pandemic or even after. The cost is good and the Irie image with a spliff made many of us think of those
'60's we were so fond of. "Sumting fo de hed mon?"
My first West Indian trip was there with my pregnant wife. We were going to follow the cruise movement
started with the Love Boat but Captain Stubing not withstanding my wife could not think of her pregnancy
induced nausea on a ship.....hence land based Jamaica at a place known as the Jamaica Intercontinental
now called Jamaica Grande.
Sunburned we spent part of the trip indoors rubbing each other with whatever might sooth our pain. This
is where I learned not to be so mellow that I would fall asleep floating on my back in the wonderful
Caribbean water.
Pasties, the Pub, Dunns River Falls and the Craft Mart all started my West Indian experience, that and
the blood on the lobby floor from some sort of political discord. About the time we left the JA dollar was
devalued by 25%. We paid with our credit card and had a cheaper vacation than planned, later learning of
the hard times that were to follow for the Jamaicans I had begun to love.
Since that first trip I have returned many times staying at a few places. One of my favorites was the
Golden Seas with it's "swinging swim up bar". A friend who lived many states away and I decided on a
Jamaica trip and spent much time on the phone with travel books and brochures in hand. We had met on
Windjammer's Flying Cloud in the BVI and thirsted for the West Indies. It was the "swinging swim up
bar" that sold up so we met in Atlanta and away we went. Arriving to rum punch at the airport, Red
Stripes at the rest stop and more rum punch upon arrival at the hotel. We hit that pool and the swings
pretty quick. Swings siting in the water right at the bar. What a way to drink with the Caribbean Sea
just steps away. That night we danced our way into first prize in two of the three dance styles they
were judging. Rub a dub being my all time favorite. Just never thought there would be a prize for that.
The rooms are on the beach, ours was on the second floor with a balcony and I have always preferred
staying there with the exception of when I took my son who preferred the bottom floor so he could walk
out right on the beach.
One time with son Jim there we had run into this guy who would meet people and arrange to fix them a
lobster dinner at his camp up the hill from the hotel. Some of the people we met had gone there and had
a great time. So we decided to give it a try, not without some trepidation. We hiked through thick
foliage to a terraced opening which was his camp, I'm sorry to say that after all these years I do not
recall the fellows name. He was very gracious and had things laid out quite nicely. As campers ourselves
we looked in admiration at the camp he had setup both as a home and his "restaurant". The meal was
very good with Lobster vegetables and rice. He even offered to go get us some ice cream which we
declined as wholly unnecessary (we were really full). That trip Jim fell for a young Brit, she was a year
or two older but they had a great time.
Jim@MyJamaicaDream.com