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Jamaica Day 6: Dolphin Swim + Goodbye

retrogurl — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:59:46 +0000

Friday, July 17, 2009

The last of my Jamaica trip posts, it was sad to say goodbye but I was also happy to go home to see my family and friends. On the last day I had the best time, for the very first time I swam with the dolphins- way to end my trip! Half Moon is the only resort in the Caribbean that has dolphins on-site, the other spot to swim with dolphins is at the Dolphin Cove which is also owned by Half Moon. I’ve always loved dolphins and learned a lot about them from watching Animal Planet but never had the chance to have a close encounter. This was definitely an unforgettable experience, at the Dolphin Lagoon I had a chance to learn more about these beautiful mammals, activities include kissing, petting, touching, dancing, hand(fin) shake, singing, display of anatomy and echo-location. The program was about 35 minutes, but I’ll remember this for life. I look forward to swimming with the dolphins again on my next Caribbean trip! Has anyone tried this?

For those that are planning a trip to Jamaica, here’s my top ten (in no specific order). Some of them I’ve tried and some are ones that I’ll be trying next time I go there:

Swim with the Dolphins (activity)
Bridget’s Sandals (shopping)
Fern Tree Spa @ Half Moon (spas are so good in Jamaica, it’s a must!)
The Caves (even just visiting is worth it)
Rick’s Cafe (sunset dinner)
Scotchie’s (food)
Beach Ride with Horses (activity)
Juici Patties (food)
Pelican Bar (grab a drink in the middle of sea) – I def need to go there next time!
7 Mile Beach @ Kuyaba, Negril (7 mile beach, need I say more?) – A must for my next trip!

Many thanks to Voyage.tv for making this trip possible, stay tuned for more pics and follow me on Twitter for real time updates! Voyage.tv is a new luxury travel site that offers original lifestyle programming that is available both online and in 20 million homes via video-on-demand.

Needing a vacation? Voyage.tv is giving away a five night stay at the brand new, ultra-luxe Gansevoort Turks & Caicos + roundtrip airfare for two. Enter to win!

More pics after the jump…

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Jamaica Day 5: The Caves – Negril

retrogurl — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:17:51 +0000

Thursday, July 16, 2009

On day 5 of my Jamaica trip, I went to Negril to visit The Caves for a spa treatment. Before getting to The Caves I was super excited already, I had friends that stayed there and loved it. I also watched the video on Voyage.tv and it looked amazing. All the reviews have lived up to my expectations, but I’m not sure I’d be able to stay there since there’s no a/c and the windows are without screens but it’s definitely a must visit for the unique atmosphere. I got there an hour early so I toured the resort, it’s definitely a perfect spot for honeymoons and couples getaways since it’s quiet and you’ll get lots of privacy. The resort was absolutely gorgeous, there’s also quite a few cliffs for those that dare to jump.

About 30 minutes later, I met up with Patrick who is the Spa Manager, he took me down to a cave where I was suppose to have my spa treatment but since it was midday he said it was too hot to do it down there. I was a bit disappointed and was looking forward to experiencing a spa treatment in a cave but I guess it wasn’t meant to be. I was taken to the spa cottage where it was cool and cozy, I got a Caribbean Sugar Scrub with 30 minute Massage therapy. It was my first time getting a body scrub, it felt really good and cool (peppermint). The treatment was super relaxing and my skin was silky smooth afterward, I truly love spas now! After the spa, it was time to eat…headed to Rick’s Cafe!

Needing a vacation? Voyage.tv is giving away a five night stay at the brand new, ultra-luxe Gansevoort Turks & Caicos + roundtrip airfare for two. Enter to win!

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Jamaica Day 5: Rick’s Cafe – Negril

retrogurl — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:00:28 +0000

Thursday, July 16, 2009

After a relaxing spa treatment at The Caves (post on that later but you can see video here first), I took a stroll down to the famous Rick’s Cafe for a sunset dinner. The cafe was recommended by locals and friends that visited Negril, they said it’s a must go to see the sunset and watch tourists and cliff jumpers leap off the 35 feet cliff into the beautiful blue Caribbean sea. Rick’s was packed by 5pm, lots of people just hanging around the cliffs while local cliff jumpers hustle tourists’ money to watch them jump and let you jump, but jump at your own risk! Got a table where you see the sunset best and ordered some food, it was a while before sunset so just feelin’ the vibe at the cafe was worth going for already. A surprise came to those that visited the cafe for the first time including myself, two full boats of naked people came around waving and screaming at us (not a very good look lol), little did I know they were from the Hedonism II Resort that was very close by. That was quite a scene and really funny, I have some pics that are NSFW below lol. The food was moderate and a bit pricey for what you get but the spot was loud, fun and crazy, I really enjoyed the atmosphere. Too bad it was too cloudy so I wasn’t able to see the sunset that night, I was hoping to see what I saw in this video. By night, there were live music and after dinner or drinks people got some fun in the pool. Real chill spot, def hit up this hotspot when you’re in Jamaica.

Needing a vacation? Voyage.tv is giving away a five night stay at the brand new, ultra-luxe Gansevoort Turks & Caicos + roundtrip airfare for two. Enter to win!

More pics after the jump…

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Jamaica Day 5: Brunch @ Juici Patties

retrogurl — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:00:43 +0000

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Before heading to Negril, had my driver Horace stop by Juici Patties to grab some food for the road since I didn’t eat breakfast at the hotel. I’ve been wanting to eat some patties since I got to Jamaica but didn’t get to till the 5th day in my trip, the patties are super good in Jamaica- I LOVE. There’s two patty spots, Juici Patties and Tastee, I was told both were equally good. Juici Patties is a local joint so no fancy decorations or anything but it fills your stomach with goodness for a cheap price. I tried almost one of each of the patties: beef, chicken (curry), cheese & meat, wanted the lobster but they didn’t have any available. My favorites are the beef and cheese & meat, not a big fan of the chicken (curry) since I don’t like mashed up chicken. The patties are really good, I’m drooling just thinking about them- wish they had some frozen ones for sale in NYC! I also, really like drinking the Tru-Juice orange juice, it tastes better than our Tropicana orange juice. Make sure you visit one of these patty joints when you’re in Jamaica, so good…yum!

Needing a vacation? Voyage.tv is giving away a five night stay at the brand new, ultra-luxe Gansevoort Turks & Caicos + roundtrip airfare for two. Enter to win!

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Jamaica Day 4: Dinner @ The Pelican – Montego Bay

retrogurl — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:26:13 +0000

Wednesday, July 15, 2009 – The Pelican

It was a super long day on my 4th day in Jamaica (not complaining, just sayin’) and a long ride on and off too. Got driven out from Montego Bay to Kingston which was about 3.5 hours, then headed straight to Bridget Sandals, then lunch with Voyage.tv Jamaica resident editor Kaili at Spanish Court Hotel, then Devon House for some I Scream and Starfish Oils candles and then back to Montego Bay which took about 4 hours because of traffic.

I was pooped by the end of the night but still had to eat, so stopped by a Montego Bay landmark on the Hip Strip (Gloucester Ave), The Pelican for some grub. Although the local joint is a diner, the food was really good, the menu is a mix of Jamaican and American dishes and the prices are very reasonable (cheap compared to most of the meals I had there). Yummy!

Needing a vacation? Voyage.tv is giving away a five night stay at the brand new, ultra-luxe Gansevoort Turks & Caicos + roundtrip airfare for two. Enter to win!

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Jamaica Day 4: Bridget Sandals – Kingston

retrogurl — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:37:13 +0000

Wednesday, July 15, 2009: These were my first pair of Bridget Sandals and my faves!

If you’re a shoe lover, you definitely need to stop by Bridget Sandals in Kingston when you’re in Jamaica- no matter if you’re in Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios or any where else. You’ll need to make a trip there to get yourself a pair of hand-made sandals, they’re super fab and totally unique! I was first introduced to Bridget Sandals 2 years ago by my friend Alison Hess, she’s been a long time customer and I’ve become a fan ever since. You may remember seeing a pair on the floral sandals on my feet here, on this trip I picked up another 4 pairs to add to my collection- super happy. Bridget Sandals have also been described as “wearable desserts” ranging from leather slingbacks, thongs to floral sandals which is my personal favorite. Every time I wear my sandals I get tons of compliments and they’re super comfy too. Bridget Sandals is definitely one of Jamaica’s best kept secret, loves it!

Needing a vacation? Voyage.tv is giving away a five night stay at the brand new, ultra-luxe Gansevoort Turks & Caicos + roundtrip airfare for two. Enter to win!

More pics after the jump…

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Jamaica Day 4: Devon House

retrogurl — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 05:59:57 +0000

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

After lunch at Spanish Court’s The Gallery Café, headed to Devon House which is only a couple of minutes drive away for dessert. I learned about this place when I visited 2 years ago, locals and tourists all flock to Devon House I Scream for delicious ice cream which is equivalent to NYC’s Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. At I Scream there are 27 flavors of ice cream to choose from and the little shop gets super packed with young and old trying to get a taste after lunch or to cool down from the heat. The ice cream is yummy, there’s a flavor for everyone. Make sure to stop by there when you’re in town, it’s a must.

After getting some I Scream, if you’re a candle lover like me be sure to stop into Starfish Oils to pick up some Blue Mountain Coffee Candles and Island Mint Candles, those are my personal favorites! Devon House is also a great chill spot since there’s food, shopping and a bunch of benches for you to sit around and chit chat with your friends. But be sure to catch a shady spot, it gets pretty hot where the sun hits- I love just hanging there. More updates to come, stay tuned…

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