MONTSERRAT PORTS

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Montserrat

Caribbean Cruise to Picturesque Montserrat, a Lesson to us all About Sharing - Montserrat

Although the island of Montserrat is only 37 square miles in size, it is perhaps the best known cruise holiday destination in the Caribbean's Leeward Islands. The French and Dutch have shared the island since 1648 when, as legend has it, a trim Frenchman fueled by wine and a portly Dutchman fortified by gin agreed not to fight over the island, but rather to walk around it in opposite directions and establish the boundary where they met. The Frenchman was faster than the Dutchman, so the French received 21 square miles. While the French side is larger, the Dutch side has the airport. Both sides share Simpson Bay Lagoon, and where the two sides meet is a simple plaque and a modern sign that reads "partie Francaise." There are no guards, no fences and no arguments. Marigot is the capital of French St. Martin. It has the feeling of a picturesque and fashionable Riviera seaport bursting at the seams with boutiques and restaurants. Shoppers enjoy strolling down Rue Charles de Gaulle with its concentration of elegant stores.