Home » Jamaica » Peace, Love, Palm Trees, and Paradise March 26, 2005

Sometimes, you just want to relax on a trip. For us, most travel is about seeing new places, exploring different cultures, and packing as much into a short time as possible. But even we need a break. The classic tropical vacation fits the bill.

Peace, Love, Palm Trees, and Paradise March 26, 2005

Ttrealtravels
2005-12-26 14:01:10

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were half done with dinner before our wine or cocktails arrived.

But all the staff was very courteous and helpful, and occasionally very amusing -- such as the rhyming waiter at the main restaurant: "it will be even greater later; take it from me, your waiter." The bartenders were the best of all, very fast and efficient and friendly.

The bars were all well stocked, although I didn't see many top-shelf brands. Also, don't expect much if you're a wine snob. I did enjoy the Californian, French, and Jamaican table reds and whites with meals, but I wouldn't drink them on their own. I often forget how spoiled we are living in the S.F. Bay Area, when it comes to food and drink. We enjoy every delectable spice and every fine wine known to humankind, and all quite cheaply too.

Two potables worth noting -- Red Stripe beer and the beach drinks. I wasn't a beer fan when I first arrived, but something about the climate made Red Stripe really appealing. It became my default drink, even above water. The only thing to tempt me away from Stripe were the myriad of fruity frou-frou drinks, mostly based on rum, served at the beach and pool bars. Fruit juices masked the alcohol, so either be wary or drink up. They were all very sweet, light, and refreshing.

I would say that if you don't drink alcohol, don't eat meat, and don't go in the water, you won't get your money's worth out of Sandals. Drinking is omnipresent, though thankfully not in a frat-house kinda way. The restaurants all have limited vegetarian selections, and you'd get very hungry if you were vegan.

And every activity seems to revolve around the water. In fact, that's the very best part about Sandals! The pools were great, and the ocean was lovely. Pleasantly lukewarm saltwater, but no more waves than a small lake. Made it good for all the water sports like ...