INTRO
St. Maarten
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might seem that a mixing of cultures would take place, both halves of the island have retained strong ties to their by John Galluzzo homelands. The Dutch love their nightlife, their casinos and the hottest entertainment acts t’s not an even 50-50 split, land-wise, but it’s close enough. from Europe performing in their St. Martin is divided between two nations, the Netherlands clubs. The French focus on wines and France. There are approximately 7,000 islands in the and cuisine. On that point, though, there is consensus: One can never Caribbean, and many have held the stamp of one European have enough good food. More than nation or another during the past 400 years. Yet, in today’s 300 restaurants populate the island. Caribbean, an era in which those European nations are granting In those restaurants, one will governmental control back to the locals, this one island remains most likely hear French, Dutch, French Creole and Papiamento an anomaly. It holds not one but two extranational ties. spoken. English occasionally pops The bond between the nations is unique. It took very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x?'H?8?'???[?K8?'H ^H[??[?? [? H ]? ?YK ]? ??[K??X?[ K]YX[? H ?[YH [???? ?X\?[????????\ Z[???ZY[XY?^?[?\???B???\ Z[??&\??ZYHQQ?HPP?? ? L??L
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