Before Rita Marley became known internationally as the wife of reggae superstar, Bob Marley, and a member of his backup group, the I Threes, she was a singer with the girl group, the Soulettes. They began recording with legendary producer, Clement Dodd, in 1964. It was Dodd who suggested that Bob become their mentor and manager. And during this time, Rita and Bob fell in love.
She released her first single, Pied Piper, in 1967, a year after she married Bob and approximately 7 years after they met.
Soulful Sundays: Rita Marley Photo courtesy of Michael Chambers Photography
Between having children — she had three with Bob — and being a backup singer with the I Threes from 1974 to 1981, Rita probably did not have time to record another solo album as the next one is dated 1980. Following Bob’s death, she recorded more than 10 albums, the most recent in 2006, which saw limited success.
As the widow of the reggae superstar, Rita has worked tirelessly to preserve Bob’s memory. Following his death, she turned Bob’s home on Hope Road in Kingston into a museum and established a foundation which bears the late singer’s name.
In addition to her efforts to keep the Marley name alive, in 2000, Rita created her own foundation, which works to alleviate hunger and poverty among youths and the elderly in developing countries.
Rita, who was born in Santiago, Cuba in 1946 makes her home in Ghana, where she is known as Nana Rita.
I don’t have a green thumb but I love flowers, especially orchids. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to love me. Each time I buy one, I think it will be different, it will last more than a few months. Each time, I’ve been wrong.
Now that I’m in Jamaica, where orchids are plenty and grow wild, I’m tempted but I’m gun shy. So for now, I’m satisfied to take photos of the ones I see.
Jamaican orchid
Over 30,000 species of orchids can be found worldwide. Approximately 230 are found in Jamaica. Of that number, about 70 are endemic to the island.
The main threat to Jamaican orchids is from the destruction of their habitats caused by land clearing for housing, hotel and agricultural development, bauxite and/or limestone mining, harvesting of forest products for timber, fuel wood, fish pots, yam sticks and fence posts.
Jamaican OrchidJamaican Orchid
The second greatest threat to the species is believed to be collection by orchid enthusiasts for local and international trade. The government has enacted legislation to protect their habitats and regulate the orchid trade. Sanctuaries have also been established to relocate orchids that are found in areas under threat.
These orchids are from the gardens of friends and family.
This one is known locally as Poor Man’s Orchid. It sure looks like it could be.
Poor Man's Orchid
This is my submission to this week’s Budget Travelers Sandbox Travel Photo Thursday series. Be sure to check out other photo and story entries on their website!
Speaking of today’s observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a friend, I was reminded of the time before there was an actual holiday.
It took approximately 18 years from the campaign for a federal holiday began after King was assassinated in 1968 to the signing into law by President Reagan in 1983 to the first observation in 1986. During that time, countless people lobbied and worked tirelessly for the day.
Sometime in the 1980s, I attended a Stevie Wonder concert where he got the crowd all fired up about the efforts that had been underway. He ended the show with a rousing sing-along to the Happy Birthday song (lyrics below). I remember that my friends and I left the concert singing the song and on the drive back to Canada, discussing ways we could get involved.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
My friend reminded of the people, like herself, who before the day became an official holiday took the day off and made silent prayers that they’d have a job when they returned to work the following day. I was living in the States by then and was lucky enough to be working with a company that gave us the day off long before it became a recognized holiday.
There was a feeling of elation that year of the first observance. I remember the discussions. Everyone I knew wanted the day to live up to the ideal that Martin Luther King, Jr. embraced and espoused – that of service to others. We knew without an emphasis on service, it would be easy for the day to become just another shopping day. In fact, earlier today, I heard a commercial on television that went something like this: Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream. We at (name of company) also have a dream…I couldn’t believe it.
After some resistance, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is now observed in all 50 states.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Happy Birthday, Dr. King (January 15th). Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
“Happy Birthday”
You know it doesn’t make much sense
There ought to be a law against
Anyone who takes offense
At a day in your celebration
Cause we all know in our minds
That there ought to be a time
That we can set aside
To show just how much we love you
And I’m sure you would agree
It couldn’t fit more perfectly
Than to have a world party on the day you came to be
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
I just never understood
How a man who died for good
Could not have a day that would
Be set aside for his recognition
Because it should never be
Just because some cannot see
The dream as clear as he
that they should make it become an illusion
And we all know everything
That he stood for time will bring
For in peace our hearts will sing
Thanks to Martin Luther King
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday
Why has there never been a holiday
Where peace is celebrated
all throughout the world
The time is overdue
For people like me and you
Who know the way to truth
Is love and unity to all God’s children
It should be a great event
And the whole day should be spent
In full remembrance
Of those who lived and died for the oneness of all people
Without a doubt, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy’s current role as the first lady of France has dwarfed her singing career. Until she married and her name became known internationally, few of us knew anything about her.
I confess, I didn’t put much stock in her singing ability. But a few weeks ago, I watched a documentary on Ms. Bruni-Sarkozy (Somebody Told Me About…Carla Bruni) and was forced to change my tune. I was taken by her voice, and impressed by the lyrics she’s written for herself and others.
Born Carla Gilberta Bruni Tedeschi on December 23, 1967 in Turin, Italy, Ms. Bruni-Sarkozy is an heiress to the fortune created by the CEAT tires company. According to Wikipedia, the family moved to France in the 1970s when Ms. Bruni-Sarkozy was 7 to escape the threat of kidnapping by terrorist groups who targeted the wealthy.
Following a successful career in modeling, Ms. Bruni-Sarkozy quit in 1997 to devote herself to her music. She has recorded three albums, Quelqu’un m’a dit (2003), No Promises (2007) which comprises poems by Yeats, Dickinson, Auden, Dorothy Parker, de la Mare, and Christina Rossetti set to music, and Comme si de rien n’était (2008). She’s recorded with Harry Connick, Jr., and in 2009 sang for Nelson Mandela’s birthday party at Radio City Music Hall.
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, image from the Internet
Ms. Bruni-Sarkozy’s been married to Nicholas Sarkozy since 2008. Last October, she gave birth to her second child, Giulia, in Paris.
In addition to her musical career, Ms. Bruni-Sarkozy’s also been involved in the movies — she played the museum guide in Woodie Allen’s film, Midnight in Paris – and humanitarian efforts. Her foundation, launched in 2009, promotes access to culture and knowledge for everyone.
Last year was another fabulous travel year for me. I visited London for the third time and Paris for the first time, though it was my second trip to France. So here’s my Best of Travel 2011 roundup —
Best Domestic Travel Destination: To me, Washington, DC is the best domestic travel destination because it has so much to offer. The National Mall, the White House, galleries and (free!) museums, theater (not as many as NYC but still good and good bargains), restaurants, festivals like the Folk Life Festival, the National Book Festival, etc. Whether you’re looking for history or entertainment, Washington DC is the best place to be and the best part? It’s compact – you can cover a lot of territory over a few days.
Jefferson Memorial, Washington DC
Best Travel Experience: I’ve been fascinated by Stonehenge since I saw a documentary about it several years ago and added it to my Must See List. As soon as I decided on the dates for my UK trip, I booked a tour. The best part was that the group was small enough so that we weren’t tripping over each other. We could go into the circle and get up close (but not touch) the monument. The tour also took us through the bucolic English countryside and Bath, a very historical and picturesque town.
Inside the circle at Stonehenge
Best International Destination: My best international destination for 2011 was, without question, Paris. I love Paris – it’s all of the things we’ve heard, and more — romantic, picturesque, fashionable, etc., and though I felt a bit intimidated by the stories I’ve heard about Parisians looking down their noses at people dressed in jeans, I never felt out of place or slighted. In fact, I met quite a number of friendly Parisians. One night, I got talking to a waiter and when he found out where I was staying and that I was traveling alone — it was nearly 10 p.m. when I finished dinner — he called one of the waitresses who was taking the same train and told me to wait for her so we could travel together. Although I could have found my way back to the hotel on my own, I was very touched by his kindness.
Eiffel Tower at night
Worst Travel Experience: My worst travel experience in 2011 happened before I even left my destination. I turned up at the airport to board my flight on Spirit Airlines and got a huge surprise. I owed $93 in baggage fees! I was so furious at myself for not paying attention to the fine print — I know better (or should) — that I forgot that I wanted to buy a few gifts in the duty free shop. The worst part is that on the return leg, I couldn’t figure out how to pre-pay and ended up paying again. Suddenly, the deal that I thought I had worked out to be one of the most expensive New York/Montego Bay tickets I’ve ever bought.
Most Embarrassing Travel Experience: Last year, my travel was embarrassment-free but 2010 wasn’t. I started to feel sick the day I was scheduled to return to the US from Johannesburg, South Africa. My body felt weak and I began to sweat. I didn’t know what was wrong – I didn’t think it was a cold but by the time I got on the flight, I was sneezing. I was so petrified of coughing that before I finished a cough drop, I’d pop another one. I felt awful. I still think of the people I know I passed my cold on to. Thanks goodness, it was a night flight so (hopefully) my no one remembers my face! The best part was, I was traveling with two friends who were also coming down with colds so I didn’t infect the people on either side of me. The worst part is, our row probably passed our colds on to everyone in coach.
Best Local Destination: Since I relocated from New York City to Jamaica last year, I’m going to take the liberty to name two best local destinations. In New York, the best location destination is Coney Island. It’s a place where you’ll find everyone – toddlers, young adults, couples, singles, grandparents – and there’s a variety of activities for everyone, from the hot dog eating contest over the July 4th weekend to summertime fireworks displays to roller coaster rides.
My best travel location in Jamaica is Treasure Beach. It’s laid back, it’s funky, it’s fun. It’s just a charming location that I’ve written about several times.
Treasure Beach boats
Best Travel Lesson: When I visited Paris last year, it was the first time that I traveled on my own to a place to a place where I didn’t know a soul and no one was meeting me when I arrived. Thank goodness, I know some French so I didn’t feel completely at sea. Interestingly enough, I was very excited the morning I left for Paris — it’s probably the most excited I’d been in a while about a trip. It turned out to be a very liberating experience and surprisingly, made me feel very grown up.
Now, I get the pleasure of inviting the following 5 bloggers to write about their Best of Travel 2011.
Round one of the bends on the road that meanders into Port Antonio, a compact seaside town on Jamaica’s northeastern coast, and come face to face with Trident Castle, an imposing white structure that makes you feel as if the turn you just took had deposited you in some European country, not a Caribbean island.
Trident Castle sits at the mouth of Turtle Crawle Harbor on a promontory known as Pegg Point. The secluded bay was used to “corral” turtles in pens after their capture. It also provided protection to buccaneer (pirate) ships that used to ply the region’s waters during the 16th and 18th centuries.
Trident Castle, Portland, Jamaica
Now owned by Jamaican billionaire, Michael Lee Chin, Trident Castle was designed and built as a private residence for German Baroness Elizabeth Siglindy Stephan von Thyssen by hotelier and architect, Earl Levy. It boasts 8 bedrooms with full baths, a ballroom, banquet hall, two living rooms, terraces, courtyard, Romanesque pool, private chapel and helicopter pad and sits on 7 acres. A chapel, which is located in the middle of a park, can seat up to 25 people. Construction began in 1979 and lasted about ten years.
Trident Castle operates as a rental property for the well heeled and can accommodate up to 16 guests whether for weddings or other special occasions. It offers an array of amenities and activities including a private beach, two tennis courts, croquet, snorkeling, water sports and deep-sea fishing.
Celebrities such as the late John F. Kennedy, Jr., Whoopi Goldberg, Denzel Washington, Johnny Depp, Glenn Close, Kevin Kline, Kate Moss and Tom Cruise have been guests of Trident Castle.
Rental rates start at about $7,500 per night during winter season, and $4,500 per night during summer season. During the winter season, a minimum of 7-night stay required, 5 during summer. Rates include food, bar, gratuities, full use of the Trident Hotel nearby and, for guests staying 7 days, ground transfers.
This is my submission to this week’s Budget Travelers Sandbox Travel Photo Thursday series. Be sure to check out other photo and story entries on their website!
Ska trombonist and composer, Don Drummond, was one of the original members of the Jamaican Ska band, The Skatalites. He was educated at Alpha Boys School where he also taught. Drummond began his musical career with the Eric Dean’s All-Stars.
A household name in Jamaica in the 60s, pianist George Shearing rated him one of the world’s top five
Don Drummond, image from Wikipedia
trombone players. By 1965, Drummond had over 200 songs to his credit.
He suffered mental problems and in 1965, was convicted of killing Marguerita Mahfood, his longtime girlfriend, and confined to Kingston’s Bellevue Hospital, a mental institution.
In 1967, his adaptation of The Guns of Navarone hit the UK Top 10.
Drummond died in May, 1969, four years after being sent to Bellevue. He was just 37 years old.
A year ago, I decided to take WordPress’ challenge to Postaday2011. I made the decision without even thinking about it. The next day, I wondered whether I could really hang in for the long haul and post every day, 365 days, for a year.
The first month or so was pretty easy. I had returned from a life altering two weeks of travel in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Lesotho and had what felt like an endless amount of information to share. As a matter of fact, that’s what motivated me to take my blogging more seriously.
After I finished reporting on that trip, I had no other travels scheduled. The challenge then became how to find new and interesting things to post about.
WordPress Annual Report for InsideJourneys
Since music and food are such big parts of my travel experience, I decided to feature a weekly food post that I called Tasty Thursdays and Soulful Sundays. I suspended Tasty Thursday and joined Budget Travelers Sandbox’s Travel Photo Thursday.
WordPress helped by suggesting topics I could write about. They also introduced the Weekly Photo Challenge, which gave me a chance to feature some of my photos. It also offered a ‘break’ from writing.
The one thing I’ve come to love about blogging is how fluid it can be. The people I started with have stopped or moved on to different things. I’ve joined different communities and met other bloggers, all fabulous people who share timely, fun, insightful posts. I hope you’ll stop by their blog and check them out. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.
While I was posting every day, WordPress was keeping track. I was surprised to get an email from them with a review of 2011. Unfortunately, they had only my first 159 posts as by mid-year, I had switched to a self-hosted blog.
For 2012, I’ve decided not to post everyday though I haven’t decided how frequently I will post. Not posting every day will give me time to travel and time to do other things, like read and comment on the blogs that I’ve subscribed.
I hope you will continue this journey with me in 2012.
