**OFF-site Trip Report ~~ Aug 2011 ~~ Part #3 of several

[Vince]

I'm tuned in smith-I think it would be very KOOL to hang out with smith.I don't smoke,i do drink.But,i think being cheap and get the most out of your money.and spend money and time with real Jamaican like you do.Just being on Ja. tyme all is well!!!much respect smith!!!!!!!!!

[smith744]

and time with real Jamaican like you do

lol
lol
lol
lol

i *thought* a '.real.' Jamaican was somebody who was bred, born & raised there
....e.g., they got a Jamaican birth certificate

nevertheless,
all dem folks you meet in Negril are REAL-Jamaicans, TOO

they *might* be a likkle *different* in certain ways
....do things in *different* ways (for tourist consumption)

but they-too are REAL

ONCE upon a time,
on one of my first trips,
i explored the main craft market

met a vendor/shopkeeper lady,
who invited me back-to her shop that evening
to share a meal

[[[ an aside:::>> joking-ly i had begged her for a likkle something-something that i'd seen cooking in a BIG-pot, over a wood fire, in the back of her shop/hut ]]]

since she made the invite
..later that evening, i went BACK to the craft market for-dinner

:-)

when i got there,
i didn't recognize her,
'cause she'd changed her clothing

instead of her '.for-the-tourist.' attair,
she was deck-ed OUT in some snazzy jazzy designer jeans, and a fancy blouse, with her hair uncovered .... without her AuntJamima(sp?) head-covering.

she had-on earrings,
gold rings and more rings on her fingers
and lipstick

no no nooooooooooooooo
'twasn't dress-ed up for me

nooooooooooooooooooooo

'cause she was SHOCK-ed that i came back

came-back alone
..in the dark
...deep deep deep into the bowls of the in-famous Negril craft market, that frigthens many tourist/foreigners

anyhooooooooooooooo

dinner was GOOD..!!..
a fun time, with her and a couple other guy-residents

[smith744]

p.s... a large percentage of the folks i know and deal wit in-country, and around Lucea and other places work in Negril (and other tourist places)

but, i kinda-sorta unna-stan that *real*-Jamaican thing-y
...'cause many of the folks i deal-wit WILL do a likkle switch-a-roo when around the tourist/foreigners

one more point:::::>>>> i've *learned* & observed that if I'm for-REAL, then other-folks get-real, too