3-in-one Jamaica trip report

[mountaingal]

decided to check out the "villa" on the property - a shed like structure that was actually presentable inside, two double beds, ensuite bathroom and a small dinette. Shanique gave me the tour, and told me a family was expected to arrive today to occupy it.

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[mountaingal]

btw, mosquito nets - useless. they block the movement of air. i had much better luck keeping the mosquitos off by keeping the fan running, plus i kept cool. when it got too cool in the wee hours, i snuck under the sheets.

[mountaingal]

Nikola had taken the Canadian couple to Sugar Foot Beach down some road round Rio Nuevo. i declined to go cuz it would have meant taking a route taxi and mi neva feel fi sacrifice any personal space that day.

instead, walked up the street with K to the compound where he and his lady friend reside and where, apparently, they've just renovated some rooms to let out for B&B purposes. i promised him i'd put his pix on the internet. i hope Xavier don't mind.

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two rooms side by side, each with ensuite bathroom, tons of closet space and a view overlooking what i think is part of boscobel harbour. designed and decorated by K's lady, who's a realtor. very clean lines almost Scandinavian esthetic that is at the opposite end of the spectrum from Nikola's found object bohemianism.

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apparently the planter is a molasses vat from an old sugar estate
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mi neva like this wall hanging - the juxtaposition of the crown and a bob marley saying felt wrong.
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[mountaingal]

after i finished taking the pix of his place, K pointed me to some of the other properties in the compound, a couple occupied by Jamaicans, all to some degree available for let to tourists.

the royal palms were spectacular and gave a secluded almost story-book vibe to the place. that little house is called Fern Villa, rented by the retired lumberjack.
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[mountaingal]

K and i were walking out when i noticed a couple under a tree.
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i asked if an artist lived there. k said no, but called out. turns out there was another house that i'd almost missed cuz the greenery was grown up round it. a white guy came out and started talking after k introduced us. couldnt place his accent. South African? Austrialian? Turns out it was Cockney

i asked him about the sculpture in the garden and he said it was done by an American woman who suicided

i scoffed, so he invited me inside to take a look at her other art.

Jimi Hendrix, on the wall of a house in Oracabessa. imagine!

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the deceased lady artist is apparently depicted in these two pictures
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the pictures were signed Von, which i thought could be nickname for Yvonne, since the Englishman felt they were self-portraits. but apparently Von is a Jamaican artist of some renown from the Oracabessa area, and he has a wikipedia entry.

the Englishman is a retired publisher, and when he found out i was from Canada, told me tales of running afoul of Quebec's language laws with one of his publications. he and K chatted, and i heard the Englishman talk about some mutual acquaintance living in town with a "mampi coolie gal with white liver".

i don't know if it was the sunhot, but all of a sudden i felt like i was on the steps of some weird world. no lie, The Pirate's Daughter novel by MCT flashed into my mind. i was happy to take my leave and head back to my room at NIkola's where things were relatively ordinary.

[Peasie]

I love your writing and this report is wonderful.

[CeaBee]

she write nice fi troo.

[MsExced]

Love the photo with the statute and that view

[mountaingal]

thanks for the compliments, guys

memory is starting to fade so i'll try to wrap this up soon.

[mountaingal]

after my return to Nikola's and a nap and shower, decided to walk into Oracabessa with Shanique. i felt obligated to at least see the town, so i can say i had been to Oracabessa proper.

in the meantime, the German family renting the villa had arrived, a couple and a son who appeared about 13 years old. the father was friendly enough, the mother a bit stand-offish with an air of being perpetually disappointed with the world.

Nikola accosted me - today for sure we could witness baby turtles hatching. (she pronounced it "turtle hoj"). For days she'd been keeping an eye out for a guy named Mel who apparently is like the red flag on a mailbox, once he's spotted, it's a sign something will happen. Some friction between Nikola and Mel, not sure what, she would only shake her head when i tried to ask.

Anyhoo, i cried off from going to see the turtle hatch, largely because the Canadian couple and the German family had agreed to go and I felt a sudden reluctance to be part of a large group. Plus i wanted to go to Oracabessa.

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Shanique and I started to walk, then she suddenly crossed the road. "Why you want to leave the shady side of the street?" I complained. She said she was just going to the beach to see a friend for a minute, and we entered a derelict property. Ashamed to say that i felt a pang of apprehension, wondering if i was being set up, but i decided on trust.

the property we entered was once the Golden Seas resort. when me say the place mash-up, it mash-up i asked if a hurricane destroyed it, Shanique said no, people just came about 2 years ago and started stripping the place. turns out it had closed due to hard times, and after hoping it would re-open and provide jobs, the locals had given up on it and decided to help themselves.

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still beautiful in some parts
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Usain Bolt has apparently bought the property, and i think the locals are feeling hopeful againDSCN0362.jpg.

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apparently druggies hang out in the place at night. some artists among them, it seems.

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[mountaingal]

what Golden Seas used to look like:

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here's a gleaner article from 2012 about it: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...business3.html