10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report

[Clarity]

That's when I was brought into a special room and I met Diana's mother. She was in her 90's. She was hunched over at the dinner table, Her head shook. I couldn't believe I was meeting her..

“Mommy, This is Dean's daughter. Do you remember little Dean?”, She asked

The old woman nodded slowly and took my hand into hers. She stared at me very intensely and clutched my hand tightly.

Then She looked over at Markus “Who is this?”, She asked. Her voice was in a whisper, and she spoke very slowly.

“This is my husband, Markus” I said.

She ushered for me to move closer to her. I did and she whispered “Watch out. He is a handsome one, Women....They will try to take him away from you”

I laughed. “I know! I'm holding onto him tight!”

Then she closed her eyes and released my hand.

“She's tired, we have to take her back to bed now.” Diana explained.

That encounter was very meaningful for me. I watched as they helped her out of the chair and into another room. I hoped that I would meet her again, I realized that she was in the twilight of her life.... it could be the last time. I had to get my father to return to the Island and see her before it was too late. I HAD to make this happen. It was now my mission.

Our next stop was the Mandeville hotel for a late lunch. Everyone got back into their cars and we drove down the road to the hotel.



The hotel was beautiful. It belonged to Diana's father and was handed down to her father passed away. It was his pride and joy so all the family was helping to keep it running. I also found out that my family opened one of the first hotels in Negril. If anyone ever visits the Mandeville hotel, check out the plague to the right when you first enter. It tells the whole story.