Face your addiction! OR "Why do YOU love - and keep coming back to - Jamaica!"?

[M&G Montreal]

Thought it might be fun to have a comprehensive list of WHY we all go there! Make us all feel better for our crazy addiction to that beautiful tropical island!
Here's my starter list:

The warm winters (I live in Quebec!)
The sea! What colour!
The people - how they all say "enjoy your day" and during the Christmas season " ... and Happy New Year, when it comes". I love that expression!
The music
The vibe
Yah mon! (that says so much!)
Pum runch!!!!!!!
Jamaicans
BOARDIES! It's so fun to meet people with the same love and addiction to this island from all over!
Goats (and I mean that in a non-comestible sort of way! I LOVE goats! They're too cute)
The sense of community (Shakey; St. Anthony's)
The Ex-Pats (the Rob-and-Lisa's; the Debbie's, the Aubie's)
Glistening Waters
Endless summer (see my first reason!)

So. What about you?

[STRIPER]

Early morning,sitting on a point that's nearest the ocean on the cliffs with a cup a joe, watching the water come in around you.late nights sitting on a point nearest the ocean with a stripe,watching the water come in around you,looking up at the moon......

[hey_mon]

The tree frogs....love the sound of those at night.
The feeling of complete and utter abandonment when I get off the plane.
Seeing people we have fallen in love with over the 30 years we have been going.
The feeling of the sand between your toes.
The look of happiness on the faces of those around you.
The food, the food , the food!!!
The smell, whether it is something burning cooking or just the sultry humidity.
The Jamaican laid back pace.....soon come!
....and of course the warm humid weather when you live in Winterpeg!

These are a few that come to mind....

[rocknrollfarmer]

Great topic ! Yes mon' to hey-mon' . Of course the gleeping tree frogs! I need to get an endless tapeloop of them for here in Minnesota. Freak out the neighbors! Yes, getting out of the airport into the sun, the instant "emptying out the brain" feeling! The Jamaican people, the music, positive vibes, the sand, the food, the ice cold Red Stripes, the care-free attitudes, the smiles, Evryting Irie ! The beautiful country, Bob Marley, Paul the singing bartender, Garnett and his family from Likkle London, Norman the patty man, Lenbert & the one love bus, the sunsets, the crystal clear ocean, the cheeseburgers at Country Country, o.k. o.k. so I'm rambling, yeah it's an addiction. Wifey & I just booked for December!!! Yippee!

[M&G Montreal]

This IS the rambling addiction thread! Go for it! I totally forgot all the reasons all you guys mention! How did I forget :

the food! the food! the food!
Dinner at Catcha on the Cliffs
The cats!
That cactus outside Bella Donna's that blooms at night
NIGHT JASMINE!!!!!!
Rambo!
Customs: "Welcome Home"
Newbies buying "welcome" bracelets - NOOOOOOOO
Island Grill
No electricity for no reason! Gotta love the island!
Being able to wear flip flops 52/365 - beating any 24/7 thing you got!
Can I still get Breakfast? "Yah mon!

[M&G Montreal]

And, Hey Mon - I am from Quebec. I get the "warm"! I hear ya!

[hey_mon]

Oh my G G G G God it is still so cold here, and the snow!!!!! I thought when we were planning our trip last year to do Negril in March it was so late and we would probably have nice weather here already, but nooooooo. When we were flying into Manitoba on March 23rd I thought the pilot overshot Manitoba and we were in Nunavut with all the snow still on the ground! Yikes......makes planning next year very easy!

....and I also miss

The roosters who don't know what time it is!
Walking on the beach at 7 a.m. with a bottle of water for the walk back, but a coffe and Rum cream for the walk there, which is nowhere in particular!
Getting schooled in Dominos by Campbell
Waking up hung over and walking out the door of our villa and diving into the Caribbean Sea....snow banks don't work so well!
The FABULOUS people at SeaSand Ecovillas who made us feel so welcome this year!
The ever interesting conversations with every taxi driver we met!
Pumpkin Soup
Fresh Grilled Lobster
Fresh squeezed orange juice
Chillin in the West End...

Just to name a few more....

[St. Anthony's Kitchen]

Yea mon, what an honour to be mentioned as and addictive reason to come to Jamaica--Sense of community-St. Anthony's! Tanks! For those who don't know us--St. Anthony's Kitchen serves about 150 lunches to the poor in town, provides 40 breakfasts to children on the way to school (and runs a school bus), sponsors 36 children to school and, well you get the idea. We only do it with the help of others; the local Rotary Club are wonderful friends, volunteers, and lots of benefactors. Perhaps you could become addicted to sponsoring a kid to school or providing a bag a peas a month (darn things cost USD$100 now), a school backpack, clothes--just about anything. St. Paul exhorts his flock, "God loves a cheerful giver!" Ya gott love the guy, especially if you are into asking folks for stuff all the time! --Fr. Jim

[Smokin Kevan]

Food, fun and frolicking,lol with my baby for sure...

The best thing for me is that when I am in Jamaica, I can just "be"...

That's the state of doing nothing and simply being totally happy...

Happy Travels

Skb!

[suzengrace]

just the physical beauty of the island itself can still take my breath away at times..