I must be blind not seeing it
I must be blind not seeing it
Day 2 or 3 (I think the first 2 days got mashed up together oh well)
So we wake up and get a basic breakfast from some little place that was very good.. Right around the corner from xtabi... Then we walked to the road and caught a cab down to the beach.. I had to get money from the atm so we just got dropped off there.. Pulled out some money brushed off the usual beggars (no I know you are not the Gardner from my hotel!!!) walk over towards the craft market... My lady wants her hair braided so I figure cool I can go check out some shops while she does that... First though I need some water... It was soooo damn hot and humid, locals said it was a bad summer.. Anyway find some water from one of the vendors and took one back to my girl .. And turn around to hit the shops... After about 5 shops I was noticing something!!! Everyone was selling basically the same exact things... The same wood carvings, the same bracelets, same little bags of coffee, same hats etc..... And then I saw it and it all made sense.. It was one of the shopowners sitting there pulling wood carvings out of a box one by one and sand them down... I remember it clearly it was a square crate the was turned into a box with the help of paper bag looking paper and on all sides was a big red stamp that read CHINA.. As I looked closer I noticed he wasn't just sanding them for looks but also to remove the made in China engraving underneath.... This was a huge let down for me because I wanted a bunch of wood carvings from Jamaica, but those were from China (which I hear owns Jamaica now btw)... I did wander into one shop and there was a rasta sitting there chanting away and working on some pieces.. But this shop was different from the start.. The man greeted me as I proceeded in and he finished up his chant... Every other shop had someone trying to pull me into there shop or asking what do you want to buy from me today.. Or come to my shop next before Iam even in the next one.. Nope this man did none of that I ended sweatin my balls off in this little shack in the middle of June talking to this man for about 45 min.. He was a drummer for a band that was playing later that night at bourbon beach..his name is daddi one blood He actually has been to Oregon where Iam from and brought up some names of people I knew.. It's such a small world.. So I planned on hitting up bourbon beach later that night.. WRONG!!! You know how plans go in Jamaica.. But more on that later!! I go back and grab my girl and we head to the beach.. Grab a couple mangos form the fruit lady, some fresh juice, and a pattie and head back.. Too much hustling for me at that moment.. So back at the roundabout some guys offer a ride and we tell them what we want to pay and then goes over to a different car... Noticed it didn't have red plates so we declined and walked another 2 feet before one pulled over... He said we were smart for not going with those guys... So next we stop by the room for another spliff and the. Head to ahhhhhbeeeees.. Decide to hoof it and see how it is... Walking and then all of the sudden I hear someone call out my name! What the heck??? Iam in Jamaica how does anyone know my name here!!!! I look over and it's jovani one of the people we met the night before.. And where is he?? Where else but ahhhbeees! Woulda probly walked right passed it as I was more focused on trying not to get killed by traffic and i had no clue how far down to go.. Split a burger and fried breadfruit.. So good and so huge !!! All sorts of good stuff mashed in there besides beef. Almost like a meatloaf, but better..after lunch the lady went next store and got a massage I think her name is bev.. Sweet lady.. I bought 2 hours for her and went back to chill with aubie and jovani.. After the massage we were wanting a nap.. All those rum punches midday Iam pretty toast... So jovani walks with us back to xtabi and he offers to cook us dinner that night... Super stoked we say goodbye until later.. Ended up passing out way longer than expected.. I feel disoriented... There's no clock and I have no watch because Iam in Jamaica and the time on my phone is from the last time zone that I had service... It feels late though!! **** we were supposed to eat with jovani and them... So we head over to natral melodys bar and the gangs all there just like the night before... So I order a flask of over proof and a ting and 2 cups of ice.. Man Iam running low on herb.. My new friend can help... Looks like melody needs more ice for the bar... Herb and ice run the general is on it.
He's getting ready to head out but then turns to me and asks if I wanna go... Hmmmm pause a minute! Let's look at this picture, j is about my age 28 maybe a lil younger, he had cornrows and a wife beater, may I say he looked a lil thuggish to some.. And wants to take me where to get herb and ice??? Up in the hills??? (But this is what they tell you not to do) HELL YEAH!!! Be back in 15 we tell them as my girl chills with melody and aubie.. So first place we stop was down the street a little.. Tried picking some up for me but the guy saw it was for the white boy and tried to overcharge him so we kept walking and the we took a right behind a little bar and started cutting through people's yards... Ok this is nuts Iam thinking.. Iam either gonna get stabbed or have a good story to tell.. Glad it was the ladder.. Walk up into the hills a little the streets start getting blocked off by boulders or huge logs... The hill gets steeper and steeper as the road ends.. Then we come to a bunch of steps carved into the mountain up a trail to a little house... Couple dogs and puppy's outside... I asked if I should stay back this time.. No mon we just getting ice here he cool... After we get the ice he takes me a different way back to show me more stuff... We get closer and Iam thinking we still have not got herb yet and it's been a lot longer than 15 minutes.. Oh right island time... Just Bout as were getting back we find the herb man and get sent off real nice.. And that about raps up that
Excellent adventure.
Boulders and huge logs, classic .
No such thing as too much ice. Gotta have it.
No worries man, even the Chinese carvings are helping the economy, and China does not own Jamaica any more than any other country. Here is a bit I wrote in a thread about "buying junk on the beach" back in February:Originally Posted by 541lion
"When I started Negril.com back in 1995, there was not a work permit category for Internet businesses. There was not even internet on the island yet so no reason for the category. I had to register the company as a boutique shop that offered "email related services".
http://www.realnegril.com/beingees/behist01.htm
To stock the shop, we went to MoBay and bought wholesale souvenirs at the main craft market there. Boxes were coming off the ship from India at the time and you would "bid" on each box. One vendor purchased a box clearly marked "Jamaica carvings" and when she opened the box in front of all of us, each of the carvings said "Aruba". After about 10 minutes of laughter, she got her money back from the wholesaler, but each box was opened first before bidding resumed.
If you want to really get Jamaican hand made carvings, try places like Dr. Quality and Fay's near Negril Escape. You can place an order and actually watch his progress during your stay. He can even make carvings based on emailed photos. Fay hand makes her jewelry so you can wear a piece of Jamaica home.
But regardless, you are still supporting the local economy when buying any souvenirs, the vendor had to purchase them and you are helping them to support their family. It is the same worldwide, although I would assume Chinese souvenirs are made in China... (grin) "
Negril.com - For the vacation that never ends!
Yeah do get that it still helps the economy, but that's not what I was looking for.. Later in the trip I did find a nice lion head from the famous jah calo in Belmont.. I just don't like that they are trying to sell them to me as their original pieces at those prices.. But to each their own.. I found what I was looking for... Including the hardest thing on my list to find... I wanted a handcarved akkete drum... Had to really ask around to find what I wanted.. Even then had to take a trip past the wild river
Appreciate the report, but paragraphs, man. Paragraphs...
Yeah but Iam doing this all on my phone... Hard enough as it is
541lion, awesome reports! Good stuff heading up the hill at night in the dark....
Please keep them coming!
VVHT
Too funny about the guys stemming for cash outside the ATM "I'm your gardener"!!!!
Haha yup everyday .. Hey man Iam your Gardner buy me a sandwich.. Finally I was like oh yeah which hotel then.. The one on the cliffs mon... Hahah nice try...
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