Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

[Magician]

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">Is a long time I don't write a trip report!
A fact not-so-subtly pointed out by some Boardites.

Moreso, for a few years now, I have not been taking too many pictures on my trips to Yard. This particularly vexed my mother who insisted that I redeem myself this trip.

The reason why is probably best described by the famous Jamaican Photographer, Ray Chen. In his latest photo book titled <span style="text-decoration: underline">Jamaica - The Beauty and the Soul of the Land We Love</span> he writes:

<span style="font-style: italic">&quot;The things that makes us uniquely Jamaican could
have easily become transparent because we take so
much for granted. To say it in patois,
'We look but no see. One see - two look'&quot;</span>

I have been blessed with being able to travel for a living, and when you're exposed to the best the world has to offer on a daily basis you become jaded and take it for granted. So I have decided to start to <span style="font-style: italic">SEE</span> again, and not just look.

Starting with my favourite place on Earth. </span>

[Magician]

Re: Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">Learning to SEE is pretty simple. Capturing what you see on film (or SD card) is not.

I have decided to take pictures of all beautiful things in Jamaica...

...only to discover that they tend to zoom by at 130km/h.
Sometimes you can stop while driving, sometimes the flow of traffic or a narror road doesn't allow.
Some places you reach at the wrong time of day, and the blazing sun distorts the colours.
Somtimes you miss a special moment.
Other times you can't get the right angle.

And the most severe limitation of all...
you can't record the smells!

There are so many smells as you drive throught the country.
And it is those smells that bring back memories and get recorded in the recessses of your brain, the only thing to pull them up is to experiance that smell again.</span>

[QK13]

Re: Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

Sometimes I will catch just a whiff of something... and my mind jumps to a moment in Jamaica. In a car, by the sea, it doesn't even have to make a specific connection to a place or time it just smells like home.

Gwaan den Magic, bring ie!!

[Magician]

Re: Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">This blasing on the iPod now!</span>
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<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">Despite having an aisle seat on this full flight, I always crane my neck
to see that first sight of land! </span>



<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">Caymanas Park</span>



<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">Over Portmore</span>



<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">The Causeway where lovely ladies smile while collecting the $100J toll.</span>



<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">Short final Runway 12</span>



<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">So we land, and NOBODY clap!
So mi turn to mi seatmate and seh: &quot;What a ungrateful set a people eeh?&quot;
And the two a wi start clap.</span>


<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">Always some drama on Air Jamaica and this time no exception.
In the emergency exit row across the aisle from me is scruffy white man
with long dutty hair and has been acting funny from him board.
Midway through the flight he start to touch the ceiling of the plane
with him dutty feet, and do all sorts of yoga sintin, and do pullups on the
overhead bins. Flight attendant came and told him, &quot;Sir, you're in an emergency hexit, an you must behave ascordingly&quot;

All now di man a act a fool. No eyeball on the plane nuh stop track his movements.
All of the sudden some lady bawl out
&quot;Lawd, Taliban de pon mi plane!&quot;

The flight attendant come back and move him to the last row where he won't bother people. </span>

[Magician]

Re: Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">My plane from Asia broke, and I reach Kingston a couple days later than planned. Since I had a reservation in Negril, I didn't have time to visit anyone in Kingston, but drive straight to Negril.

Well, not so straight after all.
Since mi de pon a mission with this whole picture taking and seeing tings, I decide to tek mi time and re-discover some places that I haven't seen in many years. </span>




<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">Had to actually hold myself back from passing this
Coaster long nuff to take a picture.</span>



<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">So mi zoom by this strange tree! What sort of fruit de pon it?
So I decide to make a U-turn and backtrack to the tree. Of course no where to park. You see mi dying trials all in the name of trip reporting!</span>



<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">I wonder what happened to the smaddy that drank all of them.</span>

[Magician]

Re: Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">So as I speed down Highway 2000 Westbound doing 140km/h and listening first to Ron Muschette on IrieFM and then to my empress Elise Kelly with the Easy Skanking I realise that I'm moving way too fast to see, that I'm only looking again. Cho! &lt;kissteet&gt;

Elise play this on the radio now:
<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Gi0C-XAwmuk"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Gi0C-XAwmuk" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>
and all I can say is
<span style="font-weight: bold">'Pull up de chune nuh man! De chune bad eno man!'</span>

I'm on a roadtrip through my Jamaica, the window is down, my hand out inna di breeze,
the sun is shining, Elise provide the soundtrack. I am truely blessed fi real!



So I decide that a de-tour is in order. (Famous last words)
Since I read a book about the Kendal train crash last year, I'm gonna go to Kendal and see what I can find.


Kendal is a quaint little village in a valley. Verry pretty. A train use to run through it. And in 1957 it was the site of one of the worst train disasters at that time. So I park the car, and clamber up the embankements only to find bush and more bush.

No sign of the train station, and mi was not about to negociate with makka jook.

Since mi reach so far, why not go up to Christiana? It's only down the road. (Or up the road as the case may be). I haven't been in Christiana since 1997 so is high time mi go.

This was a mistake! It cold nuh rhatid! All now the breeze lick me. Nearly have to roll up the window!

People wearing heavy jacket and hat. This place come in like Canada!

There had to be a reason for my 12 year absence from these parts! It is very pretty nevertheless. So I wonder around driving where my eyes take me and lick a picture or two.</span>







<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">Next thing I know there is a sign that says: &quot;Welcome to Trelawny!&quot; Wah?!?!?!

I had to remind myself that I'm driving from Kgn to Negril and Trelawny was not part of the plan. So I reverse-back-forward and head back into Manchester! </span>

[ohliz]

Re: Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Magix_di_PM</div><div class="ubbcode-body">


</div></div>

The Red Bull tree!!! I passed it last week!!

[Magician]

Re: Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">Back down the hill from Christiana I decide to take a different way back to Mandeville. In the process discovered... </span>


<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">this charming likkle country road...</span>


<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">Surely, when Toots and Maytals first sang this song,
this is the road they were thinking of! </span>
<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/S78VlyZYpfc"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/S78VlyZYpfc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>



<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">Perfect spot for a picnic!
This is when I realised I'm hungry and must start
look for lunch</span>



<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">Now this is what you call a Red Ground!</span>



<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">These windmills have always intrigued me. </span>



<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">There's more, and they always spinning going <span style="font-style: italic">swoosh-swoosh-swoosh-swoosh</span>. </span>



<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">My jalopy. </span>



<span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">I think I can see where I'm going for lunch!</span>

[Magician]

Re: Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Q.K</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Sometimes I will catch just a whiff of something... and my mind jumps to a moment in Jamaica. In a car, by the sea, it doesn't even have to make a specific connection to a place or time it just smells like home.

Gwaan den Magic, bring ie!! </div></div>

You feel me then!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ohliz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The Red Bull tree!!! I passed it last week!! </div></div>

A so it name?

There's actually another one near Black River.
By that time mi was de pon haste and couldn't bodda stop.

[trelawnysmall]

Re: Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

I like this kind of trip report, humorous text, great pictures and music to go with it. Maybe one day there will be a way to add 'smell' to the report, then we'd have the total package.
BTW, great day today on Negril beach, startin' to feel a lot like summer, but likkle breeze still.

[Magician]

Re: Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TSmall</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I like this kind of trip report, humorous text, great pictures and music to go with it. Maybe one day there will be a way to add 'smell' to the report, then we'd have the total package.
BTW, great day today on Negril beach, startin' to feel a lot like summer, but likkle breeze still. </div></div>

Xavier, please to include the following SMELLticons on the next Board upgrade:

<ul style="list-style-type: disc">[*]Snappa that TSmall jus steamed[*]Smokey fire from a yard up in the hills[*]Sea breeze[*]Just before rain smell[*]Afta rain smell[*]Appleton VX[*]Hot mannish wata from side a di road[*]Peanuts from peanut man (+whistle)[*]Bombay mango[*]Smell of a Sunday Gleaner[*]Carbolic Soap[*]Dettol [*]Scotchbonnet peppa[/list]

..to be continued...

[ohliz]

Re: Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Magix_di_PM</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

A so it name?

There's actually another one near Black River.
By that time mi was de pon haste and couldn't bodda stop. </div></div>

So I named it anyway

We didn't stop either so I'm glad you did and got a shot of it.

Seems like the days of white Toyota Corolla rentals are gone, eh? Everyone has a black or blue Yaris now....

[trelawnysmall]

Re: Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Magix_di_PM</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TSmall</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I like this kind of trip report, humorous text, great pictures and music to go with it. Maybe one day there will be a way to add 'smell' to the report, then we'd have the total package.
BTW, great day today on Negril beach, startin' to feel a lot like summer, but likkle breeze still. </div></div>

Xavier, please to include the following SMELLticons on the next Board upgrade:

<ul style="list-style-type: disc">[*]Snappa that TSmall jus steamed[*]Smokey fire from a yard up in the hills[*]Sea breeze[*]Just before rain smell[*]Afta rain smell[*]Appleton VX[*]Hot mannish wata from side a di road[*]Peanuts from peanut man (+whistle)[*]Bombay mango[*]Smell of a Sunday Gleaner[*]Carbolic Soap[*]Dettol [*]Scotchbonnet peppa[/list]

..to be continued... </div></div>

<span style="font-weight: bold"> Whites

High grade

After dancing sweat

Goats

Sugar Pine

Fish Tea
</span>

all things that bring back memories with distinct smells to me

[Bizzy]

Re: Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

[ohliz]

Re: Learning to See, Steam Fish Cook-Off, and a Break-In!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TSmall</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Magix_di_PM</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TSmall</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I like this kind of trip report, humorous text, great pictures and music to go with it. Maybe one day there will be a way to add 'smell' to the report, then we'd have the total package.
BTW, great day today on Negril beach, startin' to feel a lot like summer, but likkle breeze still. </div></div>

Xavier, please to include the following SMELLticons on the next Board upgrade:

<ul style="list-style-type: disc">[*]Snappa that TSmall jus steamed[*]Smokey fire from a yard up in the hills[*]Sea breeze[*]Just before rain smell[*]Afta rain smell[*]Appleton VX[*]Hot mannish wata from side a di road[*]Peanuts from peanut man (+whistle)[*]Bombay mango[*]Smell of a Sunday Gleaner[*]Carbolic Soap[*]Dettol [*]Scotchbonnet peppa[/list]

..to be continued... </div></div>

<span style="font-weight: bold"> Whites

High grade

After dancing sweat

Goats

Sugar Pine

Fish Tea
</span>

all things that bring back memories with distinct smells to me </div></div>
[*]That vaguely humid smell on my things when I unpack that I cannot name but is unmistakable