Thursday 3 July

Another honeymoon posting.
On our first full day of our honeymoon, we went over to Philipsburg on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten. Some things we hadn't known prior to our trip: the island is duty-free, there are lots of jewelry stores (especially on the Dutch side), there is more going on on the Dutch side. So we walked about, doing some shopping, getting, among other things, some jewelry for Rachel and some liquor (the prices were fantastic! Generally, bottles of liquor were half of what they are in the US). We chanced upon Nick Maley's That Yoda Guy shop. Maley helped create Yoda and worked on the Mos Eisley Cantina scene in the first Star Wars movie. When we walked into the store, an Englishman greeted us and, at first I didn't think it was him, but, indeed, it was. I got a picture with him after purchasing something. He was a very nice guy, who said he has plans to expand his store and has some stuff from the Star Wars movies, as well as some other movie memorabilia.
We also saw the Guavaberry Emporium, the building of which is described on their website as "The old cedar townhouse on Frontstreet is a local landmark & legend. Built on the site of an ancient synagogue (abandoned in 1781), it was once the Governor's home. Now it is the Guavaberry Company's World Headquarters." So, as far as I know, this was the only point of any Jewish interest on St. Martin (although, apparently, on the nearby island of St. Eustatius, there is an archaelogical dig of a synagogue (thanks, Barry!)).
After about five o'clock, the streets were clearing out as most of the people walking on the boardwalk and along Front street, as the two cruise ships which were docked were departing a little after that point. So, around six o'clock, we took a taxi ride back to our hotel and that was our evening.