A Return to Seaford Town
Since my first visit to Seaford Town, about a year ago, I've wanted to return - mostly to photograph a few of the traditional German cottages I'd noticed there. I got my chance this past weekend. This time, it wasn't only about the cottages, it was to introduce Inge, my cousin's German friend, who was visiting Jamaica for the first time, to Seaford Town, the largest German settlement here. I'm glad I returned as this visit offered a lot more…
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A Walk Around Madrid
Located in the center of Spain, Madrid is an ancient city which offers visitors many museums, shops and traditional restaurants. The city center is known for its traditional architecture and the nearby streets are filled with parks and markets. Museums Many visitors visit the city for its museums. The city's main museums are the Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen Bornemisza, which form the Golden Triangle of Museums. There are many other museums near the city center, including the…
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Moving Day, Westmoreland Jamaica
Sometimes, moving day can mean much more than moving household furniture and personal belongings. Sometimes, it also involves the moving of the actual house. [caption id="attachment_11235" align="aligncenter" width="485"] Moving day, Westmoreland, Jamaica[/caption] When I read Budget Jan's post for last week's Travel Photo Thursday, it reminded me of the times, in Westmoreland, when I'd see houses like this one being moved from one location to another, usually on a tractor. Westmoreland has a long history with tractors and sugarcane so it's…
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Abeokuta Paradise Nature Park
Abeokuta Paradise Nature Park (pronounced A-be-o-ku-ta*) is located a few yards off the Dean's Valley Road in Westmoreland. The centerpiece of this rustic eco-tourism destination is an almost Olympic-sized pool which is fed by water that is channeled via an aqueduct from the nearby Sweet River. Abeokuta Paradise Nature Park took its name from the community of Abeokuta, which in turn got its name from the city in southwest Nigeria. When the Yorubas, who came to Jamaica as indentured workers, arrived in…
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Jamaica’s Fascinating Fretwork
I've been photographing examples of fretwork in Jamaica's architecture for several months now. My fascination with the art form goes back to my childhood and the house I grew up in. Fretwork, similar to the one below, decorated the transoms - the space above the doors - and allowed air to flow freely through the house. [caption id="attachment_11084" align="aligncenter" width="337"] On a transom[/caption] Fretwork is ornamental work that is made up of three dimensional interlacing designs. It has been around…
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Staying Safe During an Earthquake
A magnitude 3.9 earthquake shook western Jamaica at 6:10 a.m. on Sunday, February 10, 2013. The epicenter was located in Darliston, Westmoreland, 29 kilometers south-southwest of Montego Bay and 130 kilometers west of Kingston. No injuries or damages were reported. The rumbling lasted just a few seconds. Was that an earthquake, I wondered. I shook my head to reject the thought and calm the panic that suddenly tightened my chest when I realized I couldn't remember the earthquake survival lessons…
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Street Food, Jamaican Style
We don't call it street food here, though that's what it is and it's been around for a while. When I was about 6 or 7, and we only used to jerk pork, there was a man who'd go from house to house selling pork from a metal pan that was attached to the front of his bicycle. The pan was like a portable barbecue with smoldering pimento coals at the bottom and another pan which contained the pork. You…
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A Jamaican Spring
If you're thinking there's no spring in Jamaica, you'd be right. Even one of our venerable poets, H.D. Carberry, couldn't resist celebrating this fact in his poem, Nature. We have neither Summer nor Winter Neither Autumn nor Spring. We have instead the days When the gold sun shines on the lush green cane fields - Magnificently But if you think of spring as a period of rebirth and rejuvenation, a time to restart or reboot then we do experience spring. And despite…
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Sandals Island Jamaica
It's impossible to ignore this Sandals recreation resort, with its Asian-inspired design, bright red color and unique location on Sandals Island, a private off-shore island near Montego Bay. It is the only hotel in Jamaica that occupies its own island. How cool is that? [caption id="attachment_10978" align="aligncenter" width="408"] Sandals Royal Caribbean[/caption] Guests get to the private island, which has all amenities, including restaurants, a private beach, pool, Jacuzzi and more by hopping on one of these dragon boats, or by sea…
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Reach Falls Jamaica
Reach Falls has been on my travel list since the late 1980s when I had found out that it had been featured in the Tom Cruise movie, Cocktail. You might remember the one where Tom's a bartender whose skill at flipping and juggling bottles of alcohol and pouring them perfectly into a glass had everyone dazzled. Frankly, that's about all I can recall of the movie now but it made me curious about Reach Falls. [caption id="attachment_10950" align="aligncenter" width="444"] Reach Falls Jamaica[/caption]…
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