Trip report of sorts and such

[Eco]

If my iPad can upload pictures I'll post them, if not imagine them or make pretend you see them....lots of nice photos taken over the past few days.

So it's Bob Marley's birthday or so dem say....

Random thoughts....Ahhbee's makes a most excellent burger. This is coming from a long time veggie/vegan guy....any animals that died for his burgers had it coming.....try one...or split one and you will know what I mean. Oh....take a taxi out there though he is way way out.....not a gentle walk from the beach.

Hammock park....aka Dennis' place....aka whoopies (sp).... His daughter is running it and doing a very good job....worth a trip to the west end to support a good family and enjoy some hammock time.

Xtabi, great snorkeling as always....but less fish this reach? Good food as well even though I think it's pricey.....girl friend thinks I'm a cheap Charlie complaining about a meal costing 6-9$...

Sips and Bites is once again a hands down for great food at a great price. Sort of silly having to walk 20 yards to get a beer since they don't sell them there anymore. Lol, that adds so much stress......kidding.

Seastar.....kicks ass for a light meal, drinks and a swim in their pool. Hopefully everyone knows you can enjoy their pool and grounds by doing their bar business. Oh and they have poutine or whatever that wonderful stuff Canadian people eat ....gotta go back and try it.

Canoe....sort of a let down this trip. The waitress said they no longer sell fish with the head on.... Service was also rather slow....I've had way too many good meals and drinks there so I'll return and give them another try if they can get some fish with the heads on....not a hard task.

Supermarkets.....China man one kicks ass as always! One next to the cambio gets two thumbs up for holding all my bags that I bought at the china man store for a day since I forgot them. Some people and business's here are sooooo honest.

Miss Sonia....As always......what a blessed lady to spend time with!

Miss Norma's place.....aka Barbara's place....aka Thunder the coffee roaster place....this Yawd has felt like my home for the past several days as it has on every trip that I have stayed here. For a 30ish a night place this place is wonderful. My girlfriend who is sort of new to 3rd world traveling loves this place and how it makes her feel safe In a local Yawd.

Higgling/vendors/beggars.....my most enjoyable trip to JA ever....no bull**** from anyone yet! Lots and lots of people were suggesting that the pressure was a high now but I have yet to see it.....hopefully it stays that way.

Be careful on that west end road....dead man there this morning..oh and an ambulance did come....we saw it! We thought he got hit by traffic but rumor mill has it that he just died.......still sad though.....either way be safe walking up there.

Miyard.....Delroy has his stuff together!

And....the biggest winner goes to MangoTree.....Murray and wife did a giant 180 on that property and turned it into a proper resort style yard. Two years ago it was a dump.....now.....wow....stop by for a drink, a tour......just stop by and see what a a wonderful place it has become. Close to the Canoe and Miyard as well.

Let's see who else made our vacation a really good one as well....Myrna's (sp). Wonderful prices on the beach, Jah Earlockes.....who is playing tonight at Roots Bamboo and a long time friend, oh that out west bakery place.....most excellent patties!

Lots more soon come.....ran out of beer

[Bossman]

Good info...........keep it coming. Thank you.

Soon come can't come soon enough!

[Maryann]

Excellent! The Canadians have come up with some great stuff. Poutine and bloody Cesars... yum! Seriously need to make a point of getting to Canoe the next time I'm there as I prefer eating fish without the head.

[chris55]

Poutine in Jamaica?? Not something I thought I'd eat there.. I guess if you live there you get a craving for food from home... I do LOVE poutine.. and it loves a person right back! Especially on the hips.. the legs.. must be the cheese..

[Eco]

Today was a lazy day of using the route taxi system over to a Likkle Bay,Sav, Roaring River then back "home". Really nice seeing the country without paying $70 plus for a chartered ride.

Dude down by the roundabout sells calabash bowls for 100j....good price!

St Anthony's ......showed up between meals so we couldn't eat for free.....donated a bunch of school supplies though and exchanged some smiles. That placed is blessed and shares that blessing.

Boot, my tour guide of sorts in likkle bay (bob Marley summer home tour, mineral springs), is still alive and kicking. We ending up taking him over to a Roaring River as well.....he loves to play tour guide and works for small money. Oh and if anyone wants a cheap ass room on the beach in little bay for 20 a night he can hook you up....bar owner on the beach can hook you up as well....in my opinion the room is worth 8 a night but whatever.....

Roaring River was nice nice but I was out in thee sun too much by then....sort of a drunk sick feeling without being either. Nice to see Robert, Carlos, and Solomon the guides I've been telling people to use for years.

I've discovered that if I sleep every afternoon during the rain I can pretend that it never rains here....lots and lots of rain though.

Bourbon Beach for diner....great food...really great food......slow service....even for Jamaica it has slow service....I would like to stress that the service was slow....was not prompt....not proper.....nothing that would even remind anyone that it was not self service...it was horrid if you don't get drift.....but very good food.

Still zero pressure from beach vendors!

Went to the Bob Marley birthday thingy last night and somewhat vexed.....20 to get in and the main act did not get on stage.....I'm not going to guess what the deal was but I would not of paid the 20 if I knew he was going to be a no show or whatever. Oh.....I took 600 or so photos of the event though....being on stage taking photos of the crowd ....all that positive energy.....wonderful and ok, it was worth the 20.

[Nurse Marcia]

I hope you figure out how to upload from your iPad because I would like to see your pictures of the crowd at the Bob bash.

[JamaGinger]

Enjoying your posts. Liking the way you give brief summary of each stop along the way. Couple of questions?

Where is Mango Tree? Sounds nice.

Roaring River - Is the lagoon still there? Someone posted that it had dried up?? I am having a hard time picturing it.

[JamaGinger]

Saw the answer to the question about Mango Tree in another post. Located at the top of Tigress Lane.

[jimnkim]

Nice

[patty_k]

Hi Eco, just to respond, Canoe Bar has never sold 'head on ' fish. Yes they are easy to come by, and many restaurants have them. we buy mostly large (30+ pound ) fish from local fishermen and filet them on premises. The reason that you do not see many small fish snorkeling - as you mentioned- . is that they are being fished out, one of the reasons that we don't sell them. Spearing and netting of fish here (which is illegal I believe), coupled with lionfish , have decimated the local fish population. Larger fish have had many cycles of reproduction. All of that aside, a fileted fish is easier to portion and serve as the size and weight can be made consistent, and the customer actually ends up with more fish. We have recently added a new chef to our team, he is amazing! We do hope that you will give us another try and let us make it up to you. Cheers!