#VISIT JAMAICA | 2016
This place is so familiar to me, although I’ve never been here before. Maybe it’s the warmth, emanating from both the people, and the bright sun. Perhaps it’s the surplus of greenery that lines the dirt roads which takes me right back to when I lived in Costa Rica. Whatever it is, I am so happy to be here.
We spent the first 2 nights in Negril at The Cliff Hotel, and our days were nothing short of jam packed. There is so much to see, and never enough time.
Let me transport you through our day:
I woke up to the sun, and sleepily wandered onto my balcony to sit in the hammock chair and meditated to the sounds of the ocean. Refreshed, I grabbed a cup of coffee before yoga. We practiced on an open air yoga deck built on top of the rocky water’s edge. It was an intentional flow that left me feeling connected, grounded, and filled with gratitude.
Breakfast followed, where I ordered a traditional Jamaican dish, Ackee and Salt Fish. (had to try it once) We learned which local herbs and spices were used for healing and brewed into teas which we drank with breakfast overlooking the ocean. We had a few free hours before being whisked to the Rockhouse Hotel and Restaurant. What a feast! The food was mouthwateringly delicious. We indulged in lobster, whole snapper, kale salad, rice and peas, jerk chicken and jerk tofu.
Lunch was followed by a trip to the spa, where we started our treatments with a foot soak and scrub and a strong and slick massage. It was like we were walking through a dream, leaving the massage and right to an infinity pool that overlooked the ocean. The sky was amazing that day.
The clouds hung above the water with such presence. I wanted to hopscotch my way across them.
Post pool we wandered through the organic farm that our lunch was served from. It was lined with irie jamaican signs (pictured below) that made you take a second look. (Mostly to figure out what they actually said)
In no time, we were already behind schedule and scuttled back to the hotel to shower and change for dinner. We ate at a local restaurant, Murphy’s, which was just a few minutes walk from the Cliff.
Another indulgent meal of grilled Lobster, grilled shrimp, curried shrimp, devil chicken, brown stew fish, pumpkin mashed potatoes, bammy’s, festivals (traditional jamaican side dishes) french fries, and more rice and peas. And we ate it all. My full and happy belly couldnt get into bed fast enough.
The next day we we took the 2+ hour drive to Jake’s Hotel on Treasure Beach.
I loved seeing the stark difference of the two hotels. While Cliff is much newer and modern and sleek, Jake’s has a quirky charm influenced by Gaudi’s architecture in Barcelona. It was colorful in unexpected ways, with glass bottles built into much of the walls and furniture. Each of the bungalows had its own unique character, mine including a rooftop deck. There was an outdoor shower, equipped with a claw foot tub, and everything looked like it had been built with such respect for the natural landscape around it.
We spent our last day boating alongside the coastline, through the mangroves and amongst the crocodiles. Swimming in the turquoise Caribbean waters was just the refresher my soul needed to wrap up this quick trip.
Although it was just a few days, being in Jamaica reminded me to let go of the stresses that we unnecessarily carry with us, not to worry as much, and definitely to smile more! I slowed down, ate enough for 3 people, and was treated like VIP. Jamaica, I will be back for you again soon! Until next time mon...
