40 years later

[vivnyc]

More pictures from 1977 and 1978. Included in these photos is a photo of a woman who bought Mirage on the cliffs, then she and her husband built Charela on the beach, in the mid-late 1970s. She was French, married to a Jamaican. I think her name was Sophie--but I'm amazed that I can even remember her name so many years later. This week (4/13) I tracked down with the former owners of Mirage (Lauro and Michela). I got to know them quite well in Paris after they'd left Negril in 1981. I'll ask them the name of who purchased Mirage and built CHarela. Jack, a Harvard-trained dentist, who temporarily practiced dentistry in an open-air house on the beach in Negril in the 1970s, first introduced me to the owners of Mirage in 1977. He was a friend of my mother's. I stayed in the actual cottages at Mirage; they were located across the road in the West End, in a beautiful, well-kept garden. The first year, in 1977, there was no electricity. It was quiet and beautiful. The only way to get around in the West End was to walk. No traffic and not many people. No hustlers on the road. There were "Home Sweet Home Lanterns" for light at night. The bartenders at Rick's Cafe had to turn off the music whenever a patron requested a blender drink--the generator wouldn't support the blender and music simultaneously. Rick's was the "expensive" place in the area, a place we only went to once or twice. The Jamaicans would dive off the cliffs, but not at the place where they dive now. Most of my friends rented rooms--at Sammy's, I think. Showers at Mirage before electricity had limited hot water--hot water heated by the actual sunshine during the day (solar powered hot water). Eating in a restaurant in Negril took hours back then!

The road in the West End in 1978
Rick's Cafe
Sylvie, Owner of Charela in 1970s

[Piggymon]

More pictures from 1977 and 1978. Included in these photos is a photo of a woman who bought Mirage on the cliffs, then she and her husband built Charela on the beach, in the mid-late 1970s. She was French, married to a Jamaican. I think her name was Sophie--but I'm amazed that I can even remember her name so many years later. This week (4/13) I tracked down with the former owners of Mirage (Lauro and Michela). I got to know them quite well in Paris after they'd left Negril in 1981. I'll ask them the name of who purchased Mirage and built CHarela. Jack, a Harvard-trained dentist, who temporarily practiced dentistry in an open-air house on the beach in Negril in the 1970s, first introduced me to the owners of Mirage in 1977. He was a friend of my mother's. I stayed in the actual cottages at Mirage; they were located across the road in the West End, in a beautiful, well-kept garden. The first year, in 1977, there was no electricity. It was quiet and beautiful. The only way to get around in the West End was to walk. No traffic and not many people. No hustlers on the road. There were "Home Sweet Home Lanterns" for light at night. The bartenders at Rick's Cafe had to turn off the music whenever a patron requested a blender drink--the generator wouldn't support the blender and music simultaneously. Rick's was the "expensive" place in the area, a place we only went to once or twice. The Jamaicans would dive off the cliffs, but not at the place where they dive now. Most of my friends rented rooms--at Sammy's, I think. Showers at Mirage before electricity had limited hot water--hot water heated by the actual sunshine during the day (solar powered hot water). Eating in a restaurant in Negril took hours back then!

The road in the West End in 1978
Rick's Cafe
Sylvie, Owner of Charela in 1970s

Nice pictures and good information. Thanks for posting.

I know what you mean about it taking hours to have a meal in the restaurants back in the day. But after a while, one got used to it and it seemed normal. Since I was usually with friends and we were all stoned and drinking Red Stripes, the very slow and uncertain service was not a biggie. I really did not realize how slow the service was until I was staying at my sister's apartment in Manhattan for a few days after spending a couple of months in Negril. My sister was a model and had left the apartment early in the morning for work. I got up later. Her apartment was high dollar with a doorman and all that, but it was also tiny and there was very little to eat in the little kitchen. But there was a menu and a phone number for a deli that delivered on the kitchen counter. I looked over the menu and the food looked good so I made my choice and made the call. I was only about ten seconds into my order when the voice on the other end of the line demanded that I speed it up. I quickly blurted out my order and address and was cut off with curt OK. I was still smarting over the demand to speed up my order when there was a knock on the door. I paid the bill and the delivery guy was gone in a flash. I checked my order, thinking that they had probably messed it up, but it was perfectly filled with everything just as I had ordered it. I ate my meal laughing at the difference in speed and accuracy between the Jamaican and New York food service. In New York, time was money and you do not waste time or money. In Negril, you gave your order about three times and more often than not, you got pretty much what you ordered. Still, I loved Negril and the vibe there and I always will.

[vivnyc]

More pictures from 1977 and 1978. Included in these photos is a photo of a woman who bought Mirage on the cliffs, then she and her husband built Charela on the beach, in the mid-late 1970s. She was French, married to a Jamaican. I think her name was Sylvie--but I'm amazed that I can even remember her name so many years later. This week (4/13) I tracked down with the former owners of Mirage (Lauro and Michela). I got to know them quite well in Paris after they'd left Negril in 1981. I'll ask them the name of who purchased Mirage and built CHarela. Jack, a Harvard-trained dentist, who temporarily practiced dentistry in an open-air house on the beach in Negril in the 1970s, first introduced me to the owners of Mirage in 1977. He was a friend of my mother's. I stayed in the actual cottages at Mirage; they were located across the road in the West End, in a beautiful, well-kept garden. The first year, in 1977, there was no electricity. It was quiet and beautiful. The only way to get around in the West End was to walk. No traffic and not many people. No hustlers on the road. There were "Home Sweet Home Lanterns" for light at night. The bartenders at Rick's Cafe had to turn off the music whenever a patron requested a blender drink--the generator wouldn't support the blender and music simultaneously. Rick's was the "expensive" place in the area, a place we only went to once or twice. The Jamaicans would dive off the cliffs, but not at the place where they dive now. Most of my friends rented rooms--at Sammy's, I think. Showers at Mirage before electricity had limited hot water--hot water heated by the actual sunshine during the day (solar powered hot water). Eating in a restaurant in Negril took hours back then!

Rick's Cafe
Sylvie, Owner of Charela in 1970s?

[negrilmon]

Wow... so much fun to read about the good old days!

I first visited Negril in November 1975 as a 10 year old boy with my Father (his name was Scott and he stayed at Tensing Pen most of his visits and he walked with two canes...locally known as the man with the sick legs) and my seven year old brother and a group of my fathers friends.

We stayed at Sea Grape and Jenny from "Jenny's Cakes" was our helper around the place. She took my brother and me under her wing and she quickly became our Jamaican Mother through the three week stay.

Jenny told us the prior week before we arrived an up and coming singer stayed in the same house as we were staying at Sea Grape. His name was Bob Marley and she thought he would make it big some day. The album "Natty Dread" seemed to be playing throughout the entire vacation ( not sure how since electricity was scarce on the west end back in the day). In hind sight I think it is safe to say Jenny was spot on with this prediction!

My most vivid memory from that trip was up at Rick's Cafe. We were up for sunset and my Father and his friends began discussing how much it would cost them to see my father jump off the cliffs on the NORTH SIDE of Rick's.

$50 (1975 $50 keep in mind) was the number it took for my father to start crawling out to the edge of the cliff and jump. He asked my brother and me to meet him at the cove that now is where the world famous cliff diving happens. My brother and I ran down to the concrete slab with his canes and tennis shoes and waited for what seemed like an eternity for him to come swimming around the bend. Needless to say we were very relieved once we saw him because we were thinking he may have been hurt or drowned from the jump.

After typing this I'm wondering if my father was one of the first tourists to jump at Rick's? Anyone else have an earlier memory of jumping there?


Other memories were the old road from Mobay to Negril...Riding in an old VW Van...Wow what a ride. Much better ride these days with the new road.

I also remember the ice truck delivering big chunks of ice for the ice box and a huge truck that would deliver oranges for juice up on the west end. I also remember the sign "Stop at Brown's he's real cool" in front of his shop. "Jah Bah" and his shop across from Ten Sing Pen. Daisy and Gosnell and Miss May around the old "Rocky Dell" restaurant.

Almost 40 years have gone by but I still get back about once a year. My Father passed away about 30 years ago (we put his ashes in off the bridge at Tensing Pen) but he is still remembered up on the Cliffs and his grandchildren now are making memories in Negril.

The tradition continues...I'll try to post photos of the 1975 visit soon!

[since75]

Does anybody still have a Ricks Weed Bead? Post a photo if you do.!!

[TrelawnyT]

[since75]

Thanks !!! I wish I still had one of those. Was it 1 for a Red Stripe and 3 for a mixed drink ???

[johng]

negrilmon,

Nice memories!!! I first visited Negril in April 75. Was in Ft Lauderdale during Spring Break and the crowd was too much, walked by a travel agency and saw that Jamaica poster with the beautiful girl and bought a R-Trip Miami - MoBay on the spot. Stayed in Red Ground not far up the hill on the left side across from a church.

I jumped from the same spot as your dad at Ricks, my first but not last, I remember well that upon impact with the water how the soles of my feet stung like heck. I wonder how many people have been injured or died there as a result of jumping? Back then Rick's was much smaller but still very popular place at sunset.

[Piggymon]

[QUOTE=johng;104850]negrilmon,

Nice memories!!! I first visited Negril in April 75. Was in Ft Lauderdale during Spring Break and the crowd was too much, walked by a travel agency and saw that Jamaica poster with the beautiful girl and bought a R-Trip Miami - MoBay on the spot. Stayed in Red Ground not far up the hill on the left side across from a church.

QUOTE]

That was a heck of a poster. When I think of LC's Sonja, that is what comes to mind, that beautiful ethnic Indian girl in the tight wet tee shirt. Probably from Mandyville, as I understand that is where most of the ethnic Indians are concentrated. Although there was a fine looking Jamaican Indian woman who worked the rental car desk at Hedonism who was highly attractive and had a set to match the girl in the poster.


I walked to the travel agency in Coconut Grove, but pretty much the same deal.

Thanks for posting the pictures, johng.

[negrilmon]

Great photos Jhong! Thanks!

Speaking of Rick's being much smaller back in the day. I recall the bar was just an old converted swimming pool with a thatch roof built over it to protect from rain!

You would be eye level with the bartenders because the were standing in the drained pool.

Electricity was so iffy that If the blender needed to be used they had to turn off the record player before blending the drink.

I recall Rick lived in a nice little ocean front place right on the north cove...Hard to believe Rick's is world famous now!