Phillipsburg

“Life is a repeated cycle of getting lost and then finding yourself again. There are many smaller cycles within that cycle where you get lost to a smaller degree and then remember yourself again. Sometimes you do it to yourself on purpose, consciously or unconsciously. Every time you get lost it is so that you can learn something or experience something from a different perspective.”
― Jay Woodman

So today I went for a cycle around St Maarten, visiting the Dutch and French sides of the island.  First time on a bike for a couple of years, hot and humid so I wonder if it's a good idea.  Plenty to see, the side of the island that's not visible from the cruise ship, where life goes on and people get on with their lives, whether the ship is there or not.  Being on a bike gives a different perspective, experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of the island first hand.  Even the briefest of showers of rain is welcome relief from the humidity, but that too passes all too quickly.  On the return through the town the other side of life is there - a Macdonalds with a queue of people outside, now they must be from the cruise ships! The busy main street is full of tourists and jewellery shops.  So much more to see of the Spirit of this place but most visitors won't get beyond the beach.