Have heard such wonderful things about the Atlantis Hotel near Bathsheba and decided to go for brunch with the family and some friends. This was our second attempt at a brunch reservation, having been sidelined by a stomach bug on the last try that had the entire family doing a system clear out for days. Our friends Holly and Steve who have since left the island took the girls one afternoon and raved that the girls would be able to "express themselves" should the desire arise and no one would be too put out. Wherever you are in the world, this is important for parents of young children. Both Lily and Virginie continue to surprise us with their relative goodness when we dine out but one has to be prepared should the occasional freak out be hidden in their bag of tricks.
We reserved a table for noon at my suggestion. I figured that since Virginie usually napped at 11:30 am, she could pass out in the car, take the 30 minute drive with us and should she wake up early, she would have at least had an hour of rest to launch her into the afternoon and if she continued to sleep, well, I could get a break and actually eat at the table. But that was not Virginie's plan. After a morning swim with a few underwater dives, Virginie came inside and promptly passed out at 9:30 am and woke up at 11:30, delaying our departure time by 15 minutes.
We met up with J.La and KC so that we could follow them across the island to the East and all arrive together. Rather than going North toward Speightstown and crossing at the road to Farley Hill and the Wildlife Reserve, we went South to Warrens and then took a left to the East Coast. This is where, one could say, we took a wrong turn, literally. We found ourselves driving through fields of sugar cane, on small farming roads, zig-zagging through different parishes, trying to get to the hotel. We came to a crossroads where we did not recognize one street name and had no idea what direction we were going. We aimed for the sea and took a turn. Feeling like we were getting close, we turned to cross a bridge that would take us directly in front of the hotel. Excitement was soon dashed when we found that the bridge was closed for repair and we would have to retrace our path and cross at some other location. The truth is, there are not too many ways to cross the island. Miss one and you just might find yourself meandering through the mountains, taking twists and turns and hoping that your Hired "H" car does not draw too much attention.
This trip usually takes about 20 minutes. Forty-five minutes into this particular route and Lily had to pee. We stopped our mini-caravan, unstrapped Lily from her space chair/car seat and ran to the woods where she immediately got stage fright. We got back in the car and Lily promptly fell asleep. Virginie was now sitting on my lap in the front seat after shrieking for 15 straight minutes in her own space chair. When we finally arrived about an hour and ten minutes after departing the West Coast, Lily was asleep, Virginie was in desperate need of a diaper change and everyone was starving.
Whisked immediately to a table, we ordered drinks and a bottle of rose to be served with the meal and hit the buffet. It was a lovely afternoon. A beautiful restaurant with local and standard brunch fare and good company. Lily and Virginie behaved themselves to the best of their abilities and ate well. The view of the Atlantic Ocean was lovely. Choppy waves and small boats dancing in the surf. A nice change for a Sunday afternoon.
The drive home was considerably less dramatic much to my relief, and everyone, satiated, and contented went to bed that evening early with full bellies.
(c)copyright 2010. Citymominthejungle
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