Having a heckuva' time getting the writing in gear. Bear with me (not "bare" like the German woman who shouldn't be) while I try my best to get elegant with the prose. I'll likely start with some innocuous rambling like this, take a shot at a few subjects before maybe getting into a groove - or not.
The beach traffic picked up in the afternoon. I'm thinking it was a busy morning at MBJ. Most white skin I`ve seen on a beach since the invasion of Grenada.
I get quite the kick out of the newbies - and I can remember being one of them. New to Jamaica, not just Negril. Thinking everyone is trying to rip you off, all Jamaicans are ganja dealers, driving is a blood-sport and don't leave the resort if you value your life. Why yes... our first trip was to an AI.
There is a hesitance and palpable nervousness with the newbies. This I understand. Sadly it is so out-of-place... unnecessary. That is time you lose. You don`t get it back. As I have mentioned in past notes, Bev and I were very fortunate to have met up with some great folks (Dane and Karen, Sue and Dave) on our fist visit to a non-AI. Try and pay-it -forward if you can. Perhaps we can start a new initiative - `Be Kind to a Newbie Day`.
The exodus continued on Day 8, Marley (our daughter) and Peter (son-in-law) had to head back to the snow and freezing rain of the Ottawa Valley. After that brief moment of sadness at 7:30am, we headed for our coffee and breakfast. Maureen was serving on this day, Jennifer having earned a well-deserved couple of days off. It was good to see Maureen again. She is definitely on island time - always prompt no matter how long it takes.
It was pretty much an uneventful day. I spent most of my time attempting to defy sand gravity and expose some new regions of flesh to the sand fleas. Had a nap. Naps are something that young people just don't appreciate. We spend our infancy not wanting to nap but rather choosing to exhaust our parents with erratic sleep. In our primary school years we want to watch one more show... can't I stay up? In high school (60's and early 70's for me) we were just getting home when dad was getting up for work. In our college years (assuming you had some) we only slept between drinking and cramming - or just drinking and drinking. Once we were married we started watching Saturday Night Live and <insert favourite late night show of your era - anybody who was married and watching Steve Allen or Jack Parr gets a free beer>. Still no naps. Have kids - no naps. Have teens - no naps. Getting past giving a rat's backside - NAPS!!!!!
Met up with Renee and Ron, and Dawn on the beach. We were thirsty, so we did our best to drink as much as necessary to quench ourselves. Next thing you know... hunger. We decided to grab some Pizza at Chances with Renee and Ron as they have to leave at 5:00am for home. As soon as we met at the bar to head down the beach the skies opened up. A very needed heavy downpour was upon us for about 20 - 30 minutes (that's about 13 minutes U.S. - Jamaica is a metric country). Patrick (from White Sands) called Chances to pre-order our pizza. Turns out that Chances was "closed" for a private party. Rainbow Arch - here we come. It is so great to have good food right next door. Basic fare, but good.
A few hugs and the night was over. Back to the room - a little CBC on the radio. Sleep.
Some overall observations:
1.) lotsa goats - nothing on the menu with goat,
2.) young coconut water tastes "green", but is good for what ails you,
3.) the wicker man has one of the best "routines" on the beach - but not once in 3 years has he shown us what he sells (outdoor furniture???),
4.) fresh cooked lobster (which is out-of-season) looks a lot like 32 day-old lobster from the freezer,
5.) every song ever written has a reggae version,
6.) beach musicians only know 4 songs - the same 4 songs,
7.) the ability to concentrate is directly proportional to the capacity of the bladder, and
8.) every person be they a tourist or a local has either seen Bob Marley live or is related to him. I`m related to him (brother by another mother).
Time to head into town. Have a few errands to run.
As we say in the Ottawa Valley - Have a Gooder!!!
