We have been blessed, over the years, to be able to visit the beautiful island of Jamaica several times, due to the generosity of friends who give us the use of their condo there, in Montego Bay. Erin and Meagan were quite young, the first time they went with us. In fact, Meagan celebrated her fifth (or maybe it was her sixth) birthday there. This time, Erin brought her new husband, Reed, who was excited to experience his first time ever in the Caribbean. And this time, on Levi's second trip to Jamaica, he got to celebrate his 15th birthday with a chocolate cake that had almost too much frosting even for Levi, who absolutely loves all things sweet.
I have been enjoying photography more and more, and I have found that my iPhone takes remarkably good pictures, so I was able to document our trip quite well. I regretted leaving my phone behind, for fear it would get wet, when we boarded a glass bottom boat to motor out to the reef. Bill, Levi, Erin, and Reed all snorkeled the length of the reef, along with their guide, but I was content to stay in the boat and talk to the skipper, who had brought his six-year-old son along for the afternoon. After the snorkelers were on their way, the skipper outfitted his son in a life jacket and snorkel gear, and lowered him into the water to fishtail his way around the boat. As his dad commented, he was just learning.
Other than the boat excursion, and our Sunday evening dinner on a houseboat, when my phone's battery died so inconveniently, I was able to take some reasonable pictures that show the highlights of our trip to Jamaica. So, I guess this blog will take the form of a travelogue:
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| Our cook, Annette, outdid herself with delicious, authentic, Jamaican meals, served on the deck. |
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| A little sticker shock: the exchange rate in Jamaica is one American dollar for every 123 Jamaican dollars. If cookies actually cost this much in the US, obesity would no longer be an issue in our country. |
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| These jam-filled marshmallows were surprisingly good. |
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| This is my favorite view from the condo, overlooking the marina at Freeport Harbor. |
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Bill and Levi investigated the new walkway
at the edge of the condo property. |
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| Bill has always been fascinated with the sailboats at the Yacht Club. |
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The area near the condo has been built up tremendously over the past few years, so there isn't as much natural beach as there used to be. I was pleased to find this little crab on the tiny, little beach bordering the condo complex.
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Tranquility.
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Reed, Erin, and Levi found a puffer fish to study and photograph.
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| We love to watch the cruise ships that dock in the adjacent harbor. |
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| Our "backyard" beach view. |
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Selfie at the beach!
We visited three different beaches: The Hard Rock Cafe, within easy walking distance of our condo, offers complementary beach access to Bay Pointe residents. Bill drove our rental car for an hour and a half to the beach near Negril, 30 miles away (yes, the road is that bad!) where we boarded the glass bottom boat. And we loved the public beach at Doctor's Cave, near downtown Montego Bay. |
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| These chairs each cost $5.00 (in American dollars) for the privilege of sitting in them, so they became a part of the seascape for most people who, like us, were too cheap to pay for the luxury of a chair. Besides, we were there to snorkel and swim, or just walk in the sand and explore. |
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| Erin and Reed soaked up some sun in the delightfully warm water. |
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Levi found plenty of treasures when he was snorkeling.
Here, he paused to examine a shell he found. |
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Erin and Reed took advantage of the amenities at the Hard Rock Cafe beach.
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Footprints in the sand last only an instant,
until the waves wash them away. |
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| Outdoor showers are wonderful. |
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Sunset at the beach.
Here, Bill's silhouette was showcased through the lifeguard's chair,
just as the sun began to set. |
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| Rick's Cafe, on the beach by Negril, was demolished by a couple of hurricanes, and has been rebuilt twice since we first visited there, bigger and better than ever, or so they say. It features some delicious rum cake, daring cliff divers, live music, and gorgeous sunset views over the Caribbean. |
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| The clear, blue water at Doctor's Cave. |
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| A bathing beauty. |
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| Getting ready to snorkel. |
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| Erin and Reed taught Levi a new game that occupied their time in the afternoons, when it was too hot at the beach. |
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| Levi was more than okay with celebrating his 15th birthday in Jamaica. |
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| Happy birthday, Levi! |
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The sun sets early and quickly in Jamaica.
This picture, overlooking the smaller pool, was taken from our supper table on the deck. |
It was good, once again, to take a break from Bill's constant phone calls and business obligations, and from the stress of Erin's and Reed's recent move to Wisconsin, to savor the peace and beauty of Jamaica. God has made such diverse and awe-inspiring people and places on this earth! We are truly blessed to be able to explore his wonderful creation.
How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro... Psalm 104:24-26a
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