time for vacation....

[Jeff in VA]

Wife and I are leaving Friday for DC. Nice dinner and sleepover, then we fly to Puerto Rico Saturday. Sunday we board the boat for the southern Carribean:piratefla ....Aruba, Barbados, Curacao, St. Marteen and St. Thomas, then back to Puerto Rico.....we'll be back at the end of the month, maybe:greensmok If I get drunk enough and find a job selling beach umbrellas to tourists, we may just stay. At least y'all will know what happened to us....

Jeff

(spending good Jeep money on some annual R&R, but it's worth it)

[se-real]

Need any extra passengers? lol

[BruceB83]

Nice! You will love it!!! Here's some friendly advice...when you go to St. Thomas, plan on going over to St. John for the day...you think those main island people are slow moving then just wait till you get to St. John. It's an absolutely beautiful island...words can't even describe it. Go check out Cinnamon Bay and Trunk Bay. You have to take a ferry over there, but it's so worth it. I just recommend getting out as early as you can that morning so you can make the most of your day at St. John. I went over for the snorkling and had an absolute blast...saw amazing things. I'll warn you though, those people drive like crazy people...and not like USA crazy people in traffic....I mean capital "C" CRAAAAAAAAAAAZYYYYYYYYYY.

When in St. Maarten, assuming you go to Philipsburg on the Dutch side, check out this little restaurant kind of in the center of Front Street, the street facing the beach. I can't remember the name but it is right across from a bunch of umbrellas in the sand and kind of centered on the main beach strip. I had the best ribs I've ever had there, plus their conch fritters are kick a$$...pair that up with a Corona...life will be good! After that, walk on some of the back streets and check out some of the local rum stores. I almost got wasted in one of those because the guy just kept giving me "samples" of the different flavors of rum...keep in mind their "samples" are about a shot equilvelant. I ended up bringing home some banana rum...it was awesome.

Man, now I want to go back again...lol. You definitely get a good appreciation for taking it easy down there. I loved it and wouldn't blame you if you didn't come back. I talked to a guy in St. Thomas who went down on vacation with his wife, they came back here to the States, packed their stuff, and move back down there. He works as a Maritime Security Officer and gets to chill in the bay all day. Have fun!

[Jeff in VA]

se-real.....if you can fit in my suitcase, and front half the beer money, c'mon along....we're flying the 0830 AA flight Saturday morning out of Reagan Ntn'l in DC, we can meet up in the parking lot :)

Bruce, printed off your post and will check out your suggestions, thanks!

I'm in heavy research mode here (sitting at my PC with a 12 pack of Bud Light....), trying to identify local beers. I make it a habit of supporting the local economy wherever we travel :D and am trying to come up with the local/national beers of the places on our itenerary. I've got Balashi as the beer of Aruba, Blackbeard Ale and Foxy's Lager for the Virgin Islands collectively, and Medella Light for Puerto Rico. Can't find anything specific for Curacao, though.....any help?

[BruceB83]

Not sure about Curacao....never been there. Are you going to Jost Van Dyke??? I guess Foxy's distributes their stuff around that area. But from what I hear, Foxy's is the PLACE to go if you are in the B.V.I.s. It's on Jost Van Dyke...I mean, the bar opens at 9:30 AM...lol...how is that the best thing ever!!!

Ok, it's about time to plan a vacation...lol...

[se-real]

se-real.....if you can fit in my suitcase, and front half the beer money, c'mon along....we're flying the 0830 AA flight Saturday morning out of Reagan Ntn'l in DC, we can meet up in the parking lot :)

Bruce, printed off your post and will check out your suggestions, thanks!

I'm in heavy research mode here (sitting at my PC with a 12 pack of Bud Light....), trying to identify local beers. I make it a habit of supporting the local economy wherever we travel :D and am trying to come up with the local/national beers of the places on our itenerary. I've got Balashi as the beer of Aruba, Blackbeard Ale and Foxy's Lager for the Virgin Islands collectively, and Medella Light for Puerto Rico. Can't find anything specific for Curacao, though.....any help?Hahaha! Hope you have a suitcase big enough for a 6'2" 275lb guy! You guys will definately enjoy it, throw one back for me!:cheers:

[Ghost]

Are you coming to the crawl since it is closer this year? Why you wasting time on the damn caribean!!!!????

[BruceB83]

Are you coming to the crawl since it is closer this year? Why you wasting time on the damn caribean!!!!????

Glen....http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/fighting/fighting0056.gif (http://www.bcmblog.com)...that's all I have to say in response to that.

[Jeff in VA]

As much as I enjoy my Jeeps and all you guys (and gals)....it's just not the same as a week in the southern Carribean;)

If I don't spend too much $$$ on booze, I might have enough leftover to make the Crawl, but I'm starting the 4.0 swap on the MJ as soon as we get back. Not sure if it'll be on the road in time, because I'll only be able to work on it on weekends...

See y'all when we get back!

Jeff

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/mjeff87/dst_carib_sunsetbch_img_305.jpg