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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
After our tour of the grounds, we went back to our villa to finally get out of our San Francisco clothes and change into Jamaica gear.
Markus began placing his folded clothes carefully into the wardrobe (Typical German)
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...organizing.jpg
… while I just yanked my bikini and sundress out of my carry-on bag. Attempting to fully unpack seemed futile to me, since we would be moving again after two nights. I was too excited about jumping into the ocean for the first time. I could already feel the warm salt water on my skin…I was already enjoying that feeling of underwater weightlessness…I was already envisioning the fish darting around below my feet…
“I can’t believe we’re here!” I must have said that a hundred times since we arrived in Negril. It was all still very surreal to me. I let my body fall backwards onto the huge king size bed in the center of the suite and closed my eyes…
At that moment lack of sleep hit me full on… I realized that if I kept my eyes, I would pass out from the exhaustion of it all…The bed was so soft…my head began to sink deeper and deeper into the plush pillows…
Markus closed the wardrobe with a thump and the sound caused me to snap out of it. I quickly sat up straight “What? Huh? No! I’m awake!!! What?”
Markus laughed. “You can sleep, honey, it’s okay”
“No I can’t! we’re FINALLY in Jamaica, I want to enjoy the sunshine! I don’t want to miss a minute of it”
I looked at Markus and I could see that even though he was trying to hide it… he was beyond tired too. It was masked behind a huge grin, but his eyes told the story of our many hours of sleepless travel. They were completely bloodshot. We decided to check out the bar at Villa Sur Mer and have a drink to hopefully wake us both up.
We wandered down the tropical pathways…passing “Shakes” who was still sweeping with this homemade broom… until we reached the bar in the back of the resort. It was to the left of the lagoon pool
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...rmerchairs.jpg
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...lagoonpool.jpg
Reggae music was playing and a man was there behind the bar bopping his head to the beat while he cleaned out cocktail glasses.
We eased ourselves into the barstool and the bartender introduced himself as Radcliff. “What can I get you guys?”, He asked with a smile.
We ordered two dirty bananas…
After that first sip of creamy goodness, I felt the energy rush through my body again.
This delicious dirty banana marked the official start of our vacation.
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...irtybanana.jpg
We chatted with Radcliff for a while until we decided it was time to dip our toes in the ocean. We couldn’t resist the siren call of the sea any longer.
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
We head into the cave which led us to the ocean. The water was crashing against the side of the rocks sending a spray of foam up into the air every few minutes or so.
Markus was ready to go…
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...2snorkel-1.jpg
I was ready too… but a little wary. The ocean was more turbulent than I remembered it. Markus immediately jumped in and then gestured for me to join him. I hesitated at the foot of the ladder.. The water was swelling up to my toes and then sinking down way below the ladder to the coral beneath. Coral covered with sea urchins...
I finally closed my eyes and jumped when the water was at its highest point. I let the current pull me away from the ladder and then push me up close to the rocks. Under the water, I could see all the fish bobbing also back and forth with the current. I was worried that I wouldn’t make it back to the ladder… that the ocean would slam me into it face first…I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m not the best swimmer. I’m more of a doggy paddler.
Markus wasn’t deterred by the waves, he enjoyed it. Meanwhile I scrambled out the minute I was able to grab hold of that ladder again.
From that point, I was content to lay out on the sun chair watching Markus snorkeling and letting the sun lick the salt water off my skin. It was ultimately peaceful just listening to the sound of the waves, just gazing at the sparkling sea…
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...4waterview.jpg
All my anxieties dissolved and I smiled. This was it, this is what I had been waiting for…
We had arrived :)
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
We were enthusiastic about having our own kitchen. Not that we needed it. Our credit card was on file and anything we could think of, we could just ask to have brought to us. But still, it's kinda cool and new having something amounting to a real apartment in Jamaica! We had a gas-stove with four burners, a toaster, refrigerator, microwave and all kinds of utensils. I would not mind replacing my own kitchen at home with this one.
So after we dried off from snorkeling, we headed off to Wise Choice, maybe a hundred yards down the road. I wasn't gonna whip up a Lobster thermadore tonight, but how about supplies for a midnight sandwich?
On our way out, we were again assured that, if we wished, any staff would be happy to make the run to the store for us (imagine that, I felt like I was Brangelina on vacation!), but of course we are not that type of traveler. Now in our shorts and T-shirts it felt wonderful kicking the dust on the side of the West End Road.
Right next door was the parking lot to Rick's Cafe, where minivans, busses, sedans and scooters where involved in some sort of carnival of motor vehicles. Drivers were honking, gesturing and exchanging banter. In New York City this mess would have surely caused much grief and anger, but here the jam was taken as an opportunity to exchange the latest news between drivers. No one, was going anywhere fast, and as we passed by, it looked as though it was going to stay that way for the time being.
When I tore my eyes off the mayhem, Daisy was leaning down to one of the little boys with a box of waffle chocolate bars.
“Whereareyoufrom?, Youareverypretty!, DoyoulikeitinJamaica?, PleasebuyacandysoIcangotoschool!” He rattled of the phrases like a second grader a Christmas poem. He must have repeated the same sentences so many times, that the words had lost but all meaning to him, just a sound, like a bird song.
Daisy asked him his name. He seemed befuddled, nervously ran his hands through his thick hair, stomped his feet and said: “Anlik!” (Not sure how to spell that (sounds like un-lick)). It seemed like he was chained to this box of chocolates like to an iron ball, I’m sure he would much rather be out playing with his friends.
Daisy of course started digging in her backpack and found four 100 Ja-notes to hand to him. He dutifully counted and handed the appropriate number of severely melted chocolate-waffles to her.
Daisy took only two bars and handed the rest to him. This thoroughly confused him and he ran his hand through his hair again seemingly wanting to pull it out. Daisy took a waffle bar and opened it, then handed it to him.
He looked sort of happy, bit into the waffle and ran to join the other children, who were already chasing another tourist.
Daisy seemed satisfied as well and smiled at me, chocolate smeared all over her cheeks. “How cute was he? Oh man, I wish I could take him home with us...”
“No worry, we'll make our own” I responded with a smile and kissed the chocolate of her face.
A little further down the road lay "Catcha Falling Star" resort. Passing the closed gate brought about a little pinch of pain. Villa Sur Mer being what it is, I certainly had no desire to leave and run to another hotel, but we have such amazing memories there. It felt like passing a relative’s house. And not being “allowed” in just hurts a little. But, no worries, we would make new memories there soon enough!
“Wise Choice” lay straight across the road. The dusty parking lot with the cracked concrete blocks was busy. Motorcycles puttered under their conversing owners, dogs checked out every new-comer for an unlikely treat, a girl was chasing a rooster.
The small window in front of the store always had a congress of people waving pieces of paper and involved in lively discussion. A fellow pushing a bicycle held up a pink slip of paper.
“I put a '10' , Mon, '11' came, MON! One number, Mon, I would have won, Mon!”, he told us with a big laugh. Before we could respond he grabbed another fellow and told him the same story, stabbing his paper-slip violently with one finger.
He was in good spirits despite the dreadful closeness of his lottery miss. It appeared to me that the lottery in Jamaica is much more than just a shot at the Jackpot. It seems it also serves to exhibit ones prowess of prediction. Losing tickets are much discussed. Patterns are imagined and found. The process of picking ones numbers is also much discussed and council is taken or rejected.
A lot of the discussion this morning involved a heated deliberation of how to interpret ones pattern of losing and winning numbers and how close one had gotten. What was one to make of it all, and how would one improve future bets?
A ticket with a near miss is not a total loss at all. It's soooo damn close and therefore sooo damn sweet! The fellow had good reason to smile and show of the printed evidence, that he was indeed one of the best betters today.
The store inside was nearly empty of customers, but stuffed to the ceiling with goods. A true general store with Tomatoes and Eggs, Shampoo and Sunscreen but also hammers and breast pumps. Every available square inch of wall had a hook with merchandize in it. A regular walmart in the space of a seven eleven.
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...usshopping.jpg
The large lady behind the counter changed her grim face to a smile for one moment as we came in then returned to the algebra on her accounting pad. We grabbed some essentials to make coffee and sandwiches.
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...shopping-1.jpg
Daisy found the hair-product she wanted was not available in the usual containment. Instead it had been portioned off into tiny little plastic bags with roughly enough for one application. She scrunched up her nose to emphasize her most serious “this-will-not-do”-expression, but had no choice but to pile the little crack-bags into her shopping-bin.
We checked out and proud of our groceries headed back down West End Road without mentionable incident.
Next up LTU Pub…
To be continued…
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Great report, Hubby-man! The photos look like something out of a magazine! You mentioned a bar at Villa Sur Mer. Do they also have a restaurant or perhaps a cook to prepare meals for you in your kitchen? It looks like the kind of place you would never want to leave, not even for an hour, to go out to eat somewhere! I could definitely spend my whole 2 week vacation in a place like that and never get bored of those amazing views!
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Eden
You mentioned a bar at Villa Sur Mer. Do they also have a restaurant or perhaps a cook to prepare meals for you in your kitchen? It looks like the kind of place you would never want to leave, not even for an hour, to go out to eat somewhere!
Hey Eden,
Yes they absolutely have a cook available. You can asked them to prepare any groceries you purchased (or fish you caught :) ), or ask them to purchase groceries for you. They even offered a candle light dinner in the cave (unfortunately only Daisy knew that, Ninja can tell you how panicked I was before we left, because I booked too late and it was really hard to find a place that would take reservations for our anniversary dinner with only two weeks notice (find out how it turned out in a later episode - only here on negril.com!))
Alternatively you can order anything from the LTU-menu and have it brought to you. Anything you order can also be put on your tab at Villa Sur Mer for convenience.
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Thanks for the info, Hubby-man. Villa Sur Mer sounds like a very special place, and definitely is now on our list to try. A candlelit dinner in a cave sounds very enticing!
Looking forward to reading about your anniversary dinner!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Hubby-man
Hey Eden,
Yes they absolutely have a cook available. You can asked them to prepare any groceries you purchased (or fish you caught :) ), or ask them to purchase groceries for you. They even offered a candle light dinner in the cave (unfortunately only Daisy knew that, Ninja can tell you how panicked I was before we left, because I booked too late and it was really hard to find a place that would take reservations for our anniversary dinner with only two weeks notice (find out how it turned out in a later episode - only here on negril.com!))
Alternatively you can order anything from the LTU-menu and have it brought to you. Anything you order can also be put on your tab at Villa Sur Mer for convenience.
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Great reporting, great photos, as always. I miss Negril.
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
oh man I am loving reading this, Villa Su Mer looks like a gorgeous place, and I'm so glad they gave you the honeymoon suite! :)
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Keep going guys ! Great play by play:D
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Thanks Gerryg123, Negrilaholic, Eden and Becca_Jean!
Man, we’ve been updating every day…we’re on page 9 and we’re still re-hashing the events of DAY 1.
It’s time to get this trip report moving. Lol
Trip Report continued…
It was getting late. We decided to grab a quick meal at LTU pub before heading over to the Canoe webcast to catch the sunset. I was excited about meeting some boardies for the first time, Sweetness had mentioned she was going to be there. Maybe, I would even get to meet Patty Sather and Delta.
But you all know there is really no such thing as a “quick meal” in Negril.
LTU pub is located across the street from Villa Sur Mer. We had heard a lot about it on the board, but we’ve never been there before. Everyone had raved about the Chicken Lola and Pumpkin soup so we already knew what we were going to order before we sat down.
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...1/02LTUpub.jpg
It had a nice vibe there and a great view of the sea. I can’t tell you what else is on the menu because we didn’t look at it. We just said “Chicken Lola and Pumpkin soup please”
I noticed Markus was looking over my shoulder at something.
“What are you looking at?”, I asked.
He leaned in close and whispered “I think I spotted a boardie”
“Who??” I whispered back.
“I don’t know”, He hissed. “Don’t turn around she’ll know I’m talking about her”
I started laughing “Okay…” I said “Can you describe her to me?”
“Wait, she’s coming over”, Markus sat back with a smile and waved hello to this stranger. He gestured for her to come closer.
I didn’t recognize her.
“Yes?”, The strange woman said “I know you, don’t I?”
“Are you a boardie?”, Markus asked excitedly.
“Am I…a what?” She asked with a confused laugh.
FAIL.
You have to understand, we were both utterly exhausted and started imagining that EVERYONE in Negril is a boardie
Turns out we weren’t far from the truth. Her name was Oya, and she IS a member of Negril.com. Just not a regular poster. She is a massage therapist, and gives massages in different hotels all over Negril, mostly Catcha Falling Star. She recognized us from our trip there in November.
We all got to talking together and we discovered she’s German. She lived in Negril for many many years now and loved it here. She gave us the inside scoop on every day life in Jamaica and was actually really funny! She pulled up a chair and we all hung out for quite a while.
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...rkusandoya.jpg
(Markus and Oya)
Eventually our food arrived. I glanced at my watch and realized we were going to miss the Canoe webcast after all. The sun had set, and the webcast would be ending in 30 minutes.
So we just sat back and enjoyed our meal in leisure. We had a long stretch of vacation in front of us so there was no urgency. We would catch the Canoe webcast next Thursday instead.
The pumpkin soup was killer and the Chicken Lola was delicious.. in that “I-know-this-is-crazy-fattening-but-I-really-don’t-care” kind of way. The cheese just spilled out of it and the outside had a delicious crunch…the chicken was really moist. Sooo good. We shared a plate and it was more than enough for both of us
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...eatingfood.jpg
You can see how exhausted Markus is in the shot, but look at that happy face.. we were both in bliss.
That’s when someone tapped me on the shoulder “Hey Daisy”
I turned around and it was ROCKY! Seeing him here at LTU pub threw me off guard! I was surprised that even after a year, he still remembered what we looked like! It was good seeing him again.
Rocky handed us our complimentary cellphone “Sorry I couldn’t be the one to pick you up this time, I hope Wayne took good care of you”
We assured him that we did, chatted for a while and then he wished us the best for our anniversary before heading off to pick up another passenger.
If you’re reading this, thank you Rocky for going out of your way to find us and deliver the phone to us in person! We really appreciated it! You’re the best!
We said our goodbye’s to Oya and went back to Villa Sur Mer with full stomachs. We decided to hit the resort bar for a night cap before calling it a night
We asked Radcliff to make something to strong to knock us out because we were still really hyped and excited. We were in JAMAICA! How could we sleep?
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...nightdrink.jpg
He made us two stiff Rum punches, that definitely knocked us out of our stool and head us stumbling back to our Villa in really really good spirits. We were both cracking as we tried to figure out how to work the massive elaborate shower.
I don’t remember how or when we fell asleep.. I just remember the feeling of Markus’s arms around me and feeling completely content…
End of Day one
We did it! Woot!
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
DAY 2
I woke up to the sound of rustling palm leaves and the tinkling of the hanging glass shells of the Villa chandeliers clinking against eachother in the breeze…
I opened my eyes and saw the sunlight streaming in through the open wooden shutters illuminating the room. I was tangled up in the sheets, curled up next to Markus…
It took a second to register where I was, I felt like I was still dreaming…
I sat up and looked around with a smile.. We were in Jamaica! Best feeling in the world! I got up and opened the wooden doors to let in some more fresh air…The sun was bright outside, the weather was perfect.
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...y1/MOrning.jpg
Markus was still sleeping so peacefully, so I crawled back into the big king sized bed and gazed at him while he slept.
I realized at that moment that today was officially our 10 year wedding anniversary.
10 years…
My mind flashed back to the first time I met Markus…it feels like just yesterday....
I was a freshman at college in Florida and it was late at night. There was a party that I had been invited to but I had lost the invitation with the address. Back then I didn’t have a cellphone so I was just wandering through the college campus looking for another person that had the directions to this party. All of my friends were waiting for me in the car. I told them “Don’t worry I’ve got this, just give me a minute. I’ll be right back”
I bumped into someone that assured me his roommate was going to this party and had the direction in their dorm room, so I followed this stranger to his apartment. (hoping that he wasn’t just some creeper that was trying to lure me into his makeshift S & M dungeon)
When I entered the dorm apartment... I laid eyes on Markus for the very first time…
He was sitting in the sofa in the center of a group of laughing college students. His hair was long, wild and down to his shoulders, he was wearing a loose white shirt, khaki shorts and his then trademark birkenstocks. He was gesturing wildly and telling some dramatic story, while everyone around him was in stitches. I have no idea what he was talking about, but just looking at him made me involuntarily smile…He just had this energy about him that made me want to sit down with everyone and hear this story too!
The guy I was that had brought me here realized he had lost my attention and said kind of loudly “My roommate is in another room, Do you want the directions to this party or what?”
At that moment Markus looked up at me and our eyes met. He stopped telling his story. I couldn’t help but stare back. I was in awe of his eyes, green in the outside with a burst of yellow in the center. He was also incredibly handsome..
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...ay1/markus.jpg
Markus in college
( An early version of “Blue Steel”)
His friend whispered something to him and Markus’s expression was so intense, that I started wondering if there was something wrong with the way I was dressed or that I had food in my teeth or something…I nervously touched the back of my hair and looked away.
I went into another room for the directions and when I turned around I walked straight into someone’s chest.
It was Markus. He had followed me into the bedroom.
“I’m going to that party too, do you think I might follow your car?”, He asked. (He used to construct interesting sentences like that back in the day)
I stuttered “Yeah… um, sure… come on”.. and we both left the dorm apartment together.
We started walking down the dorm staircase towards the parking lot. I tried to make polite small talk but I was nervous. When he said he was from Germany and I heard his accent, I started talking to him in a very slow voice thinking that his English was perhaps not so good… this made him smile and it’s so embarrassing in retrospect because later on I realized he was very fluent in English.
While I was heading down the stairs, I tripped because I was looking at him instead of where I was going. He quickly reached out and grabbed me. He was holding me up and we were suddenly in this oddly intimate position. Our faces inches away from each other. I felt like I was enjoying that moment more than I should..
He smiled down at me. I thanked him and pulled away.
I had a steady boyfriend and I was already feeling guilty.
Once we reached the party, we both went in separate directions, but I wondered about him afterwards.
3 days later I bumped into Markus at the student rec room. He was playing the piano.
I said “Hey!” and he patted the spot next to me on the piano stool.
“Come. Have a seat”, he said
I was heading somewhere at the time so I hesitated.. I was about to formulate an excuse but then decided I would rather get to know him better. So I mentally erased my previous plans and plopped down next to him.
He started showing me how to play the piano, guiding my fingers over the keys..
We spent the day together. That night we went to Subway and sat there together talking 4 hours after our food was done. Eventually the Subway employee had to ask us awkwardly to leave because they needed to lock up and turn off the lights.
That was the night I found out about his love of Whoopie Goldberg. How could I compare to Whoopie? Clearly I wasn’t his type, plus I had a boyfriend who I knew was probably wondering why I hadn’t called him at all that day…
He walked me to the door of my dorm apartment. We stood out there together for a while. That was when he told me that he wanted us to be friends for the rest of our lives. For the rest of our LIVES? That was a really intense thing to say.
So we shook on it. “Friends forever” and he pulled me in for a hug.
That marked the beginning of a special friendship that stretched over 3 years. We shared everything with each other. Eventually I broke up with my steady boyfriend but I was so close to Markus at that point that I started seeing him as a brother. I decided that we could never be together in a romantic way, because that would be just too weird at this point. He knew everything about me, everything! How do you start dating someone that knows that much?
Markus and I never did date.
It just evolved. One day we kissed, it was the most intense kiss of my life (to this day we argue over who initiated that first kiss, It was him) Our relationship transformed… suddenly we were together but we didn’t put a title on it. I joked that we were bestfriends with benefits. I didn’t want to define it, I just loved what it was because it was unlike any relationship I’d ever had in my entire life.
2 years later he proposed to me. I said “yes” and that marked the beginning of our adventure in life together. We moved to Germany for four years, we lived in New York for 2 years and eventually we drove across the country to start our life anew in San Francisco, California. We’ve had times of complete poverty where we didn’t even know if we’d be able to pay our rent. We had many struggles to overcome but we faced every challenge in life together and he never left my side. When things got really hard, we would rely on humor to get us through. He makes me laugh so hard, every single day.
It was the best 10 years of my entire life. I love him with every fiber of my entire being.
Gazing down at him sleeping that morning I thought of how we had started with nothing, just eachother We experienced period of times in our life where we were eating Ramen noodles and sleeping on blankets on the floor.
Now here we were on our 10 year wedding anniversary in this amazing Honeymoon Villa in Jamaica…it truly was a dream come true. I just felt so lucky…so happy… so blessed.
I reached out to stroke his hair and he woke up with a smile. (He really does wake up every morning smiling and I have no idea how he does this!)
I whispered “Happy Anniversary” He whispered it back…
He made coffee that morning, and brought it out to the patio. He called me over..
I snapped this picture of him sitting on the swinging chair with a big tired happy smile, tousled hair and puffy eyes handing me that first cup of coffee
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...kuscoffee2.jpg
I love this amazing beautiful man so much. I'm so grateful for all of the years I've been able to spend by his side and I'm looking forward growing very very old with him...
I took the cup of coffee, turned off my camera and sat down beside him on the cushioned swing chair.
We sipped our coffee together and took in the lush surroundings in a quiet state of ultimate contentment, just enjoying that moment together.
Because that really is what life is all about. These times in life when you catch yourself in a moment and you’re just happy. You’re not thinking about tomorrow or yesterday, just enjoying and appreciating the right now.
Where ever you are..
To be continued…
Day at Villa Sur Mer, Anniversary dinner and Booger’s 4/20 bash is up next.
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
That is beautiful, Clarity...you are tearing at my heartstrings :) I feel that way about my husband, too, he is such a special man. It is wonderful to be so blessed in life and you wish everyone could have that, too. At least, they should have that perfect person in their lives. We celebrated our 22yr anniversary in March.
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
That was so beautiful I'm here at work with tears running down my face. You guys are really soulmates and I wish you both a life of continued bliss.
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Oy - tears of joy rolling down my cheeks as I read this. No coincidence that you two beautiful souls found each other. I am witnessing the blessing that flow to you guys because you live "in love" of each other and others and it is so cool. From the moment I recommended Villa Sur Mer I knew you guys needed to stay there and of course......a way presented itself......the simple natural beauty and wonder of that place matches you two perfectly. Thank you for sharing your story of meeting with us - it is inspiring and fills me up. I love you both deeply (but you know that).
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Clarity
He was sitting in the sofa in the center of a group of laughing college students. His hair was long, wild and down to his shoulders, he was wearing a loose white shirt, khaki shorts and his then trademark birkenstocks. He was gesturing wildly and telling some dramatic story, while everyone around him was in stitches. I have no idea what he was talking about, but just looking at him made me involuntarily smile…He just had this energy about him that made me want to sit down with everyone and hear this story too!
Yep!! Just like I said.....that is the perfect description of your wonderful husband.
This post had me laughing. Even though I heard this story recently in real life, I was sitting here in my office laughing so hard I had to stop reading because co-workers kept calling me wanting to know what I was doing. WHOOPIE!!!!!!!! LMAO.
OMG I love you guys so much.....here I am laughing and the next thing you now I am crying. You BOTH are pretty amazing people and the thing I loved the most was witnessing your love for each other all throughout the trip. Subtle moments of quiet touches or cuddles or hair caresses, you both always took a moment to do that even during the craziness and chaos and comedy shows. Your love is so apparent and it makes me smile to be in the presence of it. I am so happy that you spent this special day together in such a special place. Like I said before, you absolutely deserved every single bit of it!!!!
<3
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Dont mean to be redundant....so I'll keep this short and sweet. lol
You are two of the most beautiful people I've ever met in my life. I feel inspired and blessed to know you both and to witness the kind of love you share...you sure touched my heart. I love you guys so much.
I want us to be friends for the rest of our lives. ;)
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
P.S....
BLUE STEELE....omg
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
I know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lol
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
*tears* thanks so much for sharing your beautiful story of your love together. So glad you two found each other! I feel the same way about my Anthony, and even though we aren't married in the sense of having that official piece of paper, we have been together for 8 years, created two beautiful children, and are so connected by our souls that I could not feel any more married to him than I am right now. One day I might feel the need to have that ceremony (he asks all the time) but for now I am just so content and blissful with the way things are now.
Love that you and Markus were able to celebrate your 10th anniversary in such a beautiful place. You are both so deserving. Keep on loving each other. Xoxo
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Inspired is an understatement. I'm such a damn baby when it comes to your reports. This is beautiful.
Love the facial expression on Markus in college...PRICELESS!!:)
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Can you post any wedding pics?
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Oh, and that college pic of Markus shows he has not aged one bit in 10 yrs! Clarity, you must be his fountain of youth, hehe
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
i read it again and cried some more - lol
the love of my life is my child . . . not quite the same feeling
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Aww Seveen, that is so true for me too, but of course like you said, it's a different kind of love, but special nonetheless!
And, I cried reading their report too. Their words just pull at my heartstrings. This couple really needs to write a book! It would be a bestseller for sure!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Seveen
i read it again and cried some more - lol
the love of my life is my child . . . not quite the same feeling
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Awwwww, what a lucky guy, Seveen :)
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
I couldn't say anything better than wee Tizzy said above!! As I told you in Jamaica we feel we are part of your fairytale, and is such a privilege. We have been together for 30 years now and married for 28!! We only hope we can grow older getting to know you two lovebirds and all the rest of the turtles, until there are no more tales to be told.... only making new ones. You are such a wonderful couple. x (Mrs S.)
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Okay 2 things 1) thanks for making me cry Clarity, now I look like the crazy crying guy at work ;)
and
b) “I’m going to that party too, do you think I might follow your car?”, He asked. (He used to construct interesting sentences like that back in the day) USE TO, try still does.
Truly love you guys
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Eden
Oh, and that college pic of Markus shows he has not aged one bit in 10 yrs! Clarity, you must be his fountain of youth, hehe
A lot more than 10 years between those pics, Eden, which only makes your accurate statement more amazing. I think it helps that there is an appropriately sized chunk of Markus's psyche that is still something like 7 years old...
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Wow, this stuff really pulls at my heart. A great love story. Very well-written, too Clarity -- as always.
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
I think next time you go to Ja.you should both get a 4 day free stay on the house at the Villa ? The pictures...angles/lighting/mood are a great advertisment for the place ! You both have a gift to express that which is in yo head on paper so much that as a reader,we all are there too. It seems after reading everything that you both have written...Jamaica was so meant to be a major part of your lives. Jamaica reflects on you well. Like its a big fat playground that you feel to your bones. I am serious when i say write a travel book. You truely breathe the essence of her in your words. I think the vibrations are so easily felt there because they havent cemented and condoized the **** out of her yet,life flows easy there.
im sure ince you have your daughter ...you will want to share ja with her also. Im sure this is going to be a place you will know very well in the future.
Thanks for sharing such a personal insight to your feelings and how jamaica felt to you both.
Bravo.
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
ps
read you want to have a child...just felt like u will have a daughter! My predictions are usually spot on in this dept.
:)
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
FunintheSun.....I get that feeling as well, and I spend a good part of the week around them. ;)
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Awww thank you Fun in the sun. I was really moved by what you wrote! I agree with what you said about the vibrations in Jamaica. When you go there it just removes you from everything and you get in touch with your most true self.
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Originally Posted by
Fun in the sun
ps
read you want to have a child...just felt like u will have a daughter! My predictions are usually spot on in this dept.
:)
Oh I hope so! We’re secretly hoping for a little girl, but as long as the baby is healthy.. we’ll be happy. Boy or girl. You definitely made us both smile with your prediction though. Maybe we WILL have a little Clarity JR that we can eventually bring to Jamaica. That would be a dream come true for us.:o
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Eden
Oh, and that college pic of Markus shows he has not aged one bit in 10 yrs! Clarity, you must be his fountain of youth, hehe
Thanks Eden, that comment made Markus smile too! His hair is a little shorter now, but that’s about it.
Thank you so much for your kind words, it sounds like you and Anthony have something very very special. When you find that person, it’s really a blessing. You’re a lucky woman and he’s a lucky man.
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
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Originally Posted by
TizzyATX
Dont mean to be redundant....so I'll keep this short and sweet. lol
You are two of the most beautiful people I've ever met in my life. I feel inspired and blessed to know you both and to witness the kind of love you share...you sure touched my heart. I love you guys so much.
I want us to be friends for the rest of our lives. ;)
Aww Tizzy, I love you to pieces!!
I still think of that last night we were all together, I didn't want it to ever end.
I had the time of my life, girl
I hope we’re all friends for the rest of our lives too. :)
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
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Originally Posted by
marley9808
Yep!! Just like I said.....that is the perfect description of your wonderful husband.
This post had me laughing. Even though I heard this story recently in real life, I was sitting here in my office laughing so hard I had to stop reading because co-workers kept calling me wanting to know what I was doing. WHOOPIE!!!!!!!! LMAO.
OMG I love you guys so much.....here I am laughing and the next thing you now I am crying. You BOTH are pretty amazing people and the thing I loved the most was witnessing your love for each other all throughout the trip. Subtle moments of quiet touches or cuddles or hair caresses, you both always took a moment to do that even during the craziness and chaos and comedy shows. Your love is so apparent and it makes me smile to be in the presence of it. I am so happy that you spent this special day together in such a special place. Like I said before, you absolutely deserved every single bit of it!!!!
<3
Your comments always make me teary eyed. I spent so much time with you, I feel like we’re sisters! You’re family now
You and Ninja are so beautiful together. Your love, respect and admiration for each other is also so apparent. I know you’ll both be together forever
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Re: 10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report
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Originally Posted by
Schuttzie
That is beautiful, Clarity...you are tearing at my heartstrings :) I feel that way about my husband, too, he is such a special man. It is wonderful to be so blessed in life and you wish everyone could have that, too. At least, they should have that perfect person in their lives. We celebrated our 22yr anniversary in March.
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Originally Posted by
spottycatz
I couldn't say anything better than wee Tizzy said above!! As I told you in Jamaica we feel we are part of your fairytale, and is such a privilege. We have been together for 30 years now and married for 28!! We only hope we can grow older getting to know you two lovebirds and all the rest of the turtles, until there are no more tales to be told.... only making new ones. You are such a wonderful couple. x (Mrs S.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Marie
That was so beautiful I'm here at work with tears running down my face. You guys are really soulmates and I wish you both a life of continued bliss.
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Originally Posted by
Sweetness
Oy - tears of joy rolling down my cheeks as I read this. No coincidence that you two beautiful souls found each other. I am witnessing the blessing that flow to you guys because you live "in love" of each other and others and it is so cool. From the moment I recommended Villa Sur Mer I knew you guys needed to stay there and of course......a way presented itself......the simple natural beauty and wonder of that place matches you two perfectly. Thank you for sharing your story of meeting with us - it is inspiring and fills me up. I love you both deeply (but you know that).
Mrs. Spotty, Schuttzie, Sweetness and Marie - Thank you so much...Okay, now you guys are making me cry…
Schutzzie - Congratulations on your 22nd anniversary that just passed, may you have many more years of happiness together!
Spotty - Congratulations on 30 years together! I hope we embrace and love life and eachother as much as you two do 20 years down the road. You both are our inspiration.
Sweetness – I’m so glad I was able to meet you…we treasure the heart you gave us…