Jamaica

It's a few days late, but I'm finally getting around to the Jamaica post. We had planned to go skiing over the long Easter weekend, but with memories of the last snowstorm still lingering, we decided to head for a warmer destination. Todd was the only one eager to see more snow, but he declared Jamaica to be an acceptable substitute.

So on a cold, rainy, miserable morning, we flew from Toronto to a small family-oriented resort in beautiful Runaway Bay. Instead of giving you the play-by-play, I'll simply list some of the highlights:

• The weather, the water, the beach. Just what we needed after this long, long winter.
• The geckos. Cute little critters. Made Kate screech when she found one on her bed.
• The food. Ackee and salt fish for breakfast ... yum!! Also loved the fried plantains, jerk chicken, and rice-and-peas. Couldn't bring myself to try the boiled bananas with potatoes first thing in the morning, though.
• The vacation nanny. Yes, we had our very own nanny to get us drinks and towels and take care of the kids. Julia preferred hanging out with the teens, who had their own agenda of activities, but Kate enjoyed building sand castles and playing dominoes with her.
• The four days of doing "nothing". At Todd's request, we limited iPod and computer time. He even left his Blackberry at home. (I had to purchase my Leonard Cohen tickets online though. Just managed to get tickets before they sold out.) I spent the days walking, swimming, reading War and Peace, drinking Yellow Birds and knitting leg warmers for Julia.