There’s definitely something to be said about breathing fresh air in the Blue Mountains. SO inhaled that much deeper at the Mount Edge Guest house in the breathtakingly beautiful mountainous region of Newcastle, St Andrew, where we found ourselves recently. From the balcony of the main house, with hands firmly planted on our hips, we gazed in amazement at the bounty stretched out before our eyes. Offset by the open blue skies dotted with billowing clouds, we took silent satisfaction in our tranquil environment. No traffic congestion, concrete jungles, or pesky familiar noises and distractions. Just us communing with Mother Nature!

The Mount Edge Guest house, which became operational in the late ’90s, is a remote getaway for a steady stream of bohemian backpacking foreign visitors (and occasional locals) in search of a not-so-traditional vacation. The guest house and its newly opened, French-styled eatery EITS Café are operated by Michael Fox and daughter Robyn, who tells SO that while guests come from every corner of the globe, the property attracts a hearty share of Europeans. We descend a flight of steps to find guests congregated and in discussion on the balcony of the main house; the more adventurous of them go bicycling up and down the narrow Newcastle road; mostly, the guests seem in chill mode.

Staying true to the adage of ‘When in Rome…’ we kick up our heels a bit, too. Lunchtime is at hand and our host graciously seats us. Our five-course meal is plated with stylish aplomb, and we await each dish with heightened expectancy. We unanimously rave about every course (from eggs florentine topped with an ackee sauce, to the chicken roulade with crushed sweet potatoes) whipped up by resident chef Robert Thunder who uses ingredients reaped mainly from farmlands in the Newcastle community.

It’s a day out we’re loving so much, time seems to stand still. We fill our lungs once again in an attempt to take it all in…