Friday May 6

A word on sunblock.  We bought a few different types and brought two bottles of each. D insisted on getting a spray-on for the ease of application, even though I remember despising it, I figured he could spray all he wants and I'll stick to lotion.  One spray bottle exploded - not on the flight, but on the transition from one hotel to the other.  When D used the other spray on, he saw that it went everywhere uncontrollably and was also "sticky as hell" on his skin.  So I think we've given up on spray-on.  Of the two lotions we brought - Banana Boat SPF 50 sport and REI's brand of SPF 50 sport - both seem to protect equally as well on dry land.  Banana Boat goes on easier (seems to be a bit thinner) but feels slimy once you get into the water, even if you wait 20 minutes after application.  Once in the water, I'm not convinced it lasts as long as the REI brand for sun protection.  REI is visibly thicker, and while it takes a while longer to rub all the way into the skin, it is far more comfortable feeling both in and out of the water.  In short, it's worth the extra bucks to spring for the REI brand, especially if you're going to have to live in the stuff for a couple solid weeks.

Most mornings I bring my camera out in an attempt to get a random shot of birds or lizards in the tree.

One of the beach vendors walking by - this woman sells fruit from the platter she balances on her head.

Finally remembered to get a picture of Jennie this morning (who, funny enough, just said "good morning" to me from the bar as I was typing this from my porch table :) )

D and G at breakfast

 Tony!  Our favorite juice guy from years past.  We recommended him to a couple other families staying here.

 Tony had soursop juice, which he makes by blending the juice with milk and nutmeg.  It was tasty, but a little too heavy of a juice for me.  (He also gave us a mango with the juice, just because)

 There is a table set up just to the side of this property every morning of a variety of items for sale - different vendors but always the same location.  G will often look over the table, look over the wood carvings hanging from the tree, and come back to the chairs.  Today she came back telling me I "have to come see this" and "please, do you think I can get it for my room?"  I wasn't sure what she was going to show me, but I wandered over and she ducked under the table to point out - of all things - a painting.  Not toys, not jewelry... a painting.

I love that she wants to bring home artwork - this is something she'll be able to keep and truly appreciate for years to come.

D took some viewpoint shots with the camera today, so I'm sharing them.  This is the view standing in the doorway of our room looking out the back... the hammock has a perfect view of the bar and beach beyond.

Here is the view from sitting at our table on the porch - the bar is to the left the beach is just beyond it.  This is where I'm sitting right now as I type.

We did a lot of swimming today, more fish feeding, and I finally got a shot of one of the long skinny fish that kind of shows it's colors.

Eric, the groundskeeper, said these are piper fish.

Standing in the water looking back at our chairs, that's G putting her mask on and my snorkel sticking out of the water.

Trying to feed the fish by hand, the bread got mushy and slipped out just as the fish were coming up to it.

Swimming with the fishes

I did end up swimming out to the buoy line today with D.  The sand dips down deeper for a bit, then gets shallow enough again that I can actually stand out by the buoy line with my head out of the water.  The water undulates a bit more than I like out there, however, and when a wave comes up and my head gets dunked, I much prefer to be closer to shore where I have the option of walking to shallower water whenever I feel like it.

For lunch we grabbed a taxi and made a run down to the Hi Lo for a few snacks, then over to the main round-about it town to pick up some patties.  I went into the health shop again, and D went over to Juicy Beef to pick up patties and chicken for him and G.  

The lady in the shop convinced me to try her "complete meal" which included rice and peas, a blended vegetable stew-looking combo, and roasted breadfruit.  I also picked up another slice of "pudding" (this one almond and raisin flavored) and one of her veggie patties - filled with cabbage, carrot and spices. 

The pudding looks like cake and is the consistency of dense banana bread.  The patty has a very thin dough on the outside and is baked.  The roasted breadfruit is very interesting... the texture breaks apart similarly to a banana, but it is much denser and doesn't seem like it could ever get "mushy" - the flavor is rather bland, a bit like a white potato, but goes well with being broken apart and dipped in whatever sauce is available, and is very filling.  Apparently they cook the breadfruit by simply taking the whole thing and dropping it in the coals until the outside is charred, then they take the peel off and slice it up.
I have also discovered a drink that I hope is available in the US... Grace's brand of sorrel + juice.  Back home I get hibiscus tea at the local taqueria (they call the drink "Jamaica", while here in Jamaica it is called sorrel)  My favorite is the sorrel + cranberry.  Hibiscus tea has a unique flavor and is particularly good for re-hydration on hot days, so when I saw it at the Hi Lo I grabbed about 6 bottles of it quick.  Even if they don't have Grace brand back home, I'm going to do some digging around to see if I can find some form of sorrel I can get for our pantry.

After lunch we did some more swimming, reading, and lazing about until it felt about right to go in and shower... then we made our way back to the room to clean up and wait for S's arrival. 

While we wait I watch the sunset

D's best friend, S, arrived around 6:30 or so.

Friday nights at Idle Awhile they have a special menu, and a live band.  It also happened to be Veronica's birthday (a fellow vacationer who has stayed here, every year, the same week, for somewhere over a decade.)  Just about the entire bunch of us staying here at once had gotten to know each other so well that we conspired to turn Friday Night into a birthday party, complete with a surprise cake for Veronica.  

As the night began, the band had just started to play when we heard a "tap tap tap" of rain hitting the canopy above our heads.  A few of us quickly shuffled to better covered tables, while D and S popped up and helped the band get their gear under cover.  By the time the band had re-set under the tent the rain sprinkle had completely passed with not even enough moisture to fill a coffee cup, but the band stayed under the tent... just in case.

Around 7:30 the cake arrived, and we all sang Happy Birthday with the help of the band, who then broke into a round of "She's Royal".

Time for cake!  Everybody sings :)

G is super happy with her seafood pasta - this time complete with shrimp

My dinner - shrimp with peppers

Chilling out with my dinner

The singer of the reggae band

The guitarist and trumpet player

We stayed out until the band was done, playing dominoes up until the last of the guests had gone to bed and the bar was closed down for the night.