Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

[DiamondDave]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

Looking down from the hotel's car park, Trevor pointed out a particularly rough part of MoBay...a place called Canterbury....he told us that even he wouldn't go there....



he also mentioned that in the not-too-distant past, a couple police officers wandered in there , and shortly found themselves hemmed in by angry residents....the cops remained under siege for several hours...they were eventually extracted, but I imagine it must have been a harrowing experience....



when we later mentioned Canterbury to one of the bartenders at the hotel, he shuddered as if a cold chill shot down his spine....and, horrified, he asked if we'd actually been there.....he seemed quite relieved when we said no....

[DiamondDave]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

We got back in the car, tired, hot, sweaty, and covered with a fine layer of country dust...there was so much more that we wanted to see, but all we really wanted to do at that time was jump in the Sea and rinse some of the funk off....so we headed back towards Runaway.....

Contrary to popular opinion, Karen did not, I repeat, did not snore like a buzzsaw on the ride home.. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] ....she did, however, close her eyes and, I'll assume, meditate most of the way back ... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img]

I spent the rest of the ride chatting with Trevor, singin' along with the Marley chunes (he still seemed surprised that I knew almost all the lyrics...even those in Patois!! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] ) , waving back at the children, and pretty much just enjoyin' life and all it has to offer.. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Trevor is a good man, and I made sure to tell him so....he was genuinely pleased when I also told him that he'd helped us experience the Jamaica that we really wanted to see....

If anyone needs a reliable, honest, trustworthy driver in the MoBay area, feel free to PM me for his cell #....

[DiamondDave]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

One Stripe and a big glass of water, please [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

and off to the beach.... the two of us spent the rest of the afternoon splashing about and giggling about our day


As I mentioned earlier, the food at CA was not exactly authentic..and we'd eaten so much fresh fruit that day that our colons mailed us thank you notes!! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] ....so we made the best of it...grilled catch of the day, rice & veg.....

[Laurel]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

[img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img]

[dr. bones]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

our colons mailed us thank you notes. That is so funny, gross, but funny.

I'm enjoying your report and can't wait for more pics. I'm not familiar w/ Canterbury, but have friends from North Gully outside Mobay. Gully seems to draw the same reaction you described. Our friends call it Afghanistan. Good luck getting a route taxi to take you to Gully.

[DiamondDave]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

The featured entertainment this nite was an utterly tourist-friendly, non-threatining steel drum band.... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] ...playin' American pop music... ...they are fine, talented musicians, but we didn't come to Ja to hear Madonna songs Trini style......

so we headed off to the Legends bar...

All Bob Marley on the sound system...( I also surprised Barrington , the bartender, as I sang along [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] ), cold Stripe drafts..( Karen tried a jablum-based after dinner drink that she loved...I forget the name...not Tia Maria... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70361-embarassed.gif[/img] ), and, ummmmm, a ready light for my smoke of choice [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

sometime later we danced ( well, we actually stumbled and laughed ) our way back to the room

we set pon di verandah, candle burnin', and still tried to completely comprehend what we'd done that day [img]/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

then, to bed..me still wearing my goofy smile....

Good Night Jamaica!

[DiamondDave]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

The Legends Bar....

[goddess]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

Great trip report Dave....thanks for sharing your experience with all of us. You certainly know how to enjoy Jamaica. Looking forward to reading about your future trips....let us all know when you are going back.
Thanks again for the great read. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Laurel]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

[img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[DiamondDave]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

"...and to the wise he told parables that had the sweetness of honey."
--------------------------
Day Three
July something
morning
--------------------------

I'm going to see Bob Marley today.

a man I've long admired....a man who's had a profound influence on my life and the way I live it....a man who started life as a simple little country boy,and grew into, arguably, one of the most powerful men on the planet....

I'm going to Nine Miles.

I'm going to see Bob Marley today.

Now, lest you think I'm some loopy, ganja-addled leftover hippy ( not that that's a bad thing [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] ), let me try to explain the significance of this journey....

I first heard about Bob in the summer of my 16th year....1976....some of you may remember when he was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, guitar in hand, looking very Joseph-like in his multi-colored shirt, flashin' locks for all the world to see...."WOW!! who is this guy??!!" hmmmm...he's from some place called Jamaica......he smokes prodigious amounts of herb...he plays a style of music called "reggae"....Eric Clapton really digs him, as do the Rolling Stones....I guess he's pretty cool...( 16 y.o. boys are not the most intelligent creatures!! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] )

Some years later, i found myself in a little trouble....well, actually a lotta trouble (which is a story unto itself... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] ).....fortunately, I was able to pull myself from that fire, if not unscathed, than with only a slightly singed posterior....

The upside to the story was the revelation that The Creator had given me the ability to express myself musically....not just with musical instruments, but also with words...words that could tell a story, words that could teach a lesson.....

[editor's note: the writer is currently performing/recording in the New York Metro area.]

It was only then that I was able to fully appreciate Bob's songs...songs of rebellion...songs of love...songs of justice...songs of peace...songs of freedom!!

And then one day, the message came through loud and clear....Bob taught me that The Creator had given me a great gift, perhaps the most valuable of gifts...The Gift of Life, The Gift of Creation!!! and what better way is there to give thanks and praise than to honor the gift that all of mankind shares?? All of us....black, brown, yellow, white....we are all The Children of Creation!!! This a concept that Bob simply, but eloquently described.....

One Love!!!!

I hope that adaquetely explains why this day is so important....

I'm going to Nine Miles.

I'm going to see Bob Marley today.

[Laurel]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

ONE LOVE - ONE HEART ...... LET'S GET TOGETHER AND FEEL ALRIGHT -

[DiamondDave]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

We had an interesting encounter before our daytrip....as we had never met Junior, our driver for the day, we had no idea what he looked like....so when a friendly face waved to us from the gate, we just assumed it was him...we said our hello's, agreed on compensation and got ready to go...it was then that the gentleman mentioned that his name was not, in fact, Junior!! so we explained that we were waiting for someone in particular...and continued to wait....

While we were waiting, we chatted for a bit with Barrington...then walked back to the gates...at that point, the "not Junior" started talkin' a whole bunch of sh!t...how dare we take work away from him...and why did Barrington try to dissuade us from employing him, etc.... I'd had quite enough of his antics and told him in no uncertain terms that we'd already made arrangements for the day, and that Barrington had said nothing about him...I don't think he expected to be rebuked in that manner, because he shut his mouth awful quick!!!

Before I could really let him have it, I heard someone call my name.....Junior?? yeah, mon!!

okey-doke! off we go......

[DiamondDave]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

I thought we'd take the road south outta Runaway towards Brownstown to Alexandria...but Junior decided to take us through St. Ann's Bay and then south....through Steertown, Coconut Grove, Lydford....

on the road to Nine Miles

[DiamondDave]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

I was surprised by the size and numbers of trucks barreling down the tiny roads....Junior explained that they were coming to the North Coast outta Kingston...between the trucks on one side of the road, and the goats wandering aimlessly on the other, we continued to wind our way up into the hills.....up,up,up.....

We saw farmers working in their fields and asked Junior about them....he was well acquainted with that life as his grandparents are also farmers...he told us that they grow a little bit of everything....herbs, fruits, vegetables....and periodically would take their bounty to market ( making sure to keep enough for themselves ), to sell or barter for things they don't have....rice, maybe a little piece of meat, some cloth or clothing perhaps....I mentioned that it seemed like an interesting life...Junior looked at me like I was a madman!! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] OK, maybe that's not what I meant to say!! My thought was that it's a simple life, but not an easy life....I tried to put it into terms that I thought Junior would understand....so I put it this way : "You plant your corn, grow your corn, pick your corn and eat your corn."

Junior's broad smile and enthusiastic "Yeah, mon!!" indicated that I "got" it!! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]



a grapefruit tree

[Laurel]

Re: Red Salts Drench...stories from the North Coast

Dave and Pooh ..... even tho I am not commenting on each post ...... I am jumping all over them as soon as they appear ....

Enjoying the journey ..