40 years later

[Shelly]

Actually, I just realized that my first trip to Jamaica was exactly 40 years ago today, January 2nd, 1972. We arrived when it was dark and were driven right up to Redground where some friends of our friends were staying. This place was just behind where the Red Dragon is now. It was uncomfortable for my friend and I because there were about 14 guys staying there so we moved about 7 houses up the hill to James Palmers cottage. Our Jamaican friend Berna told us that James Palmer was the first Jamaican to rent out rooms in his house. This was in a pretty densely population area of Redground, and we couldn't believe how fast the Jamaican people talked and couldn't believe they were speaking English, the fast patois was undecipherable to us. The next morning we asked someone for directions to the beach, walked down the hill and across the bridge and down a little path to the beach. I couldn't believe my eyes, the turquoise water, the white sand, and palm trees, tons and tons of them as far up the beach as we could see. Thousands and thousands of palm trees were cut down to build all of the hotels. The first place we came to after passing the West Indian Sugar Company building was T-Water, a two story motel type of place.

[Piggymon]

Actually, I just realized that my first trip to Jamaica was exactly 40 years ago today, January 2nd, 1972. . . . The next morning we asked someone for directions to the beach, walked down the hill and across the bridge and down a little path to the beach. I couldn't believe my eyes, the turquoise water, the white sand, and palm trees, tons and tons of them as far up the beach as we could see. Thousands and thousands of palm trees were cut down to build all of the hotels. The first place we came to after passing the West Indian Sugar Company building was T-Water, a two story motel type of place.

Shelly, I sure do remember that little path from the bridge down to the beach. The West Indian Sugar Company building was real old school colonial style. I remember that one evening there was a party at the building. I am not sure how the porch was able to hold the people standing, walking on, and dancing on it that evening. I also remember T-Water. It seems to me that in addition to the hotel, it also had a little bar where you could at least get a Red Stripe and perhaps a Rum and Coke.