Hemsidan senast uppdaterad: 2026-05-15

Goldeneye eller: Om du inte åker kommer du att ångra det resten av ditt liv! Del 3 av 4

Av: Kevin Koltz
Publicerad:
2026-04-12
Goldeneye, Jamaica, Kevin Koltz, exclusive, article, part 3
From Sweden with Love contributor Kevin Koltz, our man in New York, returns with Part 3 of 4 of an exclusive article series for the FSWL website about his memories from visiting Goldeneye (now named The Fleming Villa) in Jamaica in 1989. (Don't miss Part 1, Part 2 and Part 4 of this article series.)

Daytripping

Hey Driver, Where We Going? I Swear My Nerves Are Showing – The Living Daylights (1987)


After a couple of days thoroughly enjoying the beach and the property, and nights of intense conversation over Red Stripes into the wee small hours of the morning, it was time to venture out. The call of Ocho Rios was just too strong to resist. One could also make the argument that the Isuzu Mark I was feeling neglected. During the day it was time to see the sites, which for half of us “sites” was code for “Bond Locations.” Once the sun went down it was time for more “Bond Locations,” only these had entertainment and served cocktails.

Jamaica was not my first experience searching out where the Bond films were shot. Having moved to the East Coast in 1987, that distinction falls on the Manhattan locations in Live and Let Die (1973), but let’s get real for a moment. Not to belittle those first locations in Manhattan, we’re talking about Live and Let Die and the film that launched the series here. I won’t kid you. Experiencing the first locations from Dr. No (1962) felt momentous but I kept my excitement in check not wanting to geek out too much around the non-rabid fans in the group.

Ocho Rios, Shell, Jamaica, 1989
Shell sign in Ocho Rios, Jamaica in 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

Reynold's Bauxite Docks and Kaiser Terminal, the actual Bauxite facility representing Crab Key, was our first stop. Getting shots from Ocho Rios Fort was relatively simple but with an “S Blade” bulldozer (“S” for short/small) moving around the Bauxite, the facility was functional so getting closer was not advised.

Reynold's Bauxite Docks, Kaiser Terminal, Jamaica, 1989
The Reynold's Bauxite Docks and Kaiser Terminal in 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

It looked very much like it had when the Bond unit shot there in early 1962. Completely in jest, I nudged one of our other “rabid” fans saying, “Wouldn’t it be great if explosions started going off on that pier now?”

Reynold's Bauxite Docks, Jamaica, 1989
The Reynold's Bauxite Docks in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

Today, the look of the area no longer resembles Dr. No. Kaiser Aluminum sold its 49% stake in the Kaiser Jamaica Bauxite Company in 2004 ending Kaiser Terminal. It is now Jamaica Bauxite Mining Limited and not without its benefits and controversy. Seems limestone is currently the new bauxite. Limestone exports, having tripled over the last few years, have the local economy more on track but residents and environmentalists are concerned about irreparable damage to the area. Reynolds Pier, also known as James Bond Pier, has been expanded into a multipurpose facility serving as a dock for both cargo ships handling that limestone and cruise ships. Now if you want to give me a little grief for my “explosions” joke previously, in my research about Ocho Rios today I came across a website called Guava Jelly Guide. They think the same thing, going as far as to say, “...they should really set off closely rigged explosions and a few rounds of gunfire to give disembarking cruise ship visitors a more spectacular sense of being in the movie.” So... great minds.

Before leaving Reynold’s facility we had one more location to acknowledge -- Port Royal Road. This is where Bond in Dr. No makes a turn driving to the Blue Mountain home of Miss Taro (played by Zena Marshall). Seeing that the road is just off the exit to Ocho Rios Fort, getting a photo is easy. The external scenes of Bond’s visit to the villa of Miss Taro were filmed at the Grand Lido Sans Souci Hotel.

Port Royal Road, Jamaica, 1989
Port Royal Road in 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

We would be going to the Sans Souci later in the evening, but our Group Leader forewarned us to keep our expectations in check because like the hotel, the Taro Villa had been redesigned out of recognition relating to Dr. No, but the property still looked very much like it did in Live and Let Die.

Another frustratingly close location that we could not experience was the Laughing Waters Beach at Roaring River where the iconic scene of Honey Ryder emerging from the Caribbean Sea in white bikini and knife belt was filmed. This spectacularly beautiful beach is nearly as difficult to visit today as it was in 1989 when it was most definitely restricted “Private Property.” In 1972 private ownership of the property was transferred to the Jamaican Government to be managed by the St. Ann Development Corporation (SADCo) and its parent the Urban Development Corporation (UDC). This is the same government body that owns and operates some of the island's most lucrative tourist attractions. They also fell back on restrictions found in the 1956 Beach Control Act which can limit or close the property to the public on the government’s will. While the land above the beach is currently available for weddings and other social event rentals, the actual beach is a different story. There was a period where a registration process was in place to allow beach access, but it was also designed to limit the number of people allowed to set foot on the beach each year for preservation reasons. Then prior to the COVID era, larger groups could reserve the beach for private events for a day provided they secured the beach’s rental with a $500 US refundable deposit and 50% of their actual booking fee. Rates per day were between $2,000 US for 100 guests and increased incrementally to $3,500 US or more for 250 guests, the balance of which was due 90 days prior to a confirmed booking. Since 2023, the beach has remained closed to the public.

You’re probably wondering where I’m going with all this? Here’s the reality. Because of its iconic status, fans who travel will want to see Laughing Waters. On our trip in 1989, a few of us were willing to try sneaking onto the beach ourselves with hopes of not being subjected to gunfire, but rational thoughts prevailed. Now I want to say upfront that I DO NOT recommend nor endorse trespassing on Laughing Waters in any way shape or form. It’s a criminal act so don’t do it! That said, I find it interesting that the only way it seems to experience that beach is to take a dinghy from a boat rental, land on the beach, then sail away before they’re “back with the dogs.” Now how Dr. No is that?

After deciding against Laughing Waters, it was time to move on to an even closer major tourist attraction, Dr. No location and SADCo/UDC managed property -- Dunn’s River Falls.

Dunn’s River Falls, Jamaica, sign, 1989
Dunn’s River Falls and Park sign in 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

If you recall, I mentioned we were all told to pack lightly for the trip. There was one item of my luggage which took up a lot of room that I was looking forward to using, once, then discarding. This would be a pair of white Keds. Hardly the fashion statement that Taylor Swift has made from them today. The Nike Aqua Sock had been introduced in 1989, but it sure wasn’t part of my orbit. The Keds made my pack because our Team Leader made it perfectly clear -- “If you’re doing the falls, you’re bringing shoes.” Go online today and check out the comments by people who try to do it barefoot. “...like walking on golf balls, marbles, Legos and razorblades...” is a personal favorite. Just know that when you get in the water with tennis shoes on, they will immediately fill up with small rock and limestone deposits which will be coming along on your trek up the falls.

Dunn’s River Falls, Jamaica, 1989
Dunn’s River Falls in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

Water shoes being a tighter fit would solve that problem, and they are available for purchase at Dunn’s River Falls today. Bringing your own though is not only advisable... it’s considerably cheaper.

Dunn’s River is a relatively short stream that drops roughly 180 feet (55 m) from its spring water source running 600 feet (180 m) to the Caribbean Sea. The spring water is very rich in calcium and limestone deposits which form sequence living, rebuilding terraces. These terraces act like natural stairs with small vertical lagoons interspersed among the falls. One of these terraces is where 007 and Honey bathe in the falls, but there really is no need to re-enact the scene because the force of the water accomplishes the task for you.

Kevin Koltz, Dunn’s River Falls, Jamaica, 1989
Yours truly at Dunn’s River Falls in 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

Dunn’s River Falls, Jamaica, 1989
Dunn’s River Falls up close in 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

After making the 60-to-90-minute trek to get to the top of the falls (it takes longer the more photos you take) climbers would have found a lush tropical garden area with the river gently rolling through it. At the time you’d swear you’ve gone “Up in the hills down there,” but that actual Live and Let Die location where Bond and Rosie have a picnic is found in Ocho Rios. Today part of this once stunning, natural area is now a mini water park for kids.

Dunn’s River, Jamaica, 1989
Dunn’s River in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

Dunn’s River, Jamaica, 1989
Dunn’s River in 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

The price of progress, I guess. The falls were also used as a filming location for the James Coburn spy craze vehicle In Like Flint (1967) and Cocktail (1988) starring Tom Cruise and remains Jamaica’s number one tourist attraction.

Ocho Rios Nightlife

“Save the darkness, let it never fade away” – The Living Daylights (1987)


The Ruins, Jamaica, restaurant, 1989
Logo for The Ruins restaurant in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

After cleaning up using the restroom facilities and changing rooms at the Falls, we were ready for a night out in Ocho Rios. Our first stop was The Ruins, seen in Live and Let Die as the site of Baron Samedi’s “musical extravaganza.” After we all got done taking photos and doing some of the worst Geoffrey Holder impersonations imaginable, it was time for cocktails and enjoying yet another waterfall.

The Ruins, Jamaica, water falls, 1989
Water falls at the The Ruins restaurant in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

In my opinion, The Ruins sequence in Live and Let Die is of interest for local color and is certainly lot of fun, but it hardly did the location justice. With its multiple falls and gardens, everywhere you turned there was something of interest, and with those falls being so present, there wasn’t a bad seat in the place. To this day it’s one of the most beautiful restaurants I’ve ever experienced. I wish I could comment on the food, but we were there simply for drinks... and more interpretations of a certain 7Up commercial starring the late, great Mr. Holder.

Today unfortunately, The Ruins is permanently closed. In 2011 there was a temporary closure after the St. Ann Health Department found issues with its infrastructure and health concerns. While it reopened and continued until 2019, it was closed permanently after falling into a state of disrepair. In essence, it had become its own namesake.

Next on the agenda for the night was the Sans Souci, which we would frequent a couple more nights on our trip. Even if the hotel had not been a filming location for both Dr. No and Live and Let Die and had not hosted the cast and crew during production on the latter, there was still a serious reason for going there. Our Team Leader and his Significant Other (now wife), having traveled to the area many times, were fans of Sans Souci’s piano player -- Delroy Stephens.

Delroy Stephens, Sans Souci, piano player, 1989
Delroy Stephens playing piano at Sans Souci in 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

Having been the bandleader of Delroy Stephens & The Commandos from 1948 to the early 60’s, particularly around Liverpool in the UK during the 50’s and inducted into the Jamaican Jazz Hall of Fame in 1987, Stephens had serious chops. If you ever saw Bobby Short at Café Carlyle in New York City's Carlyle Hotel, Stephens was in the same league. He served as the Sans Souci’s resident musician from 1968 until about two years before his death in 1995, aged 75. We really didn’t spend much time trying to get pictures of the Sans Souci property. The shop in the hotel where Bond buys the Tarot Cards in Live and Let Die was long gone, but there were a couple of reasons for keeping photos to a minimum. First, saving film. This being well before the cell phone camera era, flash photography didn’t get you much on the grounds after dark.

Sans Souci, property, grounds, 1989
The Sans Souci ground in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

Secondly, Delroy was that good.

Almond Tree, restaurant, Jamaica, logo, 1989
The Almond Tree restaurant logo in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

The Almond Tree was our final stop that evening -- Tuesday, October 17, 1989. I bring up the exact date because something historically significant happened that night and we witnessed it on the Almond Tree’s satellite TV screens. Before we get to that shaky event, another shaky event, the actual reason for going to The Almond Tree in the first place, needs to be defined. It’s a lovely property, but the swinging bar seats in the Hibiscus Room were the main attraction. They were fun. They were wonderful. They were iconic. They were swings... and they were dangerous.

Almond Tree, Hibiscus Room, swinging bar seat, Jamaica, 1989
Swinging bar seat in the Hibiscus Room at Almond Tree restaurant in 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

If you looked directly under your rope held seat... you’d see a dark stain. Probably the deposits of red wine and spilt drinks over the years. Thing is, after seeing people flip over backwards and hit the floor, and we did, that stain takes on a more human circulatory remnant quality. Probably the reason the seats were removed somewhere between 2014 and 2015 after the restaurant’s management changed hands.

Due to the spectacular view, a few of us went back the next day to experience the bar at sunset after a day in Ocho Rios to allow for our Team Leader and Significant Other (now wife) to have Goldeneye to themselves for the day to play “Lord and Lady of the Manor.”

Goldeneye, Jamaica, main house, 1989
The Goldeneye main house in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

Goldeneye, Jamaica, ocean view, 1989
Ocean view from Goldeneye in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

It’s that first Tuesday night, however, that remains particularly memorable. After figuring out the best way to balance ourselves in the swings and chatting up a Swedish couple that had come into the bar around 8:00pm, our attention drifted up to the start of the US World Series baseball game playing on the television monitors in the bar. This would be Game 3 of the “Battle of the Bay” series between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park. Around 8:04pm Eastern Time, after the broadcast started playing a Series highlight package, the television feed started to go wonky with commentator Al Michaels saying “I'll tell you what, we're having an earth-...” Things went dead and the signal was never restored. It was one of our new friends from Sweden who spoke first. “I think San Franscisco just experienced an earthquake.” We would learn about the Loma Prieta earthquake the next day. The quake killed 67 people and caused more than $5 billion in damages. The fact that most people were already off the roads, having already gone to or avoided the area due to the baseball game, contributed to the loss of life not being greater.

An Evening’s Return to Goldeneye

“Come, my friend. Food and drink and plenty of talk. We will now stop behaving like little boys and be grown-up. Yes?” – Ian Fleming, Risico (1960)


At the time, day or night, we had to be on the lookout for a few things when driving between Oracabessa and Ocho Rios. During the day it was stray animals: Goats, pigs, cows, you name it. During the night it was stray animals and Police Checkpoints. Highly armed Police Checkpoints. In the years to come I’ve experienced checkpoints in countries like Egypt, Isreal, Bosnia and Herzegovina. That first time in Jamaica got my heart racing though. You know you’re alive when an M16 assault rifle is stuck through your window, you just wonder how much longer you’ll remain that way.

Back at Goldeneye, we were all grateful for the staff having prepared a lighter, late dinner to await our return. Despite a very active day, we settled into our evening routine breaking out the Red Stripes and getting into conversations that solved all the world’s problems, but this night we needed to toast our Team Leader and designated driver.

Kevin Koltz, Goldeneye, Jamaica, 1989
Yours truly enjoying Goldeneye in 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

After that checkpoint incident, he more than deserved that toast and the following Wednesday’s solitude where he and his future wife would have Goldeneye to themselves.

Oracabessa Day and Nightlife

“In the evening darkness doesn’t really fall, it rises.” ― Ian Fleming, For Your Eyes Only (1960)


After breakfast and another stellar morning of snorkeling, keenly aware of that Wednesday being the halfway point of the trip for most, Ocho Rios once again beckoned for those vacating Goldeneye temporarily. I requested a slight detour into Oracabessa first. There was a certain postcard that needed mailing.

Ocho Rios, Jamaica, post office, 1989
The Ocho Rios post office building in 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

The afternoon in Ocho Rios was pleasant if uneventful.

Ocho Rios, Jamaica, city view, 1989
Ocho Rios city view in 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

One thing I do remember being memorable was the anger of a costumed local who didn’t like me stiffing him for a photo op. To this day I’m sorry about it, but I only had larger bills and the change from mailing my postcard wasn’t going to cut it with the guy. As mentioned, we also found The Almond Tree to be a completely different animal in the daylight.

The Almond Tree, Jamaica, ocean view, 1989
Ocean view from The Almond Tree in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

With those views it’s not hard to understand why the establishment still exists today. After asking the management to update us on the earthquake the night before, which they did, we drove back to Oracabessa.

I believe (not exactly sure but... believe) our dinner at Goldeneye that night was special. Caribbean Lobster was on the menu (I think). Going back to Kraft Mac & Cheese back home was going to be tough. I do remember the lobster meal not taking long, which is why (I think) it was that Wednesday night. After the lite, late-night dinner the night before, and a bunch of us traipsing around Ocho Rios all day, we were hungry! For the evening’s festivities, staying local made sense… and there was this place.

I’m not sure if our Team Leader knew of it beforehand or if we got curious about it while walking around Oracabessa, but La-Shanka Club and Restaurant turned out to be our go-to local place and one hell of a good time. During the day it was this quiet little restaurant to maybe grab a leisurely bite.

La-Shanka Club and Restaurant, Jamaica, 1989
La-Shanka Club and Restaurant in Ocho Rios, Jamaica in 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

At night however... creatures of the night came out and darkness rose.

La-Shanka’s proprietor was this absolute character named Euca Smalling. In Euca’s place, drinks were cold, cheap and inhibitions were left at the door. I wish I had a photo of Smalling just to prove his existence. I have some blackmail worthy shots of myself and others from inside La-Shanka, but the one photo impossible to get was of Smalling. I was like the Freelance character in Dr. No (played by Marguerite LeWars) trying to get a shot of 007. [Flash] Denied. The place was dark and the man was quick. Finding the bathroom was also an experience. It was in a separate small building outside in the backyard, which back in Wisconsin we called an outhouse when we were being polite. Walking to and from the bathroom you’d hear audio from the bar’s TV set playing reruns of shows like Miami Vice and LA Law, though they were probably first run in Jamaica at the time. That night upon leaving, we found one from our group in the gutter outside just sitting there laughing. That pretty much summed up the place.

Trying to find anything about La-Shanka today feels a little like searching for Keyser Söze. Now for those of you who don’t speak Film Nerd, that’s a reference to The Usual Suspects (1995) and the line, “And like that, (poof). He's gone.” Look it up. THAT you can find.

Firefly

“I console myself with vanished years, Remembered laughter, Remembered tears, And the peace of the changing sea.” – Excerpt from Noel Coward’s last poem, inscribed on a wall at Firefly


Firefly, Jamaica, 1989
Firefly estate sign in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

Since we were in the vicinity of Firefly, the Jamaican home of Ian Fleming’s good friend Sir Noel Coward, we all decided to venture 6 miles (10 km) East to Port Maria to check out the property. Coward loved to lord it over Fleming that his home was superior, calling Fleming’s winter home “Goldeneye, Nose and Throat.” To be honest, Firefly is grander. Much grander. Its elevation and view of the bay and surrounding area of Port Maria is one of the more enviable pieces of property in all of Jamaica.

Firefly, Jamaica, ocean view, 1989
Ocean view from Firefly in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

Fleming took his friend’s jibes in stride knowing his Goldeneye had the one thing Coward truly coveted -- Fleming’s beach.

Coward’s original Jamaican home, Blue Harbor, had a beach, but it’s not hard to imagine Fleming’s initial reaction to the raconteur’s waterfront property eliciting a nice thin-lipped smile through a clinched lit cigarette, a pat on the back and slight chuckle while he turned and walked away exhaling a drag. Blue Harbor posed another problem for Coward. By the mid-1950’s it had become too much of a party destination for famous friends. In 1956 Coward acquired Firefly as a personal retreat and writing sanctuary solving neither problem in the process. Having once been a lookout and eventual home of Sir Henry Morgan (1635-1688), former privateer (re- pirate) and one-time lieutenant governor of Jamaica (re- pirate?) in the late 1600’s, Firefly’s elevation gave it a hell of a view of the ocean but wasn’t ON the ocean. Coward did make it his sanctuary, but it soon became an even bigger party destination.

Celebrity and Royalty that stayed at Firefly reads like a Who’s Who laundry list. Just walking around the place, I could hear any number of famous actresses in my head but one particularly (I know who it really is ) saying something like, ‘Noel... darling… I love the other place, but that view is divinely more caviar friendly.’ If the wrap party for Coward’s penultimate feature film Boom! (1968) (hint... hint) were held at Firefly, and it wasn’t, one can image caviar not making the cut out of embarrassment. Sean Connery was entertained there while making Dr. No and during our visit I remember seeing a photo that has never been published. The staff made sure our cameras weren’t out as we passed to keep it that way.

Whatever personal views one may have regarding Coward, and I personally find him fascinating, the man had taste.

Noel Coward, Firefly, Jamaica, portraits, 1989
Portraits of Noel Coward at the Firefly estate sign in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

From my experience, all the rooms at Firefly radiated a comfy feeling designed for both Coward’s and his guests’ needs, but it’s the kitchen that impressed me.

Firefly, Jamaica, bar, 1989
Bar area at the Firefly estate in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

Compared to the modest culinary enclave at Fleming’s place, Firefly was designed to be both modest for its master’s humble needs, then be turned around on a whim to produce amazingly grand spreads for the hoard of his equally humble friends. I tried to imagine being on the grounds when Coward was holding court. I gave up. I wasn’t worthy.

After the playwright, poet, actor, director and singer’s death on March 26, 1973, he was laid to rest on the property’s great lawn.

Firefly, Jamaica, lawn, 1989
Firefly’s great lawn in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

Before leaving, the six of us made sure to pay our respects. Brief Encounter (1945), the screenplay for which he wrote being based on his 1936 one-act play Still Life, is one of my favorite films and I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity. Seeing the large marble gravestone lying flush in the center of Firefly’s great lawn, I could only admire the man’s exit plan.

Noel Coward, gravestone, Firefly, Jamaica, 1989
Noel Coward gravestone at Firefly in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

It’s a phenomenal resting place. In 1989, the gravestone had a steel gate protecting it. Recent photos found online indicate the gate was removed in the 90’s making it easier for visitors to reflect. In tribute, we performed a little gesture we dubbed “The Noel.” If you are wondering, “The Noel” is a maneuver you stand completely straight thrusting your right arm out. Despite being a lefty, Coward was typically photographed smoking right-handed. You then extend your wrist upward as if clutching a long cigarette holder. Or you could just admire the seated, life-sized bronze statue that the Queen Mother unveiled in 1998 on the property.

Firefly, Jamaica, main house, 1989
The main house at Firefly in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

With Coward’s passing, Firefly was donated to the Jamaican National Heritage Trust in 1978. Following a period of decline and subsequent renovation after the estate was purchased by Chris Blackwell, it opened to the public in the early 80s becoming another of Jamaica’s popular tourist attractions. Unfortunately, the years post Covid epidemic has seen another period of decline. The grounds currently remain closed with the property requiring another renovation.

Firefly, Jamaica, grounds, 1989
The grounds at Firefly in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

After Firefly we decided to have lunch just down the road at the Blue Lagoon Bar & Grill.

Blue Lagoon Bar & Grill, Jamaica, 1989
The Blue Lagoon Bar & Grill in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

Don’t bother looking for it today as it is now the Belretiro Inn. It was barely holding together as the Blue Lagoon Bar & Grill back then. Only its pool’s general shape and proximity to the coast in our photos were a clue to its current incarnation. I suspect today that we had a little confusion on our part then thinking Blue Lagoon was really Blue Harbor. It’s in the general vicinity, but the property at the time being on the Eastern yet Southerly sloping shore of Jamaica, the Blue Lagoon really took a hit from Hurricane Hugo. It wasn’t completely totaled, but close enough. Despite the damage to the restaurant, and with no intended insult to the staff of Goldeneye and incredible meals we had there, our lunch of salads and grilled Red Snapper that we had at Blue Lagoon was surprisingly one of the finest of our entire trip. And like La-Shanka in Oracabessa, its proprietor was as welcoming as he was colorful.

After returning to Goldeneye and hitting the beach hard to get our appetites back for dinner that night, our last at the villa with the staff having the day off Friday, and our last with my cousin before his flight back to the States, we took to the road West once again for a final Delroy set at the Sans Souci.

Delroy Stephens, Sans Souci, Jamaica, 1989
Delroy Stephens at Sans Souci in Jamaica 1989. Copyright © 2026 Kevin Koltz. All rights reserved.

Despite our trip nearing its end, our spirits and energy levels were still flying quite high, so we decided to cap off the night out with another trip to La-Shanka before settling in earlier than usual back at Goldeneye.

Article and pictures by Kevin Koltz. Copyright © 2026 From Sweden with Love. All rights reserved.

Editor's Note:
The author’s personal memories and research are the basis for this exclusive article series. Stay tuned for Part 4 - And Then There Were Five (through) Oh yah... One More Thing - to be published soon.

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