Jamaica: Little Ochie Delivers Big Taste
Way down on the southwestern coast of Jamaica, just over the Manchester border from St. Elizabeth is a seaside restaurant called Little Ochie (not to be confused with Ocho Rios on the island’s north coast). Started in 1989 by Evrol “Blackie” Christian, this little spot has become a favorite destination for Jamaicans (some of whom travel 2-3 hours to get there) and visitors alike who are looking for freshly caught fish and seafood cooked to order. [caption id="attachment_9134" align="aligncenter" width="613"] Boat…
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[Home = Jamaica] Where My Heart Is
Until I purchased my apartment several years ago, home, for me, meant the place where I grew up in Jamaica; the place I go to relax and recharge when life in the U.S. takes its toll, the place where my heart really is. Then, it became "home, home" to differentiate it from my "home" - the place I owned. When I go "home, home" I revert to the person I was when I lived there, except now, I'm the adult.…
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And the Oscar Goes to New York City!
For the location (outside of Los Angeles) with largest number of shooting days, tonight, the Oscar should go to New York City. It’s about time that New York is recognized as a major player in the movie making business. After all, we New Yorkers have to put up with actors and celebrities who call New York home and movie trailers that clog our streets so we can’t park our cars on about 30,000 location days every year. New York City…
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Random Havana Photos
Yes, I have still more photos. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I took nearly 400 photos in just a week walking around Havana. There was that much to see. [caption id="attachment_6157" align="aligncenter" width="585"] Hotel Inglaterra[/caption] [caption id="attachment_4507" align="aligncenter" width="566"] Hotel Inglaterra, seen from Havana's Central Park[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1805" align="aligncenter" width="585"] Havana Taxi[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1801" align="aligncenter" width="581"] Getting around[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1814" align="aligncenter" width="423"] Coco Taxis[/caption] Havana's Coco taxis an eye catching jolt of color that can't be ignored.…
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Havana, And My Mojitos Sucked!
I love a good cocktail, especially one with a rum base. So when I knew I was going to Havana, I was as excited about going as I was about all the rummy cocktails I knew I’d get to drink. Cuba is, after all, rum country. It’s also home of the mojito, the daiquiri and the Cuba Libre – all made with rum and lime juice, my other favorite ingredient. But it was the mojito, the perfect refreshing antidote to…
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The Haunting Beauty of Havana’s Buildings
Cuba's well-known for, among other things, its architecture. However, after 50 years of neglect, many of its now historic buildings are falling apart. Many others struggle to retain their majestic beauty. [caption id="attachment_1744" align="aligncenter" width="325" caption="Gran Teatro de la Habana"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1748" align="aligncenter" width="583" caption="Hotel Inglaterra"][/caption] I can only imagine how splendid these buildings looked back then. [caption id="attachment_1742" align="aligncenter" width="327" caption="Hotel Plaza"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1743" align="aligncenter" width="324" caption="This building would have looked nicer without the clothes"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1740" align="aligncenter" width="586"…
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Why Cuba?
A few people have asked me why I went to Cuba. In case you're one of them, here's why. To me, Cuba is like the neighbor behind a wall that you hear but you can't see. In Western Jamaica, where I grew up, from very early on, I could hear Cuba from my house through the sometimes faint, sometimes clear sounds of music and voices in a language I didn't then understand. Over the years, I created my own narrative…
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Havana’s Art Park
I know I've had a good vacation when I return home feeling enriched and inspired. One thing that always inspires me is art and seeing art, especially art that's accessible to everyone does my heart good. Don't get me wrong, I love museums and art galleries -- they have their place -- but I love when there are no barriers to everyday people's enjoyment of art. So when we happened upon this park while on our way to the Plaza…
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Ready to Travel to Cuba? Know Before You Go
If you’ve been reading my posts about Cuba and would like to travel to that country, there are a few [caption id="attachment_1709" align="alignright" width="224" caption="Monument to Jose Marti"][/caption] things to keep in mind. Despite the Obama Administration’s recent announcement of further relaxation of the ban on U.S. citizens spending money in Cuba and expanding the number of airports that offer direct flights there, Americans still need special permission from the Office of Foreign Asset Control to enter Cuba. But if…
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Havana: Saying it with Pictures
As we meandered around Havana, these are a few of the things we saw. [caption id="attachment_1691" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Sidewalk homage to Ernesto "Che" Guevara"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1690" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Another sidewalk homage Che"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1699" align="aligncenter" width="462" caption="Monument to Che at the Plaza de la Revolucion"][/caption] A few mornings we walked the Malecon, from Vedado, where we were staying. to Old Havana. We'd always see people sweeping the streets and cleaning up in front of their buildings. We were impressed by many…
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