Beautiful Jamaica

Finally, a look back at our memories from vacation!

Enjoy a little Bob Marley while you read and reminisce with us!


Ok, I did not have my camera with me nearly as much as I should have.  I wanted to soak up all that was Jamaica and not have to have the camera around my neck the entire time.  Do I regret it now, of course, but when I was there, in the moment, it was fantastic, spectacular, just breathtaking!

This trip all started off as a joke between my husband and this beautiful bride, for which I am so thankful.  Jessica and Chad work together at Wells Fargo.  From the moment she mentioned that the Sandals wedding packages were outrageous, they started talking and they she and I started talking and the next thing I know, we were getting passports and booking tickets to Jamaica!  It was truly a dream come true!


We were one of the first couples to arrive on the island and we checked into our beautiful room, on the Manor Side of the resort at Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
 

We spent a lot of time at the pool area!

 And oceanside!


One of the days, they had a guy who did a Jamaican tie dye, where he rolled up a white t-shirt and then painted it with a sponge!  It was really cool!  I got one done, because we always have a tie dye day at school, so I thought it would be cool to sport the shirt from vacation!


One BIG thing that I loved about staying at the Sandals couples only resort was that they schedule complimentary photo shoots for you at some point during your stay.  Being the one always behind the camera, I was so happy to get a few pictures of Chad and I together for once.  Chad was very cooperative too, lots of posing and kissing, it was fun!  Our photographer, Dalmar, was so cool and really seemed like our friend by the end of our trip!  So many of the staff did as a matter of fact, they are all so friendly there!
 
  I know you recognize that one, I think it is my favorite, that is why it made my side bar right away!







After our little photo shoot we headed out on the only excursion we did outside of the hotel. We took a catamaran cruise, where it took us snorkeling and to the Dunn's River Falls, a must see/do by anyone who has ever been to Jamaica!  We had heard from a couple the night before that if we do it, we needed to do it by cruise and they were so right!  It was a blast!  I invested in a cheap, no name brand underwater camera, so the pictures are not great and a bit blurry, but I couldn't not put them up!  This was seriously amazing!

The rest of our days were spent around the hotel swimming and hanging out with the wedding party up until the big day!  And what a big day it was!  The wedding couldn't have gone any better and the pictures turned out amazing!  I went from one end of the hotel to the other and then back again, was dripping in sweat most of the time (it was very humid there, so I was prepared for it and didn't do much prep on myself that day), I don't think the Harris' or I could have asked for a better day!

After the wedding and dinner, we headed to the pool to cool off and then over to Jaime's Lounge (the place to be at night, and a place we were at more than once during our stay on the island).  This is when I was finally starting to relax, work was over!

On Sunday we had a couples massage on the pier.  I don't think that I will never be able to have another regular massage again indoors (ok, that is a lie, but still...)!  It was so relaxing having the Caribbean breezes flowing through the sheet, the ocean waves underneath, and my man right beside me.

Later that night, we met up with the couples that were still on the island and had dinner at the Japanese Restaurant.  It was a blast and the food was delicious!

 

After dinner we headed to the Sundowner Bar and Deck (right inside is there game area, big screen tv's) and watched the end of the Basketball Finals!  We then searched for the luau and went to and from the Riviera/Manor sides several times before we finally figured out that they didn't have a luau planned, despite what it said on the newsletter for the day!  Instead we played a boys vs. girls game of charades!  It was hilarious and after two bonus rounds, the girls ended up winning!

On the way to the airport, I snapped as many pictures as I could out of our bus, at Jamaican life off of the resort.  The country is beautiful, but very poor.  Life is simple.  I wish that I could have had a day just photographing life on the island, but here are a few out of the bus.

The houses there are beautiful, but often unfinished.  We were told that they will get worked on until a family runs out of money, thus stopping labor.  When enough money is earned again, they will continue building another part of the house.

Jamaica is breathtaking!  I am so thankful that we got the opportunity to visit.  It was nice to get away with the hubs and the perfect amount of time away from the kiddos.  They were missing us as much as were were missing them!

Dreaming of our next vacation, as a family to the Beaches resort, in Jamaica!  One day, just need to save money first!  I think the kids would love it!