Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

[Q3210]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Magic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yow bredrin. That story bring a smile to my face fi real. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img] Talk bout at the right place and time.

Jus outta curiosity, was it green or orange shirt you did a wear that did cause di bangarang? [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif[/img] </div></div>

[img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70390-shhh.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70388-shameonyou.gif[/img]

[CeaBee]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

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

[Hopyoneson]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

Again quality is not the best



This one taken from inside the car hence the reflection

[Hopyoneson]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny



The obligatory vegetable and fruit shot. This was taken at the stall of a close family associate by the name of “Yammy” and yes he sells yam. Back when Gramps had his restaurant in Ochi he was always down here or Greenich farm buying supplies, he is well known and respected and that same respect is accorded to my father and I.

Yammy’s daughter was helping her Dad to sell the yam but takes the time to find out my name and exchange other pleasantries, it was so refreshing to see a real polite teenager just helping her Dad, have to admit it caught me off guard. Yammy tells my Grandfather to weight his own food and just just give him a money, even when it come to the banana, yammy states “From you count it Mr. C, mi all right”…good no great and kind people still exist in Jamaica fi real.

I purchase a cell phone holder to begin my transformation to look more like a local Jamaican (it’s the small stuff that give you away that you are a farriner) and couple of mangoes and a bag juice. I can tell I still stand out a little as all the little kids come directly to me selling their various wares maybe I look like I have some money, damn it and I wore my oldest shirt that day too.

Coronation market was just like I remembered it except now they have the Don’s foot soldiers directing traffic and charging fifty dollars to park on the public street, all have on work men reflector vest. My Dad is [censored] and refused to pay and park in front of the police station, a man who has on a police vest with a mean scowl shouts out cant park there…my father walks across the street to speak with him. I already know this man cannot be reasoned with so I wait by the car. My father walks back and moves the car.

Some older men selling silver pots tell my father to park beside their cars directly in the market…and flash off the police man. Even in all this urban decay this act of kindness is even more deserving of applause, bravo to those two gentlemen. We end after one hour and head back. Coronation market is one of the few places you can still spend 100 dollars and come back with a medium sized bag. Plus I am now convinced and empowered my patwa is back after haggling with a couple of people and getting a nice deal. That was my testing ground and I passed with flying colors.

[Seveen]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

enjoying your report [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

your non sun kissed skin probably gave you away as a visitor [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif[/img]

[Hopyoneson]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

TRN Number and taxes

After market we head home, then I head back downtown to get my TRN number so I can transact business on my own behalf. We park near the Kingston waterfront, this is the first image I see coming out of the car...



The 7th largest natural harbor in the world allowed to fall into decay, it is ironic that further down the waterfront is the iconic statue by Edna Manley "negro aroused" but yet we stand sleeping on a gold mine.

This pic looks calm but less than 10 feet away was a half naked mad man lauging to himself and chasing something that only he could see in the sea. I quickly realize that this illusion of calm can be shattered any minute and I put my camera away and walk towards the govt office.

The place was not too packed, I was assisted by several workers with the paperwork, and given a temporary TRN number within 20 minutes. The fact I worked overseas made no problem, and I was told to come back in two weeks to pick it up. I left the building without paying a red cent still not believing something is free in Jamaica. Off to the tax office to pay land taxes which are now owed.

[Vi]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kingston20</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Some older men selling silver pots tell my father to park beside their cars directly in the market…and flash off the police man. Even in all this urban decay this act of kindness is even more deserving of applause, bravo to those two gentlemen. </div></div>
[img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img] Kingston, I love, love, love your report. I'm smiling and hanging on every vivid word. I personally appreciate you taking the time to share. Picture reports are nice, but it's the words that make it live and give it the feeling of being in Jamaica. Your writing is excellent, I truly don't want this to end.

[Hopyoneson]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

Hey everyone I was not ignoring you all, I just had to get the report started and I was gone again for four days away from home.

Bandanna - [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70459-hugs.gif[/img]
Wandabe – lots more to come
Kurlie – Mi a try but life keep a interrupt mi, but we will get there
TlC - [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70459-hugs.gif[/img]
Swedish – Make the trip family is so important, I knew this but did not really appreciate it
Geneva – Bwoy mi a tell yu half a it mi can’t even say pon yah, life changing iya, but good overall
Vi – Thanks you for the kind words it really is a labor of love I am starting to see that, glad you are aboard, you were going to Kingston also if I recall.
Jamaica Miss – Good to see you around
LulaBell- Grab a chair and some popcorn wi just start
Emperah dahjah – Thanks fi the belated, and yes we share the same earth day, good we made it to another year, nuff more to come iya.
Tsmall – Hang in there everything happen for a bigger purpose
Magic – When mi walk through Norma Manley mi memba whey u did seh bout it and laugh, dem need some moving floorways iya
Jaded – Bwoy mi not even get the man name but is just soh tings happen a yard, just another day pon the rock
Monk – sad but true statement
K25 – the knuckles is one of the most succulent part of the pork, nice so till..oy Dah Jah no badda come bun fire pon the I mi just eat one piece cause mi grandfadda force mi [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whistle.gif[/img]
Seveen - You might be on to something there, after a couple of days in the sun it was all good
Roots- whappen
Coolbeans – How you do

[Hopyoneson]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Vi</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kingston20</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Some older men selling silver pots tell my father to park beside their cars directly in the market…and flash off the police man. Even in all this urban decay this act of kindness is even more deserving of applause, bravo to those two gentlemen. </div></div>
[img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img] Kingston, I love, love, love your report. I'm smiling and hanging on every vivid word. I personally appreciate you taking the time to share. Picture reports are nice, but it's the words that make it live and give it the feeling of being in Jamaica. Your writing is excellent, I truly don't want this to end. </div></div>

Vi thanks it means so much, I thought I was boring people with the details but I wanted to give Jamaicans and non Jamaicans a view of another side of yard we dont normally see, even last year I stayed AI and did not see a 1/3 of what I expereinced this trip, this is fi unu as much as me.

[Kojak and Lucky]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

Kingston20...Thank YOU for taking the time to show us all that there is "another" side to Jamaica....

[gullygirl]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

Loving your report K20.. Lang time mi a wait fi dis..
dis is my reality..

[swedishrasta]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

[img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/notworthy.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/notworthy.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/notworthy.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/notworthy.gif[/img] : [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70377-loveeyes.gif[/img]

[Hopyoneson]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

Port Royal – Home coming

I was always aware of my family’s deep roots in Port Royal but never really asked about it, I knew my Dad grew up there and several uncles were born there, but I did not know my Grandfather was a respected Lecturer at the now torn down Police Training academy, we have tons of old pics from those days and just one example of no matter how things change it remains the same, all his commanding officers were British in those black and white pictures. He told me when he just joined the force the highest a Jamaican could rise to was sergeant major.

I never realized how funny he was until this trip, he kept his marching sword from those colonial days and passed it to my Dad as a heirloom, he looked at me one evening and said well Taam (nickname) it look like the sword gwen have fi bury with you cause woman cant wear sword. Then abruptly falls asleep. Not sure if he was telling me to have more kids or have a son but I just found it very funny.

So Sunday come around and my uncles are fighting to take us out, everyone said lets go uptown and I see Gramps in his room listening to his classical music (he is able to tell you the composer name and name of the composition at the drop of the hat). I suggest we take Gramps back to Port Royal since we don’t know when we will be able to do this again. They reluctantly agree.

What occurred that Sunday was one of the discovery moments I alluded to in the topic, never have I seen Port Royal come alive as it did when he returned, everyone remembered him, people from 40+ and 50+ years ago flagged down the car and called out his name. I really felt honored to be part of the home coming and will truly remember this day as long as I live.

The soundtrack was John Holt as my uncle burned us a best of cd, and we kept playing this particular song over again. Let the song load and enjoy the other side of Port Royal how I experienced it that magical Sunday.

On the way to Port Royal from my Uncles house.

New Halfway Tree transportation center, looks huge from what I saw



New Sabina Park after CWC face lift

[Hopyoneson]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

John Holt song let it load John Holt



Ivan blew down our house what is left is an overgrown yard where fisherman now gather and tell stories of course they instantly recognize my father and grand pops. Things are bad is all I can say, now the robbers have taken to the high seas, shot and killed someone our family knew well nine miles he swan filled with holes until he collapsed and drown...I will not spoil it fi unu enjoy the pics and John Holt


our back yard

[Hopyoneson]

Re: Jah Mek Yah..a journey of discovery and destiny

This beach my Dad played on and Grand pops used to take the british high commisioner on spear fishing trips from how they told it, everyone learned to swin off this beach and almost drowned.. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/704555_dwl.gif[/img] it appears ten feet out it drops off in to a deep abyss. Whne our family lived in Port Royal from the house to the beach was nothing but open land and trees. My Dad enjoyed telling us how they built forts and made arrows using the empty casings from the gun range as arrow heads, I could see everyone was reliving their time here, I went off took these pics, in the second pic that is lime Cay in the distance.









How our house would have looked if it survived, this was our neighbors and you guessed it they remembered us when we came by. The fisher man also mentioned several weeks ago a group of white British tourists came looking around when he inquired, they were born in those very houses, children of the officers at the police academy, all Port Royalist.