The view of a white-sand beach, snowy egrets standing like pagan priests on the shoreline and geckos darting among the sea grape trees is my memory of St. Maarten, a place I first visited nine years ago, which has continued to develop (for better and worse) since then. Hopping to neighboring islands is convenient from St. Maarten, as we discover on page 102. Roland Richardson finds quieter pleasures at home when he comes across an island tailor's shop. On page 85, he declares that "Theirs is a civilizing presence, making the island more of a complete world". And who could argue with "an article of clothing 'confectioner' - made for you- is not the same as ready made"? This traditional bespoke craft is appealing, but some of us want the glamour associated with a luxury brand. On page 62, we explore the world of the sports chronograph watch and find that there is "any number of big, sporty chronographs out there to please even those whose idea of sporting achievement is to hail a cab".