St. Maarten was our port of call on Tuesday, March 16, 2004.

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According to legend, the island of St. Maarten was divided when a Frenchman and a Dutchman, standing back to back, started off in opposite directions around the island until they met. Whether the Dutchman's beer shlowed him down we do not know, but the Frenchman walked fast enough to claim 21 square miles of the island to the 16 square miles for the Dutch.

This lovely tale says much about the unique nature of St. maarten, capital of the Dutch Leeward Island group. No formal boundaries exist between the Dutch and French side; a simple welcome sign tells you when you cross from one country to the other.

The differences, however, are as noticable as the spelling of the names (the French call it St. Martin), and their distinctive personalities add to the charm of the Caribbean hideaway. It adds to the gastronomical delight for visitors as well, with restaurants that enjoy an international reputation for their cuisine.