SXM/TNCM 12-24 to 12-29

[megatop412]

A Star Wars Museum on St. Marten? Now I know I can get my girlfriend to go down there

[eric8669]

A Star Wars Museum on St. Marten? Now I know I can get my girlfriend to go down there

Yes, one of the creators of Yoda now lives there. He creates and sells caribbean art in addition to having a Star Wars Museum.
http://netdwellers.com/mz/yodaguy/home.html

[steve1840]

A Star Wars Museum on St. Marten? Now I know I can get my girlfriend to go down there

Sunshine, beaches, shopping, and the promise of peace and quiet while you're off photographing airplanes isn'tenough incentive for her???

[gonzalu]

Thanks Manny! I'll check those out at home later!

One other question....would you suggest getting a rental car or no? How is public transportation there?

From Maho to Philipsburg on the jitney (privately owned and rundown vans circle the island 24x7 and pick up and drop off at will) will get you there for about $1.50 US sometimes $2.00. I would only rent a car if I knew I was going to be spending more time circling the island. You can always also rent 4 wheel ATVs or even Dune Buggies.. which are very cool!!

[steve1840]

From Maho to Philipsburg on the jitney (privately owned and rundown vans circle the island 24x7 and pick up and drop off at will) will get you there for about $1.50 US sometimes $2.00. I would only rent a car if I knew I was going to be spending more time circling the island. You can always also rent 4 wheel ATVs or even Dune Buggies.. which are very cool!!

Awesome! I just might have to rent the dune buggie when I head there!

[gonzalu]

A few more the day of departure from JFK to SXM

At the gate









Taxiing to RWY 4L





Turning for lineup (no queue, we rolled and took off without stopping)



the huge 31L RWY swallows up an B737



Love this shot... shows the back side of JFK and the city of NY in the distance with Queens and Brooklyn visible. It did NOT look that great in real life. Lots of editing to get rid of the haze!!



Long Island as we turn to 100 degrees for the Kennedy One Departure...





Almost on the ground, we pass some clouds and I get the wonderful Rainbow Reflection effect



The target is in sight... Maho Beach and the Sonesta, La Plage and La Terrase Hotel and Time Shares



4 of the thousands of expensive private metal on the tarmac (pun intended)



Philipsburg Sunset



a late Cruise Ship departure



last shot of the day

[megatop412]

Manny that last sunset shot is awesome! And I know what you mean about having to edit out haze- I got a similar 4R climbout shot and had to do the same(and this was in November, so not summer)

[gonzalu]

Thanks William... somehow these look dark on my regular monitor. I edited them on a uncalibrated Mac laptop :-(

Yeah, not sure why I got a hazy winter day :( Last night, the air was so clear, from the GWB I could see the flickering lights of Atlantic City Seriously, Tappan Zee and Intrepid were clearly visible... love clear winter days, if the spotting in the freezing cold were not so painful!

[steve1840]

Great photos Manny!! I love the "last shot of the day". Terrific stuff! I can't wait to go!

[mirrodie]

GOod shot of Sonesta. Can't believe though how much the beach has eroded over the past 5 years. :(

I do miss having to just drink Pina Coladas poolside at RIC and every so often Ill just get up and grab a shot.

Oh, BTW Manny, upon your return at JFK, where did your plane go? last time we returned from SXM, we here taxiied to a hard stand outside of T4 and shuttled to Immigration, parked next to the Etihad F1.

[gonzalu]

Thanks guys...
Mario, they were comedy of errors when we landed last Saturday... they took us to the usual hard stands in front of the tower and they didn't have a clue. We then got towed back to B6 T5 and put on a hard stand THERE next to Blues Brothers... on a bus and shuttled past around EK A380 at T4 and up to the Immigration area.

I much prefer this than to have to walk from one of the far gates to immigration.. .that's a hike. Hardstand to bus shuttle is much much quicker and less painful, especially with lots of carry-on

[N75715]

Great stuff, Manny! Welcome to the club!!!! Nice angles!

[Zee71]

I am lusting for a trip to SXM. NYC Aviation road trip! Nice work Manny

[steve1840]

I am lusting for a trip to SXM. NYC Aviation road trip! Nice work Manny

I second this motion! All in favor?!?!

[Just_Lucas]

great photos manny :) im from the island so i nearly know all of it by heart :P the dutch side that is >.> im planning to move there after college or sooner hehehe,only thing is i may have to give up my citizenship :\,Great photos im sure most of them would get into airliners.net :)