All Good Things Come to an End! One Final Tour of Jamaica

BY: SIMONE JENNIFER SMITH 

Getting up on Sunday morning was painful. My feet hurt, my head hurt, geez! I don’t want to admit it, but I definitely cannot party the way that I used to. “Alright, let’s get a move on!” I dragged myself out of bed and threw on a maxi dress. I was in no mood to look fashionable this morning, just ready.

The grounds at Moon Palace were quiet on Sunday morning. I decided on a quick meal by myself at the Boulangerie, a small quaint bakery on the resort. “Hmmm! I would love a banana crepe please.” “Why don’t you try some strawberries with it?” “Not a bad idea!” I made a coffee as my crepe was being prepared. I was preparing myself for the day because I knew we had a drive. I had learned so much this trip, and I knew we had one more stop, Montego Bay!

After breakfast, we received a grand tour of the Awe Spa. I was amazed by details that were involved in creating the spa experience. From the weighted neck pillows to the scent of lavender and chamomile, the tour took me to another place. They had steam rooms and dry sauna, along with individual rooms set aside for more personal sessions. It was nice to experience before we hopped on the road again. It was time to finish up the last leg of this trip, Montego Bay.

I think I had gotten used to the mountainous roads because my motion sickness was getting better. On our way out, we stopped by the Pudding Man, located in Priory, St. Ann. The owner Edgar Wallace and his wife were both there, and they were extremely friendly and hospitable. They took the time to answer our questions and served us the most amazing tasting pudding I have ever had. Just Coool Grocery, Green Grocery & Variety Store has been a staple in St. Ann’s for over 13 years. The shop does so well, that there are times that police have had to speak to the owner about his customers causing traffic. After a taste of his pudding, I could completely see why.

I slept the rest of our way to Montego Bay, and when I finally opened my eyes, we were entering what looked like a scene from a movie. The Jewel Grande Resort in Montego Bay has got to be the most amazing sight I have ever seen. It is that place you go when you want to get away from it all. From the time that we got there, we didn’t have to lift a finger. If you can imagine it, we had our own butler; yes, just like Jeffrey from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. After checking in, I had a chance to take a look around; I truly enjoyed the artwork on the walls. They looked like the same artist painted them all; they had used colors in a way that can only be described as magical.

I took a quick tour of the sparkling pools, private beachside cabanas, and the private beach dumbfounded me. They had a state-of-the-art fitness facility, a beautiful spa and a certain stillness that was relaxing. This resort had me because I could picture bringing my family here, and us all having a great time. The resort has two buildings, each offering a variety of one and two-bedroom suites, three-bedroom suites, fabulous three-bedroom villas, and luxurious two-bedroom penthouses. Our suites were prepped with a cheese platter, and an array of spirits including wine, and of course, a bottle of Appleton Rum. What I truly appreciated was how the staff greeted us; they put a hand on their chest, representing love for people and respect.

The rest of our time in Montego Bay included a trip to the Appleton Rum Estate (more details can be found in my column A Better Tomorrow), time getting to chat with the other journalists and eating great food. Having to say goodbye to Jamaica was hard, but I am glad that I was able to experience it all over again. I hope that each and every one of you who have read this article gets a chance to visit Jamaica. It is an experience that everyone should have, at least once. As they like to say in Jamaica, “Walk good,” and thank you for joining me on my trip.