Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Waterfalls, Hashing and Dominoes - What a life!

Carnival is over but there has still been so much to do. Last week we went with a group of cruisers for a trip to the Seven Sisters Falls. The waterfalls are about a 45 minute drive away, giving us an opportunity to see some more of this beautiful island. The hike to the falls was great.

This Billy-goat was feeding alongside the path. We thought he had a most impressive beard! He said something about the falls being thaaaaaaat a way!

The trail comes out at the last two falls. Jim and I hung out here and swam in the clean, cool pools. Most of the group climbed up to the top where the only way down is by jumping. The 6th falls is a jump of more than 30 feet, not recommended by Jim's back surgeon and a little higher than I like. We were happy to just go swimming!

Here's the group clinging to the edge while they get their instruction on how and where to jump.

Then it was a hike back out to cold drinks and some lunch. Great day!

On Saturday we did another hash. I don't have pictures of this because it was a moonlight hash that took place as the full moon was rising. This one was easier as I'm sure they didn't want anyone falling off a mountain in the dark! It was a beautiful trail through the countryside and across a creek. It began and ended in a small village where the restaurant cooked up chicken and pork, there was plenty of cold beer and even an ice cream shop.

On Saturday we finished a dominoes game that began last year in the Dominican Republic. Renee, Michael, Jim and I started a game in Luperon but quit for the night before we finished. It can take as long as 4 hours to play a game of Mexican Train Dominoes. We agreed we'd finish it another time but shortly after that Mike and Renee left Luperon and we haven't all been back together until this past week. Jim was winning so for all this time we've been listening to him declare himself the champion. We've been listening to his trash talk for almost a year. He wanted to know if we just wanted to concede this victory to him and start a new game? Well, it ain't over till the fat lady sings and I haven't even hummed a note. Set em up! With rum punch in hand, we dueled it out. I was so far behind there was no saving me. Jim and Mike were neck-n-neck until the final round when unfortunately for Jim, he took a doleful drubbing.

Jim and Renee debating strategy.

After his loss, Jim took the rum punch jug and cooler (we couldn't have any) and went to drown his sorrows on Jacumba's trampoline.


Then he started hoarding the snacks. This was not very sportsmanlike behavior!

A couple of rum punches later the match was forgotten as Mike and Jim started pointing out cloud faces to each other. (what was in that punch?)

Jim has demanded a rematch! He claims Mike wasn't really working in Mexico for the past 3 months but was getting Mexican Train Dominoes instruction from a master. Stay tuned