Will do! Would it be better to fly to MBJ or KNG?-Looks like KNG is closer. 2 hours 35 minute's vs. 4 hours
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Will do! Would it be better to fly to MBJ or KNG?-Looks like KNG is closer. 2 hours 35 minute's vs. 4 hours
Tommy joked about using the net to catch a heap of fish. The guard said you can’t get them with the net. So Tommy thinking he’s smarter than a fish decided to put the net in the water then toss rice in the center of it. Well, look at what happened…NOTE…turn the volume down before watching. I got a little excited and started yelling as I recorded. Sorry…
https://youtu.be/hQkqxskGP-A
The minute he removed the net, the fish dove for the rice. Of course when he got to the bottom of the rice container, Tommy grumbled on and on about how we didn’t get enough rice.
Yes, much closer flying into Kingston. I fly into Montego Bay because it's a direct flight.Quote:
Originally Posted by Vince
I'm in heaven!
I met a nice couple from Canada that afternoon. They were actually staying in Ocho Rios but planned a day trip to Portland. Man I would love to know what they paid for that excursion. They had a look at the Great Huts than came to the falls. They said when they return you will stay in Portland the entire time. They felt a connection just from the short time they were there. My kind of folks.
Tommy saw me talking to them so he came over. I’m thinking he wants to meet them, but get this…he properly greets them THEN asked the man for some of the bread from his sandwich so he can feed the fish. “Tommy, NO! Cha…let the man eat in peace!” However, dude didn’t hesitate to say he was hungrier than the fish and that if he could, he would have eaten that rice he was throwing in the water. His wife pinched off a piece and tossed it in. Yeap, they like white bread too! LOL
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We took another dip then soon had to pack it up and depart.
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This attraction is perfect for a day outing. I didn’t post the pictures, but there’s an area with tables and chairs so pack a lunch. The changing & rest rooms are huge and always clean and functional. I mean sometimes things are clean, but they don’t flush. There is always a life guard on duty during opening hours and a security guard 24/7.
Do they have a security or life guard job available? lol I'm SOLD on PA!
Yes, there's always both during opening hours. The life guard leaves when the office closes. But Security is there twenty-four hours a day. The life guard will take you through the caves in the falls and a little foot action around Montane Forrest. the swimming there is wonderful.
What day is it??? It’s RAINday
This particular day started out bright and sunny. Taking advantage of the clear sky I decided to go into town to replenish liquid provisions and find a decent comb. By the time I showered, dressed and stood for a taxi, the sun seemed to be changing its mind. Clouds were taking over casting a shadow over Trident Hotel and expanding into Port Antonio. I overheard two men mention “trop a come soon”…something like that. A tropical storm could mean anything from heavy rains and wind for a few hours to all the furious weather elements battling it out for days.
By the time we reached Folly Field, it was obvious a significant amount of water will be falling on Portland momentarily.
I decide to get out at the craftmarket by the sea instead of going all the way into town. I could get something to eat there and visit with Rock Bottom afterwards. If anything is going to happen I’ll be sheltered in the complex until Cleveland or Tommy could come for me.
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I go to the Yosch Café at the far end of the complex. They specialize in pizza which is pretty good. I’m glad breakfast is now on the menu. I order an omelet than find a comfortable, dry spot to sit because I may be here a while.
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Ginger Tea…hot and strong just the way I like it. I like to smell a deep ginger aroma from the tea. That tells me the tealeaves are fresh and it’s not an instant tea. The wind is picking up and the drops fall one after the other. But I’m in a good place for nature to handle her business
.
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Ahh some Jamaica hot tea!!! I can smell it now! Add a hit of sugar cane packet to it. Stir slow and sip slow and enjoy the sounds and views!
Vince, you described one of my favorite yaad moments perfectly. As much as I love ginger tea, I only drink it there. As soon as I get a whiff of that robust aroma, I’m immediately reminded of Jamaica and I fall into a funk from missing it so much.
Breakfast of ham & cheese omelet. Really good. I eat slowly, glancing up every so often to watch the rain and inhale the warm, damp air. I’m not getting wet at all…that's sweet because I don’t want to move.
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I have music, but not the speaker so no external sound. That’s ok, the rain provides its own instrumentals as it performs.
https://youtu.be/aMgLmVWD9DY
yum!!! Even the rain looks and sounds nice in Jamaica.
Sammy, yes it was very pleasant that day...
The shower lets up a bit. I go to the bar and visit with Rock Bottom. He watches the bar when the bartender steps away. This a really nice place to hang early evening/night. He was about to shut it down because of the weather but will keep it open now that I’m there. I order a cranberry wata. He pulled out two, one was frozen the other not. I took the frozen bottle. The ice will melt quickly in this heat.
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I wandered over to his little shop and pick out a few things. That’s what I do…shop, he puts the items to the side then I return another day to pay. Last time I purchased three carved turtles. He’s since added quite a few more to his inventory.
Turtles for sale.
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I picked out two, a fish and small jewelry bowl. He threw in 2 more turtles. He’s a sweetheart. He put everything to the side for when I return to pay for them. This is my loot.
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liquid sunshine on a zinc roof sipping so hot tea eating breakfast. listening and watching the drops fall is music to chillax too in Jamaica though!
ahhhhh the droplets of rain hitting zinc...
I couldn’t keep my eyes off a couple of 3-foot odd looking abstract pieces sitting on the plank of the complex. I got up to examine them closer and try to figure out what the spiky shoots were. They were hard sort of resembling porcupine quills. Walking around the structure gave it a different look from each side or view. I like it a lot and said if I owned a home here it, it would be coming with me.
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“You like that?”
I turn to see where the question came from.
“Yes, I do. I don’t know why because I can’t figure out what it’s composed of, but I like it a lot.”
“I make them. You see this…this is the root of a bamboo tree. I clean them and let them dry good. Once they dry, I build something.
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This is my shop.” He proudly points to the right. “I make bamboo furniture.”
“You do great work.”
“I don’t waste any part of the bamboo…not even the root. My name is King (his real last name) and this is what I love to do.
Mr. King
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Besides having artistic and construction/engineering skills, the man is gifted with an incredible memory. During our conversation he recited a couple of lengthy, but interesting poems written by his son. One touched me so deeply I asked him if he would repeat it, but this time I wanted his voice as I recorded the weather outside. The title and theme felt appropriate for the forecast. He was happy to accommodate my request. Unfortunately I can’t post it because I told him it was for my personal enjoyment. But he’s an example of the talent and generosity that openly lives in Jamaica. All you have to do is introduce yourself. If ever in Portland, do stop and visit Mr. King, Rock Bottom and all the other kind and friendly vendors at the market by the sea…
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More of Mr. Kings work...birdhouses and windchimes.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...2016%20780.jpg
Time to go...my ride is here.
Nice work out of the bamboo!
After reading all of this, checking out the photos and the video... I let my husband know that after our upcoming trip to Negril and Treasure Beach in October, we'll have to start planning a trip to Portland. Thanks for sharing, Vi- it's been a great trip riding along vicariously through you!
(((VI))) its a VI report... I love surprises...thank you Honey... You know I am following along with you Sweetie... I'm so excited and happy that you were able to visit your happy place.. Really enjoying the video's.. You go girlie...
Vince, the man loves working with bamboo. The fact that he came up with a creative use for the root shows his fascination with it. hmmm come to think of it, bamboo has always fascinated me tooooooo!!!!!!
BaileysMom, I appreciate your kind comments and now seeing you and BaileysDad are considering visiting Portland has me smiling all over the place. My main objective for writing reports is to make people on this board aware of what Portland has to offer the sworn lover of Jamaica. While I talk about what I do, I focus on the “who, what & where” in Portland rather than simply recounting a personal moment. Since it takes more time and money to even get to Portland, I thought the pictures, videos & tips could help folks decide whether it would be worth the effort.
SPARKLE!!! Welcome to the ride girlfriend! I knew you would eventually peek in and see it. I can hear you now…”oh my lands…after all these weeks of promising, vi finally started the report” LOL A lot more is on the way so take a seat on the other side of Vince.
And so much bamboo everywhere, honestly you would think there would be more crafters out there. So now all I talk about is PA, our kids say what about going to see Delroy? (he lives in Orange Bay in da hills) I said, he can join us in PA, we can go pick him and and hit the road to PA.
Vince, that’s a great idea!!! I bet Delroy would LOVE the opportunity to visit Portland with you and your family. You would trip over his reaction to being there! I have a ball taking Jamaicans to new places and I know you will too!
Cleveland was the closest so he came for me. He told me he was hungry so since he came out in the storm, I said I would treat him to lunch. He stopped at this little cook shop located on the right side of the strip as you exit Port Antonio. He asked if he should get it to go. I wasn’t hungry but would get a drink so we can stay and chill.
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The first area upon entering is the bar. We were led to the back “patio” where there was a choice of one of the four modestly set tables. I was pleasantly surprised with the dining area. It was cozy with a very relaxed ambiance.
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Hard to tell from this picture, but even with the overcast the ocean view was beautiful.
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I made up my mind to return on a clear day so I could get the full appreciation of this scene.
C’s meal
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I had a taste and the food was delicious. The pork was super tender and full of flavor. The cost including a drink was only 600J. My double shot of overproof rum, a sweet 300J. When I return to Portland I’ll make it a priority to try three cook shops on the strip because, although I love the home cooked meals from my friends in the neighborhood, I see I’ve been missing out on meeting chefs and promoting local dining businesses. I highly recommend this place. Clean, friendly staff and tasty food. Good location...very easy to find.
The rain stopped so that means the party by the sea is on!
[QUOTE=*vi*;180707]Vince, that’s a great idea!!! I bet Delroy would LOVE the opportunity to visit Portland with you and your family. You would trip over his reaction to being there! I have a ball taking Jamaicans to new places and I know you will too!
Dellie and I talk about 2 times a week to chat it up a bit, on our reaches, we have him with us every where we or I go. On our beer run, I jump on the back of the bike with bag pack on and we hit the community grocery store. HIs Mom cooks for us a on some, some days we go to da store and we buy stuff "local style" cooking for the community and have a block party. good times! Last reach I remember play cricket in the church grounds. The yutes cut up a cricket bat for us and we played for hours!
[QUOTE=*vi*;180709]C’s meal
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I had a taste and the food was delicious. The pork was super tender and full of flavor. The cost including a drink was only 600J. My double shot of overproof rum, a sweet 300J. When I return to Portland I’ll make it a priority to try three cook shops on the strip because, although I love the home cooked meals from my friends in the neighborhood, I see I’ve been missing out on meeting chefs and promoting local dining businesses. I highly recommend this place. Clean, friendly staff and tasty food. Good location...very easy to find.
The rain stopped so that means the party by the sea is on! View is inviting! And good prices MON!
Yeah Vince, Delroy is your bredren for true. If you are planning to kick it in Portland then no better person to have join you than a solid yaad friend like him. I so enjoy surprising my friend by taking her on special outings to places she’s never been. I have a feeling that experiencing Portland with Dellie will intensify your friendship. I will be happy to give you more details about anything I’ve experienced. Just ask.
Now about the food. Yes it is very reasonable and plentiful no matter where I purchased it from.
Will do *vi*, now back to your report ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by *vi*
A night of Music and more…
The party tonight is at Chubby’s place. He and his wife own a cool bar by the sea called Little Rocky Point Club & Restaurant. The first time I walked inside, the interior threw me back to 1980 when I and my girls would hit the spots every Friday & Saturday night. The sectional, black faux leather padded seats enclosing a booth would be our station for the night. Dainty glasses of slow gin fizzes lined the wobbly table where we sat waiting for various characters to stroll by and ask us to dance. OR if “Shame” by Evelyn Champagne King came on…then we all jumped on the dance floor partners or not.
But tonight, the throw-back party takes place on a strobelight lit dance floor in a club opposite the Priestmans River in Portland Jamaica. Instead of 80’s R&B, the selector channels vintage reggae & dancehall through the 6-foot speakers inside the club and the 10-foot monster sound system outside. Chubby throws at least three organized parties like this a month…I was fortunate enough to attend one. Most parties are free with a cash bar; others may be for a specific cause so an entrance fee of no more than 200J would be requested.
I go inside for my drink of…what else…double shot of overproof, then make my way to the space on the wall behind the monster sound system where the music isn’t so eardrum busting.
Bass shaking the rum and ting in da cup!
I see a group of young people in a mild frenzy taking pictures with their phones of something on the ledge right where I intend to sit. I approach thinking I’ll just take a seat and watch them. Well my eyes zoomed in on what had their attention.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...2016%20799.jpg
Noooooo those few hermit crabs weren’t the center of attention, it was their family and friends on the other side of the stone wall that had the girls squealing and the guys chiming “B*C”. I looked over the edge but didn’t get the full effect until the flash from my camera cast the spot light on the scene.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...2016%20797.jpg
There were literally hundreds of hermit crabs in this one section on the wall and the ground in front of it. Now, I was the only girl in my neighborhood who thought little crawly things were cool so this, to me, was super cool. Being nocturnal, they are most active at night, that I understood. What baffled me is why do they only gather in that particular section on the wall and hardly any came over? As much as I wanted to stay and try to shoot video of the hermit crab party, the crowd dispersed so I did too.
Vi,Quote:
Originally Posted by *vi*
I want to give a big thank you for your "main objective"! Port Antonio has always held a special place for me as I lived there for about a year back in the 90's. In fact, the original Beingee's Negril.com had an entire section dedicated to Port Antonio. (Click on the link below to check it out!)
http://www.realnegril.com/beingees/portmain.htm
Port Antonio is another beautiful part of Jamaica. We still maintain this Port Antonio forum to make sure our Negril visitors know about this incredible place.
Your reports are making me and Lisa wanting to get back there soon and have a chat about the world with Woody and try some more of the great jerk sausage in Boston Bay! Thank you so much for following your "objective! And to everyone else, you do owe it to yourself to spend a few days in Port Antonio!
Your reports are making me and Lisa wanting to get back there soon and have a chat about the world with Woody and try some more of the great jerk sausage in Boston Bay! Thank you so much for following your "objective! And to everyone else, you do owe it to yourself to spend a few days in Port Antonio! <<YAY!! Maybe a Rob and Lisa trip report? lol- Miss ya'll guy's! Much Respect Rob and Lisa!- Whenever our next reach, kinda plan on visiting Dellie and family and then Dellie and us will pack up and head to PA.
Rob,
The proper words escape me right now but I’ll do my best to express what your comments means to me minus the babbling. Even without saying so, I’ve always felt you understood “why” I post and that was good enough for me. But for you to actually express those feelings in writing within my report means so much to me. Thank you so much for your words and the link!!! You made me feel confident that my object, which is sometimes hidden in between many words, pictures and now short films (lol) does shine through.
I do indeed LOVE Portland and won’t stop encouraging others to experience it just once.
You and Lisa hurry and get back there. The jerk sausage was good, but now it’s amazing!!!
Found a perfect (hermit crab-free) seat on the ledge that gave me a good view of the party, clear path for the night breeze to reach me and enough space between the monster speakers and my eardrums.
I was having a great time listening to the tunes, people watching and sipping rum. I look forward to getting lost in the local night-life when I’m in Portland and this night was satisfying that longing without missing a beat.
A young guy tucked into a pair of red, skinny-legged jeans and a crisp white t-shirt with the face of Tupac on it sat next to me and smiled. I smiled back. He tells me it’s early and that the place is going to get crowded later.
“Party will be nice.” He says bobbing his head.
“Okay.”
“Okay” was basically my only contribution to the 45/+ minute conversation. I don’t know, it could have been a full hour. But his topics, mainly about himself, were quite personal but interesting. Then out of nowhere…”You here…in Jamaica alone?” “Yes I am.” That question caused me to take a bigger-than-normal sip of rum.
“I want you to meet my uncle. Yeah, yeah…you would like him. He’s a good man looking for a good woman. You are nice. He would like to meet you.” He takes out his cell and pushes a couple of numbers.
“Ummm slow your roll Tupac Fan…are you calling him?’
“YEAH. I want you to meet him so I gone tell him to come to the party.
Instead of stopping him, I take another drink.
Silently following your wonderful report Vi,you do a great job and your pictures are fabulous.Thanks for sharing!!
got my portland fix this morning . . . thanks vi . . .
Are ya serious.... " Shame" by Evelyn Champagne King "" brought me back, and so made me smile... we are sooooo gonna roll together ...someday !!! :)