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David & Kathy's
Trip at Sandals, Ocho Rios
by David and Kathy
FRIDAY JULY 9th
The day was long and I did not pick Kathy
up from work until 4:00. At that point it was off to D.F.W. and the Hyatt
Hotel for the night.
SATURDAY JULY 10th
Check in at the terminal at 5:30 and try to find coffee. Both are
done by 6:00. The plane leaves on time and it is on to Jamaica,
but first making a quick stop in the Grand Caymans to drop off some
people and on to Mo-Bay. Arrive at 11:30, clear customs and get
on the bus to Sandals Ocho Rios. The bus ride takes about 2 hours
and we get there at about 2:30 and get Champagne and find out that
we have been upgraded from Deluxe to Grande Luxe Oceanfront. What
a surprise! It is raining so we cannot go to the beach but the bar
is open so we get the first of many Pina Colatas with rum. That
night we went to the Saint Ann Restaurant and enjoy a fine meal
with a nice bottle of Oakville Blush Wine (a Jamaican wine that
we both grew to really like). I had Rack of lamb and Kathy had Striper
with Banana sauce. We loved both and the coffee after the meal was
very nice. The rain had stopped so we walked the gardens and listened
to the wonderful chorus of tree frogs. Went to bed early as we were
both very tired from the trip.
SUNDAY JULY 11th
Woke up at about 8:00, made coffee and went down stairs to get some
breakfast rolls and brought them back to the room. Had breakfast
in bed with the French windows open and watched and listened to
the sea over breakfast. That was wonderful. Heaven could not get
much better. The sun was out and the rain was far away so the rest
of the day was "fun in the sun". Lunch at noon in the St. Ann which
we both had soup and salad. This noon time lunch would remain the
same all week. We fell in love with the soups that are made there.
On the menu we found that week was, Conch Soup, French Mushroom,
Clam Chowder, Cream of Cauliflower, Pumpkin Soup, Chicken Broth,
and Black Bean Soup. That afternoon we went back to the beach and
later ended up at the swim-up bar pool for a couple of hours. About
4:00 we went to the body shop and got our 20 minute massage and
then went back to the room to rest a while. That night we had reservations
at Valentines for dinner. Kathy had soup, pasta, and Pesce al Cartoccio
and then a desert. I had a very nice salad, pasta dish of some sort
and then Shrimp Scampi. "WONDERFUL" We enjoyed a very nice Jamaican
Red Wine with our meal. The waiter was Philmore and he was just
great. After the meal while we were drinking coffee we asked him
to give out compliments to the chef and shortly there after the
chef came to our table and we had a very nice talk with him. After
the meal we were invited to come back to and we would not need reservations.
They would just seat us if we came early (by 6:00). This we did
not do as we had many other restaurants to go to during the week.
We finished the meal at about 10:15 and at that point we went to
the Amphitheater to hear a talented band who could put any song
to a Ragae beat.
MONDAY JULY12th
Once again the rains have come to Ocho Rios and instead of just
sitting around we took the shopping trip that is offered by Sandals.
The cost is $15 per couple and will take about three hours. The
first stop is at a group of what best can be called shacks. The
people there are very high pressure and got on my nerves very fast
and I what out. We stayed about 1/2 hour and we are on our way to
the next two places. The first place did have the best prices and
we should have brought more there and saved some money. For me this
is very BORING, but Kathy loves it and is trying to talk down the
prices. It must be a girl thing. During the P.M. the skies cleared
and it was on to the beach for the afternoon. That night we ate
at the Reef Terrace Grill and this was the night for Lobster. We
also got a side order of Jerk chicken, which we had for the first
time. We loved both. The waiter we had that night was Karl whom
we had the first night at St. Ann and he did remember us. He was
so good that I did slip him a tip. After the meal we went down to
the shore to listen to a Steel Drum Band. Loved it, and it was an
excellent show.
TUESDAY JULY 13th
Great weather and its off to the beach for a day in the sun. P.M.
to Dunn's River Falls and the time of our lives. One of the best
times I have ever had. When we got back we sat in the hot tub to
rest our sore muscles. That night we went to Sandals Dunn's River
and ate at The International Room and again it was wonderful. Kathy
had Shrimp with Kiwi Sauce, French Onion Soup, and Muscles Rockefeller.
I had some sort of seafood sampler plate, French Onion Soup, and
New York-New York (New York Stripe) we both had desert and coffee
and were back at S.O.R. by 10:00.
WEDNESDAY JULY 14th
By this time we were both very tired from doing a lot and to be
quite honest drinking a lot of wine at night which we are not used
to. We took this day off and just laid around the room. It helped
since it rained off and on all day. In the P.M. Kathy got a facial
and I got a full body massage (60 minutes for $40). That night we
returned to Saint Ann for dinner. Kathy had Chicken Curry and I
got Pork Loin with Fruit Sauce. This time we did not have wine but
drank Iced Tea like a good person from Texas would do. After the
meal we went down to the Arizona and got Mango Margarita Pie for
desert.
THURSDAY JULY 15th
The best day yet. Sunshine all day. Laid by the beach in the morning
and moved to the garden pool for the afternoon and had it all to
ourselves. I fell asleep on a floating raft and must have slept
for 1/2 hour or so. We went back to the shore at about 2:30 and
got on a snorkeling trip at 3:00. Kathy did not go. Dinner that
night was to have been the Italian Restaurant at Sandals Dunn's
River but when we got there it was changed to poolside buffet. The
food was displayed very artistically with ice carvings. That night
was also toga night so a lot of fun was had by all. This was very
nice, but not what we wanted. Back at S.O.R. by 8:00 and watched
a movie on HBO.
FRIDAY JULY 16th
We wake up once again to rainy skies but they soon clear and we
hit the beach for the last full day in paradise. I would go snorkeling
again at about 11:00. Lunch today is Jerk Chicken with Pina Colata
while we laid in our chairs with the Caribbean under us on the shore.
The last meal we had was back at S.D.R. and to eat at Kimmos. It
was a very nice meal but the show was much better the food. On the
way over we sat on the bus with Jeff Saturday of the NFL Indianapolis
Colts. Very nice man who was enjoying the last days before be was
to begin two-a-days with the Colts. I wished him good luck till
he plays the Dallas Cowboys. During our stay at S.O.R. we met the
head chef Karl Miller from Detroit, and Robert Mayes from San Antonio.
Both men went out of there way to answer all of our questions about
Sandals here and other locations in the Caribbean. We will go back
to Sandals again because they just do it right.
As they say "Yeah Mon, no problem".
SATURDAY JULY 17th
This is the worst day. Time to go home. Kathy and I were eating
breakfast at the open-air part of St. Ann, watching a cruise ship
go by wishing this could go on forever. This was truly a holiday.
The trip going home was much better as it was a nonstop flight.
We got back to Dallas/Fort Worth at about 4:00 and drove home by
6:30.
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