Resham's family store just got served (read below for context)!
So on my last day for a few hours before my afternoon flight home, I went back to Maho Beach at around noon, parking up at a bench at Sunset Bar & Grill and getting some good studying on while catching flights landing every 20-30 minutes.
Some were huge (crowd pleasers)…
Some were mid-size:
Some were even smaller…
Some were tiny (some do their best to get as close as possible to put on a show)…
And others were simply plain crazy:
And to round off this perfect study session, how about some freshly cooked lobster?
Remember, it doesn’t feel a thing:
I think I did good.
If you’re here, don’t stand too close to the jetstream as planes are taking off as you’ll get blown into the water (or worse)
But what about the city of Philipsburg itself and my 3 days staying here? Well I got more to talk about!
Remember the good old days of Saint Martin that we mentioned a few posts earlier? That would be found on the northern French side, of which its capital city is Marigot. In the Dutch capital of Philipsburg however…
Very developed. Very gentrified. This is their boardwalk (and they have a legit one!):
And one street behind the boardwalk is a shopper’s paradise:
Turn the corner and you’ll find Old Street, meant to evoke old memories of European colonialism, if that’s considered a good thing:
You can drive or hike up to the prison…
..,to get views of Philipsburg below:
Hungry? Locals would recommend Chesterfield’s:
Whatever you order here, order it with the Hurricane Sauce.
It was so good I dipped my lobster in it over (and with) buttercream.
Don’t forget dessert!
But as good as dessert can be, the true magic of Philipsburg lies in its people. , . .
Destiny wouldn’t have had me come here at random.
4 years ago when I was a 3rd year med student and taking my medical licensing exam, the USMLE Step 2, at the NYC Herald Square Prometric Testing Center, I struck up a casual conversation with a fellow 3rd year med student and test-taker named Resham (who was also taking the same exact exam as I was, so we had the same breaks). Now, we would expect these conversations to be dry, cordial, and superficial at best — after all, taking the worst and one of the most stressful exams of your life would not be a kind of social lubricant that would lead to real friendships (And who even bothers to MAKE FRIENDS while taking the boards?!).
That day of the exam, I remember how Resham and I almost gave up hope. As we stressed over the million contingency plans if we were to bomb the exam, we also distracted each other with positive conversation; we found out we had mutual friends and I found out she grew up on a little island in the Caribbean. We then exchanged contact info before parting ways, and a few weeks later I received my USMLE Step 2 score: it was literally 1 point away from failing, which all but guaranteed I would become a doctor. Resham also found herself in a similar predicament. But over the course of the next few months we met up a few times, both promising to each other to persist relentlessly, graduate med school, and match into residency.
And we did: 1-2 years later we went on our separate ways for our respective residencies on opposite coasts, after which we eventually lost touch.
2 weeks ago, an immense fear of failure reemerged when I realized I needed to prepare for USMLE Step 3 — the same kind of overwhelming, nearly paralyzing dread that I faced when I prepared, took, and received my score for the USMLE Step 2 four years back.
And in face of that fear, I did the only thing I knew best to reset the balance and take a true mental break: Travel. And where to? It could’ve been Slovenia, Slovakia, Kuwait, Oman…I even posted on Facebook multiple times looking for interested co-travelers and monsooners. None of the signs were pointing to those places, however: Flights were too expensive. People were interested but it was too soon to prepare for. Ideal itineraries couldn’t fit within the 4-day timeframe. I even entertained the thought of staying in the city instead for the next 5 days and wallow in my fear of standardized exams (Blasphemous!).
But it was not until the last minute 4 days ago I would find a spurious cheap flight to Saint Martin. The decision seemed random and on a whim, but nothing could be further than the truth — Remember that little island in the Caribbean that Resham said she grew up in? It’s actually Sint Maarten. And I had totally forgotten that fact (or did I?). So when she saw my Facebook status 3 days ago that I arrived here, it would be determined that I would meet her family on the island.
Had Resham and I not bothered to talk to each other while taking the USMLE Step 2 four years ago, starting to study for the USMLE Step 3 here would be awfully anti-climatic and story-less. But alas, this one shall have a story.
So after getting back from Anguilla at 5pm, I took a cab with Sisko back into Philipsburg and walked into Resham’s family-owned store, Mona Lisa, (located opposite of “Jump In” Casino and on Back Street).
And there was her mother, Rohini, expecting me!
And soon enough, I was driven around Sint Maarten when I ended up meeting her grandmother at Resham’s childhood home.
And as natural as the conversation Resham and I had 4 years ago at The Prometric Testing Center (*cough* where all great memories begin -_-), the 3 of us spent the entire evening getting to know one another, talking about Resham, and trying to piece together all the random pieces of figurative fabric that would bring us together. With coincidences like these, you can’t help but believe there’s a reason for these stories to happen.
And now I forge ahead towards conquering USMLE Step 3 with a reinforced faith in destiny.
- At time of posting in Philipsburg, Saint Martin, it was 29 °C -
Humidity: 82% | Wind Speed: 29km/hr | Cloud Cover: partly cloudy
At 1300ft, this is the world's shortest commercial airport runway
The world's shortest commercial airport runway just got served.
5 countries in 24 hours: how about that?!
After a day trip to Saint Barthélemy yesterday, I turned in early last night to catch my 8:15am Winair flight to Saba this morning (which I booked altogether online with a roundtrip flight returning at 12:15pm for $177 USD total).
Although waking up at around 6:30am was bit of an overkill (could’ve slept in as late as 7:15am and still would’ve made it), I used my Priority Pass to hang out at SXM Airport’s only Executive Lounge for half an hour.
They had good coffee and I had the whole place to myself. Can’t complain.
At around 7:55am, they announced for boarding, so I made the 5 minute walk over from the lounge to my gate where they corralled us downstairs to a corner.
Then the 10 of us boarded a bus outside…
…drove over 30-40 seconds to our plane…
…and got inside…
…before quickly taking off literally within 5 minutes of boarding. And the whole flight from SXM airport to Saba takes about 15 minutes!
Either way, I went on this anyway, while full well knowing that there has been no major tragedy as of yet with the landings here (knock on wood).
Once you disembark, you can literally walk up to what probably is also the world’s tiniest airport: The Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport is just a big room. Nevertheless, they still have to stamp your passport in (so don’t forget it at home!).
Leaving the airport I hired one of the cab drivers waiting outside, a guy named Willem, who offered to show me around the island for an hour for $50 USD. And off we went with the airport behind us.
At only 5 square miles with a population of 1,900 people, the island is mainly served by a single main road, known as “The Road“, which construction in 1958 marked a massive feat in achieving what had thought to have been impossible.
But as long as you stay on it (and on the right side!), you’ll get to see the entire island within an hour.
The capital of Saba is called The Bottom, named for literally being on the bottom of the island. It houses the Saba University School of Medicine, hosting mostly med students from the USA.
Driving through The Bottom itself, however, made me feel like I was in a pretty quiet part of town, in all of town. I was also bummed out there weren’t any medical students hanging around; I was a little curious what it would’ve been like if I went to med school here instead of in NYC.
Afterwards we headed back out and past the ferry port…
…before stopping back midway up past The Bottom, where Willem left me so I could park myself at the Bizzy Bee for brunch.
It was at this point I realized I forgot to pack an iPhone cable to charge my phone (all the juice had been used up taking video), which never ever happens.
But nevertheless I shrugged this off as a positive thing, shirking off my original plan to study at The Bizzy Bee until my return flight, and instead take a walk around town looking for a cheap replacement cable.
Eventually I found a cheap $4.00 replacement at the local grocery store, which then led me to find a nice bar around the corner called Scout’s Place that had wifi and a view. So plugging in my phone over a cup of coffee, I ended up getting in some great board studying in here for the next hour and a half.
This is way better than what it was like in med school!
At around 11:30am, I packed up and headed back out to the parking lot by the Bizzy Bee where Willem returned for me to drop me off back at the airport for my 12:15pm flight back to St. Maarten.
FYI, prior to leaving Saba, they’ll make you pay a $30 USD departure tax in cash!
This is what it’s like to take off from the world’s shortest commercial airport runway:
We landed in SXM airport 15 minutes later, with Maho Beach right below us:
And it was at this point where I overheard some talk about medical school: There were Saba University School of Medicine students on my flight!
I ended up speaking with 1st year med students Manish and Gil for the rest of our way from disembarking to arrivals, eventually exchanging contact info to catch up again. Keep in touch!
Having been given an unexpected 4 days off before my next shift in the ED, I decided it was another time to attempt a solo trip getaway.
Although I was also entertaining traveling from Slovenia to Slovakia (the flights were too expensive), Oman to Kuwait (I came up with an itinerary so sexy I decided it was better to save it for a group), and Moldova/Transnistra (the flights were too cost-prohibitive), the 34 sq mi Caribbean island of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten (+ and its surrounding islands!) somehow beckoned to me when it popped up on my Hitlist searches. Given its easygoing vibes, its cheap roundtrip flight at $450, and the ability to lock myself down and study for a bit for the USMLE Step 3 Exam (aka the last of the medical licensing board exams), it emerged to be the perfect getaway.
Saint Martin is actually comprised of 2 separate “territories”: the southern, smaller, and yet more populated Dutch side (Sint Maarten) covering 13 square miles and the northern, larger French side (St. Martin) covering 30-31 square miles. This makes Saint Martin the world’s smallest inhabited island divided between two nations….a unique designation like that was just too hard to pass up!
So getting up at 6am, I caught a 7:30am flight from NYC to Miami, where I spent a one hour layover checking out its new Centurion Lounge (open and free to all AMEX Platinum and Centurion cardholders).
Then I hopped on a 12:11pm flight, taking off with the Bahamas right beneath us.
At 3pm we landed at SXM Princess Juliana’s Airport on the southern Dutch side of the island. Make sure you look to your left when you land and the landings are famous for getting up way close to the suntanners camped out on Maho Beach.
Once in the airport, I soon remembered how every single major Caribbean Island international airport is notorious for their long lines stamping into their countries…
After about 20 minutes in queue, I was stamped in within seconds and was soon picked up by Sisko of the Dutch St. Maarten Taxi Association, who conveniently curated for me a last-minute customized itinerary for me around the island for 2-3 hours.
But first we needed to turn a corner around the airport and stop by Maho Beach (and its adjacent Sunset Bar)for some shots of our own of these low-landing airplanes. Traditions are traditions.
Saint Martin actually notoriosuly made it into international news 4 days ago, when a New Zealander tourist was killed instantly after she was blown away by a jet blast right at this spot (GRAPHIC VIEWING IS ADVISED): New Zealand woman dies after jet blast at world’s ‘scariest’ airport.
I was now standing in the very same spot she was.
Unfortunately, current events have not deterred other tourists’ curiosities from getting up close — although nobody was holding onto the fence today when I was watching.
And after about half an hour here, we headed up north towards the French side of the island, stopping by its respective capital, Marigot.
Life in quaint, quiet little Marigot is what the Saint Martin island used to be, before the excesses of gentrification, colonialism, and tourism took over (which you’ll see especially in the Dutch side and its capital, Philipsburg).
It was a nice 10 minute stroll along the marina here looking into Marigot Bay, while grabbing an espresso and croissant at local favorite pastry shop Sarafina’s.
On the days that large cruises dock and spill out its 6000+ passengers into the island, the open air markets set up shop right here in Place du Marché. Luckily for me today was not one of those days.
We then headed into Grand Case in the northern part of the island where I grabbed some awesome conch at Lolo’s/Cynthia’s Talk of the Town for a steep price of 16 euros (although they convert 1:1 to USD making it $16 USD. Nice!)
Then we drove out to Orient Bay, where further to the east of here are their famous nude beaches (That is so French) and resorts.
Then we headed back south past the Dutch/French border.
Then at around 8pm and saying goodbye to Sisko, I checked into my seaside room at Horizon View.
Make sure you eat enough food by then as Philipsburg is literally dead at this time of night on a Monday.
- At time of posting in Marigot, Saint Martin (France), it was 27 °C -
Humidity: 88% | Wind Speed: 18km/hr | Cloud Cover: partly cloudy
