Jamaica

During our week-long cruise on the Carnival Magic, our first port was in Jamaica.  Since neither Bo nor I had ever visited this island nation, we weren't sure what to expect.  Although we chose not to schedule an excursion in that port (i.e. zip-lining in the rain forest, scuba-diving, etc.), we decided to venture of the boat and explore the country anyway.

Upon debarking the cruise ship, we took a taxi-van into the heart of Montego Bay.  Unsurprisingly, the island had quite a bit of traffic, as evidenced below...

There was even a show/mini-parade in the streets!  The masks were a little off-putting and scary, but the dancing was really fun to watch.  This character got a little bit too close for comfort.  Regardless, it gave the opportunity to catch a good picture of him in his garb!

Although it was mid-February, it was HOT in Jamaica (in the low 90's)!  I had on a short skirt and tank top and was still a little bit too warm for comfort.  According to our taxi driver (who I talked to all the way to and from the cruise ship), Jamaica doesn't really experience a winter or a summer.  The weather is relatively consistent throughout the year.  I suppose that is a good thing because, to be honest, I couldn't imagine it getting much hotter!

On our exploration walk, Bo and I stumbled upon a local beach.  Although it was a Wednesday afternoon, it was packed.  It seems like it is pretty common for the locals to spend time at the beach.  And I'm sure you've noticed it already, but take a look at that water!  Seriously, you can hardly tell a difference between the sky and the water because they are both so crystal clear blue.  Gorgeous!

We also walked by a local tennis club (which made Bo want to pick up the racket sport again).  I thought the houses on the hill were quite cute, and vaguely reminiscent of Guanajuato, Mexico.  Not to mention, I like the effect of seeing the homes through the wire fence...I think it's a nice picture.

After walking for an hour or so, both Bo and I were parched!  I was sweating and in dire need of something to drink.  We didn't really want a margarita.  Although Margaritaville was nearby, that wouldn't really do much in terms of hydration anyway.  But we were lucky, because we ran into a local man on the street who was selling fresh coconuts!  After hacking off the top and depositing a straw into the opening, Bo and I happily sipped away!

Hmmmmm....delicious!

Later on, we found someone to take a picture of both of us in front of the water.  Again, isn't it just breathtakingly beautiful?!

We also noticed that you could see our cruise ship anchored in the distance.  Although we only saw a very small segment of the country, I could tell that Jamaica is a beautiful island.  Moreover, due to the mountains, Jamaica boasts a diverse landscape including beaches, rainforests, and mountains...the combination of which is quite rare in the Caribbean.

After our long walk, and before returning on-board the Carnival Magic, we ate lunch at a local restaurant.  Bo ate the classic jerk chicken with rice and beans, and I had a vegetable plate with rice and beans, mashed potatoes, and callalu (a native vegetable that appeared to be a cross between spinach and collard greens).  Although the restaurant was clean, we drank bottle water, and the food was delicious, I ended up getting food poisoning :(.  That being said, upon returning to the ship, the remainder of our afternoon/evening/following-morning was quite horrific.  Oh well, by Friday afternoon I was more or less feeling like myself again, and was able to go on our excursion in Cozumel (more on that in another post).

Lesson learned:  If you have a delicate tummy like me, just to be safe, only eat the food on-board the cruise ship!

Question of the Day:

Have you ever been to Jamaica?  If so, what did you think of the island nation?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo