Just walking down from our Villas to the main house to catch the shuttle bus here to the beach, looks so incredible! I wish we had "smell-o-vision" on these pictures as it's sooooo fresh and has the smell of so many different perfumes! Back home I would have to water my lawn and yard for about 3 strait months to get it to look 1/4 as green and lush! Mind you with the rains they get here, I understand better. In fact the other day, we got a quick but HUGE afternoon downpour for about 30 minutes. I was out in our private pool when the heavens opened and getting out of the pool, the rain was actually warm! Strangest thing ever! I stood out in the downpour for the whole time and thoroughly enjoyed it. Simple things in life! There was no wind, no lightning, just a massive downpour of warm rain!
Early in our broadcast, we had three guys all dressed up drop by and start cranking out some cool sounds! One guy looked just like Morgan Freeman but didn't quite have the voice. Still pretty good singers. Everyone here seems so happy and I don't think we have seen or met anyone at this resort who works here, who Isn't happy! Very refreshing!
After the show was over we all headed back, changed into swim shorts and headed to the pool. It was blistering hot today (sorry to rub it in, but it was!) Trevor and Tamara sat on there deck, read and tanned. Joan and Garth grabbed a quick snack and then headed to the main pool to meet up with Chelsea and the Sheriff. There we tanned and hung out basically. It was great as they have little stools and tables IN the pool so you can sit and have some icy refreshments and stay somewhat cool. The SPF 60 was working over time today!! I haven't seen the sheriff since this afternoon, but the last time I saw him he was sleeping on one of those air mattresses floating around in the pool - that can't be good!
Garth & Trevor met around 2 to head into Ocho Rios now that the cruise ships are starting top re board and the town calms down from it's frenzy! We took a cab in which cost us $8 each there and back, plus the guy waited three hours for us! We were talking to him on the way about life in general living in Jamaica. He said the average wage is around $70.00 a week! He couldn't believe that someone making minimum wage in Canada, working and 8 hour day would make that much....in ONE DAY! Now we explained our cost of living is much higher, but you can see the struggles here. Needless to say we tipped the guy quite well, and also because he was really nice.
In town Trevor and I were constantly asked if we wanted to buy some Bob Marley CD's (don't think they were legal copies) and also asked if we wanted some of the sweetest, smoothest weed in Jamaica. Although illegal, it's EVERYWHERE! It's a bit of a madhouse on the streets. For one they drive on the left side of the road, which confuses the heck out of me, and then they seem to just drive where ever they need to. People all over the roads, horns honking, goats eating grass feet away from the road, cars parked half on the sidewalk half on the road...yikes!
We also tried to do some shopping but the merchants were still in Cruise Ship Madness mode and were quite aggressive. We had one lady follow us all around this outdoor mall and then where she saw we were leaving hit us up for money to help her and her 7 kids. You have to take this with a grain of salt and not get guilt ed as that's what they prey upon - sadly. The one thing that was really annoying, and it happens all over the place is when they stop speaking English and start talking PATOIS. It's hard to describe but it is a hybrid English/Creole/West African talk that's spoken rather fast. If anyone had parents or grandparents that came from Europe or another foreign country and still spoke that language and you never did...they would start talking to you in English, then turn away and talk "Ukrainian" to others while looking at you!
We did stop into a store because I was laughing that it's a "haberdashery" and we all wondered what that was, but it sure sounded funny. As we found out it was a junk 25cent store selling everything you don't need or ever will.
Afterwards we sought out Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville for some, what else beer and some burgers! (and you thought I was gonna say Margaritas didn't you!)
Yes there is a water slide that goes right through the bar and my wife Joan stripped down in two seconds and was on the slide! After dropping $100US for two burgers a salad and a po boy shrimp sandwich with 4 drinks, we were on our way home. We sat on the deck and watched the saddest sight the residents of Ocho Rios have to deal with every week....
The cruise ships leaving, along with all their money! Oh well two more come to port Friday. By the way, I have never had the chance to watch a cruise ship actually depart, and for the size of these monsters, they can turn on a dime and are actually quite fast. From the time it was untied and hoisted anchor, withing 5 minutes it was turned around and about 10 more minutes we couldn't see it anymore!
So now we are back at the villas each getting ready to hit up one of the gourmet restaurants here. Joan and I were luck enough to snag dinner at a Japanese place that cooks your food in a giant grill in front of you! Apparently that one is super hard to get into and one of the few that requires reservations. Not sure about Trevor nor Chelsea but for some strange reason you tend to bump into people despite how big this place is. Where Christine and Loran went to, who knows with those two! Man are they having a ball. All I do know in talking with them last night is they were off to go horseback riding this morning along the beaches!
Can't believe how time has flown past us..cannot believe tomorrow is our final broadcast day before hoping on the plane late Saturday afternoon heading North again. Saturdays forecast in Jamaica - Sunny and +30..outlook for PA Saturday...well you know!
Garth
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