From hydrotherapy to ackee and guavas

A day that starts with a tour of a country estate, shifts to a sushi lunch, transforms to hydrotherapy treatment and ends with Italian fine dining, sounds like a good way to end a Jamaican vacation.

The resort bills the excursion today as Sun Valley Plantation. It was hard to know what to expect, but once the one-hour bus ride got us there, it felt like we were in the heart of Jamaica.

The primary purpose the trip was to introduce visitors to a sampling of Jamaican fruits, vegetables, plants, flowers and other vegetation.

We were thoroughly impressed and fascinated, even though we were familiar with many of the sights on the estate.

What made it even more enjoyable was the humble, simple, genuine style of Lorna, the owner and guide. Her son, Bryan, was equally kind and friendly.

We had known many of the fruits and vegetables, but found they are known by different names in Jamaica.

Cintra and I fulfilled one of our fondest wishes at the plantation and that was to drink a fresh green coconut right out of the coconut and scoop the delicate soft jelly with the spoon cut from the shell.

After the most informative tour of the property, Lorna and Bryan treated us with slices of mango, guava, sugar cane, Otaheite apple (known in Trinidad as pommerac), coconut, fried plantain and fried breadfruit and servings of guava juice and ginger beer. I am sure the other visitors were delighted - we were ecstatic.

We returned to the hotel and prepared for an afternoon at the spa. Cintra indulged in hydrotherapy and massage and I opted for hydrotherapy only.

Our evening was spent revisiting the Gondola Italian restaurant with Friends to enjoy some of the selections we missed the first time.

We started our packing in the morning and are ready to begin our return journey to Regina tomorrow.

We’re glad you came along with us.

We invite you to view a Photobucket album of our Jamaican vacation at: http://s210.photobucket.com/user/mkanhai_photos/library/

A YouTube video of Cintra climbing Dunn’s River Falls is at: https://youtu.be/ezaRSYUPYSI

Yaaman.

Moses and Cintra

Peace, love and respect

Peace, love and respect

There is much to learn and experience in Jamaica. One of the surprising lessons is the Jamaican secret handshake.

You grasp each other’s right hand by the fingers with thumbs upright. Next you flick each other’s thumbs rapidly three times one for peace, one for love and one for respect.

That pretty much sums up the warmth of the people we have met.

Today was a good day to slow down and soak in the sun, dip in the beach and interact with guests and resort staff.

Our meals today ranged from a Jamaican breakfast in the beachside seafood restaurant, to barbecue jerk chicken on the beach for lunch and a “romantic dinner” of surf and turf elegantly served on the beach.

It is unusual to enjoy a special dinner within a few feet of the water with only the sound of waves gently lapping against the shore. There were 10 tables of couples enjoying their special evening.

Main feature of the night’s entertainment was a steel band of young pan players and dancers.

We are grateful for another day of memories to last a lifetime.

Yaaman!

Adventure of a Lifetime

Highlight of our third full day in Ocho Rios was a visit to one of the island’s most popular attractions, Dunn’s River Falls.

Many countries have falls and rapids, but not many have made a major tourist destination of the opportunity to climb up the falls itself. That means climbing on large, uneven, slippery rocks against a heavy flow of water rushing down in the opposite direction.

It is difficult, and definitely unwise and unsafe, for a climber to tackle the falls unaccompanied. So the process requires that climbers form a chain and negotiate the falls as a team.

Having said that, Cintra was the willing waterfall climber, while I chose to use the dry path up the mountain. I enjoyed the convenience of a solid, well-built staircase that followed the path of the falls.

That worked for me, especially since my recent knee surgery wouldn’t allow me to withstand the grueling demands of rock climbing up a waterfall.

Being on the dry path also meant I could record the adventure in photos and videos. Please visit this link for a YouTube video of the climb: https://youtu.be/ezaRSYUPYSI.

The weather was ideal for this outdoor excursion during our one-week stay in Ocho Rios. The warm temperatures and bright sunlight were ideal for the waterfall adventure and the ride on the catamaran by Jamaica Tours.

A catamaran ride on the island is more than transportation; it is a party. The vessel bounces not only with the pulsating movements of the waves, but the rhythm of Reggae, rock and disco music.

The day was too beautiful not to finish it off back at the hotel with a dip in the ocean and relaxing with friends on the beach chairs.

We enjoyed a wonderful steak dinner and relaxed in the hotel lobby listening to the evening’s entertainer singing favorite oldies songs.

Thanks for coming along on our holiday with us.

Moses and Cintra

People Make the Difference

Despite postponing a trip to Jamaica for many years, we have no doubt it is one of the best decisions we’ve made to come to this island this winter.

We are fortunate to be in a resort with just about anything we could hope for, and surrounded by interesting attractions, and finally enjoying ideal weather, but the advantage that impresses us most is the people.

Today was a perfect example as we enjoyed impeccable service from staff in the restaurants, bars, information desks and just about everywhere else.

We had our usual breakfast in the main buffet, continuing to seek out tropical favorites. We are seeing familiar fruits but called by different names.

Today’s highlight was a trip to Mystic Mountain, just on the other side of the Bay. We could see it from our hotel, and were able to have a spectacular view of the hotel from atop the mountain. We met a couple from Philadelphia yesterday’s on the catamaran cruise, and found we were on the mountain trip today.

Having company made the trip so much more enjoyable. On arrival at the base of the mountain, we took cable cars to ride through the lush tropical rain forest to the top.

Once there, we enjoyed entertainment by drummers and dancers, views a hummingbird sanctuary and took a dip in the pool.

The panoramic view of the town, the ocean and the hotel complex was most fascinating.

For the more adventurous guests, there was the opportunity to return to the bottom of the mountain by bobsled or zip line. We chose the cable car.

Upon returning to the hotel site, we had our first experience with the beach in Ocho Rios Bay. We also checked out a couple of swimming pools.

We enjoyed an Asian supper in Momo’s before closing a full day with a thrilling magic show on the main theatre.

We are looking forward to another day of hospitality, adventure and relaxation.

Moses and Cintra

I Can See Clearly Now

Jamaica vacation

After days of rain in Jamaica, it was fitting that the crew on the catamaran today entertained guests on the sunset cruise with Johnny Nash’s I Can See Clearly Now, the Rain Is Gone. Ironically, this is the song in 1972 that helped make the Reggae beat popular worldwide.

This was our first excursion of our stay in Moon Palace Resort, Ocho Rios, Jamaica. It was well worth it, even if was just to soak in the sun and warmth and get in the party mood.

The crew of the catamaran were just as enthusiastic about partying to Reggae music as they were to serving the tourists. They also ensured that everyone took the floating class on saying the famous local phrase “Yeah Mon!”

The first part of the day was spent in a marketing meeting that we agreed to attend in order to be eligible for free tickets to a popular attraction.

We then enjoyed a curried goat lunch, rested and got ready for the Sunset Cruise.

Our evening ended with a delightful dinner in the signature restaurant called Gondola, where they specialize in Italian cruise.

We continue to be impressed with the friendliness and hospitality of all the Resort staff.

Yeah Mon.

First day in Ocho Rios spent indoors

Inclement weather in Jamaica gave us a chance to plan our week in Ocho Rios and familiarize ourselves with the Resort.

After a late arrival Thursday, we had a much needed rest and looked forward to absorbing all that Moon Palace had to offer.

We woke up on our first full day to realize our room allowed us an almost bird’s eye view of the entire complex, including the full length of Ocho Rios Bay. We could scan the site from our perch and see the level of activity outdoors, including how many people were using the beach or pools or hot tubs. The view overlooked the popular Dolphin Cove where guests can swim with the friendly purpoises.

Our first stop was with our tour director to plan our week and select our excursions and dinner reservations.

Next we enjoyed our first Jamaica breakfast by sampling much of the eclectic delights, including some tropical surprises like fried plantains, soussop and pommerac (known here as Jamaica apple).

Hoping the rain and cloudy conditions would end, we took the opportunity to get to know the numerous facilities in the complex.

All seemed to go smoothly until we started receiving messages via Facebook that our part of the island was faced with a major crisis. St. James parish, which includes Montego Bay, was the scene of an outburst of crime and the Prime Minister issued a State of of Emergency.

We were not directly affected, but the perception from Canadian media coverage was that everyone on the island was at risk. We therefore talked to the tour director and were assured about the resort’s security measures. Also we were told the centre of the problem was some distance away.

Feeling more at ease, we walked outside a bit when the rain subsided for awhile and retuned indoors to acquaint ourselves withe the coffee bar, sushi bar and other tempting pit stops.

We ended the day with an entertaining and tasty teppanyaki meal in the popular Asian restaurant.

We are preparing to take our chances with our second full day that promises to be a continuation of the rainy weather.

None of this is taking away from our chance to rest, relax and breathe in tropical air.

Stay tuned.

Moses and Cintra.

What Took You So Long?

Jamaica vacation

Arriving in Jamaica at dusk may have kept us from enjoying the exotic tropical surroundings, but it seemed to help us focus on the warmth and hospitality of the people.

Almost everyone, from Grace the wheelchair porter, to the bus operator, to the hotel clerk to the servers, greeted us with their cheerful welcome. Most wanted to chat and one server asked the typical question, “Is this your first time in Jamaica?” followed almost naturally with, “What took you so long to get here?”

This was unlike the hospitality we have experienced in any other tourist destination we have visited in recent years.

My first thought was that almost everyone associated with tourism here takes hospitality very seriously and is a natural ambassador for the country.

All of this seemed to overcome the exhaustion we felt after being on the move for more than 14 hours, or the pounding rain on the drive to the hotel, or the gridlock due to a traffic problem.

We arrived at Moon Palace Resort in Ocho Rios tired and hungry, but buoyed by the pleasant conversations with the hosts at every point. Even if we did not see the promised beauty of Ocho Rios Bay on our first evening, it gave us something to which we could look forward.

It also helped us almost gasp in awe of the beauty of the Resort on the inside. And we were left with a sense of anticipation to absorb the many other attractions in this exciting part of Jamaica.

We look forward to sharing some of our experiences with you in the next few days.

Moses and Cintra Kanhai