White sand, hot sun, and sea turtles. These are the criteria for my familiy’s annual Christmas vacation (oh, and the ticket must be a bargain). This year we hopped on a bobsled and headed to Jamaica. Here are my highlights from the trip:
1. Dunn’s River Falls: Decked out in swimsuits and sport sandals, we climbed Jamaica’s famous waterfall from the beach to the summit. Dodging the tourists turned out to be just as difficult as avoiding sharp rocks – this area receives 1-4 cruise ships per day! Gallons of water spilled over us, but we determined to get to the top, and celebrated our success by doing it all over again.
2. James Bond Beach: For the 007 aficionados, Dr. No, the very first Bond movie, was filmed here. The tranquil bay and miniature beach was a welcome relief from the busyness of touristy Ocho Rios. Fortunately the male side of my family didn’t try to re-enact any stunts.
3. Green Grotto Cave: The first thing you see when you enter is a stage cut into the rock, along with stone tables. This cave used to be a nightclub (without a doubt, the hippest club in the country). I couldn’t help but walk up on the stage, just to see what it would feel like. 
4. The characters: Almost all Jamaicans are black, so there’s no hiding the fact that we’re tourists. Some of my funniest memories are moments interacting with the locals: a) Walking down the beach with my family, a Jamaican guy says to my father, “Hey Dad. I like you’re daughter.” He responds “which one?” Jamaican guy: “The pretty one.” Dad: “Which one?” b) On the boat heading out to a scuba diving location, my dad asked the driver how far out we were going. “Cuba,” he said with a grin. (Little did he know I really wouldn’t have minded!)The best thing, of course, was spending time with my family. Now I have a year to convince my Mennonite family to add salsa dancing to their criteria.
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