Portland is full of natural wonders and many of them are nearby.

The Rio Grande River is about a half hour drive up into the beautiful hills. Depending on the weather in the Blue Mountains where it originates, it can be clear and crystalline, or else so rough you have to be careful. It is famous for rafting which apparently started being an entertainment at the time that Errol Flynn lived hereabouts. You can book a raft trip starting at Berrydale and coming out in St. Margaret's Bay.

In case you are a potter, there is a big deposit of really clean clay right where those people are bathing in the photo on the right.

The Blue Lagoon: mineral springs feed in to this famous little lagoon. The water is so thick with minerals that it is hard to sink. It is about a fifteen minute drive from the guest house. You can book a boat or raft to go snorkeling or visit Monkey Island from Bobo's friend Timmy.

Reach Falls is in St. Thomas and about an hours drive from our place. It is run by the government and is set in a gorgeous botanical garden. You can get a guide to take you up the river to see all the beautiful pools.

Winifred Beach was left to the people of Port Antonio by a "white lady"of that name. It is a family beach and will often be populated by lots of delighted children on picnics. The government tried to take control of Winifred and there was a court case that they lost. It is managed and kept clean and tidy by the vendors that live and work there. Winifred, my favorite beach, is a mere ten minutes from the guest house.

Frenchman's Cove beach belongs to the small resort of that name. There is a $7 and change fee for a day pass which gives you access to the beach, free wifi all over, a restaurant and waiters that come and set up chairs for you and so forth. It is set in a drop dead beautiful botanical garden and features a crystal clear mineral water river which runs into the sea on the left side of the beach. Frenchman's Cove is about a 15 minute drive from the guesthouse.

Boston Bay is another nearby beach. It is where all the surfer dudes hang out. You can hire them to give you surfing lessons. Boston is also famous as the place of origin of jerk chicken. There are restaurants and night clubs as well as the "surfer dude" beach.

If you'd like to go for a massage and a soak in natural hot water that comes bubbling out of the mountainside then visit Bath Fountain. It is located in St. Thomas about an hour and a half drive away. You can either stay at the government run spa, or negotiate with one of the freelancers who offer treatments in rock pools right where the water comes out of the mountainside.

Robin Hood Guest House is located in the village of Sherwood Forest in Portland Parish in Jamaica. Nonsuch, which is up the road, is "the town that time forgot" but Sherwood Forest is pretty off the beaten track, too. The people around here are largely farmers and grow their own veggies, and raise chickens, goats and cows. There are a lot of tradesmen, too. Lucky for us.