I will be back in Scotland in 3 weeks time. My friends here are making sure that I leave with the best of memories…
My Mum, sister, niece and grand-niece…Margaret, Susan, Annie and Aya…gorgeous photo – just had to share!!
Sue and I went to Little Cayman at the weekend – and chilled! There is not much else to do really! We cycled about 8 miles to Point of Sand which was a lovely sandy beach with a view over to Cayman Brac – there was not a soul to be seen. And then we cycled back – safest roads ever – we passed about 5 cars during the 16 mile ride! The Little Cayman Beach Resort was refurbished after hurricane Paloma and was really nicely done. On Sunday we cycled in the other direction and went as far as the famous Bloody Bay Wall dive site – it lies just offshore. Unfortunately it was too rough for us to snorkel. I had a wonderful massage at the spa before we headed home on Sunday evening – fabulous!
Ann and I went to Jamaica for 5 days over easter. We hired a car and drove around the east end of the island arriving eventually at Port Antonio. We ate jerk pork on Boston Beach, visited Noel Coward’s house, stayed in the Rio Vista Hotel outside Port Antonio looking out over the Rio Grande, rafted on a bamboo raft down the Rio Grande, ate out overlooking Errol Flynn’s Navy Island, saw the true Jamaica as we drove up into the hills to Nine Miles and Bob Marley’s mausoleum, admired the Dunns River Falls, had a history lesson at the Seville Great House, bought apple bananas and peppered shrimps from roadside vendors, bought souvenirs in the market at Ocho Rios and stayed in Patsy’s beautiful apartment there…it was fabulous!
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay: 10
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed–and gazed–but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood, 20
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
William Wordsworth
A great time was had by all! Stingrays; iguanas; starfish; wave runners; Lighthouse dinners; Ritz Brunch; submarine…dat’s Cayman!!
Arrived back in Scotland after a pretty lousy journey…but at least I got here (some friends stranded in Cayman due to snow in Heathrow and flights being cancelled…and almost all the rest of the flights being full due to holidays). There is little doubt that it will be a white Christmas as the temperatures are so low that there will not be a thaw in the next few days – it is, however, restricting travel, visits and shopping!
Had a great time with Tiny…thanks for coming!
Have just spent 3 days in Miami with Ann – shopping, alligator hunting and taking in the sights of the South Beach area. It was great! Malls that go on for ever, munching on alligator tail and Cheesecake Factory cheescake, Art Deco buildings, torrential rain, t-shirts with snowflakes on them!! It was great to do something different for a few days – that’s all we get for half-term (I know – teachers get way too many holidays!!). Would have come back refreshed, but for the hotel disco which went on into the wee small hours 10 steps along the corridor from our room…followed by returning revellers at all hours thereafter!!
Elizabeth Ann is visiting for her October holiday…oops!!!…weather NOT good! Sailing was a bit choppy on Sunday – but, undeterred, she took the helm! All dolled up for the Gala Dinner for Cancer Awareness…and then it was Sunday again…more sailing!
