How to get a Private Tour on The Most UNIQUE Caribbean Island! #ncl

We are cruising on the Norwegian Sky through the Caribbean. Sint Maarten is our next stop on a 10-day cruise from Miami and into the U.S. Virgin Islands. As soon as we get off the ship, we get into a taxi heading to Maho Beach. Our driver, Valando told us about a tour he can take us on to include Maho Beach and many more locations on the island. We couldn't pass on the deal and a scenic overlook was the first stop to have a magnificent view of Philipsburg, capitol of Sint Maarten. We cross the border into the French side of the island, St. Martin. Ft. Louis was a great stop to see some of the historical sites on the island. We walk around the 600-year-old site overlooking the capitol of St. Martin, Marigot. From the fort we head back to the border to share an international kiss and then onto Maho Beach, right next to the Princess Julianna International airport to watch the planes land and take off. Valando drops us off at the Yoda Guy movie exhibit in Philipsburg to see Nick Maley, creator of one of the most iconic Star Wars characters of all time, Yoda. Besides his famous work on the early Star Wars movies, his exhibit shows off much more of his other work. He has an interesting display of plaster casts of actors faces along with historical figures to include Abraham Lincoln. Was we finish there we take the water taxi back to the port and hit some of the local places right next to the ship. We try the local beers and guava berry liquor. Sint Maarten was a great place to stop on our cruise and can't wait to visit it again. The island of Saint Martin (French: Saint-Martin; Dutch: Sint Maarten) has a unique and complex history, marked by a longstanding division between the French and Dutch, with influences from European colonization, piracy, and sugar plantations. Before European contact, the island of Saint Martin was inhabited by the Arawak and Carib peoples, who called it "Soualiga" (Land of Salt) due to its salt pans. - By the early 17th century, the **Dutch** and **French** began showing interest in Saint Martin, primarily due to its strategic location and its salt deposits. Both nations sought to establish a presence on the island. - The **Dutch** West India Company set up a settlement on the southern part of the island, seeking salt to preserve fish. The **French** established themselves in the north, with similar ambitions. - **Spain** briefly controlled the island but abandoned it in 1648, allowing the French and Dutch to assert their claims. The most significant event in the island’s division occurred in **1648** when the **Treaty of Concordia** was signed, dividing the island between **France** and the **Dutch Republic**. The treaty allowed both nations to share the island while allowing inhabitants freedom of movement between the territories. - The **Dutch** took control of the **southern** part (Sint Maarten), approximately **40%** of the island. - The **French** took the **northern** part (Saint-Martin), which covers **60%** of the island. Today, the island is known for its **dual nationality** and vibrant tourism industry, with both the French and Dutch sides retaining their cultural differences. Despite being a small island, it is a symbol of peaceful coexistence between two European nations sharing the same territory. The border is virtually open, with locals and visitors moving freely between the two parts. #stmartin #sintmaarten #ncl #usvirginislands #norwegiansky Our Equipment: GoPro5 : https://amzn.to/3W706JP GoPro10 : https://amzn.to/3JoNRRt Nikon Z30 : https://amzn.to/4d2bOvo Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra DJI Mini 2 Our Software and Subscription Services: https://share.epidemicsound.com/cyumoq Adobe Premier Pro Adobe Photoshop Adobe Illustrator 🎉🎈🥳Please subscribe to our channel to stay in touch so we can share what we are up to!🐕🌋🌅 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYptpWdN5KNCq5pwdvGNrhQ?sub_confirmation=1 Website : www.justramblinaround.com Facebook: Just Ramblin Around Instagram: @justrambinaround Email: jrawithronandjodi@gmail.com ****About**** We are Ron and Jodi. We have been traveling and exploring around the Pacific Northwest and beyond for decades. Please join us as we go rambling around our next 30 years while living our “work hard, play hard” philosophy. We will try to show as much of our adventures, tips and reviews as we can through our journey practicing for retirement. This channel will be about adventures big and small, weekend getaways traveling in the motorhome exploring our region to flying away on extended vacations discovering new destinations. We hope to inspire others to make time to travel, explore and discover what our land has to offer.