On the way to Negril, through Lucea

Anyone ever look out the window, and just wonder what the life is like in Lucea.
I mean the day to day goings on.

I, personally find it fascinating, just the observation of the way they walk,
cross the street.
Folks all over the place.
Little shops, not the most up-to-date, but serving the purpose.

Especially when you get to that narrow street, before you make a right.
way before the curve and the church and clock.

The folks are walking past your car, almost/practically touching.

Kids, mom and pops...and Grandma too.
All over the place.
It could be a Tuesday or Wednesday, but people galore, everywhere,
all over the streets.
You pass the likkle shops, those standing in the doorway observe you......
watch you sitting in your tourist mobile......
knowing you are on the way to Negril.

I personally look directly into their eyes,
trying my best to pull, the feelings and emotions out of them.

It may last just 5-7 seconds, or there can be a slight traffic jam,
then the car crawls and you can observe them wheeling and dealing with exchanges,
calling out a friend or
giving a whistle or holla to a nice round, brown woman walking down the street.

Once, one of my old drivers pulled into a little parking lot right there. (maybe it held 2-3 cars.)
We got out to do something, can't remember, change money or buy a cold one.

He pulled in head first, but had to reverse his way out.
Man, why did you pull in here? We are trapped?
"Dude, Man! How are you gonna get out???
There's no way!!!!, There are 10 thousand folks, all crammed on the sidewalk!"
None of them seemed to stop walking, to allow my friend
to reverse out of the little, itty bitty parking spot.
He smiled.

He just started reversing, maybe 1/2 mile an hour.
Hitting the brake, then go, then stop, then go
After maybe a few seconds of this,
A real cool looking guy walking down the street took charge.
He was like the traffic cops in the old time days, that stand in the middle of the street directing traffic.
But, he was doing it on the side walk.
He could whistle with his finger pretty loud, held up the other hand.

"You stop, now come on lady, hold up sir, one moment mam.
My driver increased speed to about 1 mile an hour and the guy was directly in back of the car,
still holding up some folks, letting others go by in back.
It was like my driver and the guy and the crowd all were using
telepathic communication. They were all in tune.
It flowed..................... I was flabbergasted!!!.
Not one person was bumped or got upset or yelled .

It was amazing.

Yeah...most of the towns are like that here...busy, busy!
Our cars were so close in the road in one of these towns...that the passenger from another car reached out, knocked on my window and asked if he could get in front of me...no problem...made a few manoeuvres...was able to let him in with the help of people walking everywhere.

Or, even in the larger city of Kingston...
in the middle of a busy two way street when road repair was blocking one of the lanes...we were supposed to drive on the sidewalk according to the road repair guy...
problem was, it was a one+ foot high sidewalk that most cars if any, could actually drive on/over and the road repair guy didn't seem to understand this...was causing major havoc...
traffic was insane, one of those huge bendy/extended buses was coming and everyone else was in a rush...I backed my car out of the way...jumped out and politely yelled :) at everyone that was stuck in the jam, to shuffle their cars out of the way...we directed the traffic around the road repairs, without anyone going over the sidewalk and managed with the help of another gentleman whom was walking along the sidewalk, to get the bus around an insanely tight corner...
road repair guy(s) thanked us...traffic finally started to move...we carried on...no problem...ya gotta do, what ya gotta do...everyone helps to get you through...:D :D

It's the electrical lines in Lucea that always catch my eye. Rather, it's the "rats nest" of electrical wiring on poles that makes it apparent to me that electrical codes are either lax or laxly enforced....:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Muck

It's the electrical lines in Lucea that always catch my eye. Rather, it's the "rats nest" of electrical wiring on poles that makes it apparent to me that electrical codes are either lax or laxly enforced....:)

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I once sent a pic of the jumble of wires to a friend that is an electrician. He almost had a cow!

We became friends with a housekeeper who worked at the resort we stayed at in Negril. She and her family and by that I mean husband, daughter, mom, aunty, sister, niece,etc lived 3 miles up in the mountains in Lucea. 2 taxis to get to Lucea, stops at grocery store, the fresh fish store then another "taxi" to her home. Definitely needed a Red Stripe by then! Cooked the fish outside on grill and visited with family. Priceless memory and experience! My friend works in Negril and uses 3 taxis 2x a day 5 days a week. Her daughter goes to school at Rhodes so there's a few more taxi rides per day. I sponsored them for visas and passports and last July they came to Michigan for 2 weeks. The Dollar store was their favorite place.

I too have been fascinated by Lucea each time we pass through. I will have to take note of the electrical lines this time as I have been too pre occupied to notice the prior trips.

I also absolutely love going through Lucea. It's just so alive. You get a sense of the "real" Jamaica. Definitely my favorite part of the road to Negril.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Markospoon

Anyone ever look out the window, and just wonder what the life is like in Lucea.
I mean the day to day goings on.

I, personally find it fascinating, just the observation of the way they walk,
cross the street.
Folks all over the place.
Little shops, not the most up-to-date, but serving the purpose.

Especially when you get to that narrow street, before you make a right.
way before the curve and the church and clock.

The folks are walking past your car, almost/practically touching.

Kids, mom and pops...and Grandma too.
All over the place.
It could be a Tuesday or Wednesday, but people galore, everywhere,
all over the streets.
You pass the likkle shops, those standing in the doorway observe you......
watch you sitting in your tourist mobile......
knowing you are on the way to Negril.

I personally look directly into their eyes,
trying my best to pull, the feelings and emotions out of them.

It may last just 5-7 seconds, or there can be a slight traffic jam,
then the car crawls and you can observe them wheeling and dealing with exchanges,
calling out a friend or
giving a whistle or holla to a nice round, brown woman walking down the street.

Once, one of my old drivers pulled into a little parking lot right there. (maybe it held 2-3 cars.)
We got out to do something, can't remember, change money or buy a cold one.

He pulled in head first, but had to reverse his way out.
Man, why did you pull in here? We are trapped?
"Dude, Man! How are you gonna get out???
There's no way!!!!, There are 10 thousand folks, all crammed on the sidewalk!"
None of them seemed to stop walking, to allow my friend
to reverse out of the little, itty bitty parking spot.
He smiled.

He just started reversing, maybe 1/2 mile an hour.
Hitting the brake, then go, then stop, then go
After maybe a few seconds of this,
A real cool looking guy walking down the street took charge.
He was like the traffic cops in the old time days, that stand in the middle of the street directing traffic.
But, he was doing it on the side walk.
He could whistle with his finger pretty loud, held up the other hand.

"You stop, now come on lady, hold up sir, one moment mam.
My driver increased speed to about 1 mile an hour and the guy was directly in back of the car,
still holding up some folks, letting others go by in back.
It was like my driver and the guy and the crowd all were using
telepathic communication. They were all in tune.
It flowed..................... I was flabbergasted!!!.
Not one person was bumped or got upset or yelled .

It was amazing.

---

Big sis and I brought our younger sister alongwith us last February for he first Jamaica trip. She is a party girl always on the go. She loved how busy it was and wanted to get dropped off there to hang out lol

We always embrace the ride to the resort. We like to stop a couple times and acclimate to the island. I have never gotten the folks (and they are usually the ones that go to the bi A/I's and never leave) that are in such a rush and take a plane or don't want to stop etc. We like to have a few beverages, a spliff and just get ready for the vacation. The culture is fascinating and I love the busyness!