Friday on the rock. Too long, this one... :p
Friday morning even better. Up early, coffee made, breakfast done early, and I’m under instructions from Debbie to wake her up at 8. Eating eggs on the balcony, I had a hummingbird try to nest in my hair. Now, I know it isn’t neat first thing in the morning, but that may be a bit extreme. I got her up a little earlier than that, and was relieved that there were no indications of a migraine today. Breakfast for her- mangoes, papaya, bananas. She shared. Good thing! Mangoes so juicy that they dripped everywhere!
Down to the beach with snorkelling equipment. Day sunny, with just a few clouds overhead. We swam out to the reef and hung out there for about an hour. Returned pretty close to 11, and it was Red Stripe time. Something about being in the sea for well over an hour will do this. With the swim out and back, probably closer to two hours. It’s quite a distance out there. We weren’t in any danger from boats or jet-skis out there, but there were a few on the way out and in. One driven by a girl came within about 15 feet uf us, and I don’t think she even knew we were there, in spite of BRIGHT colors on the snorkels and splashing and stuff.
Jet skis are coming closer to shore every trip. This is creating a hazard for swimmers, and is sometimes just plain irritating. Having the wake right next to us as we’re getting more and more mellow in the Caribbean waters is shattering to the ambience.
Thinking about heading into town for lunch, when the jerk pork guy walks down the beach toward us. Dragon Bar’s jerk is $800J for a pound, topped with fresh scotch bonnet, and his is $1000, no scotch bonnet on top, but really smokey and spicey. I’ll gladly pay more for the delivery, and weenjoyed it just as much, if not more! That and a couple of Red Stripes, perfect lunch.
Headed downtown to change money and pick up the last few things for friends that couldn’t make it this year. Stopped at the fruit trucks by Devon House,and got more mangoes (tables) and a big soursop. Not for juicing, but just to eat on the beach.
Got back and shared the soursop. Most people haven’t had a chance to eat it, and it’s GREAT! Under that bumpy green skin is a white stringy flesh with seeds in them. We invited others, including our Norway Nurses to join us, and it went fast. Juice just drizzling out of it every time we took out some of the fruit. Pure white, sweet and tangy. Soursop juice goes well with coconut rum, BTW.
Trying to finish up rum from our kitchen, and not succeeding. We’ll leave it for others. Dinner tonight with the Norway Nurses. They wanted some REAL Jamaican food, not the touristy stuff, so we drive over to Jean’s One Mile. Dark and no signs. Perfect place. They were a bit suspicious until we went over to the screened in building and found that there was pork, chicken, fish and oxtail left. They both had the pork and yam and dumpling with rice and peas. One of the best meals they’ve ever had, and for $300J! How can you beat that?
We drove them around the roundabout to Devon House just to see the soup and fruit vendors, then out West End road to Swordfish, so we could get some Devon House ice cream. Hanging out on the back deck, watching the ray scoot along looking for the chum they discard from the kitchen, and a puffer-fish meandering between weeds is cool. Light shining into the shallows to watch this. Neat.
Back to the cottage to pack. Darn. What a depressing thought- heading back to the north, leaving behind the fruits and ocean and sun and people and everything.
Dave
