**on-site Trip Report [[ Monday afternoon....... 01/13/14 ]]

wow, Wow, WOW..!!..

since my last post/report,
for me,
it's been an UN-believe-able time here in Jamaica

:-)

as *they*-SAY::>> Wish you were here, too.

* sigh *
so-sad that you're not
* sigh *

the weather..??.. --- Fantastic
especially these last two-days:::: Right-NOW it's in the mid-80's with a slight cool breeze, and not-to much sun --- puffy clouds here & there, to keep things pleasant.

last night & this morning I thought i might need a light jacket or sweater
no no nooooooooooooo ---- 'twasn't too cold/chilly ---- just right ---- but cooler than *usual*

There Are (should be) NO-hungry people in Jamaica

there's so much food growing virtually in-the-wild, EVERY-place, all you gotta do is go into the bush, and find something to eat.

However,
IF you're unfortunate to be residing in a town-like-place (e.g., Negril), you *may* have a problem ..... but in the countryside, there's PLENTY to eat, for free.


NOTE::>> there has been a constant theme regarding *living* in Negril, and other *towns* ---- over & over & over again, folks always-SAY:::>> "...too ex$pen$ive.."

It hasn't happened yet, this trip,
but next-time somebody asked me for some food-money or whatever,
i'm gonna tell 'em to GO-back-to-bush, and get something to eat..... 'cause I AIN'T the *one*...!!..

:-(

i'm doing NO missionary work this-trip.
sorry
it ain't happen-ing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mnWwhWYgiQ
.
.
we ---in mi yard --- got so many custard apples, already picked, that this morning we had to dash-away 'bout 5-6 of 'em. Plus, on my way to/from the toilet, this morning, I saw that the tree was chock-FULL of those delicious thing-ys.

yummy yummy yummy

neeseberry trees full-up, too
:-)

and
and
and::>> nuff NUFF breadfruit

bananas & plantains...???.... ----- Lawd-ah-mercy:::: I have access to more 'nana's and plantains than you-can-believe --- those things are SOoooooo-Good, when FRESH, JUST-cut from the tree.

question:::>> have you EVER eaten a fresh RIPE-plantain raw...???...
ummmmmmmmmmmmmm
finger-lickin' Gooood..!!..
.
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[[ continue in a few minutes ]]

[[ continue-ing ]]

ok
.
.
i wanna catch-up on my posts
give you some highlights,
but EVERY-thing that's been going on has been a *highlight*

so,
this is gonna be a tough-y, 'cause there's not enough time, and definitely not enough internet storage space to chat about all that i wanna share.

.
.
Some *highlight* Thing-ys

1....Went to church again on Sunday --- nice service, even though i was late, AGAIN ... good sermon... Gave my Ja-mentor her copy of the DVD, from-when she/I/we made the Christmas cakeS, on Friday.

opps..!!!..
:-(
my bad
i forgot to tell you's about my ChristmasCake baking lessons/class

soon-come
WITH-video(s)
.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKmJL2gUTZE
.
.
my ChristmasCake lesson/video might take-up an entire thread/post.
.
.
oh
oh
oooooh:::>> Lesson-LEARN-ed regarding ChrismasCake making/baking:::>> BE VERY CARE-FULL, that you don't get drunk, as I almost did
:-(
put the rum and wine in the cake, not in your mouth
.
.
stay tuned

[[ continue in a few minutes ]]

[[ continue-ing ]]

.
.
I've been trying really hard to get over-to Negril, more often

:-(

it's been hard,
with *schedule*
stuff poppin' up
this & that

BUT, this week I'm gonna make a greater-effort to go over there ---- lot of folks AND BOARDIES i wanna link with.

In-country,
the laid-back vibe & stylee grabs a whole-of-ya, and won't turn ya loose. It's even worst now-days, with my new birthday bamboo bench
.
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.
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.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jwEdwBw5bA
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.
.

.
stay tuned for MORE videos on how this thing-y was made
...for me, it's a *lesson* on how things-get-done and/or how things-Go, here in Jamaica
.
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i spend a LOT of time on that-bench
..listen to music
..sip tea
..look at stars
..look at clouds
..watch bats
..watch birds
..close eyes & daydream
.
.
back within the hour ---- gotta go pick-up my *new* (almost) shoes/sneakers
from the local shoe repair-man
...he's selling me some '..left-behind..' shoes
.....right-now, he's doing some final stitching & glue-ing

idiot-me, didn't pack nuff shoes for this trip
.
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[[[ continue in a likkle bit ]]]

Oh smith744 enjoying your reports. Glad you are enjoying your visit.

[[ continue-ing ]]


More...Some *highlight* Thing-ys

1....WHY is it that ____ _____ ____..??.. ... i gotta come all-the-waaaaaaaaaaaaay to Jamaica, to find-out HOW to down-load stuff from YouTube ~~ BOTH video(s) AND (if desired) just the music-part.

for-YEARS, in-foreign,
i've been asking folks --- folks i *expected* would know how to do it, but NONE of 'em knew how

but,
here in Jamaica, in short-fashion, somebody told/showed me how to do it

AND:::>> they *taught* me how to convert my videos to DVD format

* sigh *

i love this place
:-)

p.s.... a BIG-Thank-You to boardie-JamaGinger for that TarrusRiley video --- nice tune ---- 'tis NOW on my tablet and pc, and my-playlist(s).

did i mention..??..:::>> i love this board & it's family, TOO.
.
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2....*speaking*-of "..family..":::
for some weird/strange reason, a LOT of folks have been referring to me as "..Family.."
dem-SAY::>> "..Bill, you family.."

the paranoid-side of my likkle-pea brain don't like this reference
:-(
but my heart smiles
.
.
3....'member young-lady renting land for sports bar/shop..??.. ------- Well, there's been a *change*.

an update --- latest...as of yesterday evening
Landlord canceled the *arrangement,
and returned the rental-monies
BECAUSE:::>>> the *community* told him (and landlord's mom) not to dew-wheat .... because of this & that & various reasons blah blah raa raa.

stay tuned --- i don't *think* this is over YET..!!..

4...my new shoes --- (pic soon-come) ---- they NICE..!!..
:-)
fit good
well made
repaired VERY VERY well..!!..
...'member these are left-behind-shoes from the shoe repair man.
.
.
5...I'm not '..walking..' good/properly
:-(
I (i.e, a foreigner) walk *different than folks do down-yonder-here

i think i figured it out::: for the most-part, they walk flat-foot-ed,,, where i do that heel-to-toe thing-y... plus,they (especially the ladies, it *seems*) walk using the ENTIRE leg .... from foot, ankle, leg-portions AND the hips.

Hip-wise, their stance is kind-sorta wide-legged, so thighs don't rub together.

but it's mainly the flat-footed thing-y I've got to master.
'cause i'm having leg/knee *issues* ---- ergo one reason i got the *new* shoes

the other day,
i went to the Lucea health store,
and ordered/prescribed a nice green juice extract with LOTS of beets .... beets are great for pain relief ... the juice worked great (as expected)... but these Jamaican pot-holed, rough roads/paths/lanes/etc are killing me ---- more-so than previous years.

stay tuned --- i'll figure this *issue* out SOON
i'm confident it has to do with the flat-foot walk thing-y

gonna start walking in flip-flop sandals TOO.

.
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6....WHERE is the fish..??..
STILL no fish for sale at the local snack/food shops
:-(
it's always chicken, pork, goat, ox ---- but no fish

i don't get it.

7...The Post-Christmas/Holiday vibe
the smiles pon faces is back
:-)
children have sekkled in to the reality that holiday is DONE..!!..
peer-rants are delighted that they're at-school and not under-foot.

8...The LOVE shown toward children
I'm *study-ing* this phenomenon closely:::: to my eye-balls, it *seems* that Jamaican-people treat, communicate with, teach, instruct, etc, the children (both their-own and others) a lot *different*-ly than what I've observed in-foreign.

*different* in a GOOD way ...... *different* with different results (versus foreign-results)

i'll try to elaborate on this in future postings.
am observing, and trying to find the words to explain fully/properly/adequately

9....WHY am i not hungry..??..
:-(
dunno why
dunno how
but this Jamaican food has a kind of stick-to-ive-ness to it.
i'm not as hungry as i normally am in-foreign

makes NO sense

i wanna gobble-up everyting i see, but i ain't hungry

10..I'm smoking less
:-(
dunno why
but lately,
instead of 1-pack per day,
i'm rapidly moving toward no-pack per day

now,
am down-to 1/2 to 2/3 pack per day

WHAT's wrong with me...????? !!! ??? !!!??
i love to smoke
been smoking long time

i don't wanna quit..!!!..

could it be too-much fresh Jamaican air..??..

* sigh *

mi DONE with today's report

more Tuesday evening ( i hope )
after my trip over-to Negril

ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

probably WILL go to the FunHoliday webcast

you-all should log-in to the webcast
so,
i can wave at all you unfortunate folks/boardies up-yonder-there in-foreign
lol
lol
lol
lol
lol

in fact, i MIGHT jump in the sea, too .... haven't done that yet.... hope the water isn't cold

likkle more

"6....WHERE is the fish..??..
STILL no fish for sale at the local snack/food shops
:-(
it's always chicken, pork, goat, ox ---- but no fish

i don't get it."

Smith my man...the iSEA is bloodc**t rough. No fish no come

yu turn reel kuntry man,Smitty!!

Lawd, now he dun gone and post the black cake. Have mercy!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by smith744

6....WHERE is the fish..??..
STILL no fish for sale at the local snack/food shops
:-(
it's always chicken, pork, goat, ox ---- but no fish

i don't get it.

---

Smith...you might scream at this!

Our neighbour just minutes ago had Rob phone & ask me why I always order her chicken....that I need to try some of her fish for a change...LOL.

I can give you a couple of names in Negril that generally have fish available also...ask when you see us. :)

Lovin the on site report and the videos are fantastic :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by captaind

"

Smith my man...the iSEA is bloodc**t rough. No fish no come

---

ummmmmmmmmmmmmm

but
but
but:::>> how-come they be-selling fresh(?) fish of all kinds EVERY-day at the market..??..