Becky asked a fellow tourist to take a photo of us when we disembarked the ship in Ocho Rios. Someone is enjoying a WaveRunner in the background. We bought the T-shirt I was wearing on our last visit to Ocho Rios in 2001.

A barrier reef keeps the pristine blue water of Ocho Rios relatively calm. We used this same pier in 2001 when we sailed aboard the Norwegian Sun.

We enjoyed a couple of overpriced non-alcoholic drinks in Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville while in Ocho Rios. Margaritaville had this nifty bar to keep patrons cool as they sipped the liquid gold flowing from the house steins. The tubular structure at the top of the photo is a waterslide.

My beautiful bride enjoys an equally delectable frozen fruit punch from Margaritaville. These icy treats set us back US$12 but were an effective way to combat Jamaica’s heat and humidity.

One of the tours offered at Ocho Rios was a party cruise aboard this catamaran. We didn’t go on any tours while in Ocho Rios. Instead, we visited the Island Village, Margaritaville, and the flea market.

The panhandlers at the flea market were annoying almost to the point of being aggressive. Becky said she had a good time at the flea market, but I hated it. As I stood at the gate to the flea market to wait for Becky, some local asked me if I wanted to buy some reefer. The same guy gave me two bracelets and after he gave them to me, he said I could buy them for just US$5. I explained that I didn’t wear bracelets, and then he said he could let me have the bracelets for US$3. I tried to give the bracelets back to the fellow, but he wouldn’t take them. So when Becky finally came out of Hell, I handed the bracelets to her and told her to either give the main US$3 or the bracelets. She didn’t have any problem giving the bracelets back to he panhandler.

I couldn’t wait to return to the ship. Even the ship’s cruise director quipped that evening, “One thing that’s great about visiting these places is that you learn that’s a place you never need to go back to.”

Becky poses beside a statue of Jamaican reggae icon Bob Marley