Once again, the water was magnificent. I loved looking at the water and seeing all the different colors. There were so many shades of blue and green and I really wanted to go snorkeling or diving and really experience it. Jamaica was very dirty. It was so sad to see all the trash and litter everywhere in what could be, an amazingly beautiful place. I couldn't believe how bad it really was in some places along our drive to the falls. It was sickening and maddening. There is no reason whatsoever for it and I really was quite aggravated. Thankfully, we arrived at the falls before I could get more perturbed. Dunn's River Falls was awesome. It is a 600 ft. waterfall that flows into the ocean. We walked down to the beach where we started our ascent. We had so much fun climbing the falls. We had a really fun guide and we were able to climb the more challenging side of it. The falls were just absolutely gorgeous. The water, the greenery, the vines, the exotic flowers all hanging above and around us while we climbed. They told everyone you had to purchase or rent watershoes to climb. Dell had appropriate shoes but I had flipflops. I decided I could do it barefoot and so I did. They tried to talk me out of it, but I had a feeling it was all just another scam to make more money anyway and it was. The rocks were very smooth and super easy to climb on. The whole experience was great and definately our favorite thing we did on the cruise. I'm so sad though because we had a waterproof camera and took tons of pics, but the cruise ship messed up the film while developing. So sad. I guess that's what we get for being impatient......
After the falls we went to Bamboo Beach Club and yes, I let them talk me into getting braids. They didn't have to do much talking though 'cause I always wanted to get my hair braided. So I did it and now I can check that off my list :) This beach wasn't great like in Grand Cayman and we were a little disappointed. We really couldn't even walk down the beach comfortably. We were told before we left the ship that there would be people asking us to buy drugs(among other things) and sure enough, they were ready and waiting for you if you ever walked away from the "club" and wanted to just walk down the beach. It was really ridiculous.
Here's a pic of the huts we would've had to walk past if we wanted to walk down the beach. There were so many people just waiting for you to walk past the sign onto "their turf." If we could've just walked a ways down past them, it looked like there were pristine, beautiful and vacant beaches down there. But,we decided we'd just not experience the unpopulated beaches of Jamaica and stay in our designated section of beach and lay in the lounger which may have been lame, but safe.
After the falls we went to Bamboo Beach Club and yes, I let them talk me into getting braids. They didn't have to do much talking though 'cause I always wanted to get my hair braided. So I did it and now I can check that off my list :) This beach wasn't great like in Grand Cayman and we were a little disappointed. We really couldn't even walk down the beach comfortably. We were told before we left the ship that there would be people asking us to buy drugs(among other things) and sure enough, they were ready and waiting for you if you ever walked away from the "club" and wanted to just walk down the beach. It was really ridiculous.
Here's a pic of the huts we would've had to walk past if we wanted to walk down the beach. There were so many people just waiting for you to walk past the sign onto "their turf." If we could've just walked a ways down past them, it looked like there were pristine, beautiful and vacant beaches down there. But,we decided we'd just not experience the unpopulated beaches of Jamaica and stay in our designated section of beach and lay in the lounger which may have been lame, but safe.If you venture out on your own in these type places and don't make it back in time, the ship will leave you but if for some reason your on a cruiseship approved excursion, they have to wait. Anyways, we didn't want the hastle of the hagglers. They are very pushy.
So I liked and disliked Jamaica. I liked and appreciated the beautiful places we saw and experienced. But I couldn't help but to be saddened by the sight of so much litter and trash everywhere and the beauty of the place fading away from neglect and waste and that mentality of living being passed on to future generations. It's also so sad to see that the people that live there, either know no other way to live, or they just choose to live like that and if they choose, why do they choose that? Jamaica definately had beautiful places, but there was just so much needless abuse of nature that took away from the experience. I just wonder how many people really notice it. Was I the only person on the bus upset by it? I saw a few parts of a beautiful Jamaica, but I also saw more parts that were repulsive. You definately wouldn't have seen that on the Go Jamaica commercials or the Sandals resort brochure. I guess all I can say is, I definately saw the stain of sin from fallen man on display. The total disregard for creation and its Creator was evident in more places than not....... or maybe it was the area we were in....I don't know. Visiting Jamaica was bittersweet. It was sweet climbing a 600 ft. waterfall overlooking the ocean but it made me bitter when we got to the top and there was trash on the banks of the little river. So sad. So wasteful.....
So I liked and disliked Jamaica. I liked and appreciated the beautiful places we saw and experienced. But I couldn't help but to be saddened by the sight of so much litter and trash everywhere and the beauty of the place fading away from neglect and waste and that mentality of living being passed on to future generations. It's also so sad to see that the people that live there, either know no other way to live, or they just choose to live like that and if they choose, why do they choose that? Jamaica definately had beautiful places, but there was just so much needless abuse of nature that took away from the experience. I just wonder how many people really notice it. Was I the only person on the bus upset by it? I saw a few parts of a beautiful Jamaica, but I also saw more parts that were repulsive. You definately wouldn't have seen that on the Go Jamaica commercials or the Sandals resort brochure. I guess all I can say is, I definately saw the stain of sin from fallen man on display. The total disregard for creation and its Creator was evident in more places than not....... or maybe it was the area we were in....I don't know. Visiting Jamaica was bittersweet. It was sweet climbing a 600 ft. waterfall overlooking the ocean but it made me bitter when we got to the top and there was trash on the banks of the little river. So sad. So wasteful.....
