Ras Bushman's Freedom Fighter's Ital Shack
Diners with a sense of adventure can go to this tiny restaurant tucked in among the greenery of the hillside, just off a major road. The word "ital' is associated with the Rastafarian-based lifestyle, which emphasizes natural ingredients in cooking. The brightly-painted Ital Shack is on the small side with only 18 seats, but it serves up major helpings of positive vibes. Ras Bushman's organic vegan dishes are prepared with produce grown on his farm, just behind the restaurant. The Ital Shack also serves fresh juices made from healthy ingredients, like ginger, sorrel, soursop, and passion fruit. If the tables are filled, there's extra room on benches in the open air, where diners are surrounded by blooming flowers and fruit trees.
Cupecoy Beach & Cove
Europeans famously have a more relaxed view of nudity than most Americans, and topless and nude beaches are common throughout Europe. The same holds true for the Dutch and French controlled St. Martin. The most famous of these beaches is Orient Bay, where most of the fully-clad tourists go to investigate and rubberneck.
Located on the southwest side of the island in St. Martin, clothing-optional Cupecoy Beach is less visited and has a series of sea-level caves along the golden-sand beach. If vacationers have their own vehicle, they can park in the public lot on the shore road. There's usually a roadside vendor renting beach chairs and umbrellas, and selling cold drinks and grilled snacks.
L'Escargot Restaurant
Even though the restaurant is on the Dutch side of the island, its spirit is nine parts Caribbean Creole finished off with a healthy helping of Gallic joie de vivre. While the food is superb, the night really comes alive when the floor-show starts. It's hard to say what has more attitude at L'Escargot – the garlicky, perfectly prepared snails or the saucy ladyboys who take the stage. The restaurant's revue of female impersonators dance and lip-synch their way through tunes by Christina Aguilera, Donna Summer, and Cher.
Tintamarre Island
It's impossible to coordinate the actions of wild creatures, but if a traveler has the yen to snorkel among sea turtles, they should head to Tintamarre Island. The 80-acre island used to be famous for its volcanic mud baths, which claimed to leave the skin super smooth. While that activity has been curtailed, the sea turtles are still a draw and it's possible to book a regularly scheduled snorkeling tour.
Tintamarre has an unusual history: it was at one time owned by a Dutchman who built his own airstrip. A combination of calamities, including a hurricane, put an end to residency on the island. Travelers can explore the uninhabited island, which includes the ghostly remains of abandoned planes on the airstrip.
The Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit is not off-the-beaten path – in fact, it's smack dab in the middle of the beaten path, being situated on Front St., where vacationers flock to shop the duty-free stores. The exhibit is a true fish out of water, being a museum of sorts dedicated to a confusing array of exhibits. Many showcase memorabilia from Hollywood blockbusters including Men in Black, The Terminator and Star Wars. Mixed in with these items are life casts of the faces of Hollywood stars. The owner of the attraction is Nick Maley, the creator of some of Hollywood's most celebrated special effects, including the creation of Yoda, hence the name for the attraction. Chances are vacationers didn't come to St. Maarten to see The Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit; chances are equally strong they won't forget it either.
Call Rawhide Travel and Tours and start planning that special vacation or event today. 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com.
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
No comments:
Post a Comment