Mr. X Does Negril (2010) with No Reservations
Chapter 29 – Show at Bourbon Beach
September 6th, 2010 – Monday – (Day 3)
Well complete emptiness I guess.
Nobody here but us.
You mean just a few people?
No nobody but us and the people who work at Bourbon Beach.
And they are happy to see us.
We talk to Shabba. He has big night. He is a little nervous. MC work and gets some time for his music. Just don’t know how many songs he is going to get to sing. No worries we are here for you Shabba.
As night goes on a few more late arrivals. Could not have been more than 10 other paying customers in a place that could hold 500 easy.
Playing all Bob Marley all the time. I love Bob Marley. Heard all his songs a million times. Not a music expert but seems a bit slower maybe than Bob recorded it. Band kind of had a routine and having a very small audience was not going to deter the lead singer. Any applause is personally acknowledged by the lead singer. No I mean individual claps were acknowledged by the lead singer.
In addition there was the extremely flexible extremely elderly gentleman who danced and did balancing tricks. I had of course read about this on other people’s trip reports so knew what to expect. I am telling people the guy is over 100 years old and was going to strip naked soon. As the night worn on and he got into his act I thought for a minute he might actually strip naked when he was down to just a loin cloth.
Before the loin cloth
Waiter had a routine he would run with ur order and spin around. Then open ur beer with his metal serving tray. Actually pretty entertaining. He had got word from Shabba and bartender to take care of us. For rest of night if we even looked at him he came running over or up the stairs to the top level where we were to see if we were good. I am pretty easy going but a grown man running to get my beer when the place is dead empty is only going to get a bigger tip from me. I understand it is an act. Definition of TIP (To Insure Promptness). Personally I liked the waiter and his act.
Waiter man, Shabba, Our Hero
So I pop in the bathroom for a quick pit stop.
I am doing the usual thing a man does in the mirror when he is feeling pretty good.
You know what I am talking about?
All men of a certain age look in the mirror when they got a nice buzz going and say Bond. James Bond.
Don’t know why but that’s what men do. Bond. James Bond.
Of course never sounds quite as cool when I try it with my own name.
(You want 6 degrees of separation? i am doing my Bond. James Bond at Bourbon Beach which use to be call De Bus after the bus that was parked/broken down out front. The double decker bus was used in the James Bond movie Live and Let Die. I guess thats only about 4 degrees of separation at most.)
Anyhow as I am doing my secret agent talk in the mirror it happened.
The music changed from slightly slow Bob Marley of the last 90 minutes to what I can only describe as more upbeat and faster.
Boom, Boom, Boom
Immediately I knew my man Shabba was on the mike. Had to run out of bathroom cause I was already missing his potential 1 song he gets to sing. Got to my peeps we laughed and enjoyed Shabba's song.
Can’t really describe Shabba’s song.
Kind of like a Jamaican rap song I guess.
But the hook of the song sounded to me something like saying Yamani, Yamani, Yamani real fast. (told you I did not know anything about music).
I liked his upbeat song.
Rocked the house (ok only 10 people there but that’s not the point).
He played 1 more song but it was really a promotion for Bourbon Beach.
Shabba came down from the stage we clapped and told him how well he had done.
We hung out and had a beer and smoke or 2 or 3 with him. Relaxing Fun Stress Free, Hassle free Low key night.
I noticed 2 women had come in wearing club ware. Maybe 3am club ware cept I guess off season and it was only 11pm. They both had a hard look on their faces. Took about 1 second to realize these were the kind of women that would call a bluff before you could get it out of your mouth. Best for me not even to make eye contact much less any smart comment. .
My friend was going thru every fruit at the stand again. The regular guy at Bourbon Beach fruit stand was not there but this guy said he was his partner. We sample more fruit and got a few for snacks later. Shocks me the variety of fruit I have never heard of. It was great tasting.
Show was winding down and the beach vendors were lining up for us to leave.
More like massing up.
Since we are the only tourists left. We were looking at the different fruit which is near the exit.
20 people were staring at us from the exit 10 feet away.
There is not going to be any casual 1 minute walk back to our hotel next door. We are going to have to fend off lots of people. If it was me or 2 guys no problem. But I got wife and friend’s wife. Let’s not end the night on a sour note. We will adapt.
So we went out front of Bourbon Beach. Only problem with this is you got to walk up to main road. About 1/8th of a mile to street. 4 or 5 Cabs at entrance waiting. Tried to get us leaving we laughed and keep walking. One was really persistent and followed us up driveway. Finally I had to tell him we are going next door so it had better be a really low fare like free else we were not interested. He still looked confused. Just kept looking at me like I was speaking Chinese to him.
When we got to the main road.
There was a sudden scramble of people to catch the 4 escaping tourists. We only had to go 25 feet so most could only shout as we turned right then we are at BarBBarn duck under gate got about 30 feet onto property and guard walked up to us. He must have known we were staying there he said hello. Walked around a little. Friends went to their room and wife went to ours.
I figured I would have 1 more look at the water before I went to bed.
I was near beach at front when an older guy was hard selling me. Giving me a story and attitude. Not even sure what he was trying to sell me. Fine I will hear you out. Heard long drawn out story. Ok I am not interested. Respect. He would not stop so I walk back to seating area. He follows still ranting. Front guard comes over and talks to the guy. He is talking patois but the jest I can pick up is not on the property. He doesn’t want to hear story just cannot come on the property hassling guests. I thanked him. Did not feel threatened at all really not even annoyed. Happen any other country or at home. Might have been different. Just part of the tradeoff.
Did I tell you I was staying ocean front for 60 dollars a night?
I felt very safe on the property. Empty nobody out. Just me walking to my room.
Tired it is about 1am
Left towel, clothes, flippers, masks outside room on open walkway/balcony
Fan rattled a little but not too bad. Close eyes.
