Stories Of Negril and the Westend

[Clarity]

I'm really enjoying these stories from Jamaica! I've read all of them! Please keep them coming!

[Lizardbeth]

Yes, loving your stories, thanks for sharing!

[Pushin 50]

Thanks to everybody who have enjoyed my ramblings. The experience of sharing some of our favorite memories on the island has been great for us too. It's forced us to really dig into the corners our mind. Both my wife and I can hardly wait to return to our second home on Saturday. Responses from all over, including from where I'm writing from (Hi Lizardbeth, this comes to you from 76th and Metcalf). Clarity in the Bay area, near where we spend time in Rock Ridge north Oakland. If you like music, check out my friends Jessie and the Man Cougars. They are currently recording there second album, but play in the bay area. You might already have seen Jessie. He's played at the Bart stations for years, and sounds like Johnny Cash. They got him on their website too. If you see him, tell him Brad & Janice send love from Kansas City. This will probably be my last day of stories, as we need to begin packing. Janice and I are ready for new stories and the chance to meet new people. I am sooo lucky to have her to share my life with. She rarely complains about the places or hairbrained things I come up with, and comes up with plenty of her own. Its been her guidence that has helped me open up to the world. She is my muse, my companion and my best friend. Jah Love Everybody!

[Pushin 50]

I now will pay tribute to the man responsible for many of the stories you've been reading. My very dear friend Victor Gibbs Sr. To think it all started with a chance meeting in a bar, with a woman we had just met, none of this might have happened. My wife began a conversation with a woman at Afred's. She said she was going for a drive with a Jamaican driver she knew and suggested we go along. That was the trip by the lighthouse, with a stop at LTU. I've always prefered LTU over Rick's. Our first trip to Roaring River soon followed. We were so impressed, and so comfortable with him, we hired him for our trip around the island. It was during that trip, we went from being customers to life long friends. All three of us had experiences we had never had before. Before long, we knew most of his family, and many of his friends. This led to wonderful evenings in the hills behind the West End. Talking, playing cribbage, and Domino's. Don't bet on Domino's with a local. This is a blood sport here. Unless your reason is to help the local economy. You won't win, Texas Holdem is childsplay next to Domino's. Victor fight's hard to make sure we are not cheated. He negociates fiercely for everything down to the number of soda's and beer on the boat. The same woman who introduced us to Victor was with us at Roaring River. She was nice but sometimes rude. She thought she heard one of the locals say a very crude Jamaican slang for a woman, and told Victor. Victor jumps out of the car with the woman and begins arguing with men who had given us the tour. "I bring many people here, you will treat them with respect mon! The men said none of them had said such a thing and the yelling was on. Within seconds the whole village was there. Janice and I are in the back of the convertable, and now we are surrounded. The locals are asking us what is going on, and we honestly didn't really know what had happen ourselves at this moment. Finally the yelling subsided and the men (never admitting they said anything wrong) apologised to the woman anyway. The crowd melted and we drove away. Then there is his gentle side. Victor dislikes panhandlers, but is very charitable. I don't know how many times I've heard him say "Spread it around man". One day while driving out near Likkle London (Near the farm he used to live on)we passed an old man sitting next to the road. He was not begging, but looked like the world had fallen on him. Victor stopped, walked over to him, bent down and quietly talked to him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out some money and gave it to him. He patted him on the shoulder and we left. Victor said the man had come on hard times and he wanted to help. Riding with Victor in the countryside is always fun. If he see's a nice looking woman on the road he will slow down and say "Hey baby you look beautiful today". They smile and their hips start swinging. This is especially fun on sundays in the countryside. That's when the women all wear their best and most beautiful dresses and Hats. "May I say how lovely you look today". Their eyes all sparkle with his attention. Some know him, some not. We have experienced great joy, and sadness together. I owe him much, and proud to call him my friend.

[marley9808]

Such wonderful stories, thank you for sharing. I hope you make many more on your journey and have a wonderful time with all your friends, old and new, we will be here waiting for the new stories.....and Happy Birthday too!

[Pushin 50]

Although I said never take the bus, there is one exception. If you are adverturous enough and are not clostraphobic. I went with Victor up to Mobay to watch a Pro Am golf tournament. We had a ride up but not back. Our solution was to ride a Jamaican public Bus back to Negril. I sometimes had a seat, sometimes we were two deep. But the experience was alot of fun. I don't really want to do it again, but glad I got the chance a least once.

[Bert]

MY FIRST TRIP TO NEGRIL.

First I have to go back to my first trip To Jamaica.........It was Feb. of 1976 and I had won a contest at work so had an extra $1300.00 to spend. Feb. in Toronto is not a very nice place to be so I figured that wow I could take a trip to an exotic Island. I had never been to the Carribean before so I walked across the street from work to a travel agency and picked up a couple of travel mags and took them back to my desk. I perused them both but had no idea where I wanted to go. Jamaica at that time was reputed to be a dangerous place to be so I tended to ignore the beautiful pictures and descriptions of the resorts there (I cant recall if there were even adds in the mag for Negril).
Anyway after looking for a couple of hours my work mate Fernando came over and told me to just close my eyes and he would fan through the pages and I should just stab a page with my finger and wherever it landed I would go. I agreed and we did it. It landed on an add for Trelawny Beach Club Hotel.

I was commited. So I called over to the Travel agency and spoke to a woman there, She asked when I would like to go. This was on a thursday and I said anytime. She told me she would check availability and get back to me. She called back and asked if I could make it for Saturday on a 6.45 AM flight. The trip cost $1210.00 and included breakfast and dinner so I figured its doable lets go for it!

I told my boss that I was going.

Done deal.

I packed the next night and was on my way very early Sat AM.

I arrived on schedule in Montego Bay. When they opened the door there was this wonderful warmth and sweet aroma that flooded the plane but we were asked to remain seated so that a man from the Department of Agriculture could spray the plane. Why I dont know, couldnt be bugs because no bugs could live in the the frozen world I we had left behind.

Back in those days there was no gates at the airport you walked down the stairs onto the tarmac and collected your bags as they were offloaded from the plane.
I got though Customs and Imigration no problem and was directed to a bus for our ride to the Hotel. My first Red Stipe was drank on the bus.

On the way to the Hotel I was shocked to see the poverty and the shacks that people were living in. Little kids with no shoes, ripped and well worn clothing was not what I had expected to see. I was thinking that if this is what Jamaica is like I wanted to skip it and just turn around and go home.

When I arrived at Trelawny it was a very pleasant surprise. Beautiful lobby, tropical plants eveywhere and again that sweet aroma.

My first night having dinner under the stars and listening to the band on the stage while the tree frogs and crickets joined in the chorus was an experience that I will never forget. I was supremely happy with my decision to make it Jamaica for my first trip.

I enjoyed the sun, beach the beer and the vibes for my first full day there then booked a trip to Dunns River Falls for Monday.

The Dunns River trip included stops at a few places along the way and I was all eyes and ears and learning a little more about Jamaica by the minute. After going up the Falls we were taken to a restaraunt in Ochi and I was still learning.

I saw the beauty around me and the easy going way the people seemed to have about them. I was hooked on Jamaica!!

The rest of the week was just fantastic and I decided that I had to return again and it had to be very soon.

I was back again 3 weeks later.

Then again in Nov.

And so it began, 3 sometimes 4 trips a year. and always with a rented car so I could discover and learn more about this Island that I had fallen in love with


In about 1978 or maybe 79 I discovered Negril.

It was suggested by the resident Manager of the hotel, Tony Pasquale, that I take a drive to the west end of the Island and have a look at the only part that I had yet to discover.

The drive took about 4 hrs back then over some pretty bad roads. The first place I went to was The Treehouse. I had a beer or two then decided to walk the beach.

There wasnt a whole lot there back then and the people on the beach werent wearing a whole lot either. There were many who were naked and I thought uh uh not for me.

I left the Tree house and drove though the town and my next stop was either Xtabi or Kaisers, cant remember which for sure.

Another beer and a look over the cliffs to discover that everyone laying on the rocks was naked. Was Negril a big Nudist colony or what?

I drove back to Trelawny in the blackest of nights imaginable arriving well after midnight.

The next day I was telling Tony about my day in Negril and he asked me if I would like to try a few days at Hedonism. He was friends with someone there and got me a comp for a 2 night stay. Who could say no to free?

Now that was a wild few days.

Funny how a uh uh not for me of a few days ago could become a what the hell why not?

So now you know how i discovered Negril.

[Emmie]

Love Love Love!!

[DubWise]

I have a story from our last trip that I've been wanting to share.

It was our last night and if you know how that feels, nuff said. I had gone out a couple of times during the week by myself because my partner would stay in with her 14 yr old daughter. I had a couple good nights out nothing crazy.. one at 'On The Rocks' and another more mellow night at Tyson's... but both were really fun... complete with sound systems and great music.

So for our last night.. I wanted to do something that I'd remember and that might pay tribute to the wonder that is Negril. Only our second time so far but we're the kind of people that go to Negril once and instantly want to move there forever...

So I swung down to Tyson's (all of this is on foot) and the owner recognized me from the night before. He didn't have music that night... so he suggested Roots Tamboo on the beach road. He had a ticket that was said 1000 J or something. So I thought... "eh... I don't really want to spend 1000 J to get in, a few hundred on a cabs, I'd only have money for like one beer... lots and lots of tourists.. not sure that's what I want tonight..."

I think he could sense that maybe that wasn't what I was looking for. So he tells me about another party all the way up in the west end, across from Rick's. He says it's not even AT a bar spot... and it's BYOB! So I'm thinking... yeah... that's what I'm talking about. So I set out on foot. I run into one of my "friends" that I had made that week, and he his boys laughed at me when I said I was going to walk all the way up to that party. They might have been laughing at my desire to even go given that it was a very local party, I don't know... but it's not like they were being mean about it. I didn't let it deter me.

So after a chat w/those boys... I keep trucking... on foot.... hit the L + M and grab some beers... stop at De Bar and Eddie who is so nice kicked me some ice... tried to refuse money but I gave him 100J or something anyway... keep on walking... all kinds of action on the west end road but I know my place and don't have any problems at all... it was actually a very fun walk... finally get all the way up to Rick's and I can hear the music... directly across... but the road it's coming from is dark all the way down... I say 'whatever' and down the road I go ... I get up to the spot and it's a house party... turntables right outside... local jam... I see one other (white) tourist besides myself but that's it... get plenty of looks but I continue to hang... and it's everyone from old ladies to little kids to guys you wouldn't want to cross... and people are getting down all over the place.

Well... I just had a blast. We love reggae and dancehall and have played out in the states many times with our own records and turntables... so going to JA is just such a treat every time... and to come across this jam was just bliss... they were playing such great music and the vibe was so sweet. I know the music and generally know how to handle myself no matter what so I think that helped.

Headed out around 1:00... grabbed a cab, some locals jumped in as well... back to the room and then home the next day. The most interesting thing I thought... was that NO ONE messed with me... what so ever. Not even a little bit.. not even once. I was way out in the west end late at night all by myself... and no worries mon. So don't believe the negative hype that's out there... it's mostly that.. just hype. This was last month.

That's my story, thanks for reading! Peace and love to Negril.

[rastagirl777]

Stories about Negril and the West End? Right here:
http://wstcountywstend.wordpress.com/