10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report

I'm so jealous of Manda right now.

hahaha THIS IS AMAZING!!! I showed my brother the Trip Report and the pictures .. he's pretty impressed that I've been included in all of your reports and have yet to meet you all lol Love that you took the time to have a nice glass of wine with me and it looks like Markus and I had a nice chat there and I'm sure after hopping up all those stairs, that bed was a dream!!! I have to say I'm a little jealous of my stick self right now. You guys are amazing truly and thank you sooo very much from the bottom of my heart for including me in such a wonderful experience. <3

Thanks Angel, Marley, Tizzy, Garysteph (or should I say GregTiffany? Lol – I'm loving your trip report so far btw!) sbeth, Maryann and Manda81 (can't wait to finally meet you outside of “stick form”!) – Next update coming up now – It's a little late, so I apologize in advance for the typos.

Trip Report Continued...


Day 5

I woke up the unfamiliar sound of a door bell ringing. It was an elaborate door bell and the sound echoed. I sat up in confusion and looked around the bright room filled with sunshine. Fancy curtains, plush blankets, and carpets... For a second I had no idea where I was.

This confusion was due to the fact that we've been moving so much. 3 different beds in 3 days. I enjoyed this adventure, but I will say that it's a little exhausting moving around so much. I don't recommend the six hotels in twelve days approach, It's not for everyone.

It was 7:30 AM and I wanted to sleep for another few hours. I wasn't ready to wake up. I fell back into the warm sheets and nestled next to Markus..

The doorbell rang again.

I reluctantly pulled myself out of bed and stumbled to the door. I groggily walked across the expansive top floor entertainment area and peered down the curving staircase the front door below.

The guard was opening the front door and My cousin Diana entered. She waved up at me. “Breakfast at Mandeville Hotel in 45 minutes. We're going to meet up with another relative, Did you sleep well?”

“Yes! The bed was amazing!”

I returned to the bedroom and shook Markus awake. Then walked through the glass doors to take in the view of Mandeville over the balcony of The Mountain top Villa.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/.../01pool1-1.jpg

I still couldn't believe we were here. My exhaustion was replaced by excitement. This was really a dream come true for me.

Breakfast at the Mandeville Hotel was delicious. Fresh Ackee and Saltfish.. My favorite Jamaican breakfast.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...saltfish-1.jpg

I also got to meet another relative that couldn't make it to yesterday's reunion. He was incredibly intelligent and had a lot of interesting views to share. He adheres to a more Rastafarian diet and explained why this is important and healthy approach to consider. He had the most piercing blue eyes I have ever seen. He and Markus got into a very deep conversation about life.

We then returned to the main house to say goodbye to my grand aunt and to go through the family book. She showed me the family tree and pictures of my relatives back in the day. It was fascinating. So much to learn and digest.

Then we said our final goodbye's to the remaining family that lives in Mandeville before beginning our drive back to Negril.

****

“So when is your father coming back to the Island to visit the family?”, Diana asked as we drove down the curving mountains. “Does he have a trip planned?”

“No, but I've been working on convincing him... for almost a year now.” I said “I'm sure once he hears about THIS experience... he will want to come, I'm sure of it”

She pulled her cellphone off the dashboard and handed it to me. “Here”

I held the phone and stared at her in confusion.

“Call your father” She instructed.

“Right...now?”, I asked

“No better time”

I hesitated.

I hesitated because I love my father dearly but we don't always see eye to eye. We don't really talk to each other on the phone very much. We don't have the kind of relationship where I just call him out of the blue to chew the hay. There usually has to be a reason, like Father's day or a birthday. I wish our relationship WAS better …. but I digress...This is a trip report, not my autobiography

Our last conversation had been 2 months ago and it kind of ended on a sour note. As a result, he didn't know that I was in Jamaica, unless my mother told him...

This should be interesting.

I took a deep breathe and dialed my father's number. I listened to it ring. I gazed at Markus at the rear view mirror and I could see he was watching me intently.

My father picked up “Hello??” He sounded groggy, I probably woke him up from a nap.

“Hi Dad. It's Daisy!” I said quickly “Guess what? I'm in Jamaica right now!”

“(long pause)....Jamaica, West Indies?”

“Yes!”, Then it all spilled out at once “I'm driving through the countryside with your cousin, Diana and we just met a whole bunch of family and they told me all the stories about your time in Kingston, your visits to Mandeville and your summers in Negril. They all want to see you so much, I really think you should come to Jamaica...soon.... Dad real soon”

“You're in Mandeville? Right now?”, He laughed, There was a total change in his voice. It switched from guarded to really warm. “You're kidding me! Diana?! Your driving with Diana?”

“Yes!” I laughed feeling more comfortable “And it's been AMAZING!”

We talked a bit longer and then Diana took the phone. They ended up chatting for a good twenty minutes together.

She hung up with a smile. “Done and Done”, She said matter of factly “Your father is coming to Jamaica this summer.”

Wow.

(NOTE: She was right. My father booked tickets a month later. He and my mother and my two sisters are going to Jamaica this August!!)

We opened up a lot during that car ride. She told me about the importance of family. “it's not always easy, Sure, We fight at times and get on each others nerves. That's life. You just have to forgive and LOVE. Life is too short not too. Family is the most important thing.”

She gave me a lot to think about.

*****

The landscape was beginning to change, it was less hilly and very lush.

“We're in the Middle Quarters right now”, Diana explained “We're going to stop at one of my favorite road side vendors. Have you ever had pepper shrimp?”

“No, But I've heard about it.. I've always wanted to try!”

We pulled over to the side of the road and we were greeted by this smiling face.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...lequarters.jpg

For those that were on the Magic bus trip, this woman will look VERY familiar. Do you recognize her?

She and Diana are friends. They greeted each other warmly. She introduced us to her (I wish I could remember her name!) and we ordered a bag of pepper shrimp and some fresh fruit.

I was really surprised when I pulled out my first pepper shrimp and gazed at it.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...ppershrimp.jpg

It looked more like a craw fish. It had it's head, antennas and legs still attached. How on earth do I eat this thing?? Diana took one out of the bag, ripped off it's head and shoved the whole thing into her mouth.

“You keep the legs on it??”, I asked in surprised.

“Yep, it's delicious” She said.

“Hmmm...” I reluctantly pulled off the head and stuck it into my mouth. I chewed really fast because I kind of felt like I was eating an insect.

It was REALLY good and very spicy too. I handed one to Markus and he enjoyed it too. We devoured the entire bag as we continued driving through the middle quarters.

Then we pulled into a town area close to Black River.

“Have you ever had coco bread?”, Diana asked.

I shook my head.

She sent Markus into a bakery with instructions to order some while we waited in the car. He returned with a warm loaf of the most delicious creamy bread I'd ever tasted...

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...scocobread.jpg
Markus eating Coco Bread.

“We're heading to Belmont, Blue fields now”, Diana said “Is there anything that you've never tried that you would like to try for the first time?”

I immediately thought of the song “Sugarcane” by Shaggy. I've never tried Sugarcane and I was very curious.

Diana made a phone call

As we were driving I started seeing the ocean through the trees. The bluest most beautiful ocean ever! It was absolutely stunning! Now I understood why Brasi likes Belmont so much!

We pulled into an open air restaurant on the side of the road with access to the beach. I immediately gravitated towards the beach...

Wow...Gorgeous!

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...lmontocean.jpg

We entered the restaurant and I was greeted by a man with a huge walking stick of some sorts. He smiled and introduced himself. It turns out we're also distant relatives.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...ugarcane-1.jpg

He handed me the big stick. I didn't quite know what it was... or why he was giving it to me? He could see the confusion in my eyes.

“It's Sugarcane”, He explained with a smile “Diana said you wanted some sugarcane. Here it is”

I laughed “Um, I don't know how to eat this...”

“Don't worry, I have a knife. I will cut it open for you”, He said. “Come with me”

We walked over to the side table and he began to cut it up with a knife into little cubes.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...tsugarcane.jpg

I put one of the cubes into my mouth. It was delicious, sugary, watery..kind of fruity at the same time, like a pear sort of. I can't describe the taste. I just know I really liked it... The problem was, I couldn't figure out how to digest it... I just kept chewing and chewing in confusion until it was this hard piece of fiber that I was pushing around with my tongue in my mouth... now what?

“You chew it, sucking out the juices and then spit it out”, He explained with a laugh. “Don't swallow it!”

Oh! I was learning a lot on this trip!

We met another man, that explained the secrets to winning at dominoes. Apparently he is the domino champ in Belmont. No one can beat him and he's very proud of that. I recorded his monologue and I'll post it later.

Lunch was ready and we all sat down to enjoy it. It was a land crab of some sort, cooked in the shell and breaded/spiced. Soooo good.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...elmontcrab.jpg

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...lmontcrab2.jpg

I didn't want to leave... the fresh ocean breeze, great conversation, all the amazing tastes and sensations. I was just so happy and so relaxed in that moment.

That's when I realized the time! The Bellyflop contest would be starting soon, we were going to be late!

It was time to say our goodbye's and hit the road. I had signed up for a judge and I had a duty to perform. I was ready :)

We hit the road

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...01belmont2.jpg

To be continued:
Bellyflop contest, Checking into Seasplash hotel & Roots Bamboo.
Markus is back and he's up next

What an adventure. Your trip is NOT like most peoples vacation. So much more.
Thanks

Oh, I agree...Belmont is so beautiful! Your pictures of the Mandeville Hotel make me want to visit. It looks so wonderful.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Clarity

Trip Report Continued...


Day 5


For those that were on the Magic bus trip, this woman will look VERY familiar. Do you recognize her?

She and Diana are friends. They greeted each other warmly. She introduced us to her (I wish I could remember her name!) and we ordered a bag of pepper shrimp and some fresh fruit.

---

I ABSOLUTELY recognize her! I basically proposed to that kind woman and told her I needed to have her pepper shrimp soup every day of my life! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Chicken is friends with her too, and her sister
But after tasting that soup and that shrimp I can't imagine ANYONE not wanting to be HER friend!


Awesome! :)

Great report Daisy! Love the photos of Mandeville! So, if I understand it correctly, you are related to this Jamaican family by marriage (your uncle's marriage to a Jamaican woman? ) Just trying to understand the connection and follow along! Sorry, I think I missed where you mentioned the details. I can totally understand you not wanting to leave Blue fields. It's just so gorgeous and peaceful looking! Forget a belly flop contest (sorry turtles!:-), but I think I probably would have stayed there all day getting to know my newly found cousin, haha!