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I found my wife's letters to her family from our trip last year. It's nice to reread them a few weeks before we're back in paradise.
Today is our last full day at Secrets.
This week has been a visual festival.
So many colors.
Jamaica has something for every sense.
Our cabin only steps from the beach.
We have floated in the salt water... my personal nirvana!! We have read books, and napped.
Eaten so much fruit from the fruit ladies every morning. Walked the beach for Jamaican food and sights. Callaloo and saltfish with dumplings for bfast. Veg. pattys from the patty man and chilled lobster with lime. All so good. All while on the beach. The salt water is just right for floating. I can lay back and relax while the water perfectly cradles my body. No need to try to stay afloat. The water takes every worry. Every ache. It nourishes and heals all at the same time.
Tomorrow, Friday, we will move to the castle.
For Sat., a friend of Fred's has invited us to Treasure Beach (1 1/2hr drive) for his party. He has a room for us so we would spend the night.
And finish the week at the castle.
from paradise - me gone !
Beck and Fred
Jamaica was Heaven on Earth!
The weather was perfect.
Unlike last year, we did have some rain, however it was a good thing, it forced us out of the sun and probably saved us from burning.
The first week we stayed at Secrets. It's the same place we stayed last year. We had a small cabin with the modern bathrooms across the yard.
"No problem mon."
Mornings consisted of sipping coffee and walking down the beach to buy our morning fruit from sisters, Millicent and Rose. Then we swam, and
floated. The salt water was perfect.
I honestly don't recall ever swimming so hard so much. At least a couple times each day I swam (the crawl) till I could hardly swim another stroke. Then I would just roll on my back and float. The waves were practically nonexistent.
Fred packed blowup camp mattresses for floating on. They were a lot bigger than regular air mattresses that are used for water floating. I
had my doubts, but have to admit, they were the best darn floaters we've ever used.
Fred enjoyed his daily Cuban cigar as he floated. What a life!
We walked the beach every day, finding shells, and shopping for Christmas gifts.
Jamaicans seem to set up shop wherever they can. And they show up for work every day, even if only for one small sale. They depend on every
cent to feed their families and don't waste a day.
Our second week, we moved to the cliffs on the west end of Negril. We stayed in a wonderful castle. (Keep in mind that 'castle' is the opposite of 'luxury') Our room was in the tower right on the water where we could hear the crashing waves all night. What a wondrous lullaby! The castle was complete with long, winding stairways, odd shaped windows, curving
walls and turrets and balconies everywhere. It was a beautiful place with beautiful grounds. We had three different stairways to choose to reach the water. Again, not luxurious, but solid! While there, we snorkeled every day. What a blast that was. I had snorkeled a number of times before but always staying on the surface, never diving under water with my
mask and snorkel. This year I did! I dove and swooped. Chased fish and followed them under cliffs, all the time seeing amazing sights! I swear I practically ran down the stairs to the water every morning. I just couldn't get enough!
By the last days, I felt like my body was brined, absolutely saturated in salt!
We spent one day and night visiting an American friend at Treasure beach. (George Cox)
He had a party and invited us for the night. He had rented a beautiful villa on the sea. We were treated like royal guests. A Jamaican group of
6 folk singers, all young men sang mostly American oldies for us for what seemed hours. It was so fun. We spent some special time again this year in Little London learning more about life in Jamaica from a family we met last year. The Porter family welcomed us into their home and fed us and fussed over us like we were very special. It was a huge honor. We left there with an even greater admiration for the Jamaican people. They are warm, sweet, respectful, generous, hard working people. A people of peace. They don't even eat lamb! (Because lambs cry!) That's a people of peace!
We look forward to next year when we will travel once again to paradise, aka Jamaica!
Beckie and Fred
Today is our last full day at Secrets.
This week has been a visual festival.
So many colors.
Jamaica has something for every sense.
Our cabin only steps from the beach.
We have floated in the salt water... my personal nirvana!! We have read books, and napped.
Eaten so much fruit from the fruit ladies every morning. Walked the beach for Jamaican food and sights. Callaloo and saltfish with dumplings for bfast. Veg. pattys from the patty man and chilled lobster with lime. All so good. All while on the beach. The salt water is just right for floating. I can lay back and relax while the water perfectly cradles my body. No need to try to stay afloat. The water takes every worry. Every ache. It nourishes and heals all at the same time.
Tomorrow, Friday, we will move to the castle.
For Sat., a friend of Fred's has invited us to Treasure Beach (1 1/2hr drive) for his party. He has a room for us so we would spend the night.
And finish the week at the castle.
from paradise - me gone !
Beck and Fred
Jamaica was Heaven on Earth!
The weather was perfect.
Unlike last year, we did have some rain, however it was a good thing, it forced us out of the sun and probably saved us from burning.
The first week we stayed at Secrets. It's the same place we stayed last year. We had a small cabin with the modern bathrooms across the yard.
"No problem mon."
Mornings consisted of sipping coffee and walking down the beach to buy our morning fruit from sisters, Millicent and Rose. Then we swam, and
floated. The salt water was perfect.
I honestly don't recall ever swimming so hard so much. At least a couple times each day I swam (the crawl) till I could hardly swim another stroke. Then I would just roll on my back and float. The waves were practically nonexistent.
Fred packed blowup camp mattresses for floating on. They were a lot bigger than regular air mattresses that are used for water floating. I
had my doubts, but have to admit, they were the best darn floaters we've ever used.
Fred enjoyed his daily Cuban cigar as he floated. What a life!
We walked the beach every day, finding shells, and shopping for Christmas gifts.
Jamaicans seem to set up shop wherever they can. And they show up for work every day, even if only for one small sale. They depend on every
cent to feed their families and don't waste a day.
Our second week, we moved to the cliffs on the west end of Negril. We stayed in a wonderful castle. (Keep in mind that 'castle' is the opposite of 'luxury') Our room was in the tower right on the water where we could hear the crashing waves all night. What a wondrous lullaby! The castle was complete with long, winding stairways, odd shaped windows, curving
walls and turrets and balconies everywhere. It was a beautiful place with beautiful grounds. We had three different stairways to choose to reach the water. Again, not luxurious, but solid! While there, we snorkeled every day. What a blast that was. I had snorkeled a number of times before but always staying on the surface, never diving under water with my
mask and snorkel. This year I did! I dove and swooped. Chased fish and followed them under cliffs, all the time seeing amazing sights! I swear I practically ran down the stairs to the water every morning. I just couldn't get enough!
By the last days, I felt like my body was brined, absolutely saturated in salt!
We spent one day and night visiting an American friend at Treasure beach. (George Cox)
He had a party and invited us for the night. He had rented a beautiful villa on the sea. We were treated like royal guests. A Jamaican group of
6 folk singers, all young men sang mostly American oldies for us for what seemed hours. It was so fun. We spent some special time again this year in Little London learning more about life in Jamaica from a family we met last year. The Porter family welcomed us into their home and fed us and fussed over us like we were very special. It was a huge honor. We left there with an even greater admiration for the Jamaican people. They are warm, sweet, respectful, generous, hard working people. A people of peace. They don't even eat lamb! (Because lambs cry!) That's a people of peace!
We look forward to next year when we will travel once again to paradise, aka Jamaica!
Beckie and Fred
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