Virtual Jamaica: St. James Parish

 

We return to Jamaica in St. James...Montego Bay, actually.

You are here.

And we've found the best accommodations this parish offers.

The all-inclusive Rose Hall Villas.

Which sits on the grounds of the Grand Rose Hall Plantation...we will explore another day.

Tour:

https://youtu.be/5A3Uy9_9934?si=ORd3JfJNztNCrCSJ

The bay is packed tight with expensive hotels...and a bit of a tourist trap.

The all-inclusive is nice...where all means literally everything.

From meals and restaurants...bars...scuba trips...snorkeling...kayaks...childcare...it is all included in the price of your room.

Make no mistake...we are talking in excess of 500. USD a night, here. 

Everything can be brought directly to your room.

The villas range from the modern to the old-world opulent. 

Total relaxation...great food  and drink...and spa/resort.

Who could ask for anything more????

Next time we will check out The Great Rose Hall...which comes with its own ghost story.

 

 Until then...

September...End of Preseason...Bears...Company and More

 

The Morning Glories are giving it one last final hurrah...blooming pinkly...the hummers are filling their tiny tanks before their long October journey...the fireflies...gone...replaced by 1000 screaming cicadas in the early evening and hundreds of trilling tree frogs at night.

 

...live in the country, they said...it will be peaceful, they said... 

 

The hummers are soon to go and the geese and crows are back...I anticipate an early Fall.

 

But not this week.

 

Temperatures are suppose to top out at 97 degrees by Thursday.

Summer's last stand.

Pre-season is over and in a couple of weeks Football begins!!!!

John and I watched most of the pre-season games for our teams.

It was painful.

This week the MRI's and CAT scans are scheduled...just cancer follow-ups...and so we hold our breath.

Nice to get them out of the way before the holidays.

...we enjoyed friend chicken, mashed potatoes, fried okra...and baked apple pie last Thursday together...it was wonderful!!!!

He brought me enough good chocolate to last the rest of the year!

He is holding his weight and starting to rebuild muscle.

It was nice to just be able to hold each other.

The bears are slowly trickling back from walk-about...and they are HUGE!

 909 is a contender now.

She may be a less-than-stellar, Mom. Has had 5 cubs in two years and lost ALL of them...but this year she is matching the big boars in size.

She and 164 (Bucky Dent) have pretty much been fishing and eating salmon from sun-up to sun-down.

Don and I had our summer get-together this week.

Ordered a plethora of Chinese food...and will be enjoying Chinese for the near future...also baked a cherry pie for afters.

Caught up with family...children...grandchildren...politics...and football.

In a Chinese-Food Coma, now.

Back to Jamaica, tomorrow!

 

 

                                           Gadget...who loves watching pool on TV!

Virtual Jamaica: Hanover~ Dolphin Cove

 

They're sleek and gray, friendly, playful and curious...and today we are going to join them on a swim.

Home is a rocky offshore pen.

They offer several packages.

All last around 30 minutes.

They include 

Encounter for 99 USD which is basic and just includes touching a dolphin and swimming with it.
 

The Palace Dolphin Swim for 149 USD.

and The Dolphin Royal Swim with 2 dolphins and even more contact for 200 USD.
 

If you've ever watched a dolphin show and thought "I can do that!"

This package is for you.

 https://youtube.com/shorts/CPHVAwnByHA?si=L1H3Let2X9fAg_z0

Tour

https://youtu.be/KbnrmQGrnYs?si=oZ8ruxAGLIY8gBEv

 It was rubbery...wet...fun in the sun!

 

 

 Later...

Watching Preseason...

 

So you don't have to...

...you're welcome...

 

The second week of Preseason.

Unwatchable.

 

The Colts Game- abysmal.

The Chiefs- Well, they managed to pull it off...barely.

 

One more preseason game for each of them...then it counts.

They better get their shit together.

 

If I sound a bit grumpy...I am.

This marks one full week of no caffeine. 

 "Yeah...you wouldn't like me when I'm decaffeinated."

 

An experiment, that failed.

I'll be back to normal, tomorrow...and we will head back to Virtual Jamaica.

Until then we will catch up with the bears.

Bucky Dent #164

Who currently is HUGE, and may well win the Fat Bear Contest this Fall.

 

And the short raccoon, Jimothy, who is everywhere, now.

 

 

 

Until tomorrow...

Virtual Jamaica: Tryall Plantation/Golf Club and Resort

 

It is Friday, and we're back to Jamaica...

Amazingly, although Hanover is tiny, it is home to 20 former plantations.

Some are completely gone or reduced to ruins.

Some are preserved as historic places.

Some are completely repurposed. 

Tryall is a bit of all three.

 With ruins of the former Great House.

 Preservation of the (still working) waterwheel.

 https://youtube.com/shorts/MI6yuGN5JeU?si=U3PK86TJcm7t4MWX

and the modern golf course/hotel/resort.

2,200 acres overlooking the Carribean Sea.

A walk back in time to the 1680's...and forward to 2026.
 

It has catered to the elite since 1950.

The golf course immaculate...the rooms sumptuous...

 This is one of those places that, if you must ask the price, well...you can't afford it.

It has tennis courts...90 rooms all personally decorated...fine dining and multiple pools.

The historic ruins/waterwheel lies in the outer jungle-like greenery. 

 

The day is hot and although there is shade, the bugs are relentless...so we break for one of the restaurants...and are not disappointed.

The Tryall Beach Bar and Grill

A wonderful way to spend a summer's day!

 Until Monday!

 

22...We're Getting Closer and Closer

 

to half-way!!!!

Doesn't that just make you feel warm and fuzzy.

 

This month we've seen:

...18 dead and over 700 injured in the war that has been declared over least 108 times...and a President who desperately needs to learn the difference between allies and adversaries...threatening to bomb an ally while snuggling up to Putin...the installation of Todd Blanche as AG...primary elections going completely off the rails...Mike Lindell losing his primary...then blaming it being rigged...by his own party...a bombing causing sailors in the strait to not get resupplies of food and other critical stuff...The Harp Affair...and Orange Chicken hidden in a food cart...

I am convinced, at this point, that the midterms are going to be a tidal wave.

And many of the rats are already beginning to leap off the sinking ship.

About Miss Harp...mental health isn't taken seriously enough in this country...and that is sad.

I could not care less about the Orange Guy...and if he feels he is loved by her...well...good for him.

Hog's Breath needs to go.

Glad to see Levitt leaving.

Miller needs a stake to the heart.

But, as we near the blessed half-way mark...I find myself caring less and less about the lot of them.

This is temporary.

We will get through this.

Eventually both he and MAGA and this administration will only be a bad memory.

November is coming and we must vote!

 

Virtual Jamaica: Hanover~ Bamboo Rafting

 

Our adventure today begins at the banks of a lazy river.

The bamboo rafts range from the ornate...with flags...flowers and umbrellas...

 To the unadorned. Simply a bamboo raft with a poler.

The tour is an hour long relaxing trek down-river.

They do offer 6 hour trips with an optional limestone massage.

These run from $15. to $119. depending on the hours and amenities...some offering drinks..fresh fruit or meals...massages and the like.

Today, our bamboo raft is ornate but not gaudy, and poled by Phillip.

The sunshine is already strong overhead and the temperature may reach high 90's by noon....so I have opted for an umbrella...

 
 Okay...and chilled coconut milk...served au naturale.

It is silent...gliding...reflective.

The glorious morning calm only broken when Phillip points out an interesting plant, rock formation, animal or tree.

 What a peaceful way to start the day!

 All too soon, the hour is over and we're back.

 

https://youtu.be/lBClhBqNvn0?si=c1akhcutj7M4XFBc 

By now it is approaching noon...and there are many on the river...glad I started early when it was quiet.

 Now there are the hum of voices...shouts...laughter and even music. You can bring your own and they have players.

 

 But our silent early morning glide was perfect!

 

Until next time....