Chapter X – Doin’ the Tourist Thang!

We hit the floor running in the morning(well, not really)! And as we were pretty hungry after coffee on the beach, we headed up to the dining room for breakfast. After breakfast we hit the beach.

After baking and basting for a couple of hours we gathered street stuff from our room and went up to the front to eat lunch and go by the tour desk to engage a taxi for the afternoon for a little shopping. After negotiating a price, (Can’t say what the price was ‘cuz I can’t remember) we were off to town.

First stop - The duty free shopping mall (?). At any rate we walked all those stores. Didn’t buy nuthin’. Guess we weren’t really out to buy jewelry. (Whew!) Although I would have if the Queen had found something that reached out and touched her.

Next stop – One of the Craft markets – before we got out of the cab, our driver warned us, “Okay, now these guys can be somewhat aggressive. When you get tired of it just come on back to the cab and we’ll get out of here.”

‘Somewhat Aggressive’ turned out to be a massive understatement.

As we stepped out of the cab, it was an instant barrage of shouting...

“Come over here!”

“Look at what I’ve made”

“Come see my things!”

"Hey! Come over here!"

I think we spent about an hour looking through all the stuff they’ve got there. Bought some small carvings and bead work.

Once you get past the salesman part of this, you see the real people. But it was exhaustive all the same.

Next stop - HiLo shopping plaza. Walked through the grocery store and the rest of the little mall as well. Got the kids some stuff and a couple of t-shirts for me. Bought five or six pounds of 'Certified Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee'. What’s the name of the liquor store there? You can try the stuff…Cool concept. Well of course we hit that too.

By this time we were about shopped out so we had our driver head back to the resort. Besides we had a party to get ready for: PJ Night!

Once we got back to the resort, decided to hit the beach for a while before dinner. We had our PJ’s ready for the PJ party, later that day (actually it’s later, much later in the evening).

You know, there’s a lot to be said for basking on the beach and basting in the cool waters of the Caribbean sea with the one you love. It seemed especially good to me when I could reach over and rub my hand up and down her body and it is completely unencumbered by clothing. Not a stitch! And we are outside. Around other people. And nobody really cares. (or at least they are trying hard not to look like they are looking) And I'm naked too! What a rush! Kind of a turn on as well...

After a couple of drinks…All right we had a few, we decided to blow off dinner in the dinning room and get some jerk chicken from Robert’s Grill. A plus to eating on the beach - You don't have to worry about spilling on your clothes. After splitting two plates with the Queen, I was sated for a while, but she craved another plate. So while she went to the grill, I went to the bar and got us some more liquid refreshment. (LOVE those MUDSLIDES!!) About the time we were polishing off that last plate the afternoon rain started which sent everyone (but us) running for cover. We were already wet! And pleasantly buzzed, too! We were sitting in the pleasant shower giggling at the other folk who had run for cover, when JAH must’ve looked down from the heavens upon us and deciding we were being insolent, sent a gully washer down to where Texas T’s and the Queen happened to be sitting. HOLY SHIT!! That HURTS! Well, we weren’t laughing now! NO SIR!! WE WERE RUNNING FOR COVER LIKE THE REST!!! It was raining so hard, you couldn’t SEE!! Back in our room for the nonce (and severely chastened), we opted for a little (Ahem! All that rubbing her on the beach!) time alone and a little nap before the party…By the time we woke up...

It was…Wednesday

We both woke up at about the same time. Surprised and perturbed that we had missed the party of the night before. But again…No Problem! WE ARE on vacation.