AirTrain, our second journey required us to visit all of the terminals, even those we had no interest in seeing. Fortunately, the train wasn’t too busy and seemed to move quickly from one stop to the next.
Once in the airport we were able to go directly to security as we had already checked our bags to Montreal. This was a relatively quick process, and certainly more painless than in smaller North American centers, but nowhere near as painless as Sint Maarten.
Soon enough we were through security and on our way to our gate, which we thought we would check out before getting some breakfast. As we continued walking we realized that our gate was quite a ways out, and that we likely wouldn’t be able to make it back to the restaurants at the beginning of the journey as they were just too far away.
Fortunately, just as our gate came into view so did a final food service establishment. After a quick examination of the menu we learned that they sold basic breakfast sandwiches for reasonable prices, and even dropped 30 cents if you didn’t have cheese. Even more pleasant than the low price was that the fact that the sandwiches were actually relatively large, and very satisfying. I was also very satisfied with the coffee that I purchased, it was much better than I expected.
Soon enough we were able to board our plane. For the first time on our trip my father and I were actually assigned seats next to one another, which was a pleasant change.
Both of us fell asleep very quickly, before the plane even left the ground. I ended up waking up and reading while my father continued to sleep. Eventually both of us were up and served drinks by the very competent and pleasant flight attendant. Unlike most Canadian flights, the flight attendant actually came back and offered us a second round of drinks (and this is on a flight that is only about an hour long).
Once in Montreal we raced off the plane and to the immigration screening area. We were the first people, possibly of the day, but certainly of the flight, to make it through. Though we were asked a few questions there were no problems.
We then moved down to the baggage claim area where I went to the bathroom. By the time I returned our bags were making their way along the conveyor system. Our only real delay then was that my father also wanted to use the bathroom, causing us to wait a minute or two during the entire process.
Customs was even less problematic than immigration and we were able to exit the secure area and enter the arrivals area.
While at the airport we went to the ticketing counter to try to change my flight itinerary so that I could spend some time in Halifax on my way to St. John’s. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t let me change the schedule without paying a change fee and the cost of the new fare. This made the trip impractical, as one of the main reasons was to reduce shipping costs, which would be less than the change to the itinerary.
We then made our way to the shuttle bus. While at the ticket counter we were told that there would be another shuttle at the main bus station that would transport us to our final destination, which we thought would be McGill. Soon after taking our seats we were on our way, reaching the bus station in a very respectable time. Soon after arriving at the bus station we noticed a particular individual who seemed to be associated with the bus company. My father was convinced that this particular man was the shuttle driver. Eventually my father approached this man and learned that he was in fact the shuttle driver.
Much to our surprise, instead of ending up a Sherbrooke Street hotel, the driver dropped us off at my door. This was particularly nice as by the time we boarded this second bus it had started to rain, and was raining quite heavily by the time we reached my apartment.
Soon after arriving and dropping off our bags we went out to Place Milton for lunch. As it happened to be a holiday they were only serving breakfast, meaning that I wasn’t able to purchase the hamburger that I had hoped to order.
Once we had finished lunch we started on the packing. Basically we needed to back my belongings in both suitcases and boxes by the following afternoon, at which point we needed to head out to the airport to catch a flight to St. John’s.
Amazingly, we were able to pack about 6 boxes and the better part of four suitcases in a number of hours. By time we finished packing for the evening it was dinnertime, meaning that we had done what we needed to in about 4 or 5 hours. This was a much more efficient operation than I had originally expected, but that is fine with me. Our productivity meant that we had a much more relaxing and productive day the following day.
After dinner, which we ate a restaurant on St. Catherine, my father and I hand-trucked a load of beer bottles over to the local grocery store. I was able to get about $14 from the load, which was nice. The only downside was that it wasn’t quite enough to cover the dozen beer and bag of pretzels that we were purchasing.
Shortly after returning to the apartment Liam arrived for a poker game that Nithum was arranging. Eventually Dougal and Nithum also arrived, allowing us to start the game. Eventually one additional player arrived. As it turned out, the latecomer was the big winner.
Soon after finishing playing poker we hit the sack. Both of us were able to get to sleep relatively quickly as we were going on about 4 hours of sleep.
Sint Maarten: Day 16
To continue the trend my father and I awoke before 8:00 AM (though I did think that I had slept in when I got out of bed). This early rising time was actually quite good as we were expecting the physiology department chair to stop by at about 8:00 to pick up the new visiting faculty member. While at the apartment there were a few things that my father was to pass over, concluding his work of the university.
At the appointed hour the department chair arrived as planned. Shortly after arriving she invited my father and I to join herself and the new faculty member for breakfast in Marigot. Without much hesitation we agreed to go. I was particularly keen to go, as we didn’t really have that much food left in the apartment.
The selected breakfast location was a bakery/pastry shop in the centre of Marigot. Almost as soon as I walked under the awning I was pretty sure that I would be able to find something satisfactory on the menu. Eventually I ordered fried eggs and bacon (which also came with some bread). We also had a basket of croissants for the table. As it turned out, though this was not my plan, I had two of the four croissants. Much to my surprise, these were some of the best croissants that I have had in years, they alone would have been worth the trip.
Soon after finishing breakfast my father and I started to make our way back to our apartment while the women with whom we had breakfast continued on to Pinel Island, which is just of the coast from the beach at Orient Bay.
Once back at the apartment my father finished a few practice questions that he promised the students while I continued with some recreational reading. Soon enough we were both in a position to head to the airport to check in. We had decided to do this to beat any afternoon rush that might occur.
Upon arriving at the airport it was immediately clear that we had definitely arrived before any possible rush. From the time that we entered the airport to the time that we had deposited our bags and were heading back to the car was less than 15 minutes, qualifying us for free parking.
Instead of waiting for our arranged ride to the airport at 1:30 we decided to just head down here almost as soon as we were back at the university. Arriving early wasn’t such a problem, as we basically just would have been waiting around no matter where we were.
We did try to contact the gentleman who was to give us a ride, but we were without luck. My father suggested that we just try to catch the bus to Maho and then walk the rest of the way. While waiting for the bus to arrive a taxi pulled up. While my father was discussing matters with the driver a couple from the US offered us a ride. Since the taxi would have only been able to take us after he dealt with another fare the couple’s offered seemed like the way to go.
It turned out that the couple was from New York. After a few minutes of conversation we learned that the male had actually likely worked on various construction projects (including the demolition of a Con Ed plant) just blocks away from where I used to live in New York.
Almost as soon as we arrived in the airport we passed through security. This process, unlike similar processes in the United States and Canada, was relatively painless. When I walked through the metal detector with my belt the guard allowed me to remove my belt and try again. In most parts of North America such an obvious problem would cause the passenger to be subjected to a full body cavity search. The other thing that was impressive was that the screeners were clearly capable of picking up offending items while also moving people through the process at about twice the speed. It also didn’t hurt that the staff were much more pleasant than their Canadian counterparts.
Once in the secure section of the airport my father and I walked around for a while. We checked out various duty free places and available restaurant options. Eventually we decided to buy iced teas a convenience store like shop. While this wasn’t the classiest facility, it didn’t seem to be as outrageously priced as some of the other options.
Once we finished our iced teas we continued our journey through the departures waiting area. Soon enough we came across the business lounge. A sign on the wall next to the door that the admittance fee was only $20 and that a range of foods, wine, and services were available. As we had at least two hours to kill until boarding time we decided to go for it and pay the entry fee.
Almost as soon as we entered the lounge it was clear that we had made the correct decision. My father immediately grabbed a few of the warm meaty snacks while I went for a few of the miniature baked goods. Both of us were also able to take advantage of the free beverage offerings. I had a number of cups of coffee, at least four, while my father, if I recall correctly, had something to drink. Eventually, we both switched to wine (I had some white while my father went for the red) and ended up having three glasses apiece before boarding the plane.
During our stay in the lounge we were also able to take advantage some of the other services. Both of us were able to sit in comfortable chairs with easy access to tables (something that was particularly important as beverages and food were on the scene). My father was able to use the public access internet terminal to take care of a few internet related matters while I was able to use the free wireless internet connection to do some email and other web type things.
Before boarding our plane we noticed that there was a 747 at the airport, the first we had seen in Sint Maarten. Immediately both of us thought about how exciting it would have been to see it land as well as to see the impending take-off.
Soon after we boarded the plane and then pulled away from the jet-way it became clear that we were likely to be delayed for some time. It seems that the 747 was in the line ahead of us and needed to take off from the ‘end’ of the runway, rather than the ‘beginning,’ as is done by most planes.
Not only did this change in protocol mean that the plane had to make it all the way up to the other end of the runway at a slow rate of speed, but also that a few approaching planes were allowed to land before the runway became occupied by the large plane’s trip down the runway.
Eventually the 747 took off and the new backlog of landing planes was cleared. 50 minutes after our scheduled departure we were finally able to make it into the air.
While still sitting on the runway my father, who was sitting across the aisle from me, started talking to the couple seated next to him. Due to my proximity to the conversation I was able to hear what my father was saying, and some of what the couple was saying. One thing that was immediately clear was that these people seemed to be a relatively friendly and talkative couple. It seems that the couple, who were from San Francisco, were on the island for a friend’s wedding. On and off throughout the flight my father spoke to these people about a variety of matters.
The couple sitting to my right were a very different matter. Almost as soon as they were seated they opened a variety of snacks and proceeded to chow down. The strange part about this was the way in which the seemingly picky female member of the couple went about this. Instead of deciding that she wasn’t interested in something, or that she was interested, she seemed to rip small pieces (or take small bites) of the food that was in the male’s hand. For some reason he seemed to be in charge of the food and all acquisitions made to suit his tastes. Eventually these roles were somewhat reversed when the drinks cart came around and the female seemed to be in charge of ordering and allocating quantities (the drinks were also kept on her tray).
Strangely, neither my father nor I was able to sleep on the flight. Actually, my lack of ability to sleep may have been caused by the iced tea and four or five cups of coffee that I had recently consumed. I don’t know what was working against my father. This lack of sleep meant that when the started showing the second movie that we both ended making the simultaneous, but unrelated, decision to watch it.
As I didn’t really have much else to do I can’t really say that I wasted time by watching the film, but I can say I wasn’t particularly impressed. It seems that the filmmakers were particularly taken with the use of green screens, or whatever that technology is properly called, instead of actually visiting a location or hiring stuntmen.
Soon after the end of the movie we started our descent into JFK. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to make up time, as had been suggested by the pilot, and instead ended up losing an additional twenty minutes by the time we reached the gate. I guess I should be clear that much of this time loss occurred while we were sitting on the tarmac waiting to approach a gate.
Eventually we were able to de-plane and head through immigration, or whichever branch of Homeland Security is taking care of that first stage of the process. Aside from a few circles on our declaration card there were no problems with this process and we were able to proceed to the baggage claim area.
After a wait of about an hour we finally were able to acquire our bags and head on to the next step of the customs/immigration process. At this step we again handed over our declaration card to an agent. Upon examining the various circles he noticed that we were supposedly bringing some kind of plant life into the country. He asked what it was we were bringing in. My father then pulled an apple, which happened to have been grown in the US, out of his pocket and handed it to the agent. After briefly inspecting the apple and setting it on a table the agent asked us if that was all we had. Once we informed him that that was it we were allowed to go on our way. Oddly, the apple made it into the country even though it was being dealt with as though it was a potential threat. It seems almost as though these things are considered threats only if you aren’t making money on them. We all know that huge quantities of produce are shipped into the US from foreign nations every day, including from various Caribbean islands.
Once we passed the final staged the customs/immigration charade we started to look for the baggage drop-off point. Though we were staying in New York for the night our bags were checked al the way through Montreal. Eventually we did find the location. Instead of it being like most places where one can just drop their bags, in this case there were airline agents and a line. Eventually it became clear that all kinds of people were trying to re-book flights at the drop-off location, and that in some cases the workers at the drop-off station were actually helping them.
After waiting a few minutes we were told that the station was closed and that we should go to the third floor. As this made absolutely no sense we just stayed where we were in line and continued to wait. Eventually, after several exhortations to move to the third floor, we finally were able to talk to make it clear that we just wanted to drop off our bags and be on our way. Not surprisingly, as it was a baggage drop-off point, they accepted our bags without further hassle.
We then had to figure out how to go from where we were to our hotel, which we both believed was in the airport. After examining various signs and information boards we eventually gathered that we had to make our way, via the AirTrain system, to Federal Circle. After encountering several misleading and conflicting signs we eventually made our way to the nearest train station. Fortunately the first stop was the one for us. We then had to make our way from the train section of the station to the airport shuttle section of the station (which seemed a little strange for an airport that was at the airport).
As we continued waiting for our shuttle it became apparent that we weren’t the only ones going to our hotel. Actually, most of the people that had been there a long time were going to our hotel. It seems that for some unexplained reason our hotel’s shuttle hadn’t come by in a very long time.
After a relatively long wait one woman who had a reservation at our hotel made her way over to some waiting buses to see if they could be persuaded to give us a ride, or if they might know how we could walk there. When she returned she had learned that walking wasn’t really a possibility, and they clearly hadn’t agreed to give her a ride.
As we were in the hotel shuttle area we weren’t near any taxis or other forms of transportation that could take us where we wanted to go. This was very frustrating as it was clear that our hotel shuttle was not operating on a regular schedule.
Eventually the woman who had investigated other options and the man with whom she was traveling decided to try to take a cab to the hotel. As much as I like the idea of getting there quickly I knew that this would mean heading back to the train, waiting for the train, riding the train, and then making my way to the taxi area to wait for a taxi before finally being on my way.
Eventually, after we had been waiting for about an hour, the hotel shuttle began to approach. As it neared the curb a mass of people, maybe half of those waiting, raced to the door. As soon as the door opened pushed their way aboard. Fortunately, due to a good location in the waiting area, and the fact that we weren’t slowed down by luggage, we were able to make it aboard the over crowded bus.
As the bus closed its doors and started to make its way towards the hotel a man started to chase the bus and try to get the driver to stop. Whether the driver did or did not see the man was unclear. What was clear was that my father asked the driver to stop and he did not.
At about this time the shuttle started to make its first turn on the journey back to the hotel. As soon as the shuttle entered these turns it became even more apparent that the bus was overloaded. The floor began to twist and buckle with the first turn as we as with each subsequent turn. As the ride progressed I became very worried that the bus was just going to fall apart on the way to the hotel. Feeling the floor twist below one’s feet is certainly not pleasant and does not make for a relaxing journey.
Fortunately the ride was short, only about four minutes. This actually caused us further confusion as to the cause of the delay and why the online description suggested that the hotel was located in the airport.
Even though it was after midnight there was a long check-in line in the lobby of the hotel. The people from the shuttle managed to make the line seem monstrous. As neither my father nor I were particularly pleased with the situation my father thought he might try calling the company through which we booked are room.
Moments after he left me to wait in line while he made the phone call the couple that had left the shuttle area to find a taxi arrived. It seems that once they made it back to the taxi area they couldn’t immediately find a driver that knew how to get to our hotel. When they finally did get a cab the driver made a wrong turn, delaying them again.
Eventually my father returned from his phone call and reported that he had not been able to make any progress. He then suggested that he head to the hotel bar to pick up a few beers for us to have while we continued to wait in the live.
Within a few minutes of his return we were able to sign in and head up to our room. As we left the elevator and started to head down the hall to our room we noticed that the room doors were very near each other, much closer than one would want.
As expected the room was quite small, basically just big enough for two beds and two dressers. The bathroom was also quite compact. In both cases the facilities were large enough for what we needed, but certainly not luxurious.
Shortly after stashing our things we returned to the main floor to visit the hotel bar for another beer. This time we sat at the bar to drink. Something that was quite strange about the bar was that it was recessed, meaning the bar tender’s head was close to level with ours, though we were seated on regular height chairs. Though the bar didn’t sell any food and the restaurant and kitchen were closed my father was able to rustle up some food. He found a wine decanter full of bar snacks that he then proceeded to eat rather quickly. I had a chocolate bar and pouch of crackers when returned to our room.
Unfortunately, the delays and subsequent trip to the bar meant that we only had enough time for about 4 hours of sleep before we needed to head back to the airport to catch our flight to Montreal.
At the appointed hour the department chair arrived as planned. Shortly after arriving she invited my father and I to join herself and the new faculty member for breakfast in Marigot. Without much hesitation we agreed to go. I was particularly keen to go, as we didn’t really have that much food left in the apartment.
The selected breakfast location was a bakery/pastry shop in the centre of Marigot. Almost as soon as I walked under the awning I was pretty sure that I would be able to find something satisfactory on the menu. Eventually I ordered fried eggs and bacon (which also came with some bread). We also had a basket of croissants for the table. As it turned out, though this was not my plan, I had two of the four croissants. Much to my surprise, these were some of the best croissants that I have had in years, they alone would have been worth the trip.
Soon after finishing breakfast my father and I started to make our way back to our apartment while the women with whom we had breakfast continued on to Pinel Island, which is just of the coast from the beach at Orient Bay.
Once back at the apartment my father finished a few practice questions that he promised the students while I continued with some recreational reading. Soon enough we were both in a position to head to the airport to check in. We had decided to do this to beat any afternoon rush that might occur.
Upon arriving at the airport it was immediately clear that we had definitely arrived before any possible rush. From the time that we entered the airport to the time that we had deposited our bags and were heading back to the car was less than 15 minutes, qualifying us for free parking.
Instead of waiting for our arranged ride to the airport at 1:30 we decided to just head down here almost as soon as we were back at the university. Arriving early wasn’t such a problem, as we basically just would have been waiting around no matter where we were.
We did try to contact the gentleman who was to give us a ride, but we were without luck. My father suggested that we just try to catch the bus to Maho and then walk the rest of the way. While waiting for the bus to arrive a taxi pulled up. While my father was discussing matters with the driver a couple from the US offered us a ride. Since the taxi would have only been able to take us after he dealt with another fare the couple’s offered seemed like the way to go.
It turned out that the couple was from New York. After a few minutes of conversation we learned that the male had actually likely worked on various construction projects (including the demolition of a Con Ed plant) just blocks away from where I used to live in New York.
Almost as soon as we arrived in the airport we passed through security. This process, unlike similar processes in the United States and Canada, was relatively painless. When I walked through the metal detector with my belt the guard allowed me to remove my belt and try again. In most parts of North America such an obvious problem would cause the passenger to be subjected to a full body cavity search. The other thing that was impressive was that the screeners were clearly capable of picking up offending items while also moving people through the process at about twice the speed. It also didn’t hurt that the staff were much more pleasant than their Canadian counterparts.
Once in the secure section of the airport my father and I walked around for a while. We checked out various duty free places and available restaurant options. Eventually we decided to buy iced teas a convenience store like shop. While this wasn’t the classiest facility, it didn’t seem to be as outrageously priced as some of the other options.
Once we finished our iced teas we continued our journey through the departures waiting area. Soon enough we came across the business lounge. A sign on the wall next to the door that the admittance fee was only $20 and that a range of foods, wine, and services were available. As we had at least two hours to kill until boarding time we decided to go for it and pay the entry fee.
Almost as soon as we entered the lounge it was clear that we had made the correct decision. My father immediately grabbed a few of the warm meaty snacks while I went for a few of the miniature baked goods. Both of us were also able to take advantage of the free beverage offerings. I had a number of cups of coffee, at least four, while my father, if I recall correctly, had something to drink. Eventually, we both switched to wine (I had some white while my father went for the red) and ended up having three glasses apiece before boarding the plane.
During our stay in the lounge we were also able to take advantage some of the other services. Both of us were able to sit in comfortable chairs with easy access to tables (something that was particularly important as beverages and food were on the scene). My father was able to use the public access internet terminal to take care of a few internet related matters while I was able to use the free wireless internet connection to do some email and other web type things.
Before boarding our plane we noticed that there was a 747 at the airport, the first we had seen in Sint Maarten. Immediately both of us thought about how exciting it would have been to see it land as well as to see the impending take-off.
Soon after we boarded the plane and then pulled away from the jet-way it became clear that we were likely to be delayed for some time. It seems that the 747 was in the line ahead of us and needed to take off from the ‘end’ of the runway, rather than the ‘beginning,’ as is done by most planes.
Not only did this change in protocol mean that the plane had to make it all the way up to the other end of the runway at a slow rate of speed, but also that a few approaching planes were allowed to land before the runway became occupied by the large plane’s trip down the runway.
Eventually the 747 took off and the new backlog of landing planes was cleared. 50 minutes after our scheduled departure we were finally able to make it into the air.
While still sitting on the runway my father, who was sitting across the aisle from me, started talking to the couple seated next to him. Due to my proximity to the conversation I was able to hear what my father was saying, and some of what the couple was saying. One thing that was immediately clear was that these people seemed to be a relatively friendly and talkative couple. It seems that the couple, who were from San Francisco, were on the island for a friend’s wedding. On and off throughout the flight my father spoke to these people about a variety of matters.
The couple sitting to my right were a very different matter. Almost as soon as they were seated they opened a variety of snacks and proceeded to chow down. The strange part about this was the way in which the seemingly picky female member of the couple went about this. Instead of deciding that she wasn’t interested in something, or that she was interested, she seemed to rip small pieces (or take small bites) of the food that was in the male’s hand. For some reason he seemed to be in charge of the food and all acquisitions made to suit his tastes. Eventually these roles were somewhat reversed when the drinks cart came around and the female seemed to be in charge of ordering and allocating quantities (the drinks were also kept on her tray).
Strangely, neither my father nor I was able to sleep on the flight. Actually, my lack of ability to sleep may have been caused by the iced tea and four or five cups of coffee that I had recently consumed. I don’t know what was working against my father. This lack of sleep meant that when the started showing the second movie that we both ended making the simultaneous, but unrelated, decision to watch it.
As I didn’t really have much else to do I can’t really say that I wasted time by watching the film, but I can say I wasn’t particularly impressed. It seems that the filmmakers were particularly taken with the use of green screens, or whatever that technology is properly called, instead of actually visiting a location or hiring stuntmen.
Soon after the end of the movie we started our descent into JFK. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to make up time, as had been suggested by the pilot, and instead ended up losing an additional twenty minutes by the time we reached the gate. I guess I should be clear that much of this time loss occurred while we were sitting on the tarmac waiting to approach a gate.
Eventually we were able to de-plane and head through immigration, or whichever branch of Homeland Security is taking care of that first stage of the process. Aside from a few circles on our declaration card there were no problems with this process and we were able to proceed to the baggage claim area.
After a wait of about an hour we finally were able to acquire our bags and head on to the next step of the customs/immigration process. At this step we again handed over our declaration card to an agent. Upon examining the various circles he noticed that we were supposedly bringing some kind of plant life into the country. He asked what it was we were bringing in. My father then pulled an apple, which happened to have been grown in the US, out of his pocket and handed it to the agent. After briefly inspecting the apple and setting it on a table the agent asked us if that was all we had. Once we informed him that that was it we were allowed to go on our way. Oddly, the apple made it into the country even though it was being dealt with as though it was a potential threat. It seems almost as though these things are considered threats only if you aren’t making money on them. We all know that huge quantities of produce are shipped into the US from foreign nations every day, including from various Caribbean islands.
Once we passed the final staged the customs/immigration charade we started to look for the baggage drop-off point. Though we were staying in New York for the night our bags were checked al the way through Montreal. Eventually we did find the location. Instead of it being like most places where one can just drop their bags, in this case there were airline agents and a line. Eventually it became clear that all kinds of people were trying to re-book flights at the drop-off location, and that in some cases the workers at the drop-off station were actually helping them.
After waiting a few minutes we were told that the station was closed and that we should go to the third floor. As this made absolutely no sense we just stayed where we were in line and continued to wait. Eventually, after several exhortations to move to the third floor, we finally were able to talk to make it clear that we just wanted to drop off our bags and be on our way. Not surprisingly, as it was a baggage drop-off point, they accepted our bags without further hassle.
We then had to figure out how to go from where we were to our hotel, which we both believed was in the airport. After examining various signs and information boards we eventually gathered that we had to make our way, via the AirTrain system, to Federal Circle. After encountering several misleading and conflicting signs we eventually made our way to the nearest train station. Fortunately the first stop was the one for us. We then had to make our way from the train section of the station to the airport shuttle section of the station (which seemed a little strange for an airport that was at the airport).
As we continued waiting for our shuttle it became apparent that we weren’t the only ones going to our hotel. Actually, most of the people that had been there a long time were going to our hotel. It seems that for some unexplained reason our hotel’s shuttle hadn’t come by in a very long time.
After a relatively long wait one woman who had a reservation at our hotel made her way over to some waiting buses to see if they could be persuaded to give us a ride, or if they might know how we could walk there. When she returned she had learned that walking wasn’t really a possibility, and they clearly hadn’t agreed to give her a ride.
As we were in the hotel shuttle area we weren’t near any taxis or other forms of transportation that could take us where we wanted to go. This was very frustrating as it was clear that our hotel shuttle was not operating on a regular schedule.
Eventually the woman who had investigated other options and the man with whom she was traveling decided to try to take a cab to the hotel. As much as I like the idea of getting there quickly I knew that this would mean heading back to the train, waiting for the train, riding the train, and then making my way to the taxi area to wait for a taxi before finally being on my way.
Eventually, after we had been waiting for about an hour, the hotel shuttle began to approach. As it neared the curb a mass of people, maybe half of those waiting, raced to the door. As soon as the door opened pushed their way aboard. Fortunately, due to a good location in the waiting area, and the fact that we weren’t slowed down by luggage, we were able to make it aboard the over crowded bus.
As the bus closed its doors and started to make its way towards the hotel a man started to chase the bus and try to get the driver to stop. Whether the driver did or did not see the man was unclear. What was clear was that my father asked the driver to stop and he did not.
At about this time the shuttle started to make its first turn on the journey back to the hotel. As soon as the shuttle entered these turns it became even more apparent that the bus was overloaded. The floor began to twist and buckle with the first turn as we as with each subsequent turn. As the ride progressed I became very worried that the bus was just going to fall apart on the way to the hotel. Feeling the floor twist below one’s feet is certainly not pleasant and does not make for a relaxing journey.
Fortunately the ride was short, only about four minutes. This actually caused us further confusion as to the cause of the delay and why the online description suggested that the hotel was located in the airport.
Even though it was after midnight there was a long check-in line in the lobby of the hotel. The people from the shuttle managed to make the line seem monstrous. As neither my father nor I were particularly pleased with the situation my father thought he might try calling the company through which we booked are room.
Moments after he left me to wait in line while he made the phone call the couple that had left the shuttle area to find a taxi arrived. It seems that once they made it back to the taxi area they couldn’t immediately find a driver that knew how to get to our hotel. When they finally did get a cab the driver made a wrong turn, delaying them again.
Eventually my father returned from his phone call and reported that he had not been able to make any progress. He then suggested that he head to the hotel bar to pick up a few beers for us to have while we continued to wait in the live.
Within a few minutes of his return we were able to sign in and head up to our room. As we left the elevator and started to head down the hall to our room we noticed that the room doors were very near each other, much closer than one would want.
As expected the room was quite small, basically just big enough for two beds and two dressers. The bathroom was also quite compact. In both cases the facilities were large enough for what we needed, but certainly not luxurious.
Shortly after stashing our things we returned to the main floor to visit the hotel bar for another beer. This time we sat at the bar to drink. Something that was quite strange about the bar was that it was recessed, meaning the bar tender’s head was close to level with ours, though we were seated on regular height chairs. Though the bar didn’t sell any food and the restaurant and kitchen were closed my father was able to rustle up some food. He found a wine decanter full of bar snacks that he then proceeded to eat rather quickly. I had a chocolate bar and pouch of crackers when returned to our room.
Unfortunately, the delays and subsequent trip to the bar meant that we only had enough time for about 4 hours of sleep before we needed to head back to the airport to catch our flight to Montreal.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Sint Maarten: Day 15
My father and I, due to the impending arrival of another visiting faculty member who is to occupy our apartment for the next couple of weeks, had to share bedroom facilities last night. Fortunately, the room and bed are both quite large.
At about 4:00 AM we were both awoken by a loud noise. At first neither of us could figure out what was going on and where the noise was coming from. Eventually I realized that it was coming from the window next to my side of the bed.
I lifted up the blinds to see a young guy (presumably a student) pounding on our window. Once he noticed that we were aware of his presence he demanded that we open our door. Not surprisingly neither of us were all that inclined to do this. Somehow he motioned that we should meet him at the door. Once there my father was still disinclined to let him in, even though he continued to insist that we should.
Presumably this was just an incredibly drunk student who ended up at the wrong apartment and assumed it was his own. Hopefully this escapade didn’t play out again at the correct apartment. I can’t imagine that such an event would please a roommate greatly.
We eventually woke for the day at about 8:30. Our first order of the day was breakfast. We then made our way over to Mullet Beach for some morning snorkeling. The hope was that by going in the morning the water would be clearer than it had been during our recent afternoon visits.
Almost as soon as we arrived at Mullet Beach I had the sense that the water was likely on the cloudy side (though we could see some rocks). My father suggested that I go in and head all the way out to the headland to see if things were better out there. I would then give him the signal as to whether it would be worth his while to come in.
Two things that weren’t all that surprising then occurred. Firstly, I immediately noticed that the water lacked the desired clarity. It may have actually been cloudier (or more filled with sand and particulate matter) than during any of our earlier visits. Secondly, my father did not wait for me to give him the clear sign. Instead, basically as I was floating to put on my flippers he came in. Fortunately, I was able to get him to turn back before he made it all the way out to the headland area. As we were both heading in we realized that it was actually quite a dangerous location for snorkeling and swimming because one could be dashed on rocks that were previously unseen.
Once we were nicely de-sanitized and full salinized we made our way over to the grocery store to pick up a few last minute items. I was finally able to buy a few bars of Lifebuoy soap for a friend in St. John’s, and we also were able to buy a new box of garbage bags for the apartment. We then continued our journey to try and find a car wash and car vacuum cleaner. The latter of these to items was relatively easy to find, the former was quite challenging. We eventually gave up on the search and decided to just head to a place on the French side of the island that we knew had such a service
We returned to the apartment, where we both showered and cleaned up before heading back on the road. Soon enough we were back on the road and heading towards Marigot.
As we were near Baie Rouge my father spotted and iguana like lizard and asked if I had seen it. As I hadn’t seen it he suggested that we could go back to see it. This seemed as though this likely wouldn’t be worth our while, as lizards don’t have a tendency to hang around. He then informed me that the lizard was dead, so he was pretty sure that it would be there when we went back.
Two vehicles ran over the lizard just as we were approaching it. One squished the guts out while the other crushed the animal’s head. This meant that by the time I good a good look the carcass was a fair bit flatter and less lizard like than when my father had spotted it just a minute or so before.
Once we made it to the outskirts of Marigot we immediately found the car wash. We then observed that they also had vacuum cleaners. Soon enough our car was being cleaned by the Karcher brand automatic car wash. The most amazing thing about the process, aside from the lack of a building to house the machine, was how little water was used. The entire process likely only took a few litres of water. The air drying apparatus at the end of the wash was also quite neat. Sensors allowed the blower to follow the profile of the car instead of just blowing in the direction of the car.
We next moved over to the vacuum cleaner. I removed the mats while my father went in to get a token. I then stationed myself on one side of the car while he stationed himself on the other. We then proceeded to hand the wand back and forth to maximize the use of our limited sucking time. Though we didn’t have quite as much time as we could have used, we did make pretty good progress, certainly enough that the car won’t be an embarrassment when we transfer it to the next user.
Though unplanned, I ended up driving the car back to the Dutch side of the island and then all the way over to Simpson Bay. Once in Simpson Bay we made a few more last minute grocery store purchases. I was also able to get a coffee. While ordering my coffee in the McDonald’s (one of the few places that I have seen that offers take-out coffee) I noticed that they also sold beer (Heineken and Presidente). This is almost enough to make me want to go back and get a meal and a beer. The motivation is even greater because I wasn’t able to do so while in Paris thirteen years ago.
Once back in the apartment we had lunch, which killed off a fair bit of our remaining food. After lunch my father went back to work on his test questions while I proceeded to start dealing myself games of solitaire. All in all, it wasn’t a particularly successful series of solitaire games. Much to my surprise, my hours of recent playing time don’t really seem to have improved my skill level.
At about 3:30 we left the apartment to pick up the incoming visiting professor. We hoped to be able to get a video clip of the plane as it landed. Unfortunately, just about a block away from the university we saw a plane approaching the runway. By the time we reached the runway it was pretty clear that that was the plane we were hoping to see.
Though we arrived at the airport after the plane landed we were in the arrivals area long before the person we were picking up emerged. As soon as she did emerge we were able to head out to the car and head home.
After we spent a few minutes catching up (with particular emphasis on what my father had already taught the class) we, along with another visiting professor, made our way over to a restaurant for dinner. We had been invited to dinner by the chair of the physiology department.
The restaurant was built or floating on the lagoon. We were seated in a section of the restaurant that was quite far out into the lagoon.
Though the restaurant seemed to try to push the lobster, 60% of us went for the mahi-mahi. The newly arrived professor went for shrimp and the department chair went for filet mignon. In retrospect if I had known how large the filet mignon would be I would have chosen that instead of the fish (not to suggest that I wasn’t pleased with my selection).
Soon after we stopped eating we noticed that some fish were swimming around in water just behind where we were seated. Very quickly a very large (about four feet long) fish was spotted. This encouraged a little more attention to be paid to the section of water that was illuminated by the restaurant’s lighting system. For the most part we saw only minnow sized fish.
In the next few minutes a few more sightings of the same fish, or others of comparable size were made. Eventually, just as we were about to leave, my father spotted a large fish. He is quite sure that it was a shark, and though I didn’t get as clear a view, I do think that this is conceivable.
On our way back to the university we stopped at the grocery store so that the two visiting professors with whom we were traveling could pick up some groceries. While in the store I broke down and purchased a pouch of Red Man. For years, maybe since my first viewing of The Sandlot, I have wanted to try this stuff, though have never been inclined to pay full Newfoundland prices ($13.00) as I can’t imagine that it will do any thing for me except make me sick (and maybe a little light headed).
Once the shopping had been paid for and bagged my father retrieved the car from the underground parking lot behind the store. We then folded down the back seat of the car and loaded the groceries into the trunk. Unfortunately, about two bags didn’t quite fit, so they were then left in the back seat with our two passengers.
After we returned to the apartment my father and I started to pack while the new inhabitant started to put away her groceries and arrange the kitchen to her liking. Soon enough my father and I finished packing. Not surprisingly, he went back to question writing while I did some reading.
Eventually all three of us (meaning those staying in the apartment) headed off to bed. I know that I was asleep before my father, but I have no idea by what margin.
At about 4:00 AM we were both awoken by a loud noise. At first neither of us could figure out what was going on and where the noise was coming from. Eventually I realized that it was coming from the window next to my side of the bed.
I lifted up the blinds to see a young guy (presumably a student) pounding on our window. Once he noticed that we were aware of his presence he demanded that we open our door. Not surprisingly neither of us were all that inclined to do this. Somehow he motioned that we should meet him at the door. Once there my father was still disinclined to let him in, even though he continued to insist that we should.
Presumably this was just an incredibly drunk student who ended up at the wrong apartment and assumed it was his own. Hopefully this escapade didn’t play out again at the correct apartment. I can’t imagine that such an event would please a roommate greatly.
We eventually woke for the day at about 8:30. Our first order of the day was breakfast. We then made our way over to Mullet Beach for some morning snorkeling. The hope was that by going in the morning the water would be clearer than it had been during our recent afternoon visits.
Almost as soon as we arrived at Mullet Beach I had the sense that the water was likely on the cloudy side (though we could see some rocks). My father suggested that I go in and head all the way out to the headland to see if things were better out there. I would then give him the signal as to whether it would be worth his while to come in.
Two things that weren’t all that surprising then occurred. Firstly, I immediately noticed that the water lacked the desired clarity. It may have actually been cloudier (or more filled with sand and particulate matter) than during any of our earlier visits. Secondly, my father did not wait for me to give him the clear sign. Instead, basically as I was floating to put on my flippers he came in. Fortunately, I was able to get him to turn back before he made it all the way out to the headland area. As we were both heading in we realized that it was actually quite a dangerous location for snorkeling and swimming because one could be dashed on rocks that were previously unseen.
Once we were nicely de-sanitized and full salinized we made our way over to the grocery store to pick up a few last minute items. I was finally able to buy a few bars of Lifebuoy soap for a friend in St. John’s, and we also were able to buy a new box of garbage bags for the apartment. We then continued our journey to try and find a car wash and car vacuum cleaner. The latter of these to items was relatively easy to find, the former was quite challenging. We eventually gave up on the search and decided to just head to a place on the French side of the island that we knew had such a service
We returned to the apartment, where we both showered and cleaned up before heading back on the road. Soon enough we were back on the road and heading towards Marigot.
As we were near Baie Rouge my father spotted and iguana like lizard and asked if I had seen it. As I hadn’t seen it he suggested that we could go back to see it. This seemed as though this likely wouldn’t be worth our while, as lizards don’t have a tendency to hang around. He then informed me that the lizard was dead, so he was pretty sure that it would be there when we went back.
Two vehicles ran over the lizard just as we were approaching it. One squished the guts out while the other crushed the animal’s head. This meant that by the time I good a good look the carcass was a fair bit flatter and less lizard like than when my father had spotted it just a minute or so before.
Once we made it to the outskirts of Marigot we immediately found the car wash. We then observed that they also had vacuum cleaners. Soon enough our car was being cleaned by the Karcher brand automatic car wash. The most amazing thing about the process, aside from the lack of a building to house the machine, was how little water was used. The entire process likely only took a few litres of water. The air drying apparatus at the end of the wash was also quite neat. Sensors allowed the blower to follow the profile of the car instead of just blowing in the direction of the car.
We next moved over to the vacuum cleaner. I removed the mats while my father went in to get a token. I then stationed myself on one side of the car while he stationed himself on the other. We then proceeded to hand the wand back and forth to maximize the use of our limited sucking time. Though we didn’t have quite as much time as we could have used, we did make pretty good progress, certainly enough that the car won’t be an embarrassment when we transfer it to the next user.
Though unplanned, I ended up driving the car back to the Dutch side of the island and then all the way over to Simpson Bay. Once in Simpson Bay we made a few more last minute grocery store purchases. I was also able to get a coffee. While ordering my coffee in the McDonald’s (one of the few places that I have seen that offers take-out coffee) I noticed that they also sold beer (Heineken and Presidente). This is almost enough to make me want to go back and get a meal and a beer. The motivation is even greater because I wasn’t able to do so while in Paris thirteen years ago.
Once back in the apartment we had lunch, which killed off a fair bit of our remaining food. After lunch my father went back to work on his test questions while I proceeded to start dealing myself games of solitaire. All in all, it wasn’t a particularly successful series of solitaire games. Much to my surprise, my hours of recent playing time don’t really seem to have improved my skill level.
At about 3:30 we left the apartment to pick up the incoming visiting professor. We hoped to be able to get a video clip of the plane as it landed. Unfortunately, just about a block away from the university we saw a plane approaching the runway. By the time we reached the runway it was pretty clear that that was the plane we were hoping to see.
Though we arrived at the airport after the plane landed we were in the arrivals area long before the person we were picking up emerged. As soon as she did emerge we were able to head out to the car and head home.
After we spent a few minutes catching up (with particular emphasis on what my father had already taught the class) we, along with another visiting professor, made our way over to a restaurant for dinner. We had been invited to dinner by the chair of the physiology department.
The restaurant was built or floating on the lagoon. We were seated in a section of the restaurant that was quite far out into the lagoon.
Though the restaurant seemed to try to push the lobster, 60% of us went for the mahi-mahi. The newly arrived professor went for shrimp and the department chair went for filet mignon. In retrospect if I had known how large the filet mignon would be I would have chosen that instead of the fish (not to suggest that I wasn’t pleased with my selection).
Soon after we stopped eating we noticed that some fish were swimming around in water just behind where we were seated. Very quickly a very large (about four feet long) fish was spotted. This encouraged a little more attention to be paid to the section of water that was illuminated by the restaurant’s lighting system. For the most part we saw only minnow sized fish.
In the next few minutes a few more sightings of the same fish, or others of comparable size were made. Eventually, just as we were about to leave, my father spotted a large fish. He is quite sure that it was a shark, and though I didn’t get as clear a view, I do think that this is conceivable.
On our way back to the university we stopped at the grocery store so that the two visiting professors with whom we were traveling could pick up some groceries. While in the store I broke down and purchased a pouch of Red Man. For years, maybe since my first viewing of The Sandlot, I have wanted to try this stuff, though have never been inclined to pay full Newfoundland prices ($13.00) as I can’t imagine that it will do any thing for me except make me sick (and maybe a little light headed).
Once the shopping had been paid for and bagged my father retrieved the car from the underground parking lot behind the store. We then folded down the back seat of the car and loaded the groceries into the trunk. Unfortunately, about two bags didn’t quite fit, so they were then left in the back seat with our two passengers.
After we returned to the apartment my father and I started to pack while the new inhabitant started to put away her groceries and arrange the kitchen to her liking. Soon enough my father and I finished packing. Not surprisingly, he went back to question writing while I did some reading.
Eventually all three of us (meaning those staying in the apartment) headed off to bed. I know that I was asleep before my father, but I have no idea by what margin.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Sint Maarten: Day 8
We arose early this morning with hopes of renting scooters on which we would travel around the edge of the island. Once we were finally able to find such a business that was actually open we learned that they would be closing early as it was a Saturday and would not be open on Sunday, making rental impractical at the current juncture.
As we had gone deep into the French section of the island to find the business we decided to just carry on around the island in the car. Though we generally took a pretty direct route, we did stop in places such as Columbier and Cul-de-sac. Once we reached Orient beach we parked the car and made our way down the beach on foot. It soon became clear that this was really the popular beach, with lounge chairs and water related activities all over the place.
Eventually, after walking for some time we happened to spot a Newfoundland flag on one of the beach bars. Though we approached the bar, we decided that we would stop by on our way back and try to figure out what the story was.
Shortly after leaving the bar with the flag we came to a gap in the beach. After the gap was where the nude section of the beach started. As both of us were fully clothed with shoes on we didn’t think that our presence would be appreciated, so we turned around and made our way back down the beach.
When we reached the bar with the Newfoundland flag we walked up the stairs and saw the guy that seemed to be in charge. My father asked if he had been stationed in Newfoundland. It seems that not only had he been stationed there in the 1950s but that he also had a daughter there. Upon finding out that we were from Newfoundland he invited us to sit with him and provided some (real) iced tea on the house.
After speaking with him for a while it became clear that when he left almost fifty years ago he had no idea that he had a daughter. Only about 7 years ago the daughter managed to find him and establish contact. It seems that since then she has been down here to visit him several times.
It is likely that when we next go back to Orient Beach we will try to stop at this bar/restaurant for lunch.
We then made our way to Oyster Pond, which is a marina area just down from Orient Beach. Unfortunately, new developments have made it very difficult for non-timesharers/resort types to access the water. The adjacent beach has been completely surrounded by a new resort development, though is apparently accessible if you are willing to walk through the hotel lobby to the beach.
Upon returning to the Dutch side we decided to try to stop at the post office to mail a few postcards. Unfortunately, the facility was closed and did not have a sign indicating when it would again be open.
We decided to stop for lunch at the Sunset Beach Bar, the bar at the end of the runway. The idea was that we could do a little plane watching while we ate. Once there we found that all of the tables in the shade had been taken, so my father asked if we could share a large picnic table with the woman that was sitting there.
Within a few minutes of our arrival the woman at the table and her husband, who was sitting at an adjacent counter, were joined by another couple. It soon became clear that the newly arrived couple were just stopping by for lunch before their impending departure.
Eventually, though not without some effort and delay, my father and I and the newly arrived couple were able to order both drinks and food. Unfortunately, due to various timing issues we ended up ordering well after the couple.
When the man’s food arrived most of us were a little surprised to see a can sitting next to his steak sandwich. When asked, he explained that instead of fries, he had gone with the baked bean option. The man then removed the lid from the can of beans and began eating.
My father was so taken with the can of beans that he asked if we could take a picture. This comment brought us into the conversation with the two couples, one of which was from North Carolina and the other of which was from Bristol. As both couples were frequent visitors to Sint Marteen this was a useful experience. Both couples were quite familiar with Cheri’s Café, the couple from North Carolina even knew who the owner’s son and husband were.
We also learned that both couples had been coming to Sint Maarten for some number of years. It seems that the couples now either coordinate visits or make attempts to see each other when they are both on the island at the same time. In some ways this reminded me of stories of Israelis and Palestinians (or Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland) who are friends in a distant land, but under normal circumstances would never see each other or attempt to understand the other group.
Shortly after finishing their meals the couple from North Carolina left return their car and catch their plane. We continued chatting with the couple from Bristol for some period of time. Just as we were leaving they told us that the bar has a web cam that can be remotely controlled by web users. One could plan to be in a particular location at a particular time and be visible on the web cam, if one was into that kind of thing.
All throughout our time at the bar planes of all sizes smaller than 747s were landing and taking off. Some seemed to pass just feet above the fence at the end of the runway, while others cleared it with plenty of room. Shortly after arriving we saw the United Airlines flight on which we had arrived a week earlier.
Almost as soon as we returned to the apartment I went to bed to take a nap. I was hoping that a nap would cure me of a headache (a possible explanation for the brevity of this post) that I had had all morning and afternoon. While I was sleeping my father went to the university to continue preparing lectures.
At about 6:30 PM my father called to tell me that he would be retuning home shortly. He asked if I would start preparing our evening meal while he clued up.
I was able to get our pork chops, rice, carrots, and brocoflower going very quickly. Within a few minutes of my father’s return the components of the meal had been cooked and we were ready to eat. While the meal wasn’t the world’s most flavourful meal, it was satisfying and relatively healthy. According to my father, my paternal grandmother would have been very pleased to see such a wide range of colours on a plate, as it likely indicates a full range of essential vitamins and nutrients.
As we had gone deep into the French section of the island to find the business we decided to just carry on around the island in the car. Though we generally took a pretty direct route, we did stop in places such as Columbier and Cul-de-sac. Once we reached Orient beach we parked the car and made our way down the beach on foot. It soon became clear that this was really the popular beach, with lounge chairs and water related activities all over the place.
Eventually, after walking for some time we happened to spot a Newfoundland flag on one of the beach bars. Though we approached the bar, we decided that we would stop by on our way back and try to figure out what the story was.
Shortly after leaving the bar with the flag we came to a gap in the beach. After the gap was where the nude section of the beach started. As both of us were fully clothed with shoes on we didn’t think that our presence would be appreciated, so we turned around and made our way back down the beach.
When we reached the bar with the Newfoundland flag we walked up the stairs and saw the guy that seemed to be in charge. My father asked if he had been stationed in Newfoundland. It seems that not only had he been stationed there in the 1950s but that he also had a daughter there. Upon finding out that we were from Newfoundland he invited us to sit with him and provided some (real) iced tea on the house.
After speaking with him for a while it became clear that when he left almost fifty years ago he had no idea that he had a daughter. Only about 7 years ago the daughter managed to find him and establish contact. It seems that since then she has been down here to visit him several times.
It is likely that when we next go back to Orient Beach we will try to stop at this bar/restaurant for lunch.
We then made our way to Oyster Pond, which is a marina area just down from Orient Beach. Unfortunately, new developments have made it very difficult for non-timesharers/resort types to access the water. The adjacent beach has been completely surrounded by a new resort development, though is apparently accessible if you are willing to walk through the hotel lobby to the beach.
Upon returning to the Dutch side we decided to try to stop at the post office to mail a few postcards. Unfortunately, the facility was closed and did not have a sign indicating when it would again be open.
We decided to stop for lunch at the Sunset Beach Bar, the bar at the end of the runway. The idea was that we could do a little plane watching while we ate. Once there we found that all of the tables in the shade had been taken, so my father asked if we could share a large picnic table with the woman that was sitting there.
Within a few minutes of our arrival the woman at the table and her husband, who was sitting at an adjacent counter, were joined by another couple. It soon became clear that the newly arrived couple were just stopping by for lunch before their impending departure.
Eventually, though not without some effort and delay, my father and I and the newly arrived couple were able to order both drinks and food. Unfortunately, due to various timing issues we ended up ordering well after the couple.
When the man’s food arrived most of us were a little surprised to see a can sitting next to his steak sandwich. When asked, he explained that instead of fries, he had gone with the baked bean option. The man then removed the lid from the can of beans and began eating.
My father was so taken with the can of beans that he asked if we could take a picture. This comment brought us into the conversation with the two couples, one of which was from North Carolina and the other of which was from Bristol. As both couples were frequent visitors to Sint Marteen this was a useful experience. Both couples were quite familiar with Cheri’s Café, the couple from North Carolina even knew who the owner’s son and husband were.
We also learned that both couples had been coming to Sint Maarten for some number of years. It seems that the couples now either coordinate visits or make attempts to see each other when they are both on the island at the same time. In some ways this reminded me of stories of Israelis and Palestinians (or Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland) who are friends in a distant land, but under normal circumstances would never see each other or attempt to understand the other group.
Shortly after finishing their meals the couple from North Carolina left return their car and catch their plane. We continued chatting with the couple from Bristol for some period of time. Just as we were leaving they told us that the bar has a web cam that can be remotely controlled by web users. One could plan to be in a particular location at a particular time and be visible on the web cam, if one was into that kind of thing.
All throughout our time at the bar planes of all sizes smaller than 747s were landing and taking off. Some seemed to pass just feet above the fence at the end of the runway, while others cleared it with plenty of room. Shortly after arriving we saw the United Airlines flight on which we had arrived a week earlier.
Almost as soon as we returned to the apartment I went to bed to take a nap. I was hoping that a nap would cure me of a headache (a possible explanation for the brevity of this post) that I had had all morning and afternoon. While I was sleeping my father went to the university to continue preparing lectures.
At about 6:30 PM my father called to tell me that he would be retuning home shortly. He asked if I would start preparing our evening meal while he clued up.
I was able to get our pork chops, rice, carrots, and brocoflower going very quickly. Within a few minutes of my father’s return the components of the meal had been cooked and we were ready to eat. While the meal wasn’t the world’s most flavourful meal, it was satisfying and relatively healthy. According to my father, my paternal grandmother would have been very pleased to see such a wide range of colours on a plate, as it likely indicates a full range of essential vitamins and nutrients.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Sint Maarten: Afternoon and Night 3
Yesterday my father had to give his first lecture. Aside from going over the time limit at the end things seem to have gone well (which seems to be assessment of both the students I spoke with and my father). He has suggested that his preparations for upcoming lectures is also going well, meaning that he should be able to free up some time for more touristy activities in the second week.
After my jet blasting experience of day 2 we decided that we would try to make it back to film the late afternoon Air France departure. This time we decided to make a point of being on the other side of the beach and runway so that we would have a better shot of those being blasted. We both set up with our cameras in different locations to acquire two shots of the take-off and blasting. Both of us were able to catch the blasting effect, though as my father was closer his shot was somewhat better. It is likely that in the coming days we may try to head back to get a few more shots of take-offs and landings (which we still haven’t had a chance to film).
We had also hoped to take this opportunity to stop by the Sunset Beach Bar for a drink. As they didn’t seem interested in serving us during our stay we decided to just head out to Baie Rouge and pick up a beer there.
Once at Baie Rouge we realized that it was likely a little too rough to go snorkeling with out fins. As one might expect, the wave size did not prevent us from getting a beer and sitting at one of the umbrella covered tables.
After consuming a 250 ml (baby size) Heineken I decided that if I couldn’t go snorkeling I might as well try to play around in the water for a while, seeing as I was at a beach and all. My father was agreeable to this plan but thought that we should examine the snorkeling area and take some beach photos before I went in. We stashed our belongings with the bar working and made for the rocky out-cropping where we had been told we would find the good snorkeling grounds. While making our way around the point we noticed all kinds of crabs on the rocks. Unlike crabs in Newfoundland, these crabs clearly spend much of their time out of the water (on a voluntary basis) and are brown or black rather than red.
Once we returned and after the obligatory standing in surf shots I was given the OK to go for the water. As the surf first washed over my feet I again noticed that the water was a little cooler than I might have expected but that it took only a second or two to become comfortable.
As the wave action was greater at this beach much of my activity was related to being sucked in and out by waves. In some cases one could be taken 30-40 feet in with the wave a matter of a few seconds, and then sucked back out as the water returned to the sea. If executed correctly, this maneuver could lead to a close to unending cycle of being pushed in and washed out with each wave.
After some number of minutes my father, who had been watching from our table, directed me to a part of the beach where the waves were even larger. As soon as I arrived at the new location I was battered by a six-foot wave. Once engulfed by the wave I was tossed and turned and eventually slammed into the beach, but not before I was forced to take a mouthful of sea water. Though none of the other waves were quite that abusive to me, many were large and powerful (maybe it was just that I then knew what to plan for) and did manage to toss me around rather effectively.
After returning home from the beach I cleaned up as best I could, though still managed to leave a fair bit of sand in my hair. We then went to an orientation mixer at a nearby restaurant. Though we didn’t mix as much as we might have, we did speak to several students and enjoy the free (local?) food. I was particularly taken with something that I presume was a vegetable somewhat reminiscent of potato.
After my jet blasting experience of day 2 we decided that we would try to make it back to film the late afternoon Air France departure. This time we decided to make a point of being on the other side of the beach and runway so that we would have a better shot of those being blasted. We both set up with our cameras in different locations to acquire two shots of the take-off and blasting. Both of us were able to catch the blasting effect, though as my father was closer his shot was somewhat better. It is likely that in the coming days we may try to head back to get a few more shots of take-offs and landings (which we still haven’t had a chance to film).
We had also hoped to take this opportunity to stop by the Sunset Beach Bar for a drink. As they didn’t seem interested in serving us during our stay we decided to just head out to Baie Rouge and pick up a beer there.
Once at Baie Rouge we realized that it was likely a little too rough to go snorkeling with out fins. As one might expect, the wave size did not prevent us from getting a beer and sitting at one of the umbrella covered tables.
After consuming a 250 ml (baby size) Heineken I decided that if I couldn’t go snorkeling I might as well try to play around in the water for a while, seeing as I was at a beach and all. My father was agreeable to this plan but thought that we should examine the snorkeling area and take some beach photos before I went in. We stashed our belongings with the bar working and made for the rocky out-cropping where we had been told we would find the good snorkeling grounds. While making our way around the point we noticed all kinds of crabs on the rocks. Unlike crabs in Newfoundland, these crabs clearly spend much of their time out of the water (on a voluntary basis) and are brown or black rather than red.
Once we returned and after the obligatory standing in surf shots I was given the OK to go for the water. As the surf first washed over my feet I again noticed that the water was a little cooler than I might have expected but that it took only a second or two to become comfortable.
As the wave action was greater at this beach much of my activity was related to being sucked in and out by waves. In some cases one could be taken 30-40 feet in with the wave a matter of a few seconds, and then sucked back out as the water returned to the sea. If executed correctly, this maneuver could lead to a close to unending cycle of being pushed in and washed out with each wave.
After some number of minutes my father, who had been watching from our table, directed me to a part of the beach where the waves were even larger. As soon as I arrived at the new location I was battered by a six-foot wave. Once engulfed by the wave I was tossed and turned and eventually slammed into the beach, but not before I was forced to take a mouthful of sea water. Though none of the other waves were quite that abusive to me, many were large and powerful (maybe it was just that I then knew what to plan for) and did manage to toss me around rather effectively.
After returning home from the beach I cleaned up as best I could, though still managed to leave a fair bit of sand in my hair. We then went to an orientation mixer at a nearby restaurant. Though we didn’t mix as much as we might have, we did speak to several students and enjoy the free (local?) food. I was particularly taken with something that I presume was a vegetable somewhat reminiscent of potato.
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