Just got back home....

[rocknrollfarmer]

Next installment kids!...THURSDAY FEB. 23: Up at 8:00. Denny & Tami got in about 10:00 last night. We had breakfast with them, and laid out by the pool. It's hot hot hot! Started drinking about noon. Then we took a walk on the cliff road to get beer etc. at WISE CHOICE! Be careful walking on the cliff road folks, as I stubbed my big on something, and sliced it open. Bled like a stuck pig. So, just wadded up tissue around it and carried on. Then after the walk we went back for the Seastar Happy 2 hour. 241's man. Then we decide to go to Canoe bar for the steel drum band, and grab a bite to eat. Flagged down a route taxi for the four of us, and off we go to Canoe.
We get there, and OMG there sure is alot of commotion going on there! Police, lots of people, police tape strung up, and yeah there was an issue. But like Sargent Schultz from Hogen's Heroes always said "I know nothing, I know nothing!" We stayed and continued with the cocktails, and ordered food. I had the curried chicken and Deb had the Fried chicken with french toast! Quite a combination. She liked it, as French Toast is her favorite anyway. Its just not for breakfast anymore!
Then...dang it I broke a tooth on a chicken bone. I knew it was kinda bad, a back tooth. It hurt and all, then I for some reason I blacked out! Don't remember what happened. Everybody got excited, the waitress wanted to call an ambulance, Deb said no, as Tami was a nurse. I came to and was sweating profusely. Freaky man. Denny said, when I came to, I looked at him and said "who the hell are you?" Anyway, I was ok, and we got a taxi back to Seastar, and I went to bed, while everybody else had more cocktails.
What a day! Tomorrow One Love bus! Yippie Yahoo! Later, gator. Yamon'

[billndonna]

French toast and fried chicken,damn i love you guys already!! Great reports,please keep them coming,no police escort required!

[rocknrollfarmer]

Missed a word. My big TOE. Could of said Bamboo....ha ha.

[rocknrollfarmer]

Are you still with me? FRIDAY FEB. 24: Up at 8:00. I guess Denny closed up the bar last night. He's an ex-bartender, so it kinda came naturally. We had breakfast with Shakey. Today, we have scheduled the one love bus for 1:50 pickup. We'd be the first ones on he bus, and head all the way down to the AI's in Bloody Bay for party people pick ups. Now, we just laid out by the pool etc. Then Kadesha found us, and said Lenbert called and wouldn't be there until 3:00. Whaaa? So, we did the first thing that came to our minds, started drinking! Guess what? Lenbert never showed up. Oh man, he'll have explaining to do! lol. We walked to the store {again} to buy more beer. We walked over to Negril Escape, and the seas were really rough. It's quite an experience when the seas are really that rough, when the water splashes up way over the cliffs and into the property. And also the "blow-holes" in the cliffs. We went back to Seastar, and Denny & Tami went to LTU. We were going also, but ran into Monty & Melo. They were going home the next day, and wanted to do the Seastar Happy 2 hour and supper at Ivan's. They are fun people who are actually a couple of grown-up kids!
We went to LTU to meet up with our kids {D+T}. Since none of us had ever eaten at Ivan's, we thought what the heck? We had the shrimp scampi pasta meal. Very good, and the place is very cool too. Another day in paradise. Time for bed........Yamon' Tomorrow is Saturday , right?

[rocknrollfarmer]

Let's git r done! SAT. FEB. 25: Up at 7:45. Had breakfast with Shakey, Tami & Denny. We all sat at the bar. Today we have to move to a different room, to finish our week at Seastar. Then we are going to the beach, should be fun and of course it's HOT HOT HOT! Woodstock has a craft show going on so we'll have to check that out. Man, it's hot out, so we kept hydrated with many ice cold Red Stripes. We met our friend Jeff walking the beach. He was REALLY happy!! We went down to Sun Beach, and hung out til Henry came at 4:00 to pick us up for the trip back to Seastar. It's Saturday night live tonight at Seastar with Kevin, the drummers & dancers & Princess Tia. We have a table reserved, and there's always a cool vybe going on there before the show. Denny & Tami had met a couple from Canada from the late night bar closings {remember, we are always sleeping by 9:00}. They went to a party at the apartments by Seastar, and ended up staying there for quite a while. Turns out Kevin Sterling has throat problems, and wouldn't be making the show. Chris hired the singer from Hedo to fill in and he was pretty good. Chris asked me to introduce the drummers & dancers, as I already had a snoot full {thanks Chris!} Deb said I did just fine, she's my biggest critic. Of course the drummers and dancers are always good, and Princess Tia as well. We had a very good crowd tonight. We went to our different room #14 and went to bed. Made it to 11:00 !!! Tomorrow we leave to go to Tree House. The beach mon' ! Yamon'

[rocknrollfarmer]

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY! FEB. 26 : up at 8:00. Today we move to the beach. Had a really good breakfast, I helped Deb pack the bags etc. Said our goodbyes, and waited for Henry at 11:00. There is another couple coming with, they are from Minneapolis, and are moving to Tree House as well. Get to Tree House, it is early and we knew our room wouldn't be ready.
Said hello to everybody, as we've been here many times. Room is ready, and Basil helped with the bags, and got us a fridge. Got settled in a likkle bit, and went for a beach walk with a "walkin'" beer" ,and refreshed the beers at Dru's and Sunnyside, and Arthur's Beach bar. We head to Drifter's for the afternoon music. They have a pretty good sized crowd. Arleen was there.
Lots of good singers..."YT" and Gary Cooper layin' down the licks on guitar. We left about 5:30, and stopped at Kamara's restaurant to watch the sunset with 2 jerk chicken meals.
Good food. Awesome sunset. Walked back to NTH in the dark. {forgot the flashlight...again!}. Sun Beach was busy with the supper crowd. Cool how they set up tables on the beach and lots of candles & string lights. The Oscars are on TV, watch for a while, and hit the hay. Tired. Another full day in paradise. Yamon'

[Mike_D]

Good stuff Rocknrollfarmer!

I meant to ask - in an earlier post, you mentioned taking a shuttle to Half Moon Beach. Tell me more. I usually hire a driver to take us out there, but if there is a regular shuttle, that might be another good option.

[rocknrollfarmer]

Hey Mike_D: That particular trip to Half moon beach was a "free" shuttle. Not sure on any other shuttles, You'll have to contact them. Andrew is the owner.
MONDAY FEB. 27: Start of the "work" week? Up at 7:15. Ran into Rasta David. I had coffee, and he encouraged me to try some of his Irish moss/roots drink. So, I'm open to most everything....what the heck? It was a thick liquid, brown in color and sweetened with honey. It wasn't bad. David said..."It makes you strong mon" "Good for the ladies". "Front end lifter"...Yippie!!!! Breakfast is really good at NTH. The steamed callaloo is the best. Omelets, waffles, fruits, porridge, grits, bacon, beans & franks, brown stewed chicken, pastries etc. Skies are kinda overcast today. Might be a good day for the one love bus. I called Lenbert, and he said he had a "special group" tour going today, but could fit the four of us {Denny + Tami} with them. I told him that we would promise to behave and what not.
So, we lined up the pick-up for 2:55. Denny + Tami came over at 11:30 {they are still at Seastar}. They are drinking. We didn't want to look like woosies, so we joined in. We took a walk down to Cosmos Seafood restaurant. The folks at CSA & Beaches are happy playing with they're kids in the sand. I talked to Cosmos about the pasta party from the reggae marathon last December. He said it was yuuuge! Hopes to have it there this year too. We walked back to NTH, and waited for Lenbert. There was probably only about 28 party people on the bus. They didn't look so "special". Kinda looked like us...graying hair, beer bellies etc. Off we go. Went to a couple places we haven't been before. Shanytown was good. Deb brought along candy for the kids. They really liked that. A fun tour...we're all "special" lol.
Denny + Tami got off at Seastar, and we had Lenbert let us off at Kenny's Italian, since we were hungry. We both had the ragu pasta . Really tasty. After supper, we met Curt and his wife on the nice sidewalk. We get back to NTH, by now it's late. 9:00 or so... No plans for tomorrow. Drifter's has music. We'll see. Goodnight! Yamon'

[rocknrollfarmer]

TUESDAY FEB. 28: Let's keep going..... up at 7:30. Pretty calm morning. Still looking for Janarder. There's a blonde lady doing the SUP at NTH. {name withheld, she's shy} I like sitting in the gazebo by the ocean with a coffee, and write in my journal. Time for breakfast. Man, that steamed callaloo is good. Two heapings every day. Perfect. No plans for today, will meet up with Denny & Tami, and we did. Another day of bar-hopping. Dru's, Sunnyside, Big John cold beer at Drifter's and Arthurs beach bar. Bought some banana bread from the "bread guy", as I told him for a couple days that we would.....delicious! Time to get back and get cleaned up for supper. Gonna go to Charella Inn. They wouldn't let us in, cause I only had a tank-top on.
They said they would lend me a shirt, and I said "naaa". Then we walked back, and decided on Sun Beach. Table for two in the sand by the ocean with candles. Perfect. We had the fish & chips, salad and PUMPKIN soup. Very good. Walked back to NTH on the beach, and there was a bon-fire. We got there at the end. That blonde lady was there. She said she likes John Deere tractors. Plus those "campground" people from Canada were there. Time for bed. The President is on TV...Bigly, yuuuge! Good night. Like Lynyrd Skynyrd sang "Tuesday's gone".....yamon'

[Mike_D]

Great reporting, as always!

Shanytown was good. Deb brought along candy for the kids. They really liked that. A fun tour...we're all "special" lol.

So, this "Shantytown" has generated quite a bit of controversy on the Trip Advisor Forums. Is this really the name of the community or is it a name made up by Pub Crawl patrons? I have not been there on the tour, but have seen pictures and to me it looks no different than, say, Red Ground or Sheffield. Seems to me that maybe some participants of the One Love Bus stopped at this bar (which is actually called Bridgette's) and described the area as a "Shantytown" in a TA review. From there, other reviewers and pub crawlers just ran with it. I would be interested to hear how this community is described locally, from Rob or others that stay in Negril long term.