Sunsets, Rum, Sand and Gizzadas 97 Days in Negril

[Kahuna3]

Christmas is done and gone. I feel like a new chapter is beginning, I have things to share . . .

This morning we walked back from the gym – the journey of 1,000 beeps. Things are getting back to normal, people out and about, everything is open. Since Christmas, there are noticeably more tourists in town; however, there seem to be fewer goats.

We had the gym to ourselves again so we cranked up the A/C and the music. Some of the lyrics this morning are interesting. Gone are the Christmas carols, we’re back to: ‘Down at the Ho-tel motel, take a dirty picture of me – CLICK!’ and ‘I’m drinking rum and Red Bull . . . blah, blah, blah.’ And it just goes downhill from there. Good beats though.

I wonder, why do people feel compelled to broadcast their tales of debauchery?

Exiting the super, cooled-down gym and walking out onto the hot parking lot it feels like entering a sauna; shocking. So much so that Bea lost her focus momentarily and stepped into a mound of fresh doggie poop. There’s a lot of it here, poop that is. Not just doggy poop, but horse poop and goat poop too. You gotta watch your step. It’s like walking around downtown Paris.

On the way back we checked out the new grocery store on the Sav road, right across from the bus park. It’s called Zhang’s Wang or something like that – brand new, clean organized and A/C’ed. Same items on the shelf as everywhere else, mind you.

Back on the sidewalk outside the store a guy approached me and started to ask all the questions, “Where you from . . . yadda, yadda.” He was looking for an angle that he could work me on. Then he asked, “Where you coming from mi friend?”

I kept walking but answered him, “The gym.”
“OK,” he said, looking back in that direction. “Where you staying?”
“Redground,” I replied.
“Redground?” He was a little taken aback.
I nod.
He considered this for a moment. “OK,” he said, then turned away.
I’ve learned that Redground has a bit of a bad reputation in Negril. Maybe this guy thinks I’m a rude bwoy from Redground.

Our walk back towards home takes us past Hammond’s bakery. I could go in there and buy stuff every day; they have such good pastries and cakes. As we approach the place I can hear the sweet likkle voices of the gizzadas in the display case inside calling out to me. “Kaaahuuuna . . . Kaaahuuna . . . come take us awaaaay!”

The aroma of freshly baked goods wafts tantalizingly from the open door. But, exerting great amounts of self-control, we don’t stop.

Further on in the little market we get bananas– $250J for nine sweet bananas. Then we get a dozen ackee – $150J, which is the going rate. Scallions and thyme are added to our bag. I’ll pick up some saltfish in the Hi Lo later. Ackee, saltfish and callaloo will be on the table tonight – I love it and I could eat it every day.

We stop in at the Burger King for tea and coffee and A/C – it’s getting hot and humid already. We had another torrential downpour last night just after sunset, there are puddles all around and the humidity is way up. We sit in our favorite booth, the one with the view.

This afternoon, we witness a shakedown in the Burger King . . . .
Yah mon, Likkle more . . .

Please, Sir - may I have more? She didn't like that little piece of bammy.


Night Jasmine bush, its flowers are closed now, but at night - the fragrance that comes from this bush is sensual.





The computer store - this store is actually a reclaimed refrigeration unit of an old truck, mounted up on concrete piers.

[ekfa51]

enjoy so much reading your posts!...thank you!

[Hussyband]

I love that the computer store sells wata and bag juice, along with nitro.

My favorite trip report by the way...

[Kahuna3]

I love that the computer store sells wata and bag juice, along with nitro.
My favorite trip report by the way...

Hussyband, the selection available in the store is why I took the photo, but I forgot to point it out. Thanks. And thanks!

kellc1 - I'm happy to bring a little warmth to Minnesota.

Back to the Burger King . . . . . .

I’ve read comments by people on this board disparaging the Burger King in Negril . . . . Like it doesn’t belong there and it’s a blight on the landscape. That’s probably because BK is a big multi-national and represents fast-food and all that is bad in the American fast-food culture, including the apparent exploitation of low-wage workers. OK, I get that. But the Negril BK is very, very Jamaican. Go in there sometime, check it out, you may be surprised. It is extremely popular with the residents of Negril. Besides, it’s the nearest thing to a coffee shop that you will find in the town center.

I sit in the booth and gaze out the window. A fisherman is cleaning his morning catch where the concrete pier meets the beach. Three magnificent frigate birds whirl above him, floating on their long, delicate wings and changing direction effortlessly with flicks of their forked tails. They swoop gracefully down to skim the water to pick up the scraps thrown out by the fisherman.

Beyond the fisherman the waters of Long Bay are calm and flat, reflecting an iron sky. It looks like rain. Booby Cay . . . magical, mysterious, enticing . . . with its tiny white slash of beach, lies off in the distance.

What a view! Yeah . . . and I’m sitting in a Burger King. Sometimes I just have to pinch myself.

A young guy walks by us headed for the counter. Half his ass is bulging out the top of his shorts. It’s OK though - he has his Christmas boxers on – green and red with little candy canes. Bea, who is sitting facing the door, says she saw the guy pulling his pants lower before coming through the door. There are three other young guys inside who also have their shorts pulled way down revealing the shape of their buns pushing through their boxers. Seems like a new thing here.

Three cops wander in. Two in uniforms and one with a ‘Police’ vest on, otherwise in street clothes; probably undercover. They walk slowly around the booths, checking people out. They stop in front of one of the ‘shorts-down-low’ dudes. They have him stand up and raise his arms. They frisk him; pull everything out of his pockets. They go through all his stuff, ask him a few questions. Guess he’s OK because they let him go, and they didn’t even tell him to pull up his pants. Apparently it was just a spot check – good to see, actually. None of the other customers paid too much attention to what was going on. Last week, right around sunset, I saw the same three cops patrolling in the Corner Bar.

We visit the BK for coffee every few days, it’s our coffee shop. There’s an older gent who’s been in there having his morning coffee every time we’ve been there. And he’s there again this morning. Bea has been watching him. She leans towards me and whispers conspiratorially, “That guy has a small bottle of rum cream and he’s been sneaking it into his coffee.”

“Good idea,” I reply.

“Yes,” she says, “We should bring our bottle next time.”

I’ve got the salt-fish soaking and I’ve de-seeded the ackee. Tonight we are going down to the beach, hopefully there will be a nice sunset.

Tomorrow I have a special photo to share with you. Well . . . I like it.

Likkle more . .

OK, I like cats.


Home made plantain chips - splash on a little Pika Peppah . . . wash em down with a Stripe - heaven.


Bea - her first day at her new job.

[Kellc1]

Kahuna - A new follower to your posts. I am enjoying reading your posts, from my office in western Minnesnowda. Almost record cold December this year, and the forecast is not improving going into January. I long for those humid days on the beach. I would like to say "come soon", but have 49 days, 14 hours, 59 minutes, and a bit to wait............Feb 15. We have stayed at Point Village, and at Coco, but the last 3 years at Rooms Negril. We frequent Myrnas, the little bar (Sunnyside?), Ms. Sonias, Best of the West, and many of the other places that you mention in your writings. I long to be there for 90 nights!!! LOL! Last year Ms. Sonia had lost her lease, and was sort of squeezed in between two buildings, with not very much visibility. The building that she was asked to vacate, wasn't being used when we were there in Feb. What a shame. They did not renew her lease, but didn't intend to use the building. She said that business was down, and that she was barely "making it work". I felt so bad for her. I wonder how a person could help her succeed? We stay at Rooms, and the one thing they do not have is a good kitchen and bar. I wonder if they could maybe sell "Ms. Sonia" patties or something? I know the manager Ms. Grant. Maybe we can have a sit down when I am there this year. I would sure hate to not have Ms. Sonia patties as one of our lunch options! Such a sweat lady.
I will continue to live vicariously through your writings! Thank you! Respect. - KC

[Kahuna3]

Went for a walk yesterday along the new sidewalk. Early in the morning it's great, lots of shade. We love it.
A wonderful addition to Negril.

Here are a few photos from the walk.

This afternoon, I have something really nice to show you


It would be even better if people didn't park their cars on the damn sidewalk, but . . . I'm just sayin . . .



This is from just one walk.





They park on the sidewalk everywhere.

[poolguywindsor]

I noticed all the cars parked on the sidewalk while I was there too! Maybe the police will realize this is a new source to raise money.

[Kahuna3]

I noticed all the cars parked on the sidewalk while I was there too! Maybe the police will realize this is a new source to raise money.

That's exactly the thought that I had - a great source of revenue.

Bnewb - I know your car, I didn't post the shot I have of it parked on the sidewalk

Sorry I'm late this afternoon - power outage then internet problems. It rained a lot here today, fifth day in a row.

But, I have something nice to show you At least, I think it's nice.

There is a family with about a half dozen kids living next to us. The kids are always out playing in the yard, more so lately because Jamaican kids get three weeks off over Christmas. One of the young boys got a big box of firecrackers for Christmas. How do know this? Well, he’s been popping them off, one every minute or so, since Christmas morning. He must have been given thousands of them. Why would a father buy firecrackers for his eight year old son? I dunno. Just what we need around here, more noise.

Speaking of family - - when someone asks you, “How many brothers and sisters do you have?” How long does it take you to answer the question? Three seconds, I’d wager, or less, maybe. Easy question right? But maybe not so easy for some Jamaicans.

We were talking to a Jamaican man the other day and Bea asked him the question. This man is about forty years old. He canted his head to one side and started to count. There were some ‘Ahhh’s’ and he moved his fingers and muttered to himself. Finally, after about 30 seconds of heavy cogitation he said, “Me ‘ave t’ree sistahs.” Then he started muttering again and counting on his fingers, “Ahhh, four . . Devon,’im dead, lemme see.” Then after a considerable lapse, he said, “Ahhh, me ave six bruddahs, one dead, so t’ree sistahs, five bruddahs, an’ me, dats ten.”

Bea continued talking with him, but I was wondering why it took him so long to answer such a simple, common question. Then I realized what the reason must be. He wasn’t counting up the members of one big fambly living under one roof. He was counting up half-brothers and half-sisters, several of whom he probably wasn’t raised with. And then there’s maybe-brothers, and half-cousins, and – well it could be complicated. It’s the baby-momma and baby-poppa thing.

If you’ve been reading this trip-report/blog for a while you’ll know that one of the things that I love about Jamaica is the natural foliage. Even the weeds here are beautiful. No, I’m not reefer-ing to THAT weed, which is quite stunning, but that’s another topic altogether.

Have you ever walked past something a thousand times and not really noticed it? Maybe not, but it happens to me. And just the other day, right here in Negril, something that I’d passed by literally hundreds of times suddenly jumped out at me.

We were walking along One Love Drive, just below Dead Man’s Corner. It was a little before sunset, so the rays of the setting sun were slanting low across the land. As usual, I was walking with my eyes down so as to not step in any dog or goat shyte. I glanced up to check my bearings and that’s when I saw it. A huge, magnificent, lone cottonwood tree, standing on the sea shore. Its leaves were brightly-side lit by the low rays of the settling sun. It was breathtakingly beautiful; one of those moments that stops you in your tracks. I stared at it, wide eyed and in awe.

The cottonwood sits on a small, rocky spit of land, directly across from the Quality Traders supermarket (the lime green building).

I snapped a few shots, but didn’t come anywhere near to capturing its splendour. Check it out for yourself one day.

[Bnewb]

KAHUNA....you didn't have to take a pic of our car...LOL!

Just kidding...we noticed an increase on the sidewalk as of yesterday also...annoying! The police were having the drivers move their cars a month or so ago...apparently they'll have to do it again. Hard to change some people's habits apparently.

[Crusher]

Sidewalk looks great. I agree that its a bit annoying that its being used as a parking lot. I will see for myself in two weeks. Thanks for the pics and report sir its keeping me sane in the weather. We had a couple of nice days but a blizzard and back to -30C again today....sigh!