PHOTOS TAKEN IN JAMAICA, AT OCHO RIOS AND THE JEWELL, DUNN'S RIVER

Bird sculpture in the ground of The Jewell.

Brilliant piece of wood carving - bigger than life-size, at the fisherman's shack food outlet, where we had some fried parrot fish and fried bammy.

This three-piece band, play music which in Jamaica I think they call it Mento. They played old folk songs and some more recent songs, like Big Bamboo, and were performing in the the front of the grounds of The Jewell on the night of Thanksgiving, when all the Americans were at the back having a special Thanksgiving dinner under the stars.

We saw this memorial plaque when visiting the Dunn's River Falls, it was right next to the waterfall.

The complex at The Jewell was most beautiful in the early morning, just as the sun comes up

WASSI ARTS, NEAR OCHO RIOS, CERAMICS SHOWROOM AND WORKSHOP

AN EASY VISIT FROM OCHO RIOS IS TO WASSI ARTS

We were so impressed with the beautiful ceramics at this little 'factory'. It was difficult to come away without buying lots of pots, but of course we couldn't do that because of luggage weight restrictions and the small amount of space in our bags.

Several young men work there, maybe they do shifts. Each pot has a name of the potter and decorator on the base. Outside the white clay, which is accessed from Jamaica, is put in huge trays so the excess water can evaporate, in the same way as is done in the UK.

Also on display was a few paintings from the potter/artists. There is a well-stocked showroom, and you can arrange to have pieces shipped home.

THE JEWELL, OCHO RIOS, BEACH PARTY TEAM

BEACH PARTY IN THE EVENING, UNDER THE TREES AND PALMS ON THE BEACH, AND DANCE SHOW

The entertainment team at The Jewell does a fine job. Several young women and men run events, its a bit like being in an upmarket Butlins holiday camp, though I have never been to a holiday camp in England. The family used to watch a TV comedy program called Hi Di Hi! about the imaginary holiday camp in the UK. Hands up if you remember this!

Here the The Jewell the visitors are not encouraged to go off the site, so things have to be devised to entertain them. During the day there is sometimes a quiz show with a prize of a bottle of rum, held by the side of the largest swimming pool, (passing by, I realize the questions are outside my experience, since I am ancient and English - all about US sports and pop stars, it seems).

Sometimes there are beach volley ball games, which include people of quite a lot of shapes and sizes; I have done photos of these, and made a few sketches, and plan a painting when I get back to UK.

One evening a week there is a Beach Party. This starts at 6 pm - it is almost dark here by 5 pm - and food is arrange on side tables displaying salads, hot meat, hot fish, cold cuts, cakes, and also a collection of coconuts and sugar cane.

Large round dining tables and chairs, seating about eight people each, are on the beach with tiny little lights, so you cannot see what you are eating. (Though I am sure this is not intentional).

The entertainment this week, was a kind of coaching session by the young team for a few guinea pig guests, at how to dance a rather restrained reggae.

Then a professional troup of dancers performed, very well. Five girls in colonial era costume did a folk dance. The men were very energetically dancing, jumping, summersaults. Finally there was a display of limbo dancing, pole dancing, and fire eating.

Congrats to the team, Jason, Antonia and the others.