40 years later

[Bluez]

Thanks to everybody for posting their memories and fabulous pics, this is great stuff, really enjoying it!

[Mike_D]

Lovin' all these vintage pics!

1977 or '78 at Mirage, in the garden

When you say "in the garden", do you mean that the Mirage use to have some property across the road from their current cliffside location (e.g. garden side), or just that there was a garden area on the cliffside property? Obviously the property looks very different today, but I'm trying to place where the picture was taken.

[vivnyc]

Most of the accommodations at Mirage were located across the road in a large garden that was beautifully kept. Lauro and Michela, originally from northern Italy, lived in a house relatively close to the road. There were several cottages at Mirage, each one with three rooms, all of them round in shape, beautifully constructed. Each cottage had two bedrooms and one main room located in between the two bedrooms. There was one conventional house on the cliff side, I believe it is still there. The first year 1977, there was no electricity. We used home sweet home lanterns to light the cottages. Lauro anticipated that one day there would be electricity, so the cottages were built with light fixtures and electrical outlets. There were bathroom, but the showers had limited hot water--the sun heated the pipes during the day. Life without electricity in Negril was very quiet.

[caz]

I believe the pic with the 2 guys and girl is PeeWee's the original across from Mariner next to LaMirage.

[bigga]

Piggymon you still lurking?

[Mike_D]

Most of the accommodations at Mirage were located across the road in a large garden that was beautifully kept. Lauro and Michela, originally from northern Italy, lived in a house relatively close to the road. There were several cottages at Mirage, each one with three rooms, all of them round in shape, beautifully constructed. Each cottage had two bedrooms and one main room located in between the two bedrooms. There was one conventional house on the cliff side, I believe it is still there. The first year 1977, there was no electricity. We used home sweet home lanterns to light the cottages. Lauro anticipated that one day there would be electricity, so the cottages were built with light fixtures and electrical outlets. There were bathroom, but the showers had limited hot water--the sun heated the pipes during the day. Life without electricity in Negril was very quiet.

Thanks for the history,vivnyc! We just returned from a week at Mirage (great place! - more on that later) and the hotel is much different today. It would've been great to stay there in those early days.

Speaking of across the road - there is currently some construction happening across from Mirage. It is a nice looking two-story structure. Looks like it might be a small hotel or a large house/villa. Scrawled in spray paint on the corrugated metal fence that surrounded the property it said, "The Somerville".

[captaind]

Only 35 yrs ago

Dodds, Love I and me on Hobie race day. I'm the race committee




The race

[Richie B]

Great picture's Capt.

[francis]

42 years ago ... I first arrived in Negril October 1972 ... and thought I had died and gone to heaven, what a pristine paradise it was ... people were friendly and cash poor but quality-of-life rich, very friendly and generous ... the Old Jamaicans refer to that time as "When the Hippies Came!" ... and come we did, first as a trickle then a torrent ... the 7 mile beach had just a few isolated buildings, the cliffs were just as isolated, we could go anywhere we wanted and it was possible to pay $0.50 per night to camp on some friendly person's property who would toss in a meal ... where in the world today can such a place be found? The marvel was not how inexpensive Negril was, nor how unpopulated it was, but that the people had lived for so long without money that they placed more value on people and friendship than money, and because they had such few material possessions they had learned the value of sharing and they freely gave what little they had, albeit they were happy to receive some cash, which had ironically changed Negril forever; isn't that the way it is, eh! We find paradise and bring to it our values - cultural influences - and change comes in like a storm to wash away the shores never to return to its original state; I lament, I know, because I was 19 and found freedom and love, and during the time I lived there, Reggae music via Bob Marley came to fruition, creating an atmosphere of positive vibrations and goodwill everywhere - truly a magical time in Negril. I tried to capture that time period in a novel, a highly fictionalized account of experiences; if you don't want to shell out the cash to check out my creative attempt at capturing that era in storytelling on Amazon or CreateSpace, email me and I will send you a PDF of the novel: Island Odyssey, Francis Oliver Lynn franlynn36@gmail.com

Island Odyssey Ghetto Flowers in Paradise

PAPER BACK
https://www.createspace.com/4258190
E-BOOK
http://www.amazon.com/ISLAND-ODYSSEY.../dp/B005TVG54A



Thanks for the pictures and stories - they are precious!

Irie! Brothers and Sisters ...

[STRIPER]

Call some place paradise,kiss it good bye.....eagles