Going to see if Felicia is awake and then see about breakfast.
Woke Felicia (phone call) and while she was getting ready, took photos from my balcony. View is pretty good.
Went down and had breakfast at buffet. Food was cafeteria quality, but good. We then sat around talking and then went to tour counter to confirm our airport shuttle for end of the week.
While at the desk, booked 2 days of excursions. Monday will be the trip to Dunn's River and a boat cruise. Tuesday will be a zip line adventure.
We are now going to checkout the beach and water.
Walked to beach and waded out to my knees. First time in my life I have been in a body of water that is globally connected. (Caribbean Sea). We then wandered a bit and decided to take a kayak out. Spent about 25 minutes on the kayak, got out about 200 feet or so from beach.
After coming back in, we sat on beach for a bit and then walked into the veranda bar. Sat around in bar area for a long while. Felicia went and snorkeled for 30-40 minutes while I just watched the waves and people while enjoying the cool breeze.
We then walked over to the water park so Felicia could go down big water slide. I decided to try it as well. Long walk up two spiral tower stairs (park looks like a colonial seaside village), then across bridge to another tower.
After waiting for person ahead of me to get most the way down, I pushed off. Sitting up the water would not push me, had to lay down and even then barely moved. Thought I was going to stop before end and sat up, about then it got faster. Came off end and went under, water up nose and in eyes.
Stubbed toe on step under water I could not see. Probably won't do that again, was anti-climatic and annoying.
We then got onto lazy river, but current was so weak it was not moving me much and had my camera which made it hard to paddle while keeping it dry. Water fall bridge got me wet (camera under shirt was okay). I decided to get out there, but tube flipped me out and got me wet and camera was briefly doused. Dried it well and checked it over. Was good inside. Took it up to my room.
While getting room key out of zip lock bag in my pocket, noticed money belt in same bag was wet. Zip lock has a small hole? Money wasn't too bad. Reluctantly left belt, money and credit cards in safe (with passport). Put key to safe back in bag with room key and went back to bar area where I found Felicia.
We sat and had a few drinks (Coke is all for me), and watched some of the Olympic Closing Ceremony live on TV. Then went out and sat near pool. Felicia was talking to some people from New York.
Not sure about crowd here. Lots of what seem like locals, or Jamaicans living in US coming back. Mostly couples and tons of kids :(
While some nice eye candy, so far it has all been attached to another or too young for me....not that I would do anything anyway! LOL
We left pool, turned in beach towels and came back to rooms. Going to meet at dinner buffet later at 6:30 p.m. for dinner (skipped lunch) and then probably go our own ways afterwards. She wants to hit bar and talk and drink, so might go along, but may go sit by water and read if light is good enough.
Will be doing sunset photos soon here and for the next couple of hours. Great sunset views and just enough clouds and haze to create nice skies with the water.
Took some nice photos, but view from balcony got old. Went into room and read through hotel guide. Noticed they had a shop selling sundries, so though I would pick up some sunscreen (forgot mine). Felicia has spray stuff, but hard to use on face and I got burned already (even with spray on my feet burned around edge of water shoes).
Found shop and walked around, eventually realized sign was wrong and was in gift shop (they must have traded spots in the past). Gift shop had some nice stuff, but went to sundry store first.
Holy Shit....$20 for 2 oz bottle? Most bottles were huge, so couldn't pack it in carry on home, guess I will just burn. Everything was way out of line. $3 for pack of gum!!!
So went back to gift shop to look. Prices are nice in there. Found some spices and hot sauce I may buy, see if Felicia will pack it back for me? Also want a shirt, maybe a flag or CD or something?
Once done, went out and spent next 1.5 hours taking photos. Moved all over beach front getting sunset shots (almost thought I lost another hat...took off and put in pocket, but fell out. Back tracked and found on walkway, thankfully not used much as it had been there 15 minutes). [2019 Note: My nice adventure hat I had with me in Egypt was lost on the Phoenix Light Rail when I forgot to grab it one day, never found it, so bought replacement for this trip]
Came back to room and got ready for dinner, but was running late, thought I would have to apologize. After waiting 15 minutes and no Felicia, came back to room and called. She was asleep, and not ready. So here I sit writing this.
About an hour later, during which I read the hotel book and then Jamaica magazine, Felicia called. She had fallen back to sleep and just woke up. She said she would meet me at buffet in a few minutes. It was 8:00 p.m. at that point.
Dinner at buffet was okay, but options were not great and quality of many dishes was not good (Felicia ate hardly anything). I had a great bowl of pepper soup, a good garlic pasta, an okay cheese and burger pasta, an okay fish, not too good salad, and not too good spaghetti. Also made a cold cut sandwich that turned out okay. Drank water and Coke. Desert options did not even interest me. Overall the dinner buffet is lacking.
After dinner, we went back over by the dance bar so Felicia could smoke (nasty habit she does way too much...every 30 minutes it seems). I went first to find reservation desk for the other restaurants. Was about to close, but at least know where to go.
When I reached Felicia, there was an older gentleman sitting with her. He was a pediatrician from Germany. We all talked for about an hour. He then left to check on his sleeping wife.
Felicia and I went back to the main stage/veranda bar to watch the hotels version of the newlywed game. It was okay for a bit, but was hot and humid under roof, so we walked outside and down the entire beach length to where the nude beach was. Lots of trees around that one (and very dark). Walked back and went over to grill and each had a plate of nacho chips and cheese.
*While at the bar earlier I decided to sample the local rum with a rum and Coke. This is first alcohol I have had in at least 3 years, probably longer. Was mixed way too strong. Nursed it about 1/3 down, then filled it back up with Coke to dilute. Was okay rum, but probably only drink I will have this trip.*
We then went back to the main lobby to see if Felicia could get her iPad internet to work (been trying all day, cost $30 for a week's access.) She finally went to front desk and they worked it out.
We then went over to tables by the dance bar again so she could smoke and update Facebook.
About midnight we went back to rooms. Will meet at 8:00 a.m. for breakfast. I showered and sat to write in this book. Tomorrow we take the bus over to Ocho Rios for waterfall hike and boat ride.
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