We hadn’t gone far when we stopped again. Grub up! Didn’t gave a clue where we were as usual, but we had stopped at an amazing low slung open kitchen, with massive cauldrons of stuff bubbling and popping away. The smells were insane. I had the munchies anyway,and suddenly I had been deposited in front of the Jamaican equivalent of Willie Wonka’s!
‘I’ll have some of that and some of that and what’s that, it doesn’t matter, put some on there anyway and, ****e, I’m running out of room!’
There were turtles everywhere, hands full of plates and bowls of hot tasty food. Boy this trip was well organised. Fun, food and frolics.
So, all fed, back on the bus and on our way to the Pelican Bar. Marcus was applying cream to his delicate features. I think it was sun cream………….
At some point along the road, this happened……..
……..and before too long we were here.
Now turtles are supposed to be able to swim, but we were kitted out in the latest must have fashion before we got on our way. Loaded into large wooden canoe’s, the two teams set off on the 30 minute race to the Pelican Bar. Sweetness not too keen on the latest fashion item, but Sandy reassures her she looks fine. Orange is such a subtle colour!!!!
We arrived and climbed into a scene straight out of a Tom Hanks film.
How to describe the Pelican Bar on the inside. It’s much bigger than you think. Almost multi-dimensional! There space for a carving section, with stuff you can buy. There’s a bar, well enough stocked. There’s space to stand, there’s places to sit and there’s stuff hanging up. In fact, we kinda knew that flags and emblems would be welcomed, so we had taken a Scottish flag with us to leave as a memento.
More Stripes were drunk and the sun began to lower. The water around the Pelican Bar is very shallow and most of the turtles duly splashed about, beers in hand, with so many smiles and so much laughter.
Then disaster…………the curse of Clarity struck. Not content with hating Lionfish and bats, a new hate was being swiftly added to the list. The black spiny sea urchin!! Years ago, a friend of ours trod on one of these at the Blue Cave Castle and almost couldn’t walk for a week. Suddenly, Clarity was being helped into the bar with a toe full of black pin pricks!!!
Hey, we’re the ‘Not So Teenage Negril Ninja Turtles’, right? Sandy to the rescue. ‘Has anyone got a knife’, one was produced. It had probably just been used to carve a name in the floor of the bar, but no matter, surgery was needed. ‘Hold the woman down, stuff a rag in her mouth and let me at her’, I think that’s what Sandy said, but I was pretty out of it, so it might have been something like that. And I got a ringside seat.
Only Clarity can tell you the pain and anguish suffered during that 10 minute spell, but Sandy did a wonderful job and the little black spines were removed one by one. It reminded me of the biblical story of Daniel and the Lion. Not really, it just fits!!!
Time passed and friendships reinforced. This is a magical place and anyone who hasn’t been to the Pelican must try and make the effort.
