A tropical storm hit the island during the night and rain was in the forecast. When we got up, we saw a few clear patches in the sky amidst ominous black clouds. Not willing to forgo any chance to golf, we got dressed and went to catch the shuttle. When we got to the main lobby, it started to pour and we reluctantly retired to our room.
We went back to Toscanini's for breakfast. Our waitress Julita was waiting for us and we had another great chat. Julita was fascinated with my iPhone. We noticed the wireless infrastructure on the island was more than adequate. Cable and Wireless (now known as LIME) used to dominate the market. Little did they expect the intrusion of a new entrant - Digicel. With two large players in the market, the wireless scene became more interesting and affordable. Blackberry has a huge influence on the island and we saw BB ads all over the place, compared to iPhone ads. It was a comforting sight since the company I work for has been recently acquired by RIM. We sat in front a large casement window and rain pelted hard against it. It was obvious that there was no hope at all for golf that day.
Mimosa for breakfast - Toscanini's
After breakfast, we went to he billiard room and played another game of snooker. I won the game because Kenny scratched on the black ball. We went back to our room and were lured into a light slumber by the rhythm of the rain. It was a good day to browse the boutiques and do some shopping. I always find beautiful outfits and accessories when I travel. After all, Ottawa is government town, not a shopping paradise. The boutique was small but I managed to find a very thin white linen blouse. I have been searching for such a blouse for a while and was glad to have it.
What are the highlights on a rainy day? Eating! We decided to give Bayside another try for lunch. Luck has it that every Wednesday Bayside has an oriental theme. I was amused to see the bamboo curtains erected with large Chinese characters pasted on them like "luck" and "happiness". The food was surprisingly good, even to my discerning Chinese pallet. Pork ribs, chicken teriyaki (which actually resembled tandoori chicken a lot), sweet and sour pork, fried rice, beef and chicken stir-fry and mouth-watering halibut steaks fried right on the spot. We were safe from the rain in the restaurant. So were the birds. Some smart birds have figured out a way to cheat the net around the restaurant and find their way in. Once inside, they shook their little body to get rid of the water and they looked really funny with their feather all puffed up. As soon as they are dry, they go for the sugar on the table.
After lunch we tried our luck at the beach. The concierge has reserved another cabana for us that day from 2 to 6 pm. We went to check out the condition on the beach and was disappointed to see that all the cabanas were extremely wet and the sea was too murky from all the rain. We didn't want to go for a swim in the murky water so we opted for something dry - the gym. I guess there are all kinds of vacationer. We see people standing around in the big pool all day and just keep drinking all day. The pool staff were always organizing some fun and silly games - like tying a canister of ping pong balls behind your back and see who can shake out the most number of balls in the least amount of time by jigging violently. There was lively music playing all day long so never a bore moment around the pool. But Kenny and I are made of different material, I guess, and we start to feel very sluggish if we don't move around. The gym which was very well equipped and again, air-conditioned. I ran on the treadmill and Kenny used the stationary bike. We felt so much better after a good workout and a hot steam bath - the effects of the rain is shaken off.
We dropped in to see the staff at the concierge office, whom we have befriended by now. They took us on a tour to see some other rooms on the premise. We have fallen in love with this beautiful island and the luxury vacation Sandals has to offer and we wanted to return on our next vacation. Mihail was a nice young man from east Europe, doing his internship at the Grande. He showed us the one-bedroom suite, the rondoval and the presidential suite, all of which come a butler. The Grande is the best resort Kenny and I have experienced. It has all the vacation elements we seek: hot weather during Christmas time, lush surroundings, great golf, a calm and beautiful beach, no kids, fantastic services and don't forget, amazing food. It is not easy to find this combination but we found it at the Grande!
After checking out the rooms, we went to Josephine's to enjoy some desserts. The tennis court was unfortunately still wet from the rain so we couldn't play. But we could always eat! Josephine's makes the most amazing chocolate crepe and it has become a daily staple for Kenny. They are also famous for their milkshakes, which we also sampled. The sun has broken through the thick clouds by now as we sat back and watched it set over Rodney Bay.
For dinner we decided to go to a restaurant at the Halcyon as we kept running into couples who raved about them. We took the shuttle to the Halcyon and checked out the two a-la-carte restaurants: Mario's and the Pier. Both were highly acclaimed but since Mario's would be closed the following day, we decided to go there. What a cute little place! If you weren't looking, you wouldn't even find it. It was located at the back of the Bayside restaurant behind a wooden door. When you go in and close the door, you could mistaken yourself for being in Italy. The decor, layout and wall color all are very European. The restaurant is not very large but cozily set with tables for two and candle lights. What Mario's is famous for is the antipasti buffet. And what a buffet! The chef is apparently very skilled and pours his heart into his work. We saw some of the most elaborate antipasti dishes we have ever seen: eggs aurora sauce, meat al tonno, eggplant piazza, grilled veggies, baby crayfish and on and on and on. I have never experienced antipasti of this variety and quality before, absolutely nowhere. We regretted ordering any entree at all because it would be enough to just fill up on the delicious antipasti. The artichoke soup was amazing, too. It was definitely freshly made for I could taste the coarser fibres from the artichoke leaves in the soup. The chef put in a prawn tempura ring in the middle, which aided visually as well as palatially. I was very glad I only ordered a stuffed vegetable entree as I was very full after the soup. Kenny had snapper in lemon butter which was also fantastic. I don't know how he managed to eat dessert but when I tasted his creme brûlée, I immediately regretted not saving room for it!
Since we finished after 8:15, we has some time to kill before the next shuttle arrives at 9:15. We asked to see the rooms at the Halcyon. We were really impressed with Mario's and we were considering staying at the resort. The Halcyon is charming and has its own characters. The rooms are smaller and the highlights are in the beautifully-manicured gardens instead of the ocean. It lacked the ocean breeze and openness we love. So that was final - we love the Grande and we will just have o take the shuttle to get to the great restaurants Sandals has to offer!
Amazing antipasti buffet at Mario's
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