Virtual Jamaica: Portland~ Nonsuch Caves and Athenry Gardens

Back to Virtual Jamaica...

Today we explore Athenry Gardens and Nonsuch Caves.

https://youtu.be/LKzeQS0wOmg?si=mrYyBeUw_lNsi7F-

Once a beautiful coconut plantation...now spectacular gardens...lush rain forests and caves.

...the caves were a nice surprise...I never realized how much Jamaica had down under...it is literally riddled with a labyrinth of honey-colored limestone beneath your feet...

The gardens are lovely.
 

Dotted with flowers and waterfalls.

 

And the opening which will lead you to the 9 caves below...

 

Embedded in its walls, the shells...fossils of life from thousands of years back when the cave was forming.

Lanterns lighting the way...and the quiet chittering of the omnipresent bats, which we have come to expect.

The cool dampness contrasting with the humidity of the outside world.

Catching a brief glimpse of ocean and sunshine as we near an inlet.

All too soon, our under-the-earth tour is over and we stand blinking into the hot tropical sun filtering through the canopy.

I'm thinking a fossil in this yellow-tan limestone is a must as a souvenir of Nonsuch!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And found one!!!

 

Sister's Day...Loss...and Cinderella-ing

s

Yeah...no amount of bippity-boppity-boo is going to clean up this mess, today...

More about that in a minute.

 

Saturday was our Sister's Day.

A little bittersweet this time,as Tina lost Chad at the end of the week to Cystic Fibrosis.

He had been fighting for a long time...and it wasn't unexpected...but it still hurts like hell.

Harder for her, considering they were married 45 years and she has never ever lived alone before.

A Sister's Day to just hug and talk....and cry a bit...and vent...and plan.

Tina is a survivor.

She will get through this...and we will all be with her...until she does.

Their daughter, her niece and her father, SIL and his father, her grand daughter, friends and assorted family (including me & mine) reaching out.

She knows she is loved.

Took Sunday, and just recovered.

Which brings us to Cinderella.

There is trash to be gathered, laundry to be done, dishes to be washed, cat-box to clean, e-mails to be answered and business to be attended to...don't even get me started about dusting, a bathroom and kitchen that needs cleaned!

It's a mess.

And no helpful woodland creatures or fairy godmother in sight.

By the end of the day, however, order will be restored...and tomorrow we'll get back to Virtual Jamaica!

John is feeling and eating better...has in-home PT...gaining some weight back...and doing better!

 

 

 

 

 

I Have Achieved 66-ness!!!

Don't blink...

It's a slippery slope to 70.

 

Started the morning with Birthday Wishes from the boys...and strawberry-cheese danishes.

 ...I've realized that my hours of operation have changed in my old age...we are only open from 9AM-9PM with a short window closed from 2-4PM reserved for a nap/errands daily....

Getting things organized for Sister's Day, tomorrow.

Planning a deep bubble bath...a T-Bone steak dinner and a good movie, later.

No parts have fallen off...John is slowly improving and life is good!

Love,

Carla 

 

April Update

Here we are...18 months in....

Are we exhausted yet???

...it feels like its own LONG WALK...

 

To be fair...some of the players have started to fall off.

Not nearly enough.

In a month we have seen:

 

It's not a WAR...okay...it IS a WAR...it is done..we won...well, it will be done soon...can you help us...fine...we don't need your help...the strait that was open is now blockaded...we have now blockaded their blockade...

WTF????

...Tweeting the end of civilization...

 

On EASTER!!!

...picking a fight with The Pope...depicting himself as Jesus through AI...

 

And it just goes on and on and on.

STILL we preserve and resist.

33 months to go.

Less, if we can impeach and remove him after the election.

My HAPPY THOUGHT!

 

 

Virtual Jamaica: Portland~ Frenchman's Cove

 

Back to our Virtual Adventure...

 

Frenchman's Cove is 45 acres of paradise that used to be available only to the very wealthy.

In the 1970's when plantations were sold and broken up...it became available to everyone...for a price.

Today, it is about 1800 Jamaican dollars for the day.

Before anyone hyperventilates, that translates to $11.40 USD.

Tour

https://youtu.be/anAoCJv5_bg?si=efiFlTVJEYinwq4L

There are resort hotels, restaurants and villas on the property...rope swings...and, the crown jewel, a perfect lagoon and beach to relax.

 Beach Tour

https://youtu.be/ippoFOD0K00?si=O-ywTGMaOYk-FlrI

 So, come with us...and bask the day away!

 

Spring Brunch...The Long Walk...And Why The Hell is it WINTER Again?????

 

The season is just about over...

Having one final batch of Birthday Morels next week...then I'm done.

 

Enjoyed strawberry scones and butter & hot tea with honey this morning...and recuperating from our (Chris and Don and the baby)  Spring  Brunch.

Chinese and chat...literature and football...politics and catching up on life.

Some grandma and grandpa time.

...this is why we have children when we are young...because they would kill you off now...

 

John is recovering well...is back home...eating better...has PT coming to the house ...and has already regained a few pounds!!!

We are hopeful!

 

Relaxed Friday night

...movie night...

and watched 

A 1966 Bachman Book written by then 18 year old Stephen King as a commentary on the Vietnam War.

Set in a dystopian society where everyone voluntarily enters a lottery to represent their state in The Long Walk.

50 are chosen.

An unimaginable cash prize...and one personal wish granted.

And only one winner. 

The movie was gritty...shocking...graphic...traumatizing...

Amazing. 

Perfectly cast.

...perhaps the best actor was the kid who played Gary...who was horrible throughout and made you really really dislike him...until you realized that all of his life he had just been socially inept and an outcast...and the whole facade was a coping mechanism...

They took some liberties with the ending...but it was SK approved and actually better than the original.

Woke to 33 degrees this morning and freeze warnings until Tuesday...when it is suppose to return to 75 degrees.

Welcome to Spring in Indiana. 

 

I have pinto beans bubbling, and ready to make cornbread & sweet tea.

 

Have a Wonderful Rest-of-the-Weekend! 

 

 

 

Virtual Jamaica: Portland and The Palace Hotel

 

Today, our virtual trek takes us to Portland Parish.

Over the weekend I had the time to research the area hotels...and although there were many...the one name that topped the list repeatedly was

The Palace 

Opulent, nestled in the Jamaican greenery, all inclusive, reasonable at 200 USD per night, and nearby sights.

Timeless class.

https://www.expedia.com/Port-Antonio-Hotels-Jamaica-Palace-Hotel.h596970.Hotel-Information?locale=en_US&siteid=1&sl=ppp&semcid=US.UB.BING.PT-c-EN.HOTEL&semdtl=a1414680014.b11318315815412245.g1kwd-82395468258822%3Aloc-190.e1c.m1fe84f71875021fc76e3f9ec117793747.r141d148cfbe5aed4eb80f80764346639643c1c5ebbe9825c64135d1bc14c4954a.c1.j149426.k1142396.d182394955970291.h1e.i18177767248960.l1.n1.o1.p1.q1.s1.t1.x1.f1.u1.v1.w1&msclkid=fe84f71875021fc76e3f9ec117793747&pwaThumbnailDialog=thumbnail-gallery

Check it out for yourself.

  https://youtu.be/TH-LOARWepo?si=zwtJ3CsEmtFTaQJ_

And a little bit about Portland...before we start exploring this week.

https://youtu.be/HGkNgHqGjXg?si=DnywgpIbtL7ploPS

 

Come along on the adventure!