Aruba! Jamaica! Ooh I Want to Take Ya

 For years I have wanted to go to Jamaica.  George went there with his family after his graduation from high school in 1968.  For part of the time they stayed on Negril Beach which was then '7 miles of white sand beach with one small hotel and two bungalows.' Now that white sand beach is lined with hotels.

I guess that is progress!

Our son-in-law Mark served his mission in Jamaica. 

I was so excited that our cruise ship would be stopping there.

We docked at Falmouth and enjoyed a rafting  excursion on the Martha Brae River.  

The rafts are 30 feet long and are exactly the same as those once used to transport goods from the plantations to the port.

The scenery is a lush tropical paradise.

Our 'dispatcher' was over 60 years old and had been on the river for more than 30 years.

Most of the young guys quickly passed us by but he didn't mind.  He just chuckled and said that they were all hoping to get another guide job on the river today but they couldn't go back to the starting spot until he arrived anyway!

The very relaxed trip didn't bother us at all.

Why rush when you are on vacation.

Slow down and enjoy the beauty.

Enterprising locals had set up small 'stores' along the bank just in case you wanted to stop and shop.

I didn't buy anything until we got to the end.  Wahoo!   They had Dr. Pepper and I quickly got one before I asked how much they were.  $5 for the can.  Oh well, it did taste great!

George enjoyed some $11 ice cream at a place ranked by National Geographic as the 4th Best Ice Cream in the world.  We could both hear Grandpa Lewis saying, "You should be able to buy 3 gallons for that price."

In case you are wondering how the river got its name well....there is a legend of an old Arawak 

 witch (Arawak are indigenous Caribbeans - they are the ones that first encountered Christopher Columbus) who lived on the banks of the river Matibereon.   Having heard tales of Arawak gold, Spanish treasure hunters captured the witch and tortured her to lead them to the treasure.  Pretending to comply, she led them to a cave, then suddenly disappeared.  Frightened, the Spaniards ran out of the cave only to be engulfed by the river.  The witch then changed the course of the river forever.  Supposedly the gold is still hidden somewhere near the river.  I'm still fuzzy on how the Matibereon River became the Martha Brae!

Such a fun day in Jamaica!