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Hey Kimbob...we sure did....That will show up on there soon.....Crazy day at work due to the weather.....Day 3 soon come......Nadie's place is called Tan Tan in Greed Island....on way from MOBay....Dwayne's an awesome guy...He was with Rocky Tours for a while but got his own van and started his company
Where were we? Oh yeah, it's Monday morning. I commence my day as I usually do. A morning swim followed by some sub action on my patio overlooking the ocean at the Tamboo. I can't say enough good things about the Tamboo. I paid around $80 a night....Clean room with great table TV (Yeah, yeah, yeah....we aren't here to watch tv! Usually only comes on at end of night !) They also have a breakfast included that's a 'real' breakfast and none of this muffin with a piece of toast and juice crap. I'm getting sidetracked as I oft do.
I had breakfast with my neighbors and new friends Dave and John. Dave has the pleasure of staying 6 weeks....Lucky guy....He fixes furnaces in Canada....think Saskatoon? and John works with STS....Student Travel Services....Obviously, they were huge years ago. I remember those Spring Break Parties at Risky Business and Tamboo...Turns out John helped organize all of them...Funny....Anyway, today the headphones go on and I go right. It's about 10:30 ish, again, and I am rather certain I'm ready for a Red Stripe. I head right out of the Tamboo and make stop #1 The Yellowbird. I met an interesting couple. He was a car dealer in Canada and she was a Columbian singer. We had a few drinks and a few laughs. I told them how I'd be at the Drifters on Wed for Luddy's show and I hoped to see them again....Never happened, but we all know that happens in Negril often...Sometimes you meet the coolest people and have every intention of getting their info....but sand gravity, sub activity and Red Stripe consumption often get in the way of this.....
Next stop is Sunnyside Bar to see Maureen. I remember the For Real Days. The Vibe is so similar. The picnic tables out front are packed as well as the bar. She has the cheapest Red Stripe on the Beach! at 170J. in my mind it's ingenious. It brings the crowd in who in turn order all sorts of other drink. I proceed to pound a few there before continuing on. I pop in to see Grace at Tony's Hut then head on down to White Sands for their Monday Red Stripe Special....2 for 400....This one guy at White Sands was hammered and insisted I was his old from Harvey from Kentucky. I kept talking long enough for him to realize there is quite a significant disparity in the way those from Kentucky and those from Boston speak....I finally convinced him with a few more 'cahs'
Gotta head outta White Sands and head back to Tamboo. I met a couple of guys and their girlfriends from Norway at Luciano the other night and we are meeting up to go on the Ya Mon Catamaran Sunset Cruise....Great deal...$50 for all you can drink (bottles!) dinner and snorkeling....It takes off outside the Boat Bar....We popped in the Boat Bar for their live show before we took off...It was pretty cool seeing this cool reggae band do U2....Pretty Cool
Cruise is outstanding. One caveat they neglect to tell you in the 'all you can drink' part is that no alcohol is served untilafter the first snorkeling spot...AKA almost 45 minutes....Whatever...I made up for that later and I've been on cruises in the past with crappy draft beer and they actually gave you bottles which, like I said, is a total bonus. We snorkeled for a bit and started thowing em' back. I love being on the water and seeing the resorts from the boat....It's always really neat passing the Blue Cave Castle....I got a lot of cool videotape...We continue on to Rick's, do some awesome cave snorkeling and jam to the loud reggae on the way back. Jerk and rice served. By the end of the sunset as we headed back to the Boat Bar, I probably had like 10 beers...That's why I think it was such a great deal...Factor in the diner and the snorkeling,,,,and it really can't get much better....
Pop into the Boat Bar for a few after the voyage...Met some buddies for a late dinner at Kuyaba....then off to Mom's to finish the night.....Another great day in my favorite place on Earth
That vibe....That Jamaican vibe I've come to know over the years...is settling in. I'm excited about tomorrow. I have a lot of fun things planned..
Can't wait to tell you about them.
Have a great night, everyone
Nice report~couldn't agree more with Sunnyside~:D
Wow! Great report, I feel I am right there with you.......more please!
I wake up Tuesday morning. Today is a big day. I don't need to be redundant anymore relative to my rituals upon awakening.....I do my usual 'get wet' and subsequent 'get baked' lol....Breakfast at the Tamboo....Today was the the day most of Mr Black's children left....Mr Black owns the place and has 29 kids....yep, that's right, 29.....I think 18 or so were there....Really nice people and they all seemed to enjoy each other's company. I met Sean and his 9 year old son.....and the son was the nephew to his 5 year old uncle....I know, you gotta think about that one a bit....With 29 kids, anything is possible.
Dwayne picks me up at 10ish. The plan is to start on the West End and start at Barney's Hummingbirds. After an $18 entrance fee (not including my local friend!!) I quickly decided I'd find a hummingbird elsewhere. I've made a series of videos so far and posted many on Negril Boardies on FB and soon Youtube. I've been to the Lighthouse a million times but wanted a video so Dwayne and I met Mr. Johnson and we scaled it. What a view. Words will never do it justice so I won't attempt to.
It's 11 ish....We hit Sir D's....My favorite bar in Negril....and of course we are the only ones there. We have a few beers...I take my customary video....and now it's on to Half Moon Beach. I heard about Calico Jack's Pirate Shack and I'm ready to check this place out.
For those not familiar with Half Moon, it is a private beach only 15 minutes outside of Negril. It's a $5 per person entrance into the beach and only a $5 roundtrip boat fare to Calico Jack's which is probably a 10 minute voyage mas or menos. The Red Stripe was 400J....I didn't mind since I think I paid more at the Pelican Bar...They had an outstanding lunch, however, and was quite reasonable for US standards at $10....A plate full of chicken, rice and a great pasta salad....Upon arrival, it was just Dwayne and I but soon others showed up....More Wisconsinites....We chat football and hang out a couple hours....There are some little kids on the island now so I wander around to ensure that my sub activity stays as clandestine as possible. I loved the place and posted a great video! Like Pelican, though, it is really only the type of place to spend a few hours....Things add up quickly! Then, though, when don't they?
Dwayne has a 5 PM pickup in moBay so I head back to homebase at the Tamboo. I stop at the usual haunts....ran into some Boardies at Sunnyside and then on to White Sands for Sunset...
I head on to the Boat Bar to meet up with my longtime local friend Jeff. We party there for a bit. One of the Norwegian guys I had gone on the Ya Mon cruise showed up. I felt bad for the guy. He went to go take a leak and must have mis-positioned. Apparently, his flow ricocheted off something else (perhaps the wall) and redirected right back at his shorts. Upon returning to the bar from the urinal, he had a distinct line of urine....almost formed perfectly with a 2 to 3 inch width....going from his belly to his thigh...The locals laughed at him but I was glad when I saw his friend pop up so I didn't have to escort the guy home....though I would have....
I meet my friend Amber at Bourbon and actually make it til midnight....Time for a sub and a little chillax time!
Tomorrow is Luddy Samms and the Drifters, after all!
To think how many more followers I'd have had I learned to post the f*%$#& pics....I will trudge on, though...The writing is good for me
Wednesday is the day of walking..Man, I just kept going....After breakfast, I left the tamboo and kept going....I stopped at the usual spots for Rec Stripes but this time kept going....I walked through the all-inclusives to the end....rather than cut through the path towards Bloody Bay, I opt to turn around and head the other way....The myriads of stops along the way were contingent upon my Red Stripe level at the time....If the stop concurred with a regular joint, so be it....if it meant trying something new, I sure did ....I stopped at countless places I couldn't name...both on this journey...all week...and my whole life in Negril, actually
Time stops for me in Negril....It's only 11:00....I am ready to see Luddy Samms at Drifters for like my 7th or 8th time....Show doesn't 'start' til 2:30 with Luddy usually on at 3....I stop at home base, the tamboo, to refresh the sub-life....On I go...I go past Canoe and wind up stopping and chatting with a couple. I add to my endless wristband collection....many of which are faded from the years...and she puts that special Jamaican almond oil on me....I'm pretty dark instantly
Luddy rocks the house at Drifters. From his own famous hits (Under the Boardwalk) to the hits from the day (My Girl) I gotta say.....it's always the best thing I do...I wound up going back Friday...
Wednesday marks my last day at the Tamboo. I totally screwed up with my reservation. I'm either retarded or ingest to many subs...or perhaps a combination of both....but I booked the Tamboo Sun-Thurs and Sunset on the Cliffs Fri and Sat...Only problem is, I booked 'til' Thursday not 'including' Thursday
I'm homeless for a night! So I think
Roots Bamboo, here I come last minute!
See ya tomorrow
More please!! :)
Mr. Bostonguy823, even without pictures it's a great report~~ Please keep it coming. And Thank You.
Let's see...a sub in one hand and a Sam Adams in the other....what better way to reminisce of one of my whackier days in Negril thus far...Unfortunately, today is the day I check out of the Tamboo. I totally effed up with my booking. I booked the flight then a few days later booked the Tamboo Sat-Thurs....I always like to close it out on the cliffs ....think I had a sub too many....and came back and booked Sunset on the Cliffs for Fri and Sat and leave Sunday.....What I didn't realize until the night before I left was that I hadn't booked a hotel for Thursday....Wickid pissah! as we say in Boston....which is being sarcastic because 'wicked pissah' in Bostonian language roughly translates into something positive.......Anyway, Expedia offered me this $25 coupon....and Roots was only $56 for the rustic cabin.....so for 31 bucks I figured I could 'rough' it with just me, the bed, the ceiling fan and the toilet. Let the new chapter begin!
I just don't wanna leave the Tamboo. I can't say enough great things. They are assured my business when I return in October. Today was a day I just wanted to lounge around. A guy Sascha from Saskatoon and his girl were hanging with me all day. They were impressed with my sub quality. As Cousin Eddie said in the original National Lampoon's Vacation.....'Nuthin' but the best!' My friends at the Tamboo afforded me the opportunity to check out late and I took full advantage. I cleaned up my room....emptied the sub drawer....tipped June the lovely housekeeper...and made it on my way to Roots Bamboo.
It was a unique experience checking in at Roots. The older gentleman at the desk kept insisting I should have been here the day before and asked to see my 'paper' I assumed he meant my expedia printout but I explained I only had it on my phone. He attempted to glance and threw his arms up...'To hell with it' he probably said....He told me to follow him, which I did and he gave me my key. I was now in my rustic heaven for the night.....I was afraid to turn on the ceiling fan....because when I did, this thing went absolutely buck wild....it looked as if it could come unhinged at anytime....All I could think about was sleeping in the middle of the night and that ceiling fan becoming unhinged and chopping something off....That's just not the way I wanna go out so it looks like I'll be sweating tonight....On a side positive note, however, I was impressed with the bathrooms and shower....Very impressive!
I hang at the bar at Roots for a while. my good friend (who also happens to be my driver) picks me up at 4 PM. Tonight I am taking him and his girl Nadine to Canoe Bar for the live steel drums show and dinner. Nadine isn't going to be ready for a while. She runs a shop in Green Island so Dwayne and I are ready to chill.
I hadn't been to Whoopie's Hammock Park in quite some time...I was unaware of Dennis' tragic death...Sad....I love that spot so much, though...I remember when the goats roamed freely....Dwayne was floored again...He didn't comprehend how he was a driver in Jamaica....and it took the Jamerican TimmyMon to open his eyes to Sir D, Calico Jack and Whoopie's....Anyway, at Whoopie's, Dwayne and I meet this Canadian man and his wife. I'd be lying if I said I remembered his name, but for the eff of it, let's just call him Wilbur. Well, Wilbur smuggled 30 subs in some air tight compartment...He got a little too technical for me...I manage a supermarket....well, I got to try one of these....I do well in the sub category relative to quality but we all know nothing grown outdoors rivals what we have to offer...We subbed it and he gave me one for the road....I was grateful....but far more grateful for being at Whoopie's again
We grabbed Nadine and I was lucky enough to run into Dennis and Betty. They were leaving Canoe and we got their front row seats for the steel drum band during dinner. What a hoot! We ordered all sorts of appetizers and beer. I think I may have given the band some competition regarding entertainment, however....I was trying to get the ultimate photo op....Dwayne with my camera as I leaned back on the rail, hovering backwards so the band can get in the picture....but.....Houston, we have a problem! I leaned back however I reached the point of no return. In a desperate last bid to save face and pull myself up, I reached my foot up against the bottom on the rail...If only I could cup my foot enough, my sheer leg strength would surely propel myself back up....
Wrong....I leaned back...and....Man Overboard.....I think I actually did a flip as I fell on my ass... I took out a couple rungs from the deck....Ask anyone that was there Thurs 2/26....I'm the guy that fell off the deck....Good news is, other than the welt on my foot....I was Ok so went back up and ordered a few more beers...Only me!
After dinner, I head back to Roots. My normal routine, had I been at the Tamboo, would be to throw on the headphones and go. I like the idea of coming home to cable or internet or something at the end of the night. The older I get the less I am fascinated by the late shows at Bourbon or whatever. They're awesome shows, however, I usually haven't been staying up that late....Tonight, though, I didn't have much to come home to. I knew it was going to be a late night for lack of anything else to do I didn't even have a book to read!
I actually walk back over to the Tamboo to see if my buddy Dave is there. He's not around so I start chatting up a Rasta I met earlier in the week. I will have to ask Dave his name as I don't wanna misquote it. I had met him a few days earlier when he made a beautiful flower bouquet for a birthday girl from wild flowers at the tamboo....I asked him to take me to Burger King and then we hit up the corner bar...I know, terrible, Burger King....We laugh and chat with locals all night...He was telling me how his dog had all these puppies and how he took my friend Dave to see them. I remember Dave telling me the story so I connected the dots. He was drinking his Dragon Stout and I my Red Stripe.
Finally, at 2:30 ish, it's time to go home. I still won't turn on that fan as I'd rather sweat than face the potential alternative options. It's late enough to crash. I should have paid the extra money but I can't complain for 30 bucks a night. I'm drunk....I sub it on the nice porch....and pass out...
Tomorrow starts my adventure on the Cliffs
Enjoying your report.