Thank you Brian and Deanna! (your checks are in the mail - just as arranged)Originally Posted by Brian
PGW - would like to meet up with you, mon
Ahhhhhhhhhh
What a difference a night makes! I was feeling a bit uppity when I posted last night. But now I can feel my Negril Groove coming on.
This morning, well rested, I totally organized my room. Then I lathered up with 30SPF and set out on my beach walk. Big smile on my face. Wow – the beach is crowded! No really big changes to report – the sands have shifted, there is now a lot of beach in front of Moon Dance Villas, other years you’d have to walk around the trees to keep your feet dry. Walked all the way up to where the big AIs start at the north end of the beach. There I went for a dip.
Check out the gecko on the leaf in this photo. . . .
Then I walked back to White Sands, donned my swim goggles and nose clip and swam the buoy line there – does anybody know of a good nose clip? I guess I’ll just have to live with sea water in my sinuses. For me, a swim in Mother Ocean first thing in the morning is pure bliss; a coddling realm of bubbles, muted sounds and shifting light. I zone-out when I swim - it’s like a mini return to the womb.
After that I went into town to get some supplies. My God, do I have a large ‘JUST ARRIVED’ sign on my back? By the time I had walked from the route taxi to Value Master, I was asked no less than half a dozen times if I wanted:
- a taxi (no I just got out of one),
- if I needed a guide to ‘walk with me’ – when I said no he accused me of having ‘no respect’
- did I need a taxi,
- did I want to change money,
- would I Iike to see a fellow’s store – oranges and bannanas?
- Again – would I like to change money??
Well, the Cambio was closed. I had intended to change some CAN$ in JMD$. Hmmmm.
“What rate will you give me - for Canadian?” I asked the guy. (yes, I know – I should know better).
“Eighty-five,” he said. That sounded decent, so I said, “OK, change me 100 Canadian – that will be 8500, right?”
“Yah, mon, come over here,” He went behind a bush.
He shuffled a wad of bills and then handed a stack of Nannies to me. While tightly gripping my two 50$ CDN bills, I counted the J$. “That’s only eight thousand,” I said.
“What!? He replied, incredulously. I handed the bills back to him. He counted them rapidly. “So I owe you five hundred?” he said.
“Yes.” I still held onto my bills.
He slowly pulled another $500 from his back pocket, then grasped my bills. He tugged on my bills and pulled his bills back at the same time saying, “Let me give you some thousands.”
I held fast to my bills and let him take his stack of Nannies back.
“No thanks,” I said. I turned and left. I was followed by a stream of muttered invectives, some of which I’d never heard before.
Went to the Value Master and stocked up; bananas, coconut, papaya, water crackers, cheese, scallions – and a Rock Bun!
Crossed over to the Chinie-Mans and got a flat of 24 Cranberry Wata. All set now.
It’s clear and hot this afternoon. I’m going to the party at Sunnyside and will visit Rob and Lisa (good Canadian girl) at Aqua for sunset.
Lay-tah!
