Marcia Mayne travels a world full of books, music, art, fun people and great food. She raves about them constantly. Currently, she is journeying through Jamaica, her home country, to discover the places she missed.
Newcastle was established by the British as a military center in 1840. It is now used as a training camp for soldiers and recruits of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF).
The location, in the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, was chosen by Major General Sir William Gomm, the lieutenant governor of Jamaica at the time, who noted that yellow fever, a major cause of death among British troops, occurred less frequently in the cool of the mountains. And it does get cool. It’s about 10-15 degrees cooler than in most of the island and there’s sometimes snow and ice in the higher elevations in the winter months.
Parade square at NewcastleRed roofed barracks at Newcastle station
Newcastle has a parade ground, named for the major general, barracks, a cemetery, and several buildings. A sentry is usually posted at the entrance and as the main road, from Kingston to points east, goes through the parade ground, you’re likely the company doing their normal activities. One morning, it was recruits being put through their paces, another day, the national netball team was in training.
Life at Newcastle isn’t meant to be easy for recruits and soldiers. I’ve read that back when the British troops used it as a base, they would march the 12 or so miles from Kingston, which is at sea level, 4,000 feet up the winding mountain road – with their gear.
Part of the Sir Wm. Gomm parade square
Vehicles arriving from Kingston enter the square here and pass through the compound to Holywell Park and other points east, like Portland.
Newcastle cemetery with gravestones dating to the 1800s
I plan to return to Newcastle when I can do the climb as I’d love to see more of it and from other angles.
This is my submission to Travel Photo Thursday, which is organized by Nancie at Budget Travelers Sandbox. Be sure to head over and check out more photos from locations around the world.
Lucas the lion was the talk of the town last week. The four year old African lion arrived at Hope Zoo in Kingston the week before from his home at the Monterey Zoo.
Many of the animals at Monterey are trained to perform in Hollywood. Lucas, apparently, was too “aggressive” to be trained but instead of keeping him at the zoo as is the normal practice, Charlie Sammut, his former owner, donated him to Hope. Sammut, who was seen with zoo officials near Lucas’ enclosure the day I visited, is helping the lion settle into his new home.
When I heard that Lucas had been described as aggressive, I said to myself, he’d fit right into Jamaica. As a side note, the previous lion at Hope was named Scrappy but I’m not sure if he was called that because it described his personality.
Lucas was on his side, when I arrived, his back to the world, quite oblivious to the hubbub that was going on just beyond the fence of his home, which was decked out in yellow ‘caution’ tape. As I joined the small knot of children and adults, a zoo employee standing near the cage announced that Lucas was sleeping. I noticed then that everyone was staring straight ahead, as if willing Lucas to wake up.
Lucas waking up after his nap
“Lucas sleeping?” a boy asked.
Before the employee could reply, someone put in words the thought in head, “It must be the heat.”
It was about 86 F but felt more like 100 F, even in the shade.
“Yes,” she replied. “Just think about how you’d react if you went to London in the winter. You’d need time to adjust to the cold, right?”
“Yes, Miss,” a little voice replied sheepishly.
Just then, a group of about twenty chattering and excited school children, no more than 9 years old, approached. They walked in an orderly line two by two, each boy’s hand loosely holding a girl’s, their teacher walking behind them.
As they neared the enclosure, the zoo employee put her index finger to her lips.”Shhhh, Lucas is sleeping.”
Getting used to his new home and climate
“But he should know heat, he’s from California,” someone shouted bringing us back to the original exchange.
“Well,” the employee started out slowly as if searching for the right words to appease the disconcerted group, “the climate where Lucas was is very different from here. He traveled several hours in a cage and needs time to adjust to our climate. He needs to sleep so he can be active when you come to see him.”
“What you mean adjust?” a woman asked roughly. “I come all the way from St. Elizabeth (about a 3 hour drive) and he sleeping? Wake him up! Luuu-cas!”
“Please don’t wake the lion, Ma’am. He needs to rest.”
“Lucas need company,” a man said emphatically. The woman he was with glared at him. “No, is true. If him get a female, him will liven up.”
The kids, disappointment written all over their faces, walked away. Soon, there was only the employee and me. We chatted for a little then she moved closer and whispered conspiratorially, “Lucas got a cut from the cage and it was infected so we tranquilized him to take care of it. That’s why he’s sleeping.”
As we talked, I noticed Lucas’ tail flick. He moved his head, then pulled himself up slowly to rest on his front paws.
A few children who were nearby saw him and hurried to the fence. One of the women who’d been in the group also saw and moved quickly to take up a position, her little boy in tow. “Don’t pass the crime scene tape,” I heard her say to him.
We watched Lucas come to life. He looked around, shook his head as if to dislodge something from his thick mane then looked off in the distance, not even acknowledging us. Yes, I thought to myself as I walked away. He’s perfect for Jamaica. He’s already acting like our politicians.
In Jamaica, a traditional breakfast, sometimes called a country breakfast, is substantial. It usually includes some of the following: green bananas, Johnny Cakes also known as fried dumplings, roasted or fry-roasted breadfruit, fried plantains, bammie (a flat bread made from cassava), and yam and either ackee and saltfish, saltfish and callaloo, mackerel, fried fish, pork, or liver.
Traditional Breakfast offered at a special tour of Appleton Estate
A traditional breakfast in Jamaica can sometimes mean porridge made from bananas, cornmeal, plantains, oats.
This particular traditional breakfast included green bananas (on the left, they don’t look green though), dumplings (the two round items on the right), callaloo (green, from the spinach family), ackee and saltfish (yellow), and mackerel (between the bananas and the ackee).
Of course, a traditional breakfast such as this takes time to prepare so nowadays it’s more often done on weekends or purchased from restaurants and cookshops. And a breakfast like this will stay with you all day.
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I’ve never been interested in meeting famous people but I would have given a vital body part to have met Nelson Mandela or failing that, hear him speak in person.
Photo of Mandela on a banner at Victor Verser Prison
The closest I’ve come is a visit to a few of the places that will always be connected to him and to his “ideal of a democratic and free society” for which he declared in 1964, that he was “prepared to die.”
Mandela statue outside Victor Verser Prison
“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
–Excerpted from Nelson Mandela’s statement from the dock at the opening of his trial on charges of sabotage, Supreme Court of South Africa, Pretoria, April 20 1964.
We don’t hear anyone anymore state so openly that they are prepared to die for their beliefs – and mean it. So many of us are motivated more by money than by our beliefs. People like Mandela could be a dying breed.
I don’t remember how old I was when I became aware of Nelson Mandela. But I lived in a country that in 1950, before I was even born, had called for a ban on imports from South Africa as a way of protesting the “segregation policy” that was adopted by the government in 1948.
And by 1957, before Jamaica had even gained her own independence from Britain, the government had banned all trade with South Africa, becoming the first country to do so.
I don’t remember when I became aware of Mandela but his commitment to his ideal made me feel deep respect and pride in being black. The rest of us play at being courageous, fearless and principled. Mandela embodied it. He was our hero and we embraced him as if he had been born on Jamaican soil.
At university in Canada, I got involved in fundraising, attended lectures when speakers were able to get out, and educated myself about the ‘struggle.’ My cohorts and I knew the activists and in our discussions, referred to them by their first names – Walter (Sisulu), Oliver (Tambo), Joe (Slovo), Steve (Biko), Chris (Hani), Robert (Sobukwe), Hector (Pieterson), Nelson and Winnie. We carried passbooks, the identification card that black South Africans were required to carry when they ventured outside their homelands, and words like intransigent, which was used to describe the apartheid regime, became part of the vocabulary of the struggle.
Mandela’s Robben Island cell
By the time I moved to Washington, DC, the boycott of South Africa had picked up steam as celebrities showed up daily to be arrested.
Like the fall of the Berlin Wall, I never believed I’d live to see apartheid dismantled and Mandela released from jail. My heart filled with pride when I saw him raise his clenched fist as he exited Victor Verser Prison with Winnie.
Nelson Mandela’s Cell at Robben Island
Several times during the ferry ride to Robben Island, I swallowed lumps in my throat. I didn’t want to cry. Despite the efforts of our jovial tour guide, an older South African woman sitting in a seat across the aisle from me wept openly as our bus neared the prison. When we saw the house where Robert Sobukwe was confined in solitary and away from the general population, I fought back tears.
As my friends and I arrived at the cell where Mandela spent 18 years, the words of Bob Marley’s song, Duppy Conquerer, floated into my head.
The bars could not hold me / Force could not control me, now / They try to keep me down / But Jah put I around / Yes, I’ve been accused (many times) / And wrongly abused, now / But through the powers of the most-high / They’ve got to turn me loose.
We felt rooted to a spot just outside Mandela’s cell. I remember staring at the place on the floor where Madiba would have slept on a few blankets for all those years and felt a wave of anger bubbling up inside me.
Cold ground was my bed last night – Bob Marley
How could we treat each other so horribly?
That Mandela held no bitterness is a testament to the person he is. But it wasn’t just Mandela. Our guide, a former prisoner at Robben Island, also held no rancor. His face was serene, his voice soft with no hint of bitterness. When I asked why he came back to a place so horrific, he said he and other former prisoners wanted to tell their story. At the end of the tour, I reached for his hand to thank him but my words dissolved into tears as the years of hurt and pain locked in those grey walls came rushing out. I sobbed uncontrollably.
Watching and Waiting. Time to Let Mandela Go
For days now, I’ve been watching the news anxious for any tidbit of information on Madiba’s condition, torn between wanting him to pull through to celebrate one last birthday (his 95th) and accepting that it’s time now for us to let him go.
Years of unspeakable hardships – physical, emotional, psychological – have taken their toll. Nelson Mandela has done his part. It’s time for him to rest and for those who remain to carry on his legacy.
When the news reported that Mandela was in critical condition, I emailed my friends who visited Soweto, Robben Island, and Victor Verser Prison with me. One wrote back that she was “happy to have walked in Mandela’s footsteps.” So am I.
Despite still nursing a broken ankle, last weekend I accepted an invitation to brunch and a drive up into the mountains to Holywell Recreational Park (pronounced Hollywell), a 25-acre park that is part of the Blue and John Crow Mountains.
Holywell EntranceMist on the mountainView of the groundsFlowers and mountain
Holywell is located about 3,000 feet above sea level and about an hour’s drive from Kingston. The drive takes you up mountain roads that are narrow, winding, potholed and not very well signposted, through communities like Strawberry Hill, Gordon Town, Irish Town, Craigton, Redlight, Hardwar Gap, and Newcastle. It’s a ride that’s definitely not for the faint of heart or anyone who gets carsick. The views, however, are spectacular and with temperatures about 10 degrees cooler than in Kingston, it’s the perfect summertime escape.
Cleome
Holywell Recreational Park is a nature lover’s domain with several species of ferns, wild raspberries, cheeseberries, epiphytes, nasturtiums, impatients, trees such as the Blue Mahoe (the national tree), Caribbean Pine, and Milkwood, and several species of endemic birds.
Cup + Saucer flower, local name
It’s the perfect place to go to escape the hustle and bustle and heat of the city. At Holywell, you can hike any of the five trails – Blue Mahoe, Oatley Mountain, Waterfall, Shelter, and Wag Water/Dick’s Pond – that go from easy to moderately difficult and can take from 20 to 90 minutes to complete.
Hydrangea
For those who want to stay over, Holywell Recreational Park offers three furnished cabins – the Cupressus (2 bedrooms), Hotlips (one bedroom with 2 single beds), and Mountain Yacca (studio with 2 single beds) – with all amenities, including fireplaces (it gets very cold, by Jamaican standards, in the mountains). The only drawback is that you have to book at least a month in advance.
Visitor Center
In addition, there’s a discovery zone where kids can play and learn about wildlife, camping facilities, visitor center, picnic areas, a plant nursery and a parking lot.
One of the guides showed us cheese and raspberries that grow wild in the park. The cheeseberries, as they’re known locally, are a bit sweeter than the raspberries, and the raspberries are a brighter red than what I’m used to seeing in the US.
CheeseberriesRaspberries
I definitely plan to return to Holywell when my ankle’s stronger and I can tackle the trail. Even though I couldn’t move around as I wanted to, I enjoyed the view of the mountains, the flowers, the refreshing air and cooler temperature.
Particulars for Holywell Recreational Park:
Entrance: $5.00 (adults) / $2 (children)
Cabins: $50 or $70, depending on cabin size
Oatley Mountain Trail Guided Tour: $5
Camping: $5 per person/night
This is my submission to Travel Photo Thursday, which is organized by Nancie at Budget Travelers Sandbox. Be sure to head over and check out more photos from locations around the world.
Looking up at a breadfruit tree laden with fruit, I heard an older gentleman remark to no one in particular, that it’d be a rough year. Breadfruit, he continued, as if revealing some truism that was lost to this younger generation, is always plentiful during hard times.
His words echoed in my head each time I noticed tree after tree that was covered in the slightly oval fruit that grows to the size of a large grapefruit. And as the value of the Jamaican currency fell to unprecedented levels against the US dollar this month, I began to wonder whether this abundance of breadfruit might really be a harbinger of hard times.
Maybe now, I thought, that prices on basic food items begin to creep upwards and salaries that have stayed flat buy less and less at the supermarket, its time to turn to this nutritious, and often overlooked food.
Breadfruit
How the Breadfruit Came to Jamaica
The breadfruit was brought to Jamaica in 1793 by Captain William Bligh of the unfortunate HMS Bounty, precisely because it was considered an inexpensive and nutritious way to feed the large number of slaves who worked the island’s then numerous sugar plantations.
Bligh, an experienced navigator, who had lived near Lucea, Hanover from 1784-7, had sailed ships of sugar and rum from the island to England while he was in his uncle-in-law’s employ.
His ill-fated expedition to the South Pacific to bring back breadfruit and other plants ended in the now infamous mutiny in which Bligh not only lost his ship, he also lost the specimens he had collected.
He and 18 of his trusted crew were given a small boat which Bligh piloted 3,618 miles to Timor aided only by a quadrant and pocket watch, and his memory of charts he had seen. On his return to England, he was promoted to captain and in 1791, returned to Tahiti on the Providence for more fruit.
It was from this shipment that Bligh delivered specimens to the island of St. Vincent and Jamaica’s Bath Botanical Gardens in St. Thomas, and Bluefields in Westmoreland.
Breadfruit storyboard, Hanover Museum, Jamaica
Today, hundreds of varieties of breadfruit can be found in nearly 90 countries from the Pacific Islands, to Southeast Asia to the Caribbean and Central America. Left untouched, a tree can grow to about 85 feet, and yield between 150-200 fruits each year. One hundred grams of fruit has 27 grams of carbohydrates, 70 grams of water, as well as vitamins, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and other minerals.
Traditional breakfast, a slice of fried roasted breadfruit on the right. Max Jamaica Restaurant, NJ
While the easily grown trees, with its distinctive large, cut leaves, flourished in Jamaica, it took more than 40 years for the breadfruit — the taste is sometimes described as a cross between a potato and a plantain — to become popular to the local palate. Now, every household has at least one tree in its backyard and breadfruit or breshay is a staple of our diet, eaten at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even as a snack.
It is baked, fried, boiled, jerked, roasted and juiced. We also make chips, porridge, dumplings, salads, fritters, cakes, muffins and puddings from this almost year-round fruit all the while being mostly oblivious to the story behind their introduction to the island.
Given a choice, I take breadfruit over rice every time. A few slices of the young breadfruit give soups ‘body.’ The ‘fit’ breadfruit, when boiled is soft enough to be mashed like potato and eaten with butter. The ripe or slightly ripe better yet a yellow heart breadfruit is mandatory for roasting.
For the unlucky few who don’t have a tree in their backyards, breadfruit can usually be found in local markets. Roasting breadfruit is typically higher in price. Depending on location, they are between $0.50 and $1.00, and between $0.30 and $0.70 for boiling.
One of my favorite breadfruit recipes is baked breadfruit stuffed with ackee and saltfish.
Baked Breadfruit Stuffed with Ackee and Saltfish
Prepare ackee and saltfish, as shown below, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the stem from a medium breadfruit, rub with butter or brush with olive oil, and wrap in aluminum foil. Bake breadfruit for 35-45 minutes or until tender. Test whether a knife or skewer inserted into the breadfruit comes out clean.
Remove the breadfruit’s core (heart), stuff with salt fish and ackee. Rub more butter or olive oil on the outside and return to the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes. Let cool then cut breadfruit in half. Garnish and serve.
Ackee and Saltfish
1/2 lb Saltfish (dried, salted codfish)
12 fresh ackees or 1 (drained) can of tinned ackees
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 Scotch Bonnet pepper
1 sweet pepper, for garnish (optional)
1 chopped tomato
1 sprig fresh thyme
Oil for frying
Soak saltfish overnight or boil to remove the salt. Drain. If boiled, let it cool before removing and discarding the skin and bones. Flake the fish. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Saute onions until transparent then add chopped tomato, pepper and thyme. Add saltfish and mix with onions, tomato, pepper. Fold in ackees and stir gently so the ackees stay whole. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, garnish with sweet pepper or use as stuffing for baked breadfruit.
This is my submission to Travel Photo Thursday, which is organized by Nancie at Budget Travelers Sandbox. Be sure to head over and check out more photos and stories from locations around the world.
I don’t like group getaways. There are too many personalities to contend with, too many logistical issues to manage, and no matter how carefully you plan, someone’s fragile ego always gets bruised.
However, a few years ago, when my best friend announced to family and friends that she wanted to celebrate an upcoming milestone birthday in South Africa, I knew that for her sake, I’d have to set aside my hang ups about group getaways.
I was lucky. By the time the real planning for the trip rolled around, there were only three of us – the birthday girl and a new friend, who’d been out with us a few times to concerts and dinners, and me.
S.A. singer, Lorraine Klaasen at one of our Group Getaway Planning Meetings
Although my friend and I had taken short trips together, neither of us had traveled with our new friend. I wondered secretly what 2 ½ weeks of being in close proximity to each other would do to our friendships, especially when, to control costs, we’d decided where possible, to share a room.
At our first planning meeting for the trip, we discussed our quirks and pet peeves and each person listed their deal breaker behaviors. We also decided on a few ground rules: each of us had to make a three-item must-see/do list, and since we were a small group, we decided to participate in all nine activities, even if an item from someone’s list wasn’t of interest.
That rule might sound unfair but it was a brilliant idea, one that got us out of our comfort zones. It’s how the birthday girl and I ended up at a safari camp in Zimbabwe ooohing and aaahing over exotic animals we’d only seen on National Geographic television.
Since we were hitting three cities in South Africa, each of us took on the responsibility of planning a leg of the trip, from deciding which tour company to use, where to stay, to what to do on our infrequent free days, etc.
It took us a little more than a year to pull the trip together, and during that time, we were in constant communication via email, phone, and face-to-face meetings, usually over dinner at a South African restaurant. We discussed every aspect of the trip and shared whatever information we found on our own.
Not surprisingly, the meetings to plan the trip brought us closer than we’d been before. But no amount of bonding can change people’s personalities, and no matter how much you prepare to accommodate another’s idiosyncrasies, it always is a jar to the senses when you discover what they are.
Freezing at 9000′ Sani Pass, near Lesotho
While no one had a melt down during the eighteen-day trip, there were a few times when I felt ready to close my fingers around someone’s neck, and many times I was rubbed the wrong way by someone’s attitude. In the end, I realized that I could obsess about minor things, miss the beauty in front of me and mar the overall experience, or relax. After all, it was a vacation, not a marriage.
Planned carefully, a group getaway doesn’t have to be a disaster. Here are some tips from our trip that, I believe, not only helped us have a very memorable vacation, but have kept our friendship intact.
Have an organizer: Every group getaway must have an organizer – someone who’s very meticulous, has excellent communication skills, knows how to handle different personalities, can plan and delegate.
Plan is more than a 4-letter word: Plan as much as possible beforehand to ensure your group getaway is a success. Know each day’s activities in detail and make sure everyone else does too.
Know each person’s objective/s: Find out why participants want to be part of the group getaway and what activity they’d like to engage in. Getting each person to identify their ‘must-sees’ ensures that each person’s interests are addressed. Since our group was small, and we mostly liked the same things, it was easy for us to do things together.
Be inclusive: The best way to get participants invested in the success of the group getaway, is to include everyone. In our case, we were 3 people visiting 3 different cities so it was simple enough to plan. For larger group getaways, break the trip down into activities, cities, countries, etc., and make subgroups responsible for each segment.
Set deadlines: To ensure that you have a successful group getaway, it’s not only important to set deadlines for the payment of fees, but also to obtain information. For example, before you book a hotel, you’ll need to know that Uncle John wants a room with an ocean view.
Keep communication open: When it’s difficult to get together in person, use email, telephone, Skype, Google Hangouts, etc., to keep communication lines open.
Discuss pet peeves: Find out as much as you can about the person you’re sharing a room with. Understand that you might have to put up with behaviors that are different from your own but remember, it’s only for a short period.
Have fun! The whole reason to plan a group getaway is to gather friends, family, etc., together to share an experience and have fun. Once the trip begins, that should be the only thing on the agenda.
What are your suggestions for keeping your friendships intact as you explore the world with your friends?
This post is part of Boomer Travel Women’s Group Getaways blog carnival. Head over to More Time to Travel to read about more group adventures.
Cyprus has both beautiful scenery and a fascinating history. The island is full of picturesque villages, vineyards and beach resorts. If you’re looking to visit some exciting historical attractions and relax on a sandy beach, Paphos is the perfect location. With year-round sunshine and warm seawater, this area is a popular destination for tourists. The region’s natural attractions are particularly stunning with Paphos Forest, the Akamas Peninsula and the Troodos Mountains all waiting to be explored.
Paphos is known for its top-class resorts and excellent holiday facilities. The Athena Beach Hotel is a prime example, combining a fantastic beachfront location and sea-views with modern facilities and high-quality service. This hotel is situated in a convenient location close to the main tourist area of Paphos and is just 50 metres away from a selection of bars and restaurants.
If you’re looking for a good-priced deal, the hotel offers all-inclusive packages where food, drink and accommodation are covered in the price of your stay. Book through Jet2Holidays and you could save some money as they offer great prices on package deals. Cyprus is a wonderful place to stay this summer with its sunny weather and well-priced resorts.
What makes Paphos unique is its incredible world-famous archaeological sites like the Greco-Roman mosaics and medieval castle. The entire area is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and is set to be the European Capital of Culture in 2017 – so visit this summer before the crowds start arriving! During your holiday, make sure you check out the Tomb of the Kings, a impressive collection of rock tombs dating from the ancient Hellenistic and Roman period. These tombs belonged to noblemen and are considered to be historically important because of their unusual design. The Archaeological Museum is another popular attraction that will shed some light on the area’s rich history.
A visit to Cyprus can take you from the island’s historic crumbling fortresses and stunning Roman remnants to its modern, chic holiday facilities meaning you can get the best of both worlds! Once you have exhausted the historical sites and the sandy beaches, why not indulge in a hot-stone massage at one of Paphos’ popular spas. The Opium Health Spa is a particularly luxurious place to visit if you really need some pampering. No matter how low or high your budget is, Cyprus is the perfect place to escape to this summer.
The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. – Jacques Cousteau
I love the beach. I love the sea, I love looking at it, being near it, and being in it. I love the sounds of the waves, whether they’re lapping gently or crashing to the shore.
Sunrise at Boston Beach
The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea. — Isak Dinesen
I didn’t realize how important being near water was to me until some years ago. I was restless and out of sorts. Nothing I tried brought me back to myself. Then my best friend reminded me that we hadn’t gone to the beach at all that summer. It was November and cold so I bundled up, hopped on the train and took myself to Coney Island.
Morning at Boston Beach
I still remember crossing the boardwalk, stepping onto the sand and hearing the roar of the sea. It stirred something so deep inside, I began to sob, then weep uncontrollably. A light rain had started to fall but I didn’t care. I found a huge rock near the water’s edge and sat for hours watching the waves grow larger and larger as the approached the shore, then become smaller and smaller as they receded. By the time I left, I felt at peace. I felt whole again. Since then, I never go for more than a few weeks without going to the beach. Being able to see the sea or having access to it is as important to me as how many bedrooms I have.
Negril boats
It’s been more than a month since I’ve been to the beach and I’m getting antsy. A fractured ankle has kept me away from home and my daily view of the sea from my back porch. Now my thoughts are filled with images of beaches I’ve been and ones I’m yet to explore.
Mobay Beach
I can’t wait to rid my ankle of its bandages, sink my toes into the warm sand and dip them into the cool water.
On Jamaica’s north coast
The day I took this photo, the sea was so choppy along the coast, Falmouth-bound ships were redirected to Montego Bay. I was surprised to see how flat it was here, as flat as glass.
If you’re lucky enough to be at the beach, you’re lucky enough. Unknown
Treasure BeachFootball near the seaSunset boats
As much as I love the sea, I doubt I’d want to be a fisherman.
Waiting for the sun to set
This is the life!
Sunset at Rick’s Cafe
Some people can’t live without the mountains, I can’t live without the sea.
Mountain or sea, which are you?
This is my submission to Travel Photo Thursday, which is organized by Nancie at Budget Travelers Sandbox. Be sure to head over and check out more photos from locations around the world.
For even more travel photos, please check out Becca’s Friday Daydreaming series at Rwethereyetmom. Hope to see you there!
Summer Beach Bag Giveaway –
In celebration of summer and the beach, I’m giving away a beach bag to one lucky winner. Enter by June 8th by leaving a comment, tweeting about the giveaway #beachbaggiveaway or liking us on Facebook. It’s that easy. Unfortunately, the giveaway is open only to addresses in the United States. Good luck!
“When life gives you rocks,”Ahhh…Ras Natango Gallery and Garden‘s Tamika Williams said, “you make a rock garden!” That’s exactly what Tamika and her husband Ian Williams did with the half acre property they bought 25 years ago. Now, it’s a beautiful garden and gallery, a prominent eco-tourism spot in the small community of Camrose, near Montego Bay, and a fine example of “community tourism” at work.
The idea behind community tourism, which was pioneered in 1978 by local tourism consultant, Diana McIntyre-Pike and Desmond Henry, a former director of tourism, is to use tourism to promote sustainable development in rural areas by bringing visitors to communities where they wouldn’t normally go so that they’d explore and enjoy local resources and talent and meet Jamaicans where they live.
I visited Ahhh….Ras Natango Gallery and Garden earlier this year and heard from Ian and Tamika how they had transformed their piece of rock into their own idea of paradise on earth and got the community of Camrose involved by employing young people, working with the local schools by teaching students art, crafts, how to tend a garden and the benefits of composting. Their story is one of courage and determination, despite the odds, to breathe life into a vision.
I wrote about the couple and their garden yesterday but I wanted to share some of the flowers and other items I saw for today’s Travel Photo Thursday. Enjoy!
“Who takes a hillside and turns it into this?” Tamika Williams
Terraced walkway at Ahhh…Ras Natango Gallery and Garden
When I asked Tamika what the garden had taught her, she responded without hesitation that it had shown her how to be patient and gentle, and to appreciate everyone. “You can’t appreciate the rose,” she said with a twinkle in her eye, “without accepting the thorns.”
Roses are redPhalaenopsis OrchidFlowers on the stairsQueen Achmea BromeliadLizzieFairy villa
Rock painting of three of the eighteen endemic species that can be seen at Ahhh…Ras Natango Garden and Gallery. Twenty-four species are endemic to Jamaica.
Jamaican MangoJamaican WoodpeckerOrange QuitCaught between a rockA Gentle Lion
Ahhh…Ras Natango Gallery and Garden is located in Camrose, St. James, about 20 minutes from Montego Bay. Entrance $30. A free shuttle service is available from town. Hours – 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays; on weekends by appointment only. 876-578-2582.
This is my submission to Travel Photo Thursday, which is organized by Nancie at Budget Travelers Sandbox. Be sure to head over and check out more photos from locations around the world.
