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Donovan took us over this morning to Rose Hall Great House. Our hotel is on what was once the Rose Hall Estate. It's the more well-known of the remaining great houses, accompanied by a sordid past. Dating from the same era, it's most renowned occupant was Annie Palmer who killed three husbands then was murdered by one of her slave lovers.
Rumors of her ghost caused the house to deteriorate for 160 years until an American, John Rollins, poured over $2 million to restore it in the 1960s. Now the rich mahogany woodwork, antiques, and fabric wall coverings make for a beautiful estate, again with a splendid view of the water. A passageway runs from the house to the ocean which meant to afford an escape path for the landowners in case their slaves rebelled. One of the properties originally built by the Barretts was Cinnamon Hill Guest House, owned by Johnny Cash for 45 years. Introduced to Jamaica by his friend Rollins, he even donated some furniture to the restoration of Rose Hall and wrote a song about Annie Palmer.
Donovan then drove us around Montego Bay providing some history and local culture. We sampled naseberry off a tree. They call it kiwi, which it resembles without the fuzz, but tastes much sweeter. Then merengue whose leaves, seed pods and seeds have traditional uses from India to Africa.
The rest of the afternoon we lounged. Our room has a lanai making it pleasant to sit outside in the shade of the afternoon. Dinner was at one of the hotel's restaurants, Three Palms, set on the adjoining golf course.
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