Local Jamaica

I find it difficult to get the local flavor of a place when you stay at a resort- the food, fun and setting are all provided for you, and there can be very little incentive to leave.  With a toddler, and pregnant, I have found our vacations are becoming a bit less adventurous than they used to be.  We are content hanging out at the beach, and the kiddie pool- and lounging around the villa during naptime.  So you can imagine my delight at being able to spend the entire day on Thursday exploring the local Jamaican food scene with my two lovely guides, Jane and Ellie.

I left the resort, Half Moon, and was driven to Ocho Rios, where I met the ladies and we began our adventure.  Ocho Rios was a nightmare of traffic as the cruise ships had just come in and dumped 6,000 passengers each onto the shores.  We quickly made our escape to the lower-key town of St. Ann's, where we stopped off at a small fishing village to see what we might find.  The colors and variety of the catch was quite a sight.

The day before, Ellie had purchased a 10-pound sea bass for our lunch, which was being prepared at her house, so leaving empty handed (with a few dozen pictures!), we made our way to the local market to stock up on veggies and fruit.

You know how much I love a good market, and this one was no exception.  The interesting varieties of fruits and vegetables were mind boggling- custard apples, plantains, bread fruit, ackee, avocado pears...and the list goes on.

We left with bags of local produce, which were used in the creation of the freshest, tastiest lunch I had during my entire stay.  More on that on Monday...there is simply too much goodness to fit in one little ole' post.  Plus, it's our last day in the sun and surf...so we are off to the beach.  Wishing you a warm and wonderful weekend!