Jamaica: 27 November 2010

Oh, Jamaica.  Here we are trying desperately to get as much adventure out of you as we can on the last day of fun.  Ready, set, go!

We start the day off with an aggressive morning hike.  Now, while the brochure for available activities mentioned that we could enjoy a simple 2.5-hour hike up the local Bluefields Mountain and that a staff member would take us, it did not imply that we’d all be sucking wind and sweating our rear ends off while doing so.  We snagged a few shots along the way.  That’s David behind us.  He trotted up this mountain like it was a stroll in a grassy park.  We stopped about eight (8) times along the way, drained our water bottles and kept asking, “Are we there yet?”

After we finished the morning hike, it was time for some breakfast and pool adventures.  And you can only imagine what pool adventures lead to – pool bets.  Here’s the successful outcome of J-Rob’s wager to dive into the pool while holding a full drink and to not only keep the drink above water, but to not spill any either.  (Daren and Mike paid dearly for betting our little swimmer on that one.)

We spent the remainder of the day lounging around the pool and enjoying the sunset.  We each got to say a toast at dinner, and our last toast was conducted by Mr. Chad Starns himself.  I’ll share that toast here with you:

May the sound of happy music
And the lilt of Jamaican laughter
Fill your heart with gladness
That stays forever after.

Like any good party, things do have to come to an end and it’s time to say goodbye.  Here we bid farewell to our new found friends Percy and Steve.  Until our next adventure!

  

 

Jamaica: 26 November 2010

We had the most exciting day today. We started at the Roaring River and ended in Negril. Here are a few shots from the Roaring River. We got a private tour with three private guides. We saw much of the native ways of live and vegetation. Here are a few shots from our trip.

These first shots are of the river itself. The river has two parts - one the locals use for drinking water (no swimming) and the second that they use for bathing and swimming. We were able to see both.

Here is a series of photos from our coconut experience. We were able to get fresh coconuts out of the tree, and then got to enjoy the fruits of that labor - coconut juice!

Here is a shot of the troupe hanging out in the Roaring River. This area had a natural spring, a rapid and a lot of bubbles! (The laughter is all natural!)

After we saw the Roaring River, we went on to Negril. We went to the Negril Craft Market and then on to Ricks. Our friend (J-Rob) showed everyone who was boss by doing this 50-foot cliff dive like it was nothing. Go J-Rob!

Jamaica: 24-25 November 2010

Happy Thanksgiving from Jamaica! We are hoping you are having the most excellent holiday while we are here. We are thinking of you all and thankful for each and every one of you.

We started off Wednesday with a snorkeling trip out to the reef. We didn't take shots while we were under the water, but we did want to give you an idea of the types of things we saw while we were here. Here is a sampling.

After we went snorkeling in the morning we pretty much lounged around the house the rest of the day. Even the guard dogs needed a nap. Doesn't this look like the epitome of protection to you? (We love the guard dogs by the way, they are super friendly and loving and help remind us of our own furry friends at home.) Here is the sunset from Wednesday night off the back of the house. Pretty wonderful stuff.
On Thursday we did two main activities. We went to the Black River and then to the Appleton Rum Estate. These first shots are from the river, the second from the rum tour. The crocodiles enjoy the treats that the boat drivers pass out frequently.

Here is our driver Devon telling us about the shrimp traps that the locals use in the water.

Here is a shot of the boat dock loading area where we started our tour.

Here are some shots from the Appleton Rum Estate. This was a good time and we enjoyed tasting several varieties of rum.

Here are some local girls we passed on the way home. Aren't they cute? They wanted to have their picture taken so much.

They had prepared a full Thanksgiving dinner for us and spelled out "Happy Thanksgiving" in flower petals for us on the table. I'm telling you, this place is awesome. Until tomorrow!

Jamaica: 23 November 2010

Today was filled with quite a bit of excitement again. Half of the crew set out at an early 5:30 a.m. to hit the ocean for some deep sea fishing. And, boy, did they score. The troupe came back with an amazing 13 fish! Along the way, they saw these pelicans. While they were busy catching fish, we were busy enjoying a leisurely breakfast with our attentive Jamaican staff. While I won't give you an exact play-by-play account of every meal (French toast and Jamaican eggs, fresh fruit, hot tea, coffee, etc.) I did want to share the beautiful silver and British colonial undertones that adorn the house. Here is the breakfast service area just off the main dining hall. (You know, the one that overlooks the ocean while we eat all our meals as the breeze comes in?)
Here's the first shot upon their return. Look at how happy they are about their bountiful catch! And, a quick photo of a small crab that made an appearance for us. Overall they caught 13 tuna, 2 barracuda and 1 rather large (~25 lbs.) king fish. This is me giving you some perspective on the size of the king fish. No, I'm not eating the fish. (That comes later.) And, to make sure we continue to share every ounce of this trip with you, here are a few shots from the beverage prep station. (Again, in British colonial style.) Thank you fine silver trays, ice buckets and stir sticks. You have made this little adventure all the better.

Here is an assortment of mixers available in Jamaica. The ginger beer (like root beer but a little different) and Ting are great!We spent the afternoon napping and lounging out on the ocean on the aqua float. Later in the day a few of us enjoyed a deep tissue massage (heaven) and then we all dined on sushi, fish kabobs and fresh veggies assembled from the day's catch. (Your fish doesn't get much fresher than this.)Later for dinner, we enjoyed "fish tea" soup, fresh fish fillets, fish rice and seasonal vegetables. It was heaven. Best of all we know we played a part in making dinner and providing some fish for the boatman and the staff.

We finished the night with the "Pool Olympics". Cindy was a gold medalist. More to come tomorrow!

Jamaica: 22 November 2010

We're here and still loving Jamaica.

We started this morning with a lovely breakfast of toast, cereal, fresh fruit salad, bacon and a special Jamaican egg scramble. (yum) We continue to love the special attention and care provided by our villa team. We are all getting to spoiled too come home and will miss the attention.

After we enjoyed breakfast we headed out to sea on kayaks and explored the southern coast of the island. We saw many native birds and the area is surrounded with beautiful flowers.

After time on the kayaks we came back inland for a moment and then headed over to our private aqua raft (a nice large floatation device they've left for us in the middle of the ocean to use for laying out). After this we enjoyed lunch and took a variety of naps, enjoyed the pool and took a stroll up along the street to see the nearby park.

Here is a shot from our window with one of the beautiful hummingbirds (Red-billed Streamertail) that was hanging out to enjoy the many flowers around.
After we finished our time at the park and headed back, it was time to prepare to head to the manager's reception in another nearby villa. We met many of the guests who were staying in nearby homes and the owners of all the homes. We have also enjoyed meeting the owners' son and learning more about the island.

Once we returned from the manager's reception we came home to find dinner (and the dinner table complete with new fresh flowers) had been prepared for us and our team was ready to help us enjoy another fine evening of Jamaican dining including pork chops (Jamaican style), seasonal vegetables, potatoes, sea lime pie and rum ice cream. (yum, again)
Later in the evening we enjoyed a special late-night snack in Jamaican grilled cheese. Stay tuned as we prepare for the next day of deep sea fishing and massage!

Jamaica: 21 November 2010

Jamaica, sweet Jamaica, oh how I heart you!

Greetings friends and loved ones. We made our way to Jamaica this morning and are so happy we did. We started in Indy, did a quick (but enjoyable) layover in Philadelphia, and then swung straight into Montego Bay. We were greeted at the airport by "Dougie." Dougie is the resident contact for the Island Hoppers helicopter transfer we secured. He helped us make our way from the airport, to the helipad and finally over to the south side of the island to our beautiful and stunning resort.

Okay, so I try my best not to speak in superlatives about vacations, and to temper what I write here to be a combination of fun information, and not come sounding like a braggart. I have to throw all that out the window though today and I apologize for that. What you are about to read next may just make you hate me. I'm sorry. That's not my intention, but there are simply not words to capture the amazing experience that we have had so far. So, if you are up for it, dig in!

As we landed from our helicopter ride, we were met by the Bluefields Bay staff and their kind offering of fresh orange juice on silver trays in champagne glasses. Not a bad way to start a trip, right? They carefully whisk us away to the villa and our mouths drop wide open as we step out of the car and see our oasis.

We are staying at the beautiful and amazing Bluefields Bay Villas at the Hermitage. Here are a few shots. (And yes, it is just as spectacular as it looks here.) To help you try to understand the amazingness that is this experience - just imagine an entire open-air home, a private staff and anything you could desire at your fingertips. To top it off, imagine a home that is beautifully decorated, has a private pool and looks straight out onto the ocean. As a matter of fact, as I type this, I do so with the gentle roar of the tide at my side. (I know, I warned you once already.)

We enjoyed carefully crafted appetizers while our dinner was being prepared, and drinks to our liking all the while. We made our way down to the beach, enjoyed the hammock for a few moments and watched the locals swim on a nearby beach. We kept cool by dipping our feet in the pool. Dinner included cabbage soup, stuffed lobster, scalloped potatoes, seasonal vegetables, fried plantains and homemade fruit sorbet. (Not to mention a great toast by Ms. Cindy Zoellner.)

After dinner we enjoyed a quick dip in the pool and are settling in for the night. The windows are open wide, the breeze carries in the sounds and sweet smell of this island paradise lazily and we fight to keep our eyes open wide to take in every moment of this heaven. Until tomorrow.