Sunday, November 8, 2009
Sweet River
Sweet river was swweeet. After we picked up the best lobster curry ever--we were looking out for a place to stop and eat. We drove past a nice spot on Sweet River and Michael pointed it out to me as we drove by--mentioning that we probably didn't have time to stop and swim since we were en route to the airport and I needed to get there a couple of hours early for the flight. Well, by this time had a couple of red stripes and could smell the fragrant curry in the car and the thought of going past the river without slipping into its cool clear water was just too much. I told him to turn the car around and go back--changed into my suit, and took the lobster and beers and some rum n ting out for a picnic/swim fest. I told Michael to forget the flight--I was already paying a change fee--so we'd just pull up to the airport late and I would have them put me on the flight for the next day. Well that plan backfired--but more on that later.
Sweet river--the water was cold and clean, so clean. When you would get a mouthful when swimming it tasted good--the water really was sweet. Some photos:
At Sweet River, there were a couple of kids--well actually teenagers--there swimming when we got there--we shared the swimming hole with them. There was a rock underwater that you could stand on and then dive in upstream. They started a challenge/game of who could dive in against current, swim underwater and come up furthest upstream. Once you dove in and swam (the current was hard and fast, so hard to make headway) as far as you could underwater, you came up and stood in that spot to mark it while the others competed to try to get past your spot. Michael had the contest in the bag, he is 6'5 (a foot taller than me and the kids) and a natural swimmer). I surprised the youth by beating them (not bad for a old lady from foreign) but try as I would--I couldn't pass Michael's mark. The photos of Michael and the kids in the stream are in the midst of the game while I was taking a time out. It was fun, it reminded me of the underwater games me and my friends played when I was a kid. More photos
Sweet river--the water was cold and clean, so clean. When you would get a mouthful when swimming it tasted good--the water really was sweet. Some photos:
At Sweet River, there were a couple of kids--well actually teenagers--there swimming when we got there--we shared the swimming hole with them. There was a rock underwater that you could stand on and then dive in upstream. They started a challenge/game of who could dive in against current, swim underwater and come up furthest upstream. Once you dove in and swam (the current was hard and fast, so hard to make headway) as far as you could underwater, you came up and stood in that spot to mark it while the others competed to try to get past your spot. Michael had the contest in the bag, he is 6'5 (a foot taller than me and the kids) and a natural swimmer). I surprised the youth by beating them (not bad for a old lady from foreign) but try as I would--I couldn't pass Michael's mark. The photos of Michael and the kids in the stream are in the midst of the game while I was taking a time out. It was fun, it reminded me of the underwater games me and my friends played when I was a kid. More photos
Road shots
some shots from the road. More incredible cloud architecture, some shops and a church, my driver. Green luscious Jamaica.
Closeups of the best lobster curry ever
close ups of our delicious lobster curry picnic lunch. Pics of sweet river soon come.
The best lobster curry ever, period.
Finally it was time to start packing up for the airport. Sigh. I pulled it all together the day before I had to go and called Juta, who was supposed to pick me up. There was a big mix up and it turns out that although I had asked for Negril Juta at the desk at the airport as they were the ones I had reserved online with--it turns out that Mobay Juta took me to NEgril--even though I showed them the reservation confirmation and told them I needed Negril Juta. Anyone taking Juta--be careful of this--they are two different companies. So I called Negril Juta about my ride back and they asked for the number on the voucher that I had gotten from my first driver and when I told them it they said that it was Mobay Juta--so I'd have to call them about a ride back. They said they did have my reservation but I'd have to go with Mobay. So I called Mobay and they said they couldn't get me that day as they had no drivers going to Negril then. I was screwed! Luckily my friend Michael offered to drive me.
We left early, at noon since that was when check out was at Samsara. My flight wasn't till 5:25pm. So he suggested taking the old way --at least he called it the old way--which goes by Sav, Sweet River and through the mountains. I was all for it since I had driven the other route many times, and they were doing construction on that road. Michael told me he'd hook me up with some of the best lobster on the way at a spot that he knew about.
Hands down the best lobster curry ever ever! At Your Choice Restaurant. Photos below:
We left early, at noon since that was when check out was at Samsara. My flight wasn't till 5:25pm. So he suggested taking the old way --at least he called it the old way--which goes by Sav, Sweet River and through the mountains. I was all for it since I had driven the other route many times, and they were doing construction on that road. Michael told me he'd hook me up with some of the best lobster on the way at a spot that he knew about.
Hands down the best lobster curry ever ever! At Your Choice Restaurant. Photos below:
Trip extension and random musings
After 8 nights at Samsara I knew I wasn't ready to go home yet and extended my flight by 2 days--so I ended up staying a total of 10 nights. In that time I only went to the beach 2 times--once as documented earlier in this blog on the Samsara shuttle. The other time I took route taxis down to waves park (where Niahs is). The first taxi was quick and easy to the roundabout, route taxis are only 80 J per segment and my preferred mode of transport in Negril. Then I walked across the bridge to the river and down the road a bit and started looking for route taxi number 2. A car with two guys, one with dreads and one with shorter hair--pulled up alongside me. They were pumping some tunes and had a weird vibe, they made me uncomfortable even though it was early in the day. They had a sort of hey baby come ride with us kind of attitude--but they had white plates so I knew they weren't a legit cab and told them I was waiting for a red plate route taxi. They both jumped in saying hey we are a taxi and produced a white business card with a name and number on it that said taxi--they handed me the card. I said no thanks and at that moment flagged down a route taxi that pulled up behind them. They cussed and told me to give them their card back which I did gladly. I told the route cab about them and he was shaking his head saying they were no good--to watch out for them.
Got to waves, Niahs was closed. I visited with my artist friend and went next door (is that guest house called Gatehouse?) and had a couple of drinks with Tony who works there and was tending bar. We had a good talk and he gave me some great bush medical advice for my bruising and hurt back. Then we reasoned and philosophized for a while. I really like him. He works hard, has a farm and cattle and also works at the guest house. He starts early and goes all day. He likes his solitude--which I can relate to as I am at times a loner too.
I went back to waves park and was hanging at the carvers that works by Niahs. He had a large lovely carving of a woman that I fell in love with--I couldn't keep my hands off it, it was so smooth. The carver was telling me about his life and his lack of women in his life how he had two beds etc. We joked around for a while. He talked about Jamaican women and how they get mad or run away. The whole time he was reclined on a table that had a mat on it. He said he wanted to a have a mixed child. I could see where the conversation was going. He knows my ex. He asked how he could get an application to be my guy. I just laughed and told him it wasn't an application type position and in fact the position wasn't open. He was good natured and we bantered for a while. I went back out to the road and got a cab to the roundabout and from there walked over to Juicy J for a fish dinner. Afterwards back to the roundabout to hook up with another cab back to Samsara. These simple runnings of the day so satisfying and great for the soul.
Got to waves, Niahs was closed. I visited with my artist friend and went next door (is that guest house called Gatehouse?) and had a couple of drinks with Tony who works there and was tending bar. We had a good talk and he gave me some great bush medical advice for my bruising and hurt back. Then we reasoned and philosophized for a while. I really like him. He works hard, has a farm and cattle and also works at the guest house. He starts early and goes all day. He likes his solitude--which I can relate to as I am at times a loner too.
I went back to waves park and was hanging at the carvers that works by Niahs. He had a large lovely carving of a woman that I fell in love with--I couldn't keep my hands off it, it was so smooth. The carver was telling me about his life and his lack of women in his life how he had two beds etc. We joked around for a while. He talked about Jamaican women and how they get mad or run away. The whole time he was reclined on a table that had a mat on it. He said he wanted to a have a mixed child. I could see where the conversation was going. He knows my ex. He asked how he could get an application to be my guy. I just laughed and told him it wasn't an application type position and in fact the position wasn't open. He was good natured and we bantered for a while. I went back out to the road and got a cab to the roundabout and from there walked over to Juicy J for a fish dinner. Afterwards back to the roundabout to hook up with another cab back to Samsara. These simple runnings of the day so satisfying and great for the soul.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Samsara pool at sunset
Sunset is a magical time on the cliffs of Negril. A quiet hush falls as the sun sinks towards the sea and finally merges with the horizon. Seen below is the pool at Samsara at sunset. I spent some nice lazy afternoons and evenings floating in that pool staring at the sky with nothing on my agenda except for occasional sips of my drink. Ahhh so relaxing. That is the life.
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