Trip Report - Portland 2017

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I can’t think of a better way of planning for upcoming reaches during 2018 than reflecting on the past 3 from 2017. I will share my “reflections” of those visits from March, August and November in this report. Not sure if this thing will be any longer or shorter than previous posts as I will focus on highlights/updates around Portland. But I’m sure it will contain more pictures, more emotion and more Portland praises than the others…feel free to take that as a warning.

Let’s see…all three visits involved, of course, an arrival. Two were through Montego Bay and one landing in Kingston. I prefer Kingston for the 2-hour ride to Port Antonio, but there’s a layover in Miami. Montego Bay is always direct, but travel time on the road is 4.5 hours. So my arrival airport choice is based on what crazy items I decide to bring. Getting through customs in Kingston is a breeze.

The only flight issue was I kept loosing those blasted neck pillows either coming or going. I never seem to get it home. I lost this one in the Miami airport on the way there so that meant no pillow on the flights home. I find I can’t sleep without it.





Up…up…up in the clouds! This is when and where I slide the US life to the back of my thoughts and anticipate my weary mind, over-worked body and battered soul being healed in Jamaica. I give thanks for the means to afford to go, the health to enjoy it with few physical limitations and the people who seem to be happy to see me when I return.

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No problems with customs or immigration. Thank goodness!!!

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Port Antonio

Where to begin??? Since I won’t be posting what I did from day to day, I’ll do it by location starting from down town and work my way eastward.



The below vendor is set at the corner to the entrance to the Musgrave Strawmarket. The entire side walk is lined with folks selling their weirs. I prefer to go into the market and buy from as many vendors as I can.



My little friends who hang at the market with their mothers after school. The princess to the left is a feisty and fearless four-year old. She ah run tings!!!

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Some treasures I found as I walked the market. I purchased the change purse on the far right. Really nicely made.

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Marina / Bikini Beach

After visiting with a few folks in the market area and if I’m not too loaded with fruits and vegetables, I’ll walk to the marina & beach. Make a left out of the market, up two blocks on Musgrave Street then turn left at the corner. The entrance to the marina is on the left, across the street from the Royal Mall.







Walking through the marina leads to Bikini Beach

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The Bikini Beach grill is closed. This guy was selling coconuts and warm bottled drinks from a little wooden table. I wasn’t about to buy any of the drinks but I did purchase a coconut. I tell him to pick one with meat in it. Well it didn’t have a lot of jelly, but the water was oh soooo good.



I was standing next to the table watching him chip at the coconut. After he opened it for me, he lined the 2-foot long machete upright against the leg of the table while he went on a search for a chair for me. Yep, you guessed it, the machete came down, blade side up thank goodness, right across my big toe. The sight of the little speckle of blood and my squeal, thru him into a panic and he ran off. I was calm only concerned with cleaning the cut as soon as possible. Here he comes back with the lifeguard who was carrying a first aid kit from 1999. None of the band aids stuck to my skin and the alcohol wipes had dried up. I thanked him for the attention and promised I would bring him a new kit with supplies that could actually help minor cuts and scrapes.



Vendor dude asked me if I was going to sue him.
I told him no, but I wanted something for my pain & suffering.

He gave me a banana. However, I still had to pay 150JA for the coconut.

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Leaving the marina


The Royal Mall

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Walking through town to the taxi stand.