WEDDING AT BEACHES BOSCOBEL

When Rob and I take road trips, I forget how much I love flying--the exhilarating rush at take off, and, in this case on our way to Jamaica, a rising left turn over the Rockaways and out over the Atlantic, rising through the puffs of clouds to the next layer to cruise at 35,000 feet for the 3 1/2 hour flight to Montego Bay's Sangster International Airport.

Jamaica is the locale of our daughter Allison and Don's wedding on Sunday, and we'll stay from Wednesday to Wednesday soaking in the rays and enjoying whatever the resort has to offer.

It is a two to three hour drive across the island from the airport to Ocho Rios where Beaches Boscobel is located. Our Beaches driver gives us a running commentary as we slowly maneuver around holes and craters in the bumpy road still under construction. He tells us that when the road is finished, the ride will take 45 minutes. The road seems a long way from being finished, but Jamaica is hosting matches in World Cup Cricket beginning in March and the road is supposed to be completed by then. We see building everywhere, and with tourism Jamaica's number one industry, beautiful new hotels and resorts abound. One our driver points out will have 2500 rooms.

As we pull through the gates at Beaches, we're stunned by its beauty. We’re helped from the mini-van and given a welcoming rum punch. They must have the skinny on Rob! Our room is lovely and large, the bedroom area raised two steps above the sitting area. We've a king bed, armoire with TV, stocked refrigerator, and coffee pot. The roomy lower level has a desk, couch, coffee table and chair. We can also watch television from that couch. The sliding doors to the balcony run the full width of the room, and our view is lovely overlooking the resort, gardens, coconut palms, and a partial view of the beautiful teal ocean waters.

Beaches is an all inclusive resort. It is a lovely experience. We are, of course, occupied with wedding thoughts, but Rob and I “force” ourselves to begin the party before anyone else arrives!

First stop is the Bayside bar, one of several on the grounds. We meet a terrific bartender, Shaun, and she is wonderful-learns our names, and whenever we walk by for the rest of the week, we get a big and personal hello! That is exactly how we are treated no matter where we go and what we do. I think one would be hard pressed to find a more responsive and friendly staff.

Dinner that night is in the Bayside Restaurant alongside the pool. This is a buffet, but it is richly arrayed with something for everyone, and everything we taste is delicious. There are linens on the tables, and the servers are excellent, always anticipating our desires. When we ask for coffee, for instance, and we go up to choose our dessert, the coffee is brought just as we return to the table and sit down. That way it is hot no matter how long we are away. Tonight is steak night, and Rob does ask for a small piece, purple and mooing, just as he likes it. And he gets it exactly as he orders. But there is so much else, especially a wide variety of fish choices, and that's where he samples. Everything is wonderful, and we squeeze in a bit of some tempting desserts with nice, strong delicious Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. This is definitely a lovely start to a lovely week.

The Bayside restaurant is the only place where breakfast is served, so we are back in the morning expecting the same old breakfast buffet. NOT! This is by far the most expansive breakfast buffet I've ever seen. We start with the fresh fruits tasting sweet and juicy and ripe and very unlike anything available at home. Papayas, mangoes, kiwis, and starfruit abound, as do oranges, bananas and grapefruit. There's fresh-squeezed juice as well. Then we come to the fishes. Smoked salmon (lox to me), creamed herring, whitefish, and sardines, all beautifully presented and incredibly appetizing. (Did I make a pun, here?) There's an omelet station, but we pass it for Jamaican specialties--callaloo, described for us by our server, Michael, as Jamaican spinach, and other types of vegetables, bammy, a type of fried fruit bread, and many other possibilities including what might be called Jamaica’s national dish, ackee and saltfish (codfish), ackee being Jamaica’s national fruit. Breakfast this and every other morning is an adventure--trying new Jamaican foods, seeing familiar foods prepared in different ways, or enjoying the quality of old standards. No rush; no fuss. Eveything is "No problem," and at Beaches they seem to mean it.

This morning we go exploring. We'd been given a map at check-in, and there are so many places to see. Like many resorts in the Caribbean, Beaches Boscobel is etched into a mountain. The walks and pathways gently curve down the mountain. Nothing steep, and if one doesn't want to walk down to the beach, there is an elevator. The beach is neither wide nor deep, but there are many offerings: Hobie-Cats, hydrobikes, sea kayaks, snorkeling, scuba diving etc. There are sufficient chaises and plenty of shelter from the sun. Want a massage; there's a hut. Want your hair braided; there's someone available. There's plenty of shade and plenty of sun. The rumor is that the sand from this beach was imported from Cuba, just ninety miles away. Our first three days at Beaches, however, is cursed with unusually wet weather. January in Jamaica is supposed to see about 1/2 inch of rain. We see that on the drive from the airport. It rains sufficiently to suspend water sports, and as family begins arriving for the wedding, we do not get a chance to play. Next time!

We spend most of our time on chaise lounges by the pool—and the swim-up pool bar. You know, the one in all the Beaches/Sandals commercials. On a light note, on the last day when we went to the photo shack to view the photos taken during the stay, the staff member looked at our collection and laughingly commented, “You guys spent a lot of time at the pool bar!” Uh huh!

The pool bar is pretty terrific. It’s opposite a huge waterfall. You sit in water up to your waist, and bubbles come out from under the rim of the bar and up under your feet. That’s how we get the tans on our backs! Milton, our bartender is terrific, ready with Bloody Marys when we first swim up.

The pool, by the way, is huge and cool. It is never crowded, and it is always refreshing. We spend a lot of time there, in the water, at the bar, or snoozing or reading on the lounges.

During our stay we sample each of the restaurants. The Venetian is the Italian restaurant serving wonderful Italian food as well as other marvelous meat and delicious fish offerings. There are paintings on the walls and ceilings, linen service and enough atmosphere to differentiate it from any other restaurant at the resort. We dine there twice, and here is a bit of one meal we shared with Robyn and Neal. I begin with fried calamari unlike any I'd ever tasted. The calamari is neither too dry nor too chewy, and the presentation is a painting on the plate. I follow that with a crisp salad of a variety of fresh market greens, polenta croutons--a little something special—and shaved parmesan cheese. I have a lovely rack of lamb, small and meaty, medium rare as I request. The service, too, is excellent. One would think we are in a land where "your wish is our command" is the order of the day. There are no reservations in the restaurant, yet we do not have to wait, and we are not rushed. It is a splendid dinner.

There is a restaurant for adults only. It is Eleanor's, the "fanciest" restaurant at Beaches where Caribbean food is served. As an aside, there is so much Jamaican pride in everyone we meet. I didn't come from Warwick not to learn a bit about Jamaica, and everyone is willing to tell me something. The specialty of the night at Eleanor's is always a Jamaican dish. Rob begins with Middle Quarter Peppered Shrimp served with a cool lime cream. He follows that with a special Jamaican Pepperpot Soup, a stunning combination of callaloo and other Jamaican vegetables, hot and spicy but not overly, and he loves it. For his entrée he orders Jamaican Steamed Fish with okra, carrots, and scallions, garnished with bammy, a deep fried cassava bread. Marvelous. When dessert comes, a “mundane” crème brule; written in chocolate on the rim is "No Problem." What a pleasant evening.

There are other restaurants on the grounds. Near the pool is BBQ Park where there is always spicy Jamaican jerked chicken, pork, hamburgers and ribs with all good things to go with them. Jerk is a marinating technique developed by the Maroons, the offspring of runaway slaves. Nearer to the beach by the gazebo, similar fare is offered during the day at the Arizona, but at night this restaurant becomes Tex-Mex. Robyn and Neal can be caught there in the evening, sipping their drinks and eating nachos under the stars.

Believe it or not, we don’t spend all our time at the restaurants. We enjoy the pool, the pool bar, and the company. We arrive on Wed., more guests arrive on Thurs., and the rest of the guests on Friday. On Sat., Allison planned a treat for me and Leslie.

There is a Red Lane Spa at Beaches, and Sat. we three go to the spa. Leslie and I luxuriate in the enjoyment of a pedicure and manicure while Allison has a "trial" hair styling and make up. It is a lot of fun, just the three of us girls sipping piña coladas and laughing and commenting on each other's progress or on life in general. Good family time. The stylist and beauticians join in some of the conversation, and it is a great time. Of course we three take pictures!

By noon on Sunday we are all getting ready for the MAIN EVENT. Back to the salon Allison and I go to have our hair done, and then, after I dress, her friends and I rendezvous in her room to help her dress, to take photos, and to drink champagne. Michael comes by to pick up the rings he will carry, and Rob meets us there so we can walk our daughter down the aisle to be married on a sparkling Caribbean afternoon in the gazebo extending out over the water by a man whose family came to Jamaica several hundred years ago to escape the Spanish Inquisition.

Family and friends leave Monday and Tues. We leave Wednesday, and wattaya know--we come back to a New York cold winter. I think we need a vacation!

Much as I enjoyed Beaches, it is a family oriented resort. The affiliated resorts, Sandals, is couples only. I think that is really the way to go.