Cruise ships abound in all the ports we visited -- this is not ours, but a dead ringer
Our last two stops on the cruise were Grand Cayman and Falmouth, Jamaica! We didn't have anything special planned for Grand Cayman so we decided to explore the little port town. Prepare yourselves for some amazing food photos from our food tour of Jamaica and our extra-special dinner on the ship!
This port town is quite small and colorful. We picked up many of our souvenirs here including rum cake, some jewelry, and a dress or two. We dined at the Hard Rock cafe for lunch and enjoyed a very leisurely stroll on the shore before climbing back aboard our lovely vessel -- Celebrity's Silhouette of the Seas.
Our massive ship literally looming over the port
Prepare your tastebuds because our food tour of Falmouth, Jamaica starts now! We met our lovely tour guides, sibling-duo Sanya and Steve at the port and began our walking tour of Falmouth's culturally-rich history and delicious food.
Sanya
Our first stop was a small fruit stand still inside the port gates. We tasted sugarcane (which you don't actually eat but rather bite and let the ultra-sweet juice trickle down your throat), pineapple, watermelon, papaya, and grapes. A refreshing start to the long, hot afternoon!
The colors of the town of Falmouth are so rich and make you want to spend hours exploring the streets. Fun fact: Falmouth got piped water and a plumbing system even before New York City did! Once a huge imperial economic center, Falmouth's history is tied to sugarcane plantations and slavery as well as the strong tradition of free black people who owned property, real estate, and even sometimes slaves themselves.
Our next stop was the bakery "Spicy Nice" where we ate coco bread and some amazing Jamaican patties. Fun trick: put your hot patty inside the thick portion of coco bread (which is very similar to the Filipino pandesal, a staple of my high school diet) and eat together. We couldn't eat the entire meal at one seating and so packed away our leftovers to enjoy later, back on the ship.
Our next stop was another fruit stand, this time in "Officers Alley" -- a nickname leftover from when imperial Navy officers would be stationed in Jamaica. We drank fresh, pure coconut water and ate a bit of the coconut jelly scraped directly from a coconut. Coconut water is known for purifying the heart as well as having some amazing homeopathic qualities. Next time you're walking around on a hot day or need some cleansing of your heart and soul, try some natural coconut water!
The colors of Falmouth are so bold and uninhibited and absolutely everywhere that you can't help but smile when you're exploring the city. It's definitely a busy city full of people but there's a lovely, whimsical undercurrent that just makes one happy and feel full.
Our next stop was a jerk chicken place where we enjoyed festival, a type of bread that I'm still drooling about in my sleep, steamed vegetables, and, naturally, jerk chicken. We also tried Jamaican beverages including red stripe beer, fruit punch, and a Jamaican take on ginger ale.
Our tour ended at this gorgeous 19th century house where we ate three different kinds of cookies, all incorporating some form of coconut. We toured the house with our wonderful guides before returning to the port and our beautiful ship.
That night on board, after bidding adieu to Jamaica, the four of us went to dine at one of the specialty restaurants onboard: Qsine. Qsine's claim to fame is amazing food served in rather unique presentations. (Also: like the pro blogger I am, I forgot my camera at dinner and was forced to rely on spotty phone photos)
Disco Shrimp: a chilled compote of shrimp and a creamy sauced served on cucumbers in a glowing ice-bottomed glass
Dynamite Crab: a ball of crab meat with a savory sauce
Sushi Lollipops: one of my favorite dishes of the night, different sushi rolls including a tuna and cream cheese roll covered with Dorito chip crust
Soup & Soufflé: Three different soups, served in the test tubes, and three different soufflé bites that mix with the soup
The Taj Mahal -- five different curries served with chips and naan
My Dessert: design-your-own cupcakes that were so scrumptious I couldn't help but finish the two cupcakes despite my being overtly full from dinner
This spring break was incredible and I certainly am already planning my next cruise! Thank you to the amazing captain, crew, and entire team over at Celebrity Cruises -- it was an absolute blast.
xx
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