Jamaica Day 2

Hello all! It's day two in Jamaica, and what a great day it was. Em's and I slept in and then opened up our beautiful double doors onto the balcony to have a little blue mountain coffee. Then we came down for breakfast, then a nap, then a snack, more coffee, made some reservations and appointments, took a nap, laid in the sun, napped had a snack, ate lunch, more sun, more napping, ate again, etc. I think you are beginning to get the picture. The day was slow and wonderful. It is storming a little, but that just adds some excitement! We ate dinner at the asian fusion restaurant (whose chef was the hardest person to understand ever!). I do well with the Jamaican patois, even though the staff seems to English it up a little with the other hotel guests (who are all "from foreign"), but the chef was from Vietnam and had a Vietnamese/Jamaican accent. Very tough. Her food was great though. There was hardly anyone in the place since it is just some no wall gazebos jutting out over the ocean on a little platform. It was a bit cold and windy (also some rain) but totally manageable. I ordered the beef appetizer three times it was so good! I think that is what prompted the chef to come give me her recipe! The highlight was a couple falling in the rain. I know that is evil, but it was hilarious.

One thing that Emily said I should put up that I almost forgot about was a story from the bus ride. I have been offered weed twice, but the first was by far the most memorable. The day we got here I had been in heavily heated / air conditioned planes, hotel rooms, buses, etc. all day. That said, once we got to the immigration and custom line I was quite thirsty. The resort had a waiting room with free red stripe which I happily gulped. What I didn't think about was the bumpy, swervy, horn blowing 3 hour ride to the hotel. When the bus made a pit stop halfway through I was more than greatful. As I rushed into the boys room to pee I was also thinking about getting a Ting (local JA grapefruit soda) on the way out. Beer doesn't really quench thirst. I peed so long that eventually it was just me and the bus driver tinkling merrily away. He leaned over and said, "Hey mon, you like Bob Marley?" I was startled, and the conversation went a little like this:
"Huh?"
"I said, do ya like Bob Marley mon?"
"Who doesn't!" I exclaimed
"No mon, I mean BOB MARLEY," this last was accompanied by the international "I'm puffing on a joint" sign language.
"Oooohhh." I said. Then stood there looking startled. Keep in mind we are both still peeing.
"I can get it for ya mon, I got the best, jus' let me know."
"Your a good bus driver." Yes, that's what I said. He looked at me like I was retarded. I just nodded and said, "Real good. Thanks. Yeah. I'm good."
By this point I notice that I have stopped peeing, put up and stuff, flushed, and turned to face
him. It is always weird to talk to someone peeing anyway, but acting mildy "special" and then continuing the converstion mere inches from a urinal was just bizarre. I quicklty washed up and left, but still radiated shame. I am not cool.
I bought a Ting on the way out and chugged it in the bus. I tipped him quite well when we got off, thankful for his offer (maybe he thought I was cool enough) but embarrassed by my own lack of smoothness in the situation.

That's about all. Tomorrow we go to mecca, BOB MARLEY'S birth/burial site! I am super psyched. I just finished a book about the making of Exodus and really wish I had brought my reggae rough guide. I even impressed (sort of) a staff person here with my rootsical knowledge. Maybe other peeps think just knowing marley is enough... Emily is ready to go so that's it for now. I'll try to add some tomorrow.

_Vm = it means peace!