2015-11-12 Falmouth, Jamaica:

I really wasn't looking forward to this port.  Didn't figure we'd be able to snorkel, so I figured we'd hang out at the Margaritaville pool there.  But when we saw it from the ship, it looked so small.  We're thinking this was the pool there.

So we decided to see if we could get a last minute excursion.  This was a relativly new cruise port and it was nice and clean. 

 We made it to where the excursions were leaving from and signed up for the city and Greenwood Great House tour.  Then they took us to a bus that was over filled.  Apparently there was a 2nd bus that had just left and had empty seats, so we sat in jump seats until we caught up with the other bus.  Made for a little awkwardness, but ended up being fine.  Our "city" tour was basically just stopping at a church, then driving out of town as fast as they could.  Couldn't really blame them, the town was very impoverished.

 Soon we were riding up into the hills where the houses were really nice.

The guide said they were owned by foreigners who rented them out.

 Even the goats lived up in the better parts.

 Finally we reached Greenwood Great House.

 It is over 200 years old and was formerly owned by the family of Elizabeth Barrett-Browning, the famous English poet.   Greenwood is one of the best preserved great houses on the island.  They said the new owners actually live there and have tours during the day to help pay for maintenance on it.  It was a fascination old plantation house/museum. 

 leather bucket

 one of the pieces of antique furniture.

 diningroom

 ornate chair

 view from a window.

 one of the disks that played music when used in one of their 3 or 4 self player instruments.

 ornate door hardware

 heading up stairs

 one of the many bedrooms.

 more door hardware

 another diningroom

 one of the chandeliers

 being English they must like their tea!  There were lots of tea pots throughout the house.

 another bedroom

 view from front porch.

 the huge porch.  I told Ken I want one like this.

 back down stairs.

 interesting artwork.

 one of the old flyers from the plantation days.

 the back lawn where croquette was set up.

 We were even given something to drink in the old kitchen which is now also a bar/restaurant.

 another view of the back of the house

 the front of the house with the huge patio on the 2nd level.

 back on the bus, Ken noticed a free wi fi sign, so we checked email and put a couple pictures on facebook.

 Next stop was a bay which was suppose to have bioluminescent critters in it that light up when the water is disturbed, but it was daylight so it wasn't visible. 

 BAck to the port.  Our guide was very good.  We don't usually do ship excursions because they are so expensive, but we were happy with this one.

 Heading back through the port shops to the ship.

 sunset that day---another one where the sun just dropped down into the clouds and that was it.

 They had some sort of Caribbean party that night.  There were hors doerves, guys doing juggling, not sure what else---we didn't spend much time there.

 We headed to the back of the Lido and had a piece of pizza.  While we were there, a bar crawl showed up.

I really wasn't looking forward to Jamaica, but I really had a good time.  Didn't get to snorkel, but I did enjoy going to the old plantation house.