St, Bess & Beyond...

[Diplomat]

Re: St, Bess & Beyond...

ROOTS, LulaBell: Thank you both [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img]

Wahalla: To each his own. Thanks for hopping on-board, and I hope you enjoyed the rest of the report.

Q3210: No, the white bird was definitely an Egret from the family of Herons.

[Seveen]

Re: St, Bess & Beyond...

looking good CEW [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70373-kiss.gif[/img]

[Laurel]

Re: St, Bess & Beyond...

CEW - gettin nuff kissin pon him today .... [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70365-flirt.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/desdentado.gif[/img]

[swedishrasta]

Re: St, Bess & Beyond...

((((CEW)))))

[img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/inlove1.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/blushing2.gif[/img] Loved the report....made me laugh, made me cry, made me miss whatever I have left of family really bad.

Can't wait to hear the rest. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/notworthy.gif[/img]

[Diplomat]

Re: St, Bess & Beyond...

Then it was Wednesday. A couple of errands including a trip to my brother's barber. We were in and out in less than five minutes, and my pocket was $400 lighter. As you can tell, I don't have much hair left, so the barber jokingly said five clients like me every day and he would be alright [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/704555_dwl.gif[/img] I wished him well [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img] Then we were off to Spanish Town to pick up churchgirl, stopping at Chelsea Jerk Center, one of my favorite spots, on the way back. Yep, we got more festivals. This place has been selling the best jerk stuff I've ever had, but I heard they do not like people taking pictures there so I didn't take the camera with me. The festivals were not as good as the ones in Little Ochie, but together with the jerk chicken, I was satisfied.

One of my rite of passage on most of my home visits is to see a Jamaican play. I have always loved them, going back to the days of Producer Ralph Holness and the Barn Theatre on Oxford Road in New Kingston. Among island playlovers, who can forget such classics as "Unda Mi Nose", "Shame & Scandal", "Obeah Wedding", "Maama Man", to name a few? Some of them were a bit raunchy back then, but pretty much reflective of the Jamaican society as a whole. So later in the evening, a group of us headed out to see "The Strength of A Woman"



This really was a hilarious play about how some Jamaican women survive. As one reviewer summed up the main character, Sharon, she is "Unhappily married...accommodates her husband, taking his money at every turn, sending herself to school yet taking all the insults of 'ole dog' thrown at her by her husband. She sees men as either good for sex or money, and uses her charms to take her out of the ghetto, knowing that she is a trophy displayed by her husband." Volier Johnson was fantastic. His character could cuss the paint off walls, and in one memorable cussing moment, he uttered what I thought was the line of the whole play, "Yuh comeen like school inna summa - NO CLASS!" [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/704555_dwl.gif[/img] It was a classic!

During intermission I had myself of all the things, Cheese Crunches. I chuckled at the memories of the stories I heard about guys who would buy them and Pepsi for their dates because the Cheese Crunches would "swell up" and fill the ladies' stomachs without the guys having to spend too much money [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif[/img] I have no idea if the stories were true, but that was how it was circulated back then.

"The Strength of a Woman" is a bit long but it is a delightful play to watch, if anyone gets the chance to see it. We had ourselves a great time.

[sammy]

Re: St, Bess & Beyond...

amazing photos! [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

[Diplomat]

Re: St, Bess & Beyond...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sammy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">amazing photos! [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

</div></div>

Thank you; it's been my pleasure to share them.

Swedish, Seveen: Thanks much. I appreciate you guys hanging in. A couple more days to go [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img]

[Seveen]

Re: St, Bess & Beyond...

make sure you print a copy of your trip report

you won't miss it 'til it's gone . . .

[img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/notworthy.gif[/img]

[Diplomat]

Re: St, Bess &amp; Beyond...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Seveen</div><div class="ubbcode-body">make sure you print a copy of your trip report

you won't miss it 'til it's gone . . .

[img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/notworthy.gif[/img] </div></div>

Good idea...thanks [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

Ahem...anybody Toronto boardite out there with a colored laser printer? Show of hands, please, and thank you.

[Diplomat]

Re: St, Bess &amp; Beyond...

Friday, and time to put on my diplomat's hat; yep, time to go back to Mom's [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img] Spent the day catching up with my brothers and some friends I hadn't seen/spoken to since my last visit. Some of these friendships go back more than 20 years, people I grew up with, and some who were like family. We were supposed to go to Port Royal for fish and bammies, but sister #1 decided we should go check out a karaoke show where we could get fish as well. Not a problem, so later in the evening, Sis, my neice and I were off to the Jamaica Hilton in New Kingston.

The place was buzzing with activity. Finding parking was a nightmare and I cringed when Sis decided to park in a spot that wasn't for public parking &lt;sigh&gt;. There were two groups in the area where the show was held; one for patrons who had come only for the show, and the other for patrons who came for dinner and the show. It seemed all the good seats on the latter side were taken, but Sis asked for one of the waiters who found us some seats near to the front. I'm convinced sister knows everyone in Kingston, and half of the people in the remaining parishes. If/when she decides to start dating again, the guy had better be very secure within himself, or at least, not be the kind who gets jealous easily.

The show, moderated by one of the local female radio DJs, was awesome! Jamaicans seems so naturally talented, and just maybe some sponsor might consider holding a Jamaican equivalent of American Idol. Whether it was man, woman, or child, some of the performances were excellent. Of course there were some who had no business being behind a mike, but I really admired their willingness to peform in front of what was a fairly large crowd. There was a couple who after being together for fourteen years, would be getting married the next day, and it was really cool as she serenaded her man, "her soulmate". A little bit off-key, but hey, I gave A+ for doing it [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

The food was excellent. I got served the biggest fish I've ever seen on a plate, and I loved it! No Cucumber Juice so I had to settle for Ginger Ale. Two hours had flown by very quickly; my niece was struggling to keep her eyes open so at 11:00 p.m. we headed home.

Next stop, Emancipation Park.

[diabolical_Tanya]

Re: St, Bess & Beyond...

Love di report, beg yu di recipe fi di cucumber juice noh and the directions....tanks

[Blackstar*]

Re: St, Bess & Beyond...

Such a lovely trip report, CEW. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]
And please do give us the cumber juice recipe.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Empress_Aynat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Love di report, beg yu di recipe fi di cucumber juice noh and the directions....tanks </div></div>

[Diplomat]

Re: St, Bess & Beyond...

BlackStar, Empress: Thanks for stopping by [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img]

As for the recipe, same as below (my Mom added Splenda for taste), and is best serve chilled:

1 cucumber
2 Sticks of Celery
1 small to medium clove of Garlic (Optional)
1 inch of Ginger Root

Wash the cucumber and celery and cut the cucumber into pieces that will fit into your juicer. Peel the Garlic and Remove the skin from the root ginger. Feed the Ginger and garlic through the juicer in between pieces of celery. The high water content of this juice drink makes it a great way to hydrate your body and keep your skin healthy.

This will get you about one litre.

Some added info: Garlic is a natural antibiotic, strengthens the immune system and can be used to help reduce blood pressure. Cucumber is known to be good for the skin, hair and nails. Celery also contains high levels of potassium which contributes to healthy skin.

[Diplomat]

Re: St, Bess &amp; Beyond...

Emancipation Park was a two stop effort. Saturday afternoon Sis decided we would drive up to Yummy Bakery for one of my favorites; sugar buns. I was as happy as a pig in fresh mud as I recalled memories of on previous visits, buying a 6-pack of those buns, freshly baked and warm, and having them all [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif[/img] Horror of horrors, the bakery was closed. Sis then decide she would make a "quick stop" in the Supermarket, then another "quick stop" to get bird food. Oh yeah, she needed to cut her hair so it was "One last stop at the barber, yu hear. Him won't tek long" &lt;sigh&gt;. To cut a long story short, I was quickly reminded why some men would rather drink poison than go shopping with some women. Almost three hours later after leaving for sugar buns, the bakery a mere 5-min walk from my Mom's house, we got back home.

Saturday night, got to the Park with a friend and was quite impressed. LOTS of security at this marvelous and well lighted facility, with lots of people taking advantage of what it had to offer. The guards we saw were very friendly as they did their rounds, reminding cuddling couples that they had to sit on the benches and not lie down (i.e. no heads in laps, etc..). I thought that odd, but being a public facility where children were at, they wanted to make sure everything was on the up-and-up. I remembered years ago when the park in the Half Way Tree was redone, it didn't take long for it to become a place for all kinds of lewd behavior. If the intent was to make sure couples behaved themselves, I welcomed what these guys were trying to do.

The lighting wasn't great for pictures, but I couldn't pass on these two.



I hesitated about posting this one, but I take the view that it is in a work of art, in a public place in Kingston, seen by every man, woman, and child who passed by. It was the lighting on the statues that caught my attention.



I would be back the next day.

[Bink - the Only]

Re: St, Bess & Beyond...

CEW - been offline for a bit ... so, this was my first chance to see your pics and read your report. you truly have a way with words and photos.

very lovely, very moving.

reading your report takes me back to my first trip to JA lo so many years ago. we went to black river, ys falls and through bamboo avenue.

becoming cynical over the years, i saw my first blush of jamaica through the eyes of your camera and your words. and, that gave me a visceral feeling i have not experienced in donkey years.

i thank you for that, CEW. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/notworthy.gif[/img]